Retargeting marketing is the secret to keeping your brand top-of-mind.
It's all about finding the people who have previously shown interest in your products and services, and drawing them back into the conversion journey.
You could think of it as being the marketing version of missed connections.
In this guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about retargeting marketing. We’ll explore how it works and why it should be an important part of your digital marketing strategy. We'll also look at which channels to use and how to build campaigns that capture attention and convert.
Along the way, we’ll showcase ways Brandwatch solutions can help you excel in retargeting marketing.
By the end, you’ll have a clear idea about how to create and refine your own successful retargeting strategy, complete with actionable next steps.
What is retargeting?
Retargeting (sometimes called remarketing) is a useful strategy for re-engaging people who have already interacted with your brand, whether by visiting your website, exploring your product pages, or even just watching part of your video content.
These audiences are prime targets for follow-up marketing because they’ve demonstrated a prior interest.
Everyone you focus on in retargeting marketing will have had a previous interaction with your brand.
These are commonly people who visited your website but didn’t make a purchase or those who added items to their cart but abandoned it at the last step.
However, it can also refer to someone who clicked on a specific product page or sign-up form but didn’t finish. There are even ways to retarget social media users who've interacted with some of your social media content but have yet to make a purchase.
Retargeting can come in all sorts of forms on various platforms and channels, including display ads, social media ads, email marketing, and even direct messaging.
The common thread is that all retargeting campaigns focus on users who already have some familiarity with your brand, giving them a gentle nudge to return and take the next step.
The benefits of retargeting marketing
Retargeting marketing is valuable because it speaks to users who’ve already engaged with you and has many specific benefits.
People who’ve already visited your site or engaged with your social profiles are more likely to become paying customers. Retargeting reminds them of what initially caught their attention, improving the odds of them coming back to convert.
This, in turn, leads to efficiency. When you run ads to a highly targeted audience, your budget is allocated more efficiently.
In many cases, retargeting campaigns result in a lower cost per acquisition (CPA) because they’re targeted at warm leads (in other words, they already know a bit about your business) rather than broad, unqualified audiences.
In the crowded digital marketplace, it’s easy to get lost in the noise. Well-timed retargeting ads help keep your brand top-of-mind. Multiple retargeting touchpoints can reinforce brand awareness even if a user doesn’t convert on the second visit.
Retargeting also allows you to serve ads that reflect specific user actions. This boosts relevance, reduces ad fatigue, and fosters a more personalized experience – exactly what modern consumers expect.
Whether in eCommerce, B2B technology, or local services, retargeting can be tailored to match your unique sales cycle, product offerings, and customer journey.
How retargeting works
Retargeting marketing relies on data from user interactions. Without data, knowing who has previously interacted with your brand is practically impossible.
Different types of data collection
You can collect useful data in a number of ways. For example, browser cookies are small text files stored on a user’s device that track site visits, products viewed, and other relevant behaviors.
Pixel tracking can be helpful, too. This is a code snippet placed on your website that collects and sends user data back to your advertising platform.
You can also collect useful data through email engagement. This includes actions like email opens, link clicks, or form completions, which you can then segment for follow-up campaigns.
Mobile device IDs can be helpful, too. These are unique identifiers for mobile apps, used similarly to cookies or pixel-based retargeting.
Once you have user data, your advertising platform (for instance, a social media ads manager or a display ad network) can deliver ads to those specific users as they browse the web, scroll through social platforms, or watch videos. This is how website visitors might see a product ad for the exact item they viewed a week ago.
Have you ever had the feeling of an item "following you around the internet"? Well, these data collection methods are the secret behind the phenomenon.
Key components of retargeting campaigns
To retarget certain users, you can use audience segmentation. This involves grouping users according to their behavior, such as “viewed product X,” “added to cart but didn’t purchase,” or “downloaded our whitepaper.”
Customized ads are useful, too. These allow you to develop visuals and messages catering to each user segment. For example, a user who abandoned their shopping cart might see a free shipping offer, while someone who read a blog post about advanced analytics might see an invitation to a deeper demo.
