Remarketing and retargeting mean the same thing: showing ads to people who have already visited your website or app. Google usually calls it remarketing, while on Facebook and Instagram it's often called retargeting. The idea is simple: someone who already knows you becomes a customer more easily than a stranger.
Most visitors don't buy or book on their first visit. They compare, hesitate or get distracted. With remarketing you remind them of your business when they're ready. In this article you'll read how it works, where you set it up and what to watch out for.
How does remarketing work?
Your website contains a small piece of tracking code from an ad platform, such as the Google tag or the Meta pixel. That code remembers that someone visited your site, and possibly which pages. This builds a list: a remarketing audience.
You then show ads to that list while those people visit other websites, watch YouTube or scroll through Facebook and Instagram. You can't see who is on the list. The platform handles it without showing you any names.
You can also work with your own customer list, for example email addresses of customers who gave permission. The platform then looks for matching accounts. That needs extra care around privacy, more on that below.
When does retargeting make sense?
Retargeting works best when people don't decide straight away. For example:
- An online shop where visitors put products in their basket but don't check out.
- A higher-priced service, such as a renovation or a new website, where people compare first.
- A salon or practice where someone looked at the price list but hasn't booked yet.
- A job vacancy: someone viewed the vacancy but didn't apply.
- A recurring service: reminding customers who came last year to book a new appointment.
If you have few visitors, your list is small and remarketing won't achieve much. In that case, get more traffic first, for example through SEO or Google Ads.
Remarketing in Google Ads
In Google Ads you create audiences based on website visitors and choose where your ads appear:
- Display: banners on websites and in apps that partner with Google.
- YouTube: video ads for people who already know your site.
- Search ads: bid higher or show different text when a previous visitor searches on Google again.
- Dynamic remarketing: for online shops. The ad shows exactly the products someone viewed, from your product feed, a list of all your products.
Retargeting on Facebook and Instagram
At Meta this is called a custom audience. You can build one based on:
- Visitors to your whole website or to specific pages.
- People who watched a large part of one of your videos.
- People who visited or engaged with your Instagram account or Facebook page.
- A customer list that you upload.
Retargeting on social media works well with images: the products or work someone already looked at. Read more about setting up campaigns in advertising on Facebook and Instagram.
Building a smart remarketing audience
Don't lump all visitors together. Someone who spent ten seconds on your homepage is different from someone who half-filled your quote form. Create a few separate groups instead:
- Visitors to a service or product page, with an ad about exactly that service.
- People who started a form or basket but didn't finish, with a clear reminder.
- Customers who have already bought. Exclude them from acquisition ads, or show them something complementary instead.
- Visitors to your careers page, with an ad about working for you.
An example: someone looks at the garden maintenance page on a landscaper's site but doesn't request a quote. A week later they see a photo of a well-kept garden on Instagram with the text 'Fixed monthly price, no-obligation quote within two days'. That ties in with what they were looking for, and removes exactly the doubt that made them drop off before.
Also choose how long someone stays on a list. For a quick purchase a few weeks is enough; for a big decision it can be longer.
Don't annoy people: keep it pleasant
Remarketing can backfire too. Everyone knows the feeling of being followed around by the same shoe. Here's how to avoid that:
- Set a limit on how often someone sees your ad per day or week.
- Stop the ads as soon as someone has bought or booked.
- Rotate your ads regularly.
- Give a reason to come back, such as an answer to a doubt, a review or a question you answer. Not just 'You were here'.
Also measure whether remarketing really adds something. Look at enquiries or sales after a click on a remarketing ad, and compare the cost per customer with your other campaigns.
Remarketing and the GDPR
Remarketing uses cookies and similar techniques to follow visitors for advertising. In the Netherlands you need consent for that. In practice this means:
- The Google tag and the Meta pixel may only place advertising cookies once the visitor agrees in your cookie banner. Read more in cookie banners and the GDPR.
- Mention remarketing and the parties you use in your privacy statement.
- Only upload customer lists if you have a sound legal basis for it.
- Google and Meta don't allow remarketing on sensitive topics, such as health, or only in limited ways. If you work in healthcare, check the platform's rules.
This isn't legal advice. If you're unsure about your situation, ask a lawyer or check with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).
How Violexa helps with remarketing
We set up remarketing with proper tracking and consent through your cookie banner, create separate audiences and ads that match where someone has been, and keep an eye on what it costs and delivers. That's part of our online marketing, with SEO, Google Ads and social media, from €599 excl. VAT (€725 incl. VAT) per month. Your ad budget comes on top of that. There's no minimum term and you can cancel monthly with one month's notice.
Curious whether remarketing and retargeting would pay off for your business? Book a free quickscan. In 30 minutes we look at your visitors and goals, and afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligations.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between remarketing and retargeting?
In practice they mean the same thing: showing ads to people who've already been in touch with you. Google tends to use the word remarketing; on social media you hear retargeting more often.
How many visitors do you need for remarketing?
Platforms only show ads once your list reaches a minimum size, and those rules differ by platform and campaign type. If you have few visitors, get more traffic first. Check the current requirements in the platform itself.
Can you use remarketing without cookie consent?
No. You need consent for cookies and similar techniques that follow visitors for advertising. Only load the ad platforms' tracking code after that consent.
Do remarketing and retargeting work for a local service provider?
Yes, if people take some time before choosing, as with a renovation or treatment. With little website traffic the list is small, so it works best alongside other channels.
