Have you ever browsed an online store, picked out your favourite item, added it to your cart, and then left without buying? Then later, while scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, the same product suddenly shows up again, reminding you of what you left behind.
That’s retargeting at work, and it’s one of the most effective ways to recover lost sales.
Welcome to the fascinating world of retargeting. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll uncover exactly how it works, why it matters, and how you can harness it to boost your business.
What’s the Magic Behind Retargeting?
Retargeting (also known as remarketing) is a marketing technique that shows personalised ads to people who have already visited your website.
Whether they checked out products, added something to cart, or just browsed for a while, retargeting keeps your brand top of mind and encourages them to return and complete the purchase.
Different Retargeting Strategies You Should Know
Businesses typically use two popular retargeting strategies:
Pixel-Based Retargeting
Pixel-based retargeting follows anonymous website visitors by using a tracking pixel (for example, Meta Pixel or Google Tag). This is useful for capturing users quickly, and showing ads based on real behaviour.
List-Based Retargeting
List-based retargeting targets users based on a customer list (such as email addresses). This method works best when you already have a defined audience and want to retarget them with a specific offer or upsell.
How Retargeting Works: Your Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Setting Up Tracking Pixels
First, businesses add a tracking pixel to their website. This allows platforms like Meta Ads or Google Ads to track visitor actions such as page views, product views, and add-to-cart events.
Step 2: Tracking Visitor Actions
The pixel tracks actions that show interest, such as:
- Visiting pages (identifying visitors who are interested)
- Viewing products (remarketing to users who viewed specific products)
- Adding items to the cart (high-intent behaviour)
- Starting checkout but not completing it (abandonment signals)
These actions help segment the audience and create ad groups for higher conversion intent.
Step 3: Building Custom Audiences
You then create custom audiences inside platforms such as Meta Ads. Example audiences include:
- People who visited your website in the last 30 days
- People who viewed product pages
- People who added to cart but didn’t purchase
- People who visited your checkout page
Step 4: Crafting Compelling Retargeting Ads
Once segments are ready, create ads that speak directly to the user’s behaviour. This could include reminders, urgency, testimonials, social proof, or limited-time offers.
Step 5: Using Retargeting on Meta Ads and Google Ads
Retargeting is not limited to one platform. You can retarget through:
- Meta Ads: Facebook + Instagram retargeting
- Google Ads: Display, YouTube, and Search retargeting
Essential Retargeting Tools You Need
- Meta Business Suite (for Facebook retargeting and Instagram retargeting)
- Google Ads account
- Google Tag Manager (simplifies pixel deployment)
- Google Analytics (insights into behaviour and performance)
Privacy and Respecting Users
Retargeting must be done responsibly. Always maintain user privacy, show consent prompts where required, and avoid overly aggressive targeting that can make users feel uncomfortable.
Why Retargeting Is Essential for Your Business
- Higher sales conversions (retargeting users who already showed intent)
- Improved return on advertising spend
- Enhanced brand visibility
- Stronger engagement with warm audiences
Advanced Retargeting Tips
- Dynamic product ads: show products users viewed
- Sequential messaging: tell a story across multiple ads
- Exclude recent buyers: avoid wasting spend and improve experience
- Offer-based retargeting: use urgency or incentives where needed
Ready to Start Your Retargeting Journey?
Before you start, make sure you have:
- Clear goals and tracking set up
- Clean and organised customer audiences
- Strong creative that matches user intent
Wrap-up: Retargeting is your second chance to convert visitors into customers. By using a variety of retargeting strategies, from pixel-based retargeting to list-based retargeting, you can increase conversions and build stronger connections with your audience.
At Janusmaad Digital, we help businesses build high-performing retargeting strategies to maximise results. Let’s get started: Book Now