AdRoll Review: Retargeting & Custom Ads Backed By AI

AdRoll Review: Retargeting & Custom Ads Backed By AI
9/10
Features
9/10
UI/UX
9/10
Support
10/10
Trust
Our Rating
4.5 / 5
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LinkedIn
Support
Live Chat
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Price Plans

  • Starter ($0/month)

  • Essentials ($9/month)

  • Growth ($19/month)

Free Version

No

Free Trial

Yes
  • Web-Based

  • Credit Card
  • PayPal

Starter Package

Free

AdRoll Review: In-Depth

AdRoll is an AI-powered ad-management platform tailored to e-commerce brands. Its primary goal is to make online advertising safe, streamlined, and profitable. It offers several packages that allow for easier email capture, ad creation, and prospect targeting. The platform also utilizes artificial intelligence for product recommendations that can reach more consumers in less time. While there are distinct pricing plans, the company also has additional purchases if teams need to send more emails or if they want advanced tracking capabilities.

It helps businesses of all backgrounds in the e-commerce world so they can better market to their target audiences and sell more products. This growth platform encourages companies to accelerate their engagement and customer interactions through digital advertising efforts. The system uses artificial intelligence to measure performance and lead more brands to revenue success.

Key Features

As a company that focuses on B2B marketing, Adroll assists clients with automating their marketing campaigns while ramping up their retargeting efforts. The system is compatible with mobile users and takes advantage of artificial intelligence to target audience behavior, location, and more.

  • A/B Testing
  • Audience Segmentation
  • Personalization
  • Retargeting
  • ROI Tracking
  • Social Marketing


AdRoll Review: Background Information

Adroll History

The company was founded 13 years ago and caters to clients all around the globe. The co-creators wanted to democratize the digital advertising space so more businesses could break out and attract their target audiences.

  • Founded in 2007 by Aaron Bell and Jason Kopf
  • Over 500 employees
  • Headquartered in San Francisco, United States
  • Additional offices in New York, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Sydney (Australia), and Dublin (Ireland)
  • Late Stage Venture funding status
  • Six-member leadership team


Service Features & Technical Details

The site’s primary purpose is to help more brands get in front of their chosen audience. To do that, the platform offers automated assistance and the advantages of artificial intelligence.

Marketing Automation

By automating many of the tedious and time-consuming marketing tactics, the platform paves the way for teams to put more energy into a consistent brand voice. Split testing allows them to test different campaigns, while ROI and website visitor trackers provide measurable progress points.

  • A/B Testing
  • Dynamic Content
  • ROI Tracking
  • Sales Intelligence
  • Segmentation
  • Social Marketing
  • Visitor Tracking

Retargeting

Adroll Retargeting

Sometimes brands want to change things up and appeal to a new demographic or meet the needs of an existing one. This can be a large undertaking, especially if the team is already drowning in marketing strategies and implementation. Thanks to AdRoll’s automated features, businesses can pour more energy into retargeting campaigns and similar ventures.

  • Audience Segmentation
  • Behavioral & Geographic Targeting
  • Conversion Tracking
  • Personalization
  • Recommendation Engine
  • Social Media & Mobile Retargeting
  • Split Testing

Features in Detail

Adroll Features in Detail

Below is a closer look at what makes this site stand apart from its competitors. Lots of platforms focus on marketing and automation or even rebranding, so here’s how this system differentiates itself.

The Interface

Adroll has a clean and modern dashboard that follows an easy, intuitive design. The interface is sectioned off into three primary areas, although the dashboard holds all of the customer’s tools and features. This includes options for:

  • Creating advertisements
  • Retargeting strategies
  • Marketing campaigns
  • Conversions
  • Attributions
  • Cross-channel success

The interface also shows easy-to-read graphs that provide visual representations of successes, obstacles, and progress. Examples include conversion rates, average order values, and inventory.

