Retargeting in 2025: A Modern Guide to High-ROI Campaigns

Retargeting is still one of the most powerful (and underused) marketing strategies.
I’ve personally seen campaigns return 16,900% ROI. While not every campaign hits those heights, the lift compared to cold traffic is undeniable.

The best part? Retargeting is easier than ever to set up in 2025. This guide shows you how — step by step.

What Is Retargeting?

Retargeting (also called remarketing) is a form of online advertising that serves ads to people based on their past behavior: visiting your website, abandoning a cart, watching a video, or filling out a form.

Instead of losing that traffic, retargeting brings them back into your funnel with ads tailored to what they already showed interest in.

How Retargeting Works in 2025

Retargeting relies on pixels, tags, and event tracking. These collect anonymous behavioral data across websites, apps, and platforms.

Advertisers then create audiences and serve ads that match the user’s stage in the funnel.

Example:
A visitor checks out your product page but doesn’t buy. Retargeting lets you serve testimonial ads, discounts, or reminders on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or LinkedIn until they return and convert.

Why Retargeting Still Crushes in 2025

• Higher CTRs: Standard display CTRs average 0.05–0.1%. Retargeting ads often reach 0.2–0.3%.
• Better conversions: Cold traffic may convert at 2–3%. Retargeted traffic often delivers 20–50% lifts.
• Lower costs: More relevance = lower CPC/CPM thanks to higher quality scores.

With dynamic creatives (personalized based on products viewed), retargeting is even more effective.

Building Your Retargeting List

Even if you’re not ready to launch campaigns yet, install your pixels now. That way, your audiences start building automatically.

Key platforms in 2025:

• Google Ads (Display + YouTube)
• Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram)
• TikTok Ads
• LinkedIn Ads (B2B focus)
• Snapchat Ads
• X Ads (formerly Twitter)
• Quora Ads

👉 Pro tip: Always create multiple audience segments (site visitors, cart abandoners, video viewers, subscribers). More segments = more personalization.

Google Ads Remarketing (2025 Update)

Google’s Display Network still reaches over 90% of global internet users.

Step 1: Access Audience Manager

1. Log into Google Ads.
2. Navigate to Tools > Audience Manager.

Step 2: Create a Remarketing List

Options include:

• Website visitors (global site tag)
• YouTube viewers (great for video funnels)
• Customer lists (email uploads)
• App users

Step 3: Install the Global Site Tag

Insert your remarketing code in the footer (all pages). This captures all site visitors.

Step 4: Add Event Tracking

Don’t stop at the global tag. Track events like:

• Lead magnet downloads
• Cart views
• Purchases

This lets you segment by funnel stage.
Example event code:

<script> gtag('event', 'conversion', { 'send_to': 'AW-CONVERSION_ID/label', 'value': 1.0, 'currency': 'USD' }); </script>

Step 5: Launch Campaign

1. Create a new Display campaign.
2. Choose your remarketing audience.
3. Upload your creatives.
4. Set daily budget (start at $10/day).

Pro tip: Don’t stack other targeting on remarketing campaigns — it limits delivery.

Meta Retargeting (Facebook + Instagram)

Meta’s Custom Audiences are still the backbone of retargeting in 2025.

Step 1: Install the Meta Pixel

Add it to your site or use the Conversions API for server-side tracking.

Step 2: Build Custom Audiences

• Website traffic
• Engagement (video views, post engagement, IG profile visits)
• Customer uploads

Step 3: Create Lookalikes

Once you have data, build Lookalike Audiences to scale campaigns.

Step 4: Run Campaigns

• Select objective (traffic, leads, sales)
• Target your custom audience
• Use dynamic creatives for best performance

💡 Lookalike campaigns often outperform cold targeting by 20–40%.

TikTok Retargeting

TikTok is now a top retargeting platform for e-commerce and creators.

• Retarget video viewers (2s, 6s, 50%, 100%)
• Retarget website events via the TikTok Pixel or Events API
• Retarget engaged TikTok Shop users

TikTok also allows lookalikes and Engaged View Audiences — great for scaling.

LinkedIn Retargeting (B2B)

For B2B, LinkedIn retargeting is a must.

• Retarget site visitors (via Insight Tag)
• Retarget video viewers, lead form openers, or ad engagers
• Upload customer lists for ABM (account-based marketing)

LinkedIn CPMs are higher, but the lead quality justifies it.

X (Twitter) Retargeting

X Ads (formerly Twitter) supports:

• Site visitor retargeting (via tag)
• Engagement retargeting (tweets, profiles, followers)
• Customer list uploads

Best for thought leadership, SaaS, and news-driven offers.

Quora Retargeting

Quora Ads allow you to:

• Retarget site visitors
• Retarget based on question views
• Upload customer lists

Quora traffic is intent-driven, making retargeting particularly effective.

Snapchat Retargeting

Snap Ads + Snap Pixel allow:

• Website visitor retargeting
• App event retargeting
• Lookalike audiences

Best for younger demographics and e-commerce.

Advanced Retargeting Tactics (2025)

1. Event Tracking – Don’t lump all visitors together. Segment by funnel step.
2. Burn Pixels – Exclude converters from seeing the same ads.
3. Frequency Caps – 2–3 impressions per 24 hours. Prevent fatigue.
4. Cross-Channel – Retarget the same user on Google, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn for stronger recall.
5. Dynamic Creatives – Auto-pull products viewed into ads.

Retargeting Campaign Setup Examples

Google Ads Example

• Campaign: Display Network Remarketing
• Objective: “Visit your website”
• Budget: $10/day
• Audience: Website visitors (past 30 days)
• Creative: Dