Remarketing
Remarketing is advertising to people who have already been in touch with your business before, for example via your website. You remind them of your business while they're still comparing or hesitating.
- 3 min read
What is remarketing?
Remarketing, also called retargeting, aims your ads at an audience you already know. Someone visits your website, looks at your page about dormers and leaves without getting in touch. After that, that person sees your ad again on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or other websites.
Technically, it works with lists. With the visitor's consent, your website places a cookie or sends a signal to Google or Meta. That visitor then ends up on a list, for example all visitors from the last thirty days or only people who viewed your quote page. You can then advertise to that list in a targeted way. You can also upload a customer list, so you reach your existing customers or exclude them.
Why remarketing matters for your business
Most people don't get in touch on a first visit. Certainly not for a job worth thousands of euros, such as a new bathroom, a roof renovation or solar panels. They compare, talk it over at home and come back later. Or not, if they've forgotten your name by then.
Remarketing keeps you in view during that time for thinking it over. You reach people who have already shown interest, so the chance of an enquiry is higher than with a cold audience. On top of that, the reach is often cheap, because the lists are small and targeted. That makes it a good fit for the follow-up phase of your funnel.
How remarketing works
First you build audiences. The more specific the list, the better the message can fit. Someone who viewed your page about heat pumps gets an ad about heat pumps. Someone who opened the quote form but didn't submit it gets a reminder with a direct link back.
An example. Say an installer of home batteries notices that many visitors view the pricing page and then leave. The company creates three lists: all visitors from the last thirty days, visitors to the home battery page and people who opened the form but didn't complete it. Visitors to the battery page see a short video of an installation, with an explanation of what the process looks like. People who opened the form see an ad with reviews from happy customers and a button to book an appointment after all. Anyone who has already made an enquiry is excluded.
The result isn't a wave of new visitors, but a bigger share of existing visitors who do get in touch after all. That feeds straight through to your cost per lead across all channels combined.
Remarketing can also work outside ads. Someone who made an enquiry but hasn't signed yet can be followed up by email or with a quick call. That is just as much a way of coming back to someone who already showed interest, and often even more effective.
Common mistakes with remarketing
Showing everyone the same ad. A visitor to your jobs page and someone who opened your quote form have a completely different question. One list for all visitors wastes budget.
Chasing customers. Someone who has already made an enquiry or become a customer doesn't want to keep seeing the same ad for weeks. Exclude them.
No frequency cap. Someone who sees your ad twenty times a day is more likely to get irritated than convinced. Limit how often the same person sees your ad.
Ignoring consent. Remarketing is only allowed for visitors who gave consent for it. Without a proper cookie notice and consent mode you run a legal risk and your lists are incomplete.
Giving remarketing the credit for everything. People who come back sometimes would have done so without an ad too. So take a critical look at what remarketing really adds.
How to approach remarketing
First make sure your measurement and consent are in order. With the right setup of tracking and consent you build reliable lists in Google Ads and Meta.
Then create a few targeted lists instead of one big one. Think visitors per service, visitors to the quote page and people who didn't complete the form. Exclude existing customers and recent enquirers.
Write a suitable message for each list. Show social proof , such as reviews and photos of finished projects, and make the next step easy. Set a frequency cap and a duration that fits your sales process: a few weeks for a small repair, longer for a renovation.
Finally, look beyond ads. Good follow-up of enquiries with automatic emails and reminders often deliver more than yet another ad. Remarketing works best when it's part of one coherent system, with the social ads and search campaigns reinforcing each other.
Frequently asked questions
Don't see your question here? Call, WhatsApp or email us. You'll get an answer within one working day.
Is remarketing allowed under the GDPR?
Yes, provided visitors give consent for marketing cookies. Without that consent, you may not put them on a remarketing list. A proper cookie notice and consent mode are therefore a requirement.
What is the difference between remarketing and retargeting?
In practice they mean the same thing: advertising again to people who have already been in touch with your business. Google mainly uses the term remarketing, other platforms more often say retargeting. Sometimes remarketing is also used more broadly, including follow-up by email.
Does remarketing also work with a small website?
Yes, but your lists need to be big enough to advertise to. Google and Meta set a minimum number of people per list. With few visitors, you're better off taking a longer period or combining lists.
6 ways to build a website that converts
When you have a website, you naturally want it to be a website that converts.
What is Google Ads and how does it work?
Google Ads explained: how the auction system works, which campaign types there are and how you decide what a click is allowed to…
SEO slug: how to get found more easily
In online marketing, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has become an indispensable tool.
Ready for more enquiries?
Choose where your growth should come from. A specialist picks it up within one working day.
Marketingkennersonline · reply within one working day