Retargeting

The system’s primary focus is on retargeting, so it makes sense that the majority of its tools pertain to this goal. Clients can develop marketing and alternative strategies for different areas of the online space:

  • Online mail
  • Social media
  • On the company website
  • Other online spaces (digital ads)

Social media provides a huge opportunity for brands to get in front of more consumers. AdRoll helps by integrating with different networks such as Facebook. Clients opt-in and create targeted ads for the social network, then launch the campaign and allow the system to do the rest.

Teams can also appeal to new or existing customers through the business website. The software tracks site traffic and can keep track of certain visitor demographics, making it easier to build out a streamlined retargeting campaign.

Through email and other digital advertising endeavors, companies can build better landing pages and make enticing offers to the appropriate audience groups.

Prospecting

Part of the platform’s mission is to help businesses turn website visitors into paying customers. To do this, it boosts clients’ engagement through personalized messaging and just the right landing pages. It’s all about meeting prospective buyers where they’re at and knowing which content to put in front of them.

With this platform, clients can experiment with this method through a range of media. Here are just a few examples:

  • Email
  • Digital ads
  • Social media outreach
  • Videos

As AdRoll assists e-commerce brands, it can also assist with streamlining the shopping experience. It does this by showing buyers the items they have a keen interest in first and foremost. The system does this by using AI technology, online and social ads, and online newsletters. Its recommendation engine makes it easy to make personalized product suggestions.

Email

This specific feature on the AdRoll interface offers personalized product promotions and special deals to customers. From the perspective of a prospective buyer, reviewing great deals for sought-after items is a surefire way to check back in with that brand.

This is quite effective because it utilizes information from product websites and reviews to know just what consumers want. Then, the system can help teams with generating emails that pull more perspectives into the client base. Here’s an overview of how this works.

  • The platform looks at individuals’ real-time activity on the client’s website
  • It generates a personalized email to appeal to the prospectives
  • This grants teams more direct contact with potential buyers
  • Clients pay $1 for every click the email ad generates

Onsite

Besides email, AdRoll helps with general online ads and related efforts. This way, businesses can market and retarget audiences across the Web, both on mobile devices and desktop computers. The system offers a few ad templates, or companies can upload or create their distinct advertising content. From there, they can build their retargeting campaigns and set them loose on the Internet. The benefits of this include:

  • Reconnecting with people who have already visited the website
  • Establishing closer connections with repeat visitors
  • Appealing to individuals’ specific interests
  • Creating the right landing pages
  • Making more money and clinching more buyers


AdRoll Plans & Prices

The platform’s pricing model is not the most transparent, which may cause some teams to think twice. However, this doesn’t need to be a huge deal. Various resources and AdRoll reviews provide ample details about the company’s costs and packages.

AdRoll offers flat weekly rates that clients pay upfront. The price depends on how many website visitors the business sees each month. Keep in mind that this system is designed for companies that have at least 10,000 visits every 30 days. Depending on how much money teams spend on ads each month, they can take advantage of specific package perks. There’s more information about this below.

There are starter packs and monthly plans, too. A business could begin with the no-cost plan or try the Essential package for just $9 a month. Teams can review the details below.

#1 Starter: An Approachable Package

This particular plan is quite easy for most mid-sized e-commerce brands to meet. Once they hit that $1,000-per-month benchmark for ad spending, they can enjoy access to some of AdRoll’s prime features, like Ad Creative. They’ll also be able any dynamic ad templates they like as inspiration for their targeted campaigns.

Pricing Starter AdRoll
Features: Ad Creative twice a year, online support, self-serve dynamic ads

Functionality: Facebook, Hubspot, Instagram, Mailchimp, Marketo, Shopify, Squarespace, Zapier

Number of Users: N/A

Number of Social Accounts: N/A

Scheduling: Yes

Price: $0

PROS:

  • Access to design tools
  • Ad presets/templates
  • Easy to meet $1,000 threshold
  • Full integrations
  • Self-serve ad tools
CONS:

  • Less support than other packages
  • Limited access to tools

#2 Essentials: More Perks for Teams

Businesses that can afford to spend $5,000 on ads each month can get access to more advertising design benefits. This includes Ad Creative every quarter rather than every six months, as well as four strategy check-in meetings each year. That said, most of the ad tools are still only available on a self-serve basis.