Consistent messaging is really important. Ideally, your visual style, branding, and messaging should match the user’s prior engagement. This is great for familiarity and trust.
Frequency capping can help limit how often each user sees your retargeting ads. This is good since overwhelming someone with retargeting ads is likely to backfire.
Finally, you can use burn pixels to exclude those who have already made a purchase, helping you swerve redundant impressions.
Common retargeting channels
Retargeting can occur just about anywhere online where ad placements exist – but certain channels tend to be most effective, especially in 2025’s digital environment.
Each channel has distinct advantages and best practices. The best approach is often to combine channels since encountering a few different touchpoints is more likely to lead to conversion.
Display retargeting
Display retargeting ads are those that appear on websites or apps within an ad network.
It's effective because it gives you a broad reach across millions of publisher sites, offering high visibility.
Social media ads
All of the main social media platforms give you the option of retargeting.
However, each platform has different social media retargeting pros and cons. Facebook and Instagram retargeting is particularly good for B2C brands with visually appealing products, while LinkedIn retargeting can come in handy for B2B campaigns, targeting specific job titles or company sizes.
Search retargeting
With this particular type of retargeting, users who show interest in certain keywords can be served specific Google ads.
This has particular advantages since it captures intent-based audiences who might not have visited your site yet but have searched for relevant terms.
Search retargeting can also be used in your website's search function, where visitors who search for "t-shirts" or "tops" will be shown results for both. This is also known as contextual retargeting.
Email retargeting
Email retargeting involves automated or triggered email campaigns that follow up with users who have completed (or almost completed) a specific action.
Personalized messages with offers, helpful tips, or reminders can boost conversions significantly, especially for abandoned cart scenarios.
Video retargeting
This is when ads appear in video content, be it before, during, or after streaming. You'll see this on YouTube.
This type of retargeting is a particularly engaging format that can reinforce brand recall and deliver more dynamic storytelling than other types of ads.
Mobile app retargeting
With mobile retargeting, device IDs or in-app events are used to retarget users who installed your app but haven’t been active or purchased recently.
This is great for reinforcing usage and encourages users to return to your app, which is particularly valuable for subscription-based models.
Building an effective retargeting campaign
Crafting a high-performing retargeting campaign requires thoughtful planning. After all, you’re trying to encourage audiences who might already be interested in your brand to take the next step and become customers. Below are the core steps to consider when setting up or refining a campaign.
Step 1: Define your objectives
As with any marketing campaign, the first step is to clarify its purpose. Are you aiming to increase online sales, generate leads for a webinar, or boost brand awareness?
Set measurable goals aligned with the customer journey and your objectives.
>> Want more help? Use our SMART marketing guide for insights into defining your objectives.
Step 2: Segment your audience
Next, it’s important to know who you plan to retarget. Divide your user base into meaningful groups, such as “homepage visitors,” “cart abandoners,” “repeat purchasers,” or “lead magnet downloaders.”
Then, with these groups in mind, tailor ads and core messages to each group’s specific context.
>> Learn how to conduct audience segmentation here
Step 3: Choose relevant channels
Decide which advertising platforms or networks best match your audience segments. There are plenty to choose from!
Remember, you might need to cover multiple channels in order to line up better coverage and consistent touchpoints.
Step 4: Allocate budgets effectively
The trick here is to assign higher budgets to your most valuable segments (usually cart abandoners) and lower budgets to broader, less-engaged segments.
You can always experiment with advertising bids and daily spend limits to find the right balance between visibility and cost control.
Step 5: Set up frequency caps
If you’re using ads, avoid ad fatigue by limiting how often your audience sees them daily or weekly.
This might need a bit of tweaking here and there. Monitor results with a tool like Advertise and adjust as needed to see what makes for the best user experience.
Step 6: Implement burn pixels
Burn pixels allow you to remove users from your retargeting efforts once they have converted. This is useful because you don't need to advertise to them again, and further ads might annoy them.
Step 7: Monitor and optimize
Once your retargeting campaign is up and running, track your campaign performance regularly.
