Most visitors leave your website without enquiring or buying. Retargeting shows them ads afterwards, reminding them of what they looked at and giving them a reason to come back.
What you need
The Meta Pixel installed on your website, and ideally the Conversions API. Without it, Meta cannot build audiences of your visitors. See Pixel and Conversions API explained.
Audiences to retarget
- People who visited your website in the last 7, 30 or 90 days.
- People who viewed a specific service or product.
- People who added to cart but did not buy.
- People who engaged with your Instagram or Facebook.
- People who watched at least half of your videos.
What to show them
| Audience | Message |
|---|---|
| Viewed a service page | Reviews, results and a reason to enquire now |
| Abandoned cart | The exact product, free shipping or a small incentive |
| Engaged on social | Your best offer and proof |
| Past customers | New arrivals, refills or reminders |
Budget and frequency
Retargeting audiences are small, so budgets are usually small too, often 10–20% of total ad spend. Keep frequency reasonable; check it with our ad frequency calculator.
Exclude people who converted
Exclude recent leads or buyers so you do not pay to show them the same offer.
See our retargeting ads service.
Want the full picture? This article is part of Meta ads: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
