Think about the last time you browsed a product online, left the website, and then saw an ad for that exact product on Facebook, YouTube, or a news site. That is remarketing in action — and it is one of the most effective digital advertising strategies available to any business.
The reality is that 97% of first-time visitors leave a website without taking action. They might have been interested but got distracted, wanted to compare options, or were not quite ready to commit. Remarketing gives you a second (and third, and fourth) chance to bring them back.
How Remarketing Works
Remarketing works by placing a small piece of tracking code (often called a pixel or tag) on your website. When someone visits your site, this code drops an anonymous cookie in their browser. Later, when that person browses other websites, social media, or YouTube, your ads appear in front of them — reminding them of your business.
The visitor does not need to have filled in a form or given you any personal information. The tracking is anonymous and based on browser cookies, not personal data. They simply see your ads across the internet, keeping your brand top of mind.
Think of it this way: If someone walks into your shop, looks around, and leaves without buying — remarketing is like having a friendly billboard appear on their drive home saying, "Remember that thing you liked? It is still here."
Types of Remarketing
There are several ways to implement remarketing, each reaching your audience in different contexts:
Standard Display Remarketing
Your banner ads appear on websites within the Google Display Network (over 2 million sites). This is the most common form — visitors see your ads on news sites, blogs, forums, and apps as they browse the web.
Dynamic Remarketing
Automatically shows ads featuring the specific products or services a visitor viewed on your site. If someone looked at red trainers on your site, they see an ad for those exact red trainers. Highly personalised and very effective for e-commerce.
Search Remarketing (RLSA)
Adjusts your Google Search bids for people who have previously visited your site. When a past visitor searches for relevant terms, you can bid more aggressively to ensure your ad appears prominently. Combines intent with familiarity.
Video Remarketing
Shows ads to people who have interacted with your YouTube videos or channel. You can also remarket to website visitors via YouTube pre-roll ads — a powerful way to reinforce your brand with engaging video content.
Social Media Remarketing
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn allow you to create custom audiences from your website visitors and show them ads in their social feeds. Facebook remarketing is particularly effective due to the time people spend on the platform.
Email Remarketing
Upload your customer email list to Google or Facebook and show targeted ads to those specific people. Useful for re-engaging past customers, promoting new services to existing clients, or nurturing leads who have not yet converted.
Building Effective Audience Segments
The power of remarketing lies in showing the right message to the right people. Not all website visitors are equal, so segmenting your audiences lets you tailor your approach:
| Audience Segment | Who They Are | Best Ad Approach |
|---|---|---|
| All website visitors | Anyone who visited any page in the last 30–90 days | General brand awareness and trust-building messaging |
| Specific page visitors | People who viewed a particular service or product page | Targeted ads about that specific service with a clear CTA |
| Cart/form abandoners | Started the conversion process but did not complete it | Urgency messaging, limited-time offers, or "still interested?" prompts |
| Past converters | People who already enquired or purchased | Upsell, cross-sell, or loyalty offers for related services |
| Engaged visitors | Spent over 2 minutes on site or viewed 3+ pages | These are warm leads — direct, action-oriented messaging works well |
| Time-based segments | Visited 1–7 days ago vs 8–30 days vs 31–90 days | More urgent messaging for recent visitors; re-introduction for older visitors |
Frequency Capping: Remarketing Without Annoying People
There is a fine line between helpful reminders and creepy stalking. We have all experienced the frustration of seeing the same ad following us around the internet for weeks after a single website visit. This happens when remarketing is poorly managed without frequency caps.
Best practice: Set frequency caps to limit how many times each person sees your ads. We typically recommend 3–5 impressions per day and 15–20 per week. After that, diminishing returns set in and you risk creating negative brand associations.
Additional tips for keeping remarketing effective without being annoying:
- Set audience durations appropriately — For impulse purchases, 7–14 days is enough. For considered purchases like professional services, 30–90 days makes sense
- Exclude converters — Once someone has enquired or purchased, stop showing them the same ads. Move them to an upsell or loyalty audience instead
- Rotate creative — Show different ads over time rather than the same single ad. Tell a story across multiple touchpoints
- Respect privacy — Ensure your website's cookie consent is compliant. Visitors who opt out of tracking should not see remarketing ads
Cross-Platform Remarketing Strategy
The most effective remarketing does not rely on a single platform. A cross-platform approach reaches your audience wherever they spend time online:
Day 1–3: Immediate Follow-Up
Display ads on the Google Display Network and social media reminding the visitor of what they viewed. Keep messaging helpful and informative rather than pushy. The goal is to stay top of mind while their interest is fresh.
Day 4–14: Value and Trust Building
Shift messaging to social proof, case studies, and helpful content. Show testimonials, results, and expertise. The visitor is now in the comparison phase — help them see why you are the right choice.
Day 15–30: Incentive and Urgency
If they still have not converted, introduce a time-limited offer, free consultation, or exclusive discount. This is your strongest push — make it compelling enough to tip the balance.
Day 30–90: Gentle Nurturing
Reduce frequency and shift to brand awareness content. Share blog posts, industry insights, and general brand messaging. Some people take longer to decide — keep a gentle presence without overwhelming them.
Remarketing Budget and Performance
One of the best things about remarketing is that it is remarkably cost-effective. Because you are targeting people who have already shown interest, the click-through rates and conversion rates are significantly higher than cold advertising.
- Display remarketing CPC: Typically £0.25–£1.00 — much cheaper than search ads
- Social remarketing CPC: Usually £0.30–£1.50, depending on the platform
- Recommended starting budget: £200–£500/month, which is enough to maintain visibility with your past visitors
- Expected performance: 2–3x higher click-through rates and 50–70% higher conversion rates compared to non-remarketing campaigns
Even businesses with modest advertising budgets can benefit from remarketing. If you are already spending money driving traffic to your website through SEO, Google Ads, or social media, remarketing ensures you get maximum value from that investment by bringing back visitors who did not convert the first time.
Start Winning Back Your Lost Visitors
Every day, potential customers visit your website and leave without getting in touch. Remarketing brings them back — efficiently and cost-effectively. DPOM's Google Ads management service includes strategic remarketing as standard, ensuring you never lose touch with interested prospects. Contact us to set up remarketing for your business.
Brett Dixon
Founder & Managing Director of DPOM. Brett founded DPOM nearly 15 years ago after a career in marketing working with Harvey Nichols, BBC Top Gear, Formula One circuits, and UK Trade and Investment. His passion became helping smaller businesses grow — with honest advice, no jargon, and realistic expectations.
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