Retargeting
Retargeting, or remarketing, is showing ads to people who have already interacted with you: visited your website, added to cart, watched a video or engaged with a post. Because the audience already knows the product, retargeting creative usually answers objections or offers proof, rather than introducing the brand from scratch.
Updated
Common retargeting audiences
- Site visitors who did not convert.
- Product viewers or cart abandoners.
- People who watched a high percentage of a video ad.
- Past customers, for repeat purchase or cross-sell.
Creative for people who already know you
| Audience | What they need |
|---|---|
| Watched a video | The next step: the product in detail, the offer |
| Visited a product page | Proof: reviews, demonstrations, guarantees |
| Abandoned a cart | An answer to the hesitation: shipping, returns, price |
| Bought already | A reason to return: complementary products, refills |
Judging it honestly
Retargeting reaches people already close to buying, so attributed results flatter it. Some of those conversions would have happened anyway. A holdout test is the clearest way to see how much retargeting actually adds. Small retargeting pools also reach high frequency quickly, so rotate creative often.
How the platforms define it
Google Ads now refers to remarketing as "your data": segments used to re-engage people who have previously interacted with your brand or services on mobile or desktop.
Questions
- Is retargeting the same as remarketing?
- In practice, yes. Google uses 'remarketing'; many other platforms and marketers say 'retargeting'.
Sources
Read on 27 October 2026. Platforms change specs and policies without notice; check the source before you build to a number.