Focus on metrics like click-through rate (CTR), conversions, cost per conversion, and return on ad spend (ROAS).
If you spot something that needs adjustment, just tweak your creative, targeting, or bidding strategies to improve future results.
>> Want to know more? Learn about Brandwatch’s content management solution, which is suitable for all brands – no matter your size
How to craft compelling retargeting ads
When you create retargeting ads, their design and content should reflect your brand identity and the user’s prior interaction. So, make sure they stand out.
Headline hooks can capture attention quickly with clear, benefit-driven headlines, while high-quality visuals are more likely to catch the attention of your audience segments.
Keep text brief, especially on mobile platforms where space is limited, and don't forget a strong call-to-action (CTA). Thismeans clearly stating the action you want the user to take, for example, “Buy now,” “Resume checkout,” or “Book a demo.”
The people you’re targeting are likely already aware of your brand or products, which means you can skip the generic messages and personalize your ads.
This is often where dynamic retargeting comes into play. Product ads show users the exact product they previously viewed, plus related items or upsell offers.
Customized deals are great for enticing users. It doesn’t need to be much – a small discount, free shipping, or bonus content relevant to their browsing history could be enough to convert.
Location-based segmentation can be handy here, too. You can even adjust language, currency, and local references based on the user’s region.
Finally, use behavior-based insights to target first-time visitors differently than returning visitors with a history of repeated engagement. You can capture these insights with a tool like Audience.
Compliance, privacy, and consumer trust
Retargeting requires gathering user data, so it’s crucial to handle that data responsibly and ethically.
In recent years, regulatory bodies and consumer protection agencies have tightened restrictions on how user data is collected and shared.
Therefore, make sure you display a clear cookie consent banner or privacy notice. This allows users to easily opt out of data collection for advertising.
Familiarize yourself with relevant laws, such as the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States.
Remember, even if you’re not directly operating in these regions, your site visitors might be.
It's always best practice to serve relevant ads rather than bombarding users with repetitive messages. So, when it comes to personalization, aim to balance this with respect for user boundaries.
Brands also need ethical considerations. This means only collecting data you genuinely need for retargeting. To follow the rules, keep your data storage secure and regularly purge or anonymize older user data.
Doing this will help you build trust with your audience and avoid accusations of data mishandling. The gold standard is to have a level of transparency and honesty in all your messaging, especially when explaining how you use customer data.
By prioritizing consumer trust, you’ll create a positive brand reputation that can lead to stronger long-term relationships.
Advanced retargeting strategies and tactics
As the digital landscape evolves, marketers are discovering new ways to refine their retargeting efforts. Below are advanced tactics you can consider adding to your strategy.
Sequential retargeting
Present ads in a logical sequence, telling a story over time.
For example, your first ad might highlight basic product benefits, while subsequent ads delve into features, social proof, or special offers.
Lookalike audiences
Once you have launched successful retargeting campaigns, you can expand your reach by creating lookalike audiences that mirror the behaviors of your most valuable segments.
This means you're targeting potential customers with distinct similarities to your existing customers.
Predictive targeting
You can use machine learning to find your core audience and those most likely to convert.
Predictive targeting earmarks users and allows you to communicate with them again, perhaps with retargeting ads or exclusive offers. Read more about the next generation of audience analysis at Brandwatch here!
Cross-device targeting
Ensure a cohesive experience across smartphones, tablets, and desktops. Your brand reputation can suffer if your campaign isn’t compatible with all formats. Glitchy or broken ads look unprofessional.
A cohesive approach is also crucial when many people begin browsing on one device and complete purchases on another.
Customer relationship management (CRM) retargeting
Upload your CRM data to an advertising platform such as Brandwatch to retarget existing customers with upsell, cross-sell, or loyalty campaigns.
This can also revive dormant customers who haven’t engaged in a while.
Geofencing and location-based retargeting
For physical retail or event-based brands, consider retargeting people who were near or visited a specific location.
This hyper-local strategy can be useful for driving foot traffic, appointments, or real-world sales.
