Retargeting — Also called remarketing

Showing ads to people who already visited your site or app.

What it means

Retargeting (also called remarketing) means showing ads to people who have already interacted with your business, such as visiting your website, using your app or watching your videos.

How it works

To retarget people, you first need a way to recognise them. This is done with a small piece of tracking code called a pixel or tag. Examples include the Meta Pixel and the Google tag. You add this code to your website or app.

When someone visits, the pixel records the visit. The ad platform then adds them to an audience list, for example "everyone who viewed a product page in the last 30 days" or "people who added to cart but did not buy".

You then run ads shown only to that list.

You must also respect privacy. Explain tracking in your privacy policy, ask for consent where required, and follow platform rules and applicable laws such as India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

A simple example

A saree shop in Jaipur sells online. Meera visits the site, looks at a silk saree priced at ₹6,500, adds it to her cart and then leaves.

Later, Meera sees an Instagram ad showing that same saree with the message "Still thinking? Free shipping this week." She clicks, returns to the site and completes her purchase.

Why it matters

Many people do not buy on their first visit. Retargeting brings back warm visitors who were already interested, so it can often cost less per conversion than reaching complete strangers. It helps recover abandoned carts and can improve your return on ad spend.

Beginner tips

• Install your pixel early so your audience lists start building.
• Create separate lists, such as cart abandoners and blog readers, and show each one a relevant message.
• Set a frequency cap. Seeing the same ad too many times feels annoying and even creepy.
• Exclude people who already bought.

Related: Conversion, ROAS, Funnel