What is Remarketing in social media?

Remarketing (sometimes called retargeting) is an advertising strategy that targets users who have previously interacted with your brand online but didn't convert. It works by placing a tracking cookie on a visitor's browser when they visit your website or app, then serving them tailored ads as they browse social media platforms later.

It’s designed to bring back warm leads who showed interest but didn’t take action, like completing a purchase or signing up.

For example, if someone browses shoes on your website but doesn't purchase, they might later see ads for those exact shoes while scrolling through Facebook or Instagram.

How Remarketing Works

Remarketing uses tracking pixels (like the Meta Pixel or Google Ads tag) to anonymously track visitors’ behavior. Once someone visits your site or interacts with a product, they’re added to a custom audience. You can then run targeted ads to that audience across platforms such as:

• Facebook and Instagram Ads
• Google Display Network
• YouTube Ads
• LinkedIn Ads

These ads serve as reminders, nudges, or limited-time offers designed to convert intent into action.

Let’s say you browse a pair of sneakers on an e-commerce site but don’t make a purchase. Later that day, you see an ad for those same sneakers on Instagram, offering 10% off if you buy today. That’s remarketing in action: the brand is targeting you based on your previous interest to encourage you to complete the sale.