The Complete Manual for Retargeting Advertising

 Retargeting advertising: what is it?

A digital marketing tactic called retargeting, sometimes referred to as remarketing, focuses on customers who have already interacted with your website, app, or advertisements but did not convert (make a purchase, sign up, etc.).

It follows users between platforms via cookies or tracking pixels, urging them to come back and take action with relevant advertisements.

1. The Operation of Retargeting Step 1: Monitoring Guests A tracking pixel (Facebook) or cookie (Google) is installed in the browser of a user who visits your website or engages with your social media pages but does not complete a purchase. Step 2: Segmenting the Audience Users can be retargeted based on the following: ✅ Engagement-based users – those who watched a video, clicked on an advertisement, or interacted with your brand; ✅ Abandoned cart users – those who added items to their cart but did not check out; ✅ Previous buyers – for upselling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty; and Step 3: Displaying Ads for Retargeting Google Display Network, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, and other platforms all display retargeted advertisements.

The purpose of advertisements is to remind consumers of the good or service they expressed interest in and entice them to come back.

2. Top Platforms for Retargeting
The Best Platform for Ad Formats
Google Ads Search-based remarketing and website trafficSearch ads, YouTube ads, and display ads
Ads on FacebookRetargeting in e-commerce and social interactionVideo ads, dynamic product ads, and carousel ads
Instagram PromotionsRemarketing through visualsFeed ads and story ads
Ads on LinkedInText ads and sponsored content for B2B retargeting
YouTube PromotionsRetargeting videosAds for Videos That Can Be Skipped and Cannot
Ads on TikTokRetargeting a younger demographicSpark and In-Feed Ads
3. Retargeting Campaign Types
Targeting users who visited particular sites (such product pages) but left without converting is the goal of standard website retargeting.
For instance, after visiting your "running shoes" page, a consumer sees a Google Display advertisement for the item.

Dynamic Retargeting (#2)
displays tailored advertisements for the precise item the user has viewed.
Example: A user browses an iPhone 15 → later sees a Facebook ad with that exact model + discount.
3️⃣ Video Retargeting
Retargets users who watched a certain percentage of your video ad.
Example: A user watches 50% of your YouTube ad → later sees a follow-up ad.
4️⃣ Abandoned Cart Retargeting
Targets users who added items to the cart but didn’t check out.
Example: A user adds headphones to the cart → later sees a Facebook ad with “Still Interested?” + discount.
5️⃣ Email List Retargeting
Uploads your email list to platforms like Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn to show targeted ads.
Example: Retarget past customers with a new collection or limited-time sale.
6️⃣ Search Retargeting