A user visits your website, browses products, adds something to their cart… and then disappears. Sound familiar? Statistically, over 90% of visitors don’t complete a desired action on their first visit. But that doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten you. This is where retargeting comes in — a tool that brings back those who were one step away from purchasing.

What is Retargeting and How Does It Work?

Retargeting (or remarketing in Google’s terminology) is a method of showing ads to people who have already interacted with your website. For example, they might have visited specific pages, viewed services, or left items in their cart. Thanks to a special piece of code on your site (a tag), these users are added to a list. The system then shows them your ads on other websites, on YouTube, or in Gmail.

This isn’t pushy; it’s more like a well-timed reminder. The person has already shown interest. The goal is to remind them about you at the right moment.

Retargeting vs. Remarketing

While the terms “retargeting” and “remarketing” are often used interchangeably, there are technical differences worth understanding.

Retargeting is a general term for any repeated outreach to visitors who have already interacted with your business, such as visiting your website, viewing products, or leaving items in their cart. This approach covers various platforms and tools, like displaying banners on third-party websites through ad networks, and aims to bring people back to your product or service.

Remarketing, in turn, is a more specific term that Google Ads uses to refer to its audience re-engagement tools. It often involves showing ads through Google’s search engine or network to those who have already visited your site, and can be set up, for example, through audience lists in Google Analytics. It’s part of the Google ecosystem, integrated with its analytics and advertising platforms.

The working principle in both cases is the same: to remind a potential customer about your brand and encourage them to complete an action they didn’t finish. So, within the scope of this article, without delving into technical nuances, they can be considered equivalent—both tools work to bring back your audience and increase conversions.

When Retargeting Is Truly Needed

This tool works best when you already have existing traffic. It doesn’t replace your main advertising; it amplifies it. It works best if:

• You have many “unconverted” users on your site.
• You offer products or services with a long decision-making cycle.
• You’re running discounts, promotions, or limited-time offers.
• You want to remind users about yourself after they’ve viewed content or read your blog.

Types of Retargeting Campaigns

Retargeting comes in various forms, and each type has its own specifics:

• Standard: Targets everyone who visited your site. This type covers all visitors without exception, showing them the same ad, for example, a brand reminder or a basic offer, regardless of their actions on the site.
• Dynamic: The user sees the exact product they viewed. This approach personalizes the ad, automatically pulling specific products or services from a catalog, which increases the chances of a purchase.
• YouTube Retargeting: Shows ads to those who watched your videos. This type works with your channel’s audience, offering them ads before or during their viewing of other videos on the platform.
• Gmail Retargeting: Displays ads in the “Promotions” tab of their inbox. Ads appear directly in Gmail as personalized messages, allowing for a non-intrusive reminder via the email interface.
• Segmented: For example, only targets those who visited the “Prices” page but didn’t submit a request. This type allows for highly targeted engagement with an audience that showed specific interest but hasn’t yet taken a key action, such as a purchase or registration.

How to Set Up Retargeting in Google Ads

In reality, it’s not that complicated:

1. Install the tag. This is a special code added to your website. The most convenient way is via Google Tag Manager.
2. Create an audience. For example, “all users in the last 30 days” or “those who didn’t reach the ‘Thank You for Your Order’ page.”
3. Launch the campaign. Choose the campaign type (display, video, search) and add creatives.
4. Control frequency. You don’t want to show the same ad 10 times a day to one user. Google Ads has tools for limiting this.

Common Mistakes

Even good retargeting might not work if:

• The advertising is too intrusive.
• The ad doesn’t match what the person has already seen.
• You’re showing ads for too long (a month after a visit is usually too late).
• You’re not segmenting audiences (everyone sees the same thing).

A Second Chance That Truly Works

Retargeting is like gently nudging a door that’s almost closed. The person was already close, already interested. And if you remind them at the right time, they might come back and complete the action.

This tool doesn’t require large budgets. But it demands attention: to creatives, display frequency, and audience segmentation. And most importantly, it’s not about pressuring, but about helping. Not everyone is ready to buy on the first visit. But thanks to retargeting, you have another chance to complete that introduction. And sometimes, that second chance is what makes all the difference for conversion.