Measuring success: Analytics and KPIs
Data analytics play a vital role in optimizing any retargeting campaign. Tools like Brandwatch can help you track the entire customer journey and keep on top of the key performance indicators (KPIs) that determine the success of your campaigns.
- Click-through rate (CTR) – Measure how many people click on your retargeting ads to gauge the effectiveness of your creative and targeting. This metric also lets you know whether your ad messaging is hitting the right notes.
- Conversion rate – Monitor how many clicks lead to purchases, sign-ups, or desired actions. Compare this to your non-retargeting campaigns for context.
- Cost per acquisition (CPA) – Calculate how much you spend on each converted user. Retargeting often yields a lower CPA than broader prospecting campaigns.
- Return on ad spend (ROAS) – Evaluate how much revenue each dollar spent on retargeting brings in.
- Frequency and reach – Keep an eye on how many unique users see your targeted ads and how often. High frequency can cause ad fatigue; too little frequency might mean missed opportunities.
- Attribution metrics – Consider multi-touch attribution modeling to understand how retargeting fits into your broader marketing funnel.
- Engagement metrics – Depending on your goals, track secondary metrics like bounce rate, session duration, or pages viewed after a user clicks on a retargeted ad.
Future trends in retargeting marketing
Retargeting marketing is evolving rapidly, driven by technological innovation and shifting consumer attitudes.
As regulations tighten, marketers must adopt retargeting strategies that respect user privacy. First-party data and cookieless tracking techniques will become more prominent.
Advancements in AI will allow for deeper, more nuanced personalization. Expect real-time dynamic ads that adapt instantly based on user behaviors and micro-segmentation.
Retargeting will also blend seamlessly with other touchpoints. Marketers are beginning to unify retargeting insights with email, SMS, push notifications, and even in-store promotions for a 360-degree experience.
With potential constraints on cookie tracking, contextual advertising – where ad content aligns with the surrounding site or channel content – will complement or even replace some aspects of traditional retargeting.
As virtual reality (VR) and artificial reality (AR) technologies go mainstream, expect new possibilities for immersive retargeting experiences, especially for tech-savvy and early-adopter audiences.
What’s more, the growing usage of voice assistants (like Alexa and Google Assistant) could pave the way for retargeting strategies that focus on audio or voice prompts.
How Brandwatch supports retargeting marketing
While retargeting relies heavily on advertising platforms, every effective campaign depends on comprehensive audience insights. That’s where Brandwatch can be a game-changer.
You can gain a deeper understanding of audience sentiment and conversation trends with Brandwatch Consumer Research. By analyzing real-time data on what people say about your brand – or even your broader industry – it’s easy to uncover new segmentation opportunities for retargeting.
Brandwatch Social Media Management will also help you better organize and analyze your customer interactions on social platforms. You can even categorize different audience segments and align each group with a tailored retargeting strategy.
You can then use Brandwatch’s robust analytics to measure the impact of your retargeting ads on social conversations, sentiment, and engagement.
This 360-degree view helps you align social metrics with ad performance data.
Brandwatch’s open APIs and integrations make syncing insights with leading ad platforms and CRM systems easy. These smooth data flows allow you to launch and optimize retargeting campaigns faster.
Time to start retargeting
Retargeting campaigns remain one of the most effective methods to re-engage interested audiences. With digital competition at an all-time high, it's a great way to deliver a personalized user experience and capture those missed connections.
Above all, remember that retargeting is not an isolated tactic. It flourishes as part of a holistic marketing strategy. Integrate your retargeting insights with SEO, content marketing, social media engagement, and email campaigns. Track performance regularly with Brandwatch at your side and be prepared to adapt as consumer expectations, regulations, and technologies shift.
If you’re ready to make retargeting a central pillar of your digital strategy, why not book a demo and see how Brandwatch’s suite of tools can make the process seamless and data-driven?
From uncovering conversation trends to organizing sophisticated audience segments, Brandwatch can help you refine your retargeting approach to stay ahead of the competition and consistently delight your customers.