Pricing Essentials AdRoll
Features: Account management, quarterly strategy meetings, self-serve ad tools

Functionality: Facebook, Hubspot, Instagram, Mailchimp, Marketo, Shopify, Squarespace, Zapier

Number of Users: N/A

Number of Social Accounts: N/A

Scheduling: Yes

Price: $9/mo

PROS:

  • Account management assistance
  • Ad Creative four times a year
  • More dedicated customer support
  • Quarterly strategy check-ins
  • Still relatively affordability
CONS:

  • Many features are still limited access
  • Might be too expensive for smaller brands

#3 Growth: Benefits That Are Worth the Price

It may seem daunting to spend $10,000 on monthly ads (or not), but the price is worth it. Clients on this tier will receive access to monthly Ad Creative and strategy meetings as well as additional tech and reporting resources. They are also granted more priority on support channels.

Pricing Growth AdRoll
Features: Account management, custom designer, limited strategy/tech sessions, strategy meetings, strategic reporting

Functionality: Facebook, Hubspot, Instagram, Mailchimp, Marketo, Shopify, Squarespace, Zapier

Number of Users: N/A

Number of Social Accounts: N/A

Scheduling: Yes

Price: $19/mo

PROS:

  • Additional reports
  • Custom designer for company ads
  • Monthly strategy meetings
  • More Ad Creative availability
  • Tech sessions
CONS:

  • Expensive for some brands
  • Limited access to strategic tools

Costs & Key Features Comparison Table

To make it easier to compare and contrast the different plans, review the table below. It outlines the primary benefits and limitations of each tier.

Starter Essentials Growth
Price $0 $9/mo $19/mo
Number of Ads 5,000 50,000 150,000
Support Online, Help Center Online, Help Center Online, Help Center
Ad Creative 2x / year 4x / year 1x / month
Dynamic Ads Self-serve Self-serve Custom designer
Account Management No Yes Yes
Strategy Meetings No Quarterly Monthly
Tech Sessions No No Yes
Strategic Reporting No No Limited
Optimization Team No No No
API Support No No No

Terms & Conditions

Adroll Terms & Conditions

The Terms of Use were last updated on April 21, 2023. The terms apply to NextRoll specifically, which is a parent company of AdRoll and RollWorks. Account-holders are responsible for ensuring that the information in their profiles is correct and up-to-date. Clients are also responsible for everything they create and/or post within the platform and will be held liable for any violations. The business reserves the right to use any comments, suggestions, ideas, and feedback from customers to improve its platform and marketing materials.

Privacy Policy

AdRoll’s Privacy Notice was last updated on February 4, 2023. The company collects personal customer data such as email addresses, shopping data, device information, browser data, locations, and activity on advertisers’ digital properties. This includes pages that the clients clicked on and the materials they downloaded. The brand also collects affiliate information from its third-party partners. It uses these details to identify companies, make accurate reports, improve services, and conduct corporate operations.

Refund Policy

The company’s refund policy is quite strict. For the most part, purchases are non-refundable and subscriptions will automatically renew once the current billing cycle ends. Any payment disputes must be sent to NextRoll in writing within 30 days of the billing date. For month-to-month plans, clients have just 72 hours to submit a dispute request. Customers can reach out to [email protected].


Customer Support

AdRoll Customer Support

This section will look at AdRoll’s different methods of customer support, both on the company website and through other means.

Telephone

There doesn’t appear to be an office or support center phone number on AdRoll’s website. Even the parent company, NextRoll, does not offer assistance over the telephone. Clients will have to use a different means of contact.

Email

For general inquiries or questions about payment and billing, customers can contact the staff at [email protected]. Be aware that this is the email address for the parent company, so it may take one or two people to reach AdRoll representative.

