One of the biggest opportunities ecommerce businesses have in Google Ads is something they already own: their customer data.
Customer Match allows ecommerce advertisers to use first-party customer information, such as email addresses, to reach existing customers and prospects through Google Ads.
Instead of treating every person searching on Google as a complete stranger, Customer Match allows you to tell Google, “These are people who already know my business. Let’s market to them differently.”
When used strategically, Customer Match can become a powerful tool for increasing Google Ads profitability, improving repeat purchases, and helping Google better understand what a valuable customer looks like for your business.
Here are several ways ecommerce businesses can put Customer Match to work.
- Segment Your Customers
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make with Customer Match is putting everyone into one giant customer list.
Not all customers are created equal.
A customer who purchased from you yesterday is very different from someone who purchased three years ago. Likewise, someone who spent $2,000 with your business is much different from someone who made a $25 purchase.
The more intelligently you segment your first-party data, the more relevant your advertising can become.
For example, you could create separate audiences for:
- Customers who purchased within the last 30 days
- Customers who purchased within the last six months
- Customers who have purchased multiple times
- High-value customers based on lifetime purchase value
- Customers who purchased specific product categories
These different audiences can then be incorporated into your Google Ads strategy in different ways.
The goal is to stop treating your entire customer base as one audience and start recognizing the different levels of value within that audience.
- Use Customer Match to Increase Repeat Purchases
For many ecommerce businesses, the easiest sale to generate isn’t necessarily from a brand-new customer.
It’s from someone who has already purchased from you and had a good experience.
Think about the advantages of marketing to an existing customer.
They already know your brand. They’ve already trusted you with their credit card. They understand what you sell. And, assuming they had a positive experience, you don’t have to spend as much money convincing them that your company is legitimate.
This makes Customer Match particularly valuable for businesses selling products that customers purchase repeatedly.
Consider products such as:
- Supplements
- Skincare
- Pet products
- Coffee
- Food and beverages
- Replacement parts
- Household consumables
If you know a customer has purchased from you before, you can use Google Ads to put your brand back in front of that customer when they’re searching for products related to their previous purchase.
The goal isn’t simply to generate another conversion.
The goal is to increase customer lifetime value while keeping acquisition costs under control.
That’s an important distinction.
Many advertisers focus almost entirely on the first purchase. But ecommerce profitability isn’t just about transaction number one. It’s about what happens over the entire relationship with the customer.
- Give Google Better Information About Your Best Customers
Customer Match can also help you identify and reach your most valuable customers.
Let’s say your average customer generates $100 in revenue, but you have a segment of customers who generate an average of $500 in lifetime value.
You don’t necessarily want to treat those two groups exactly the same.
By identifying your highest-value customers and creating an audience from that data, you can incorporate that information into your Google Ads strategy.
This is one of the most powerful aspects of first-party data.
You’re giving Google additional information about what a good customer looks like for your business.
That’s much more useful than simply saying, “Here’s everybody who has visited my website.”
A website visitor isn’t necessarily a customer.
A purchaser is a much stronger signal.
And a customer who has purchased repeatedly and generated significant revenue is an even stronger signal.
The better data you can provide, the better opportunity you have to build campaigns around the customers who actually drive your profitability.
- Use Customer Match for Cross-Selling and Upselling
Another powerful application of Customer Match is cross-selling and upselling.
Imagine you sell outdoor equipment.
A customer purchases a tent from you.
Instead of continuing to advertise that same tent to the customer, you could introduce complementary products such as:
- Sleeping bags
- Camping cookware
- Lanterns
- Camping chairs
- Hiking equipment
You’ve already established the relationship.
Now you’re looking for the next logical purchase.
This is where effective ecommerce marketing becomes less about asking, “How do I get this person to buy something?”
Instead, ask:
“What does this customer need next?”
That’s a much better question.
Customer Match gives you the ability to use what you already know about your customers to make your marketing more relevant.
- Use Customer Match to Reduce Wasted Ad Spend
Customer Match isn’t only about finding more opportunities to advertise.
It can also help you determine who you don’t need to advertise to.
If someone just purchased a product, you may not want to continue spending money trying to convince that person to immediately purchase the exact same product again.
Depending on your business and the typical buying cycle, customer lists can be used to exclude certain audiences from campaigns or adjust the way you market to them.
That can help eliminate wasted ad spend.
And ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to accomplish with Google Ads.
We’re not trying to generate the most clicks.
We’re not trying to generate the most traffic.
We’re trying to generate profitable sales.
