Reconnect with high-intent customers with retargeting campaigns

Retargeting is a cross-device and omnichannel tactic to serve relevant ads to previously engaged customers who are already familiar with the brand. This approach re-engages potential customers with personalized ad messages, to recapture missed opportunities.

Re-engage visitors based on prior interactions, or cross-sell/up-sell to existing customers

of consumers click on retargeted ads because they like product shown

Source: Kenshoo

of retargeted shoppers convert within 24 hours of seeing an ad

Source: Cropink

of marketers think social media is the best location for retargeting ads

Source: Connection

Key fundamentals for retargeting ads success

Minimum Audience Size

A good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 500 – 1,000 active users within a recent timeframe, e.g. last 30 days

Data Points

User behaviour on website or app, demographics, conversion data and interaction history are vital to create the retargeted audience segment

Retargeting Methodologies

Pixel-based Retargeting

Uses JavaScript tracking code (pixels) placed on your website to anonymously track visitors through browser cookies, enabling targeted ads to be served across ad networks when they browse other sites.

How it works:

Install tracking pixels on your website pages
Pixels drop anonymous cookies in visitors’ browsers
Create audience segments based on pages visited or actions taken

List-based Retargeting

Involves uploading customer contact data (emails, phone numbers, customer IDs) to advertising platforms, e.g. Google Ads, Meta Ads, that match this information with their user databases to create targetable audiences.

How it works:

Upload email lists, phone numbers, or customer IDs
Platforms match your data with their users
Create highly customized campaigns for specific segments

Key Differences

Features	Pixel-based Retargeting	List-based Retargeting
Data Source	Anonymous website visitor behavior	Known customer contact information
Setup Requirements	Install tracking pixels on website	Upload customer data lists
Targeting Precision	Limited to behavioural triggers	Deeper personalization with customer profiles
Privacy Compliance	Affected by cookie restrictions	Requires explicit consent for data use

Re-engaging customers in action

Abandoned Cart

Target customers who added items to their shopping cart but left without completing the purchase
Ads visual to showing the exact products they left behind
Combine urgency messaging and limited-time offers to recover lost sales

Website Visitor Re-engagement

Re-engage anonymous visitors who browsed your website but didn’t convert
Focus on high-intent pages like pricing, product details, and contact forms
Segment audiences by pages visited, time spent, and behaviour patterns

Personalized Retargeting

Complements retargeting ads via email, SMS or push communications with Klaviyo or marketing automation
Target customer segments who have provided their contact details

App User Re-engagement

Re-engage users who downloaded your mobile app but became inactive
Drive app opens, feature adoption, and in-app purchases
Use targeted mobile ads to bring users back to your application

Sequential Ads

Deliver a series of story ads over time, guiding users through a structured journey
Start with awareness messaging for first-time visitors
Progress to product-specific ads for consideration
Finish with action-focused offer, e.g. a discount to encourage a purchase