Online Chat

Upon visiting AdRoll homepage, visitors will see a pop-up chat box in the bottom right-hand corner. Here, they can ask a question or inquire about costs, solutions, and more. Responses are relatively quick and can point visitors in the right direction.

Support Center

The website has a Help Center where people can submit a request ticket or browse through additional resources. At the top of the page, there is a search bar where they can type in their inquiry and pull up related results. There are blog posts, articles, and step-by-step guides that walk clients through set-up and frequently-asked questions. There is also a NextRoll Trust Center, where visitors can learn more about the parent company’s data and security protocols.

Quality of Service

From looking at various tech reviews and tutorials, the consensus seems to be that AdRoll is easy to use and offers fast results. The intuitive dashboard contains a range of tools as well as cutting-edge retargeting features and strategies. On the downside, it can be pricey. On Trustpilot, the company has an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars. Most of the reviewers here are happy with their results although some of them had trouble learning the ins and outs of the interface.


Customer Types

For those wondering if AdRoll is right for their B2B or e-commerce brand, check out the section below. It takes a look at how the company performs for different customer demographics, making it easier for teams to make an informed purchasing decision.

Small Businesses

A start-up wouldn’t have the revenue stream to take on AdRoll account, but some smaller companies might be able to swing it. Given that the lowest package asks for a monthly advertising budget of $1,000, it seems quite reasonable.

Mid-Sized Companies

Medium-sized businesses are more likely to run with AdRoll, simply because they can afford it. Whether they already have an advertising strategy or they need to regroup for a retargeting campaign, this platform would be a great resource.

Large Enterprises

Bigger companies have the advantage of being able to afford the brand’s higher-tiered packages. If they spend closer to or over $10,000, they can access more design tools as well as reporting and analytics that can drive successful campaigns.

Freelancers

This platform isn’t designed for freelancers. Most contractors or fledgling marketers simply won’t have the money to shell out for service. Unfortunately, they probably won’t have such direct access to retargeting tools either. Perhaps one of the service alternatives below would be a better fit.


AdRoll Pros & Cons

On the whole, AdRoll seems to be a trustworthy platform that delivers real results and plenty of analytics. While there are several reports of the customer support not being as responsive as it could be, it’s not a reason to drop the system completely. The majority of people praise the software’s dynamic retargeting modules and admire all of the available customizations.

Pros

Cons

  • Accessible reporting features and graphs
  • Account and optimization management for faster results
  • Dynamic retargeting without much effort
  • Integrations and AI technology for better conversion predictions
  • Lots of room for customization and personal ads
  • Opaque pricing models
  • The user dashboard sometimes requires a learning curve

Top 6 Best AdRoll Alternatives

If this company’s pricing is unattractive or teams just want to explore their options, check out these service alternatives.

1. Criteo Dynamic Retargeting: A Simpler User Interface

Criteo Alternatives

Taking the time to learn a new user interface can end up costing time and even money. Experts suggest that Criteo offers a more intuitive design. It’s also capable of mobile and cross-channel advertising. Like AdRoll, pricing isn’t straightforward and depends on how many ads the client utilizes each month.

2. Marin Software: Ad-Focused for Less

Marin Software Alternatives

Marin Software is another versatile platform that does many of the same things as these competitors. The pricing is also more approachable. Marin allows for cross-channel advertising, mobile optimization, and more. It also works well with Google and other ad-centric systems.

3. Perfect Audience: Mobile, Web, & Facebook Ads

Perfect Audience Alternatives

This system’s shiniest features include a calendar tool and dynamic reporting. It also integrates with major e-commerce platforms and social media networks. Perfect Audience offers a CPM cost model, which means that individuals pay for every 1,000 impressions. This is similar to most other competitors.

4. Quantcast: Safety & Segmentation

Quantcast Alternatives

Quantcast provides help for marketers that want to sell more, as well as publishers and businesses that want to protect customer data. The ‘Q Platform’ offers an autonomous predictive model, integrated AI optimization, and real-time reports.