- Measure Customer Match Based on Profitability
Finally, don’t evaluate Customer Match simply by asking whether it generated conversions.
Look at the bigger picture.
Ask questions such as:
- Are repeat purchase rates increasing?
- Is customer lifetime value increasing?
- Are we reducing wasted advertising spend?
- Are our highest-value customers producing a better return?
- Are customers purchasing additional products?
- Is our overall Google Ads profitability improving?
These are much more meaningful questions than simply looking at the number of conversions attributed to a particular campaign.
Customer Match isn’t valuable simply because it’s another Google Ads feature.
It’s valuable because it allows you to take something your business already has—knowledge about your customers—and use that knowledge to make your advertising smarter.
Make Your Customer Data Work Harder
For ecommerce businesses, first-party customer data can be one of your most valuable marketing assets.
Start by building and maintaining customer lists. Then segment those customers based on factors such as recency, purchase behavior, product category, frequency, and customer value.
From there, look for opportunities to use those audiences within your Google Ads strategy.
Use Customer Match to encourage repeat purchases, cross-sell complementary products, identify your best customers, and reduce advertising waste.
The key is to think beyond the first transaction.
A profitable ecommerce business isn’t just one that acquires customers.
It’s one that acquires valuable customers and continues to generate revenue from those customers over time.
That’s where Customer Match can make a real difference.
Because at the end of the day, successful Google Ads isn’t about getting the most clicks.
It’s about making each click count.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Customer Match in Google Ads?
Customer Match is a Google Ads feature that allows businesses to use their first-party customer data, such as email addresses, to create customer audiences for advertising. For ecommerce businesses, this can help you reconnect with existing customers, reach high-value audiences, encourage repeat purchases, and create more relevant advertising strategies.
- How can Customer Match improve Google Ads profitability?
Customer Match can improve profitability by helping businesses focus advertising on customers who are already familiar with their brand. Existing customers may be more likely to purchase again, which can reduce the cost and effort required to generate additional sales. Customer Match can also help businesses reduce wasted spend and focus on higher-value customer segments.
- What types of customer lists should ecommerce businesses create?
Ecommerce businesses should consider segmenting customers based on factors such as purchase recency, purchase frequency, product category, and customer lifetime value. For example, you could create audiences for customers who purchased within the last 30 days, repeat customers, or high-value customers who have generated significant revenue.
- Can Customer Match be used to increase repeat purchases?
Yes. Customer Match can be particularly useful for ecommerce businesses with products that customers purchase repeatedly. Businesses can use customer audiences to put their brand and relevant products back in front of previous purchasers, helping encourage additional purchases and increase customer lifetime value.
- How can ecommerce businesses use Customer Match for cross-selling?
Businesses can use customer data to identify what a customer has already purchased and then promote complementary products. For example, an outdoor equipment retailer could advertise sleeping bags, cookware, or lanterns to someone who previously purchased a tent. The objective is to identify the customer’s next logical purchase.
- Can Customer Match help reduce wasted Google Ads spend?
Yes. Customer Match can help businesses make more strategic decisions about where they spend their advertising dollars. Depending on the business and purchasing cycle, customer audiences can be used to exclude certain customers from campaigns or change how those customers are targeted. This can help prevent businesses from spending money advertising products to people who recently purchased them.
- What metrics should businesses use to measure Customer Match success?
Businesses should look beyond conversions and evaluate Customer Match based on its impact on overall profitability. Important metrics can include repeat purchase rate, customer lifetime value, return on ad spend, revenue from existing customers, and wasted advertising spend. The ultimate goal is to determine whether Customer Match is helping generate more profitable customer relationships over time.
Need Help with Google Ads? If you’re ready to take your online store’s performance to the next level with Google Shopping Ads but need a helping hand, consider reaching out. I’m Andy Splichal, author of Make Each Click Count and host of the Make Each Click Count podcast. Whether it’s about creating high-performing Shopping Ads or mastering your overall Google Ads strategy, I’m here to help. Let’s make those clicks count!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Splichal is the founder and managing partner of True Online Presence, author of the Make Each Click Count book series, host of the Make Each Click Count podcast, founder of Make Each Click Count University and certified online marketing strategist with twenty plus years of experience helping companies increase their online presence and profitable revenues.
He was named to Best of Los Angeles Awards’ Most Fascinating 100 List in both 2020 and 2021. To find more information on Andy Splichal, visit trueonlinepresence.com or read The Full Story on his website or his blog, blog.trueonlinepresence.com.