Retargeting
In short
Retargeting is a form of online advertising that shows ads to people who have already visited your site, opened a page, or engaged with your brand. It aims to bring them back and move them toward a next step, such as booking a demo.
Most visitors do not convert on a first visit, especially in B2B where buying takes weeks or months. Retargeting keeps your brand visible during that period.
How retargeting works
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- Tracking: A pixel or tag records visits and actions on your site.
- Audience: Visitors are grouped, for example by pages viewed.
- Ads: Your ads are shown to that group on other sites, apps, or social feeds.
- Conversion: The ad leads them back to a relevant page or offer.
How to segment audiences
- Pricing page visitors: Show proof points, case studies, or a demo offer.
- Blog readers: Offer a guide or webinar that goes deeper.
- Demo abandoners: Remind them and address common objections.
- Existing customers: Exclude them from acquisition ads.
Example
Say a team sees that visitors who read the pricing page rarely book a demo. They create a retargeting group of those visitors and show a customer story with a short demo offer for two weeks. Then they compare demo requests against a similar untargeted group.
Common mistakes
- One generic ad: Different visitors need different messages.
- No frequency cap: Constant ads feel intrusive.
- Never expiring audiences: Stop showing ads after a sensible window.
- Forgetting exclusions: Do not retarget people who already converted or are already customers.
Retargeting vs. retargeting marketing
Retargeting is the ad tactic. Retargeting marketing is the broader strategy that also uses email, sales outreach, and content to re-engage past visitors.
Retargeting FAQs
What is retargeting?
Retargeting is an advertising method that shows ads to people who previously visited your website or engaged with your brand. The goal is to keep your brand in front of them and bring them back to take a next step.
How does retargeting work?
A tracking tag records visitors and their actions on your site. Those people are placed into audiences, and your ads are then shown to them on other websites, apps, or social platforms, linking back to a relevant page.
What is the difference between retargeting and remarketing?
The terms are often used interchangeably. Strictly, retargeting means paid ads served to past visitors, while remarketing is sometimes used for email-based re-engagement. Many teams treat them as the same idea.
Does retargeting work for B2B?
It can, because B2B buying cycles are long and visitors rarely convert on the first visit. It works best with segmented audiences, tailored messages, and frequency limits, though small audiences can limit scale.