5. Choozle: For Choosy Marketers

Choozle Alternatives

Choozle is a channel management platform that caters to marketers with multiple campaigns across the Web. It can help clients with banners, social media, video ads, and more. Other highlights include account-based marketing and ad optimization and inventory management.

6. The Trade Desk: Heavy on Marketing Automation

The Trade Desk Alternatives

The Trade Desk is a marketing software that falls under the radar. It focuses on campaign management and includes lots of automation, usually for email marketing. Perks include audience segmentation and multi-campaign support. It also does mobile, video, native, and Web advertising.

AdRoll & Competitors Comparison Chart

While this pricing and features comparison table is useful, keep in mind that clients may get additional or more-depth assistance if they opt for a higher-tiered subscription.

AdRoll Criteo Marin Perfect A Quantcast Choozle Trade Desk
Price $1-
$10,000+
/mo
$1-
$100+
/mo
$499
/mo
$1-
$100+
/mo
$1-
$100+
/mo
$99+
/mo
$1-
$100+
/mo
Audience
Segmentation
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cross-Channel
Ads
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Integrations Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Machine
Learning
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Personalization Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Retargeting Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
ROI Reports Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Search Ads Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Social
Marketing
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Visitor
Tracking
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does AdRoll Do?

It helps e-commerce companies create competitive ads in the hopes of building up a revenue stream. Depending on the chosen package, clients can access custom designers, cross-channel ad growth, and personalized campaigns. The software uses artificial intelligence to provide predictive models of conversion rates while supplying ROI reports and other analytics. The tools and features in this system work together to craft custom advertising content that reaches consumers where they’re at while offering them what they want.

Does Google Own AdRoll?

Its parent company is NextRoll, and many of its policies and practices overlap. Google doesn’t own AdRoll, but its Analytics program integrates with the platform. Clients can set up Google Analytics to track ROI, website visitor traffic, conversions, and much more.

Is Remarketing the Same as Retargeting?

Not quite, and it’s important to know the difference.

  • Remarketing: Re-engaging with customers, usually through email but sometimes via social media
  • Retargeting: Reaching out to a user who already visited the brand’s website or engaged with an ad

So, businesses could remarket and retarget at the same time, or they could spend time remarketing before they delve into retargeting. Most of the time, the methods involved in both processes are very similar.

How Much Does Retargeting Cost?

This somewhat depends on which tools and software a client is using. For instance, some systems charge every week while others charge per 1,000 impressions. Therefore, there isn’t a set rate that teams can expect to pay. Other factors to consider:

  • Cost-per-acquisition
  • Cost-per-click
  • Mobile ads
  • Video ads
  • Native ads
  • Frequency
  • Subscription price

How Does AdRoll Make Money?

Since it’s pricing details are a bit difficult to understand, it can be hard to imagine how it generates money. That said, the costs are simply determined by how much teams spend on advertising each month. For instance, some clients limit their monthly ad budget to $1,000 while others spend $10,000 or more. AdRoll will charge them accordingly either on a pay-as-you-go schedule or with a flat weekly rate.


Retargeting Automations & Organization at Your Fingertips

Brands that are looking to get a leg up on their retargeting efforts should check out AdRoll. They have some flexibility in how they pay, plus there are great strategic tools to take advantage of. Not only that, but the platform uses AI technology wisely to assist clients in projecting conversions.

Published: August 16, 2020Updated: March 27, 2024

Linda Andress

Linda Andress

Linda’s passion is turning ideas into a successful copy. She has worked for more than eight years in the publishing industry, providing unique and varied writings. She has experience in successfully implementing PR strategies and organization, including events and meetings (congresses, industry symposiums, and training workshops). When she’s not working, she’s reading (probably 3-4 books at a time), shopping for hours in bookstores and comic book stores, playing video games or volleyball, or spending time with her family, including her two dogs, Mickey and Pete.


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