Glossary · SEO & Marketing

Retargeting

Retargeting is an advertising tactic that shows ads to people who previously visited your site or app, to bring them back and complete an action.

Updated October 6, 2026

Retargeting, also called remarketing, shows ads to people who already interacted with your brand, such as visitors who viewed a product but did not buy. It usually works by adding visitors to an audience list through cookies, device IDs or customer lists.

Why it matters

Most visitors leave without converting. Reminding warm audiences is typically cheaper than finding new ones and tends to convert better. It must respect privacy rules: consent is needed in many regions, and browsers limit third-party cookies.

With third-party cookies restricted in several browsers, first-party data such as email lists and on-site events is becoming the more dependable basis for audiences.

Example

Segment: viewed pricing page, no signup, last 14 days
Ad:      "Still deciding? Start the free plan"
Cap:     3 impressions per user per day
Exclude: people who already signed up

Common mistakes

  • Following users for months after they bought.
  • Skipping frequency caps, which annoys people.
  • Building audiences without consent where it is legally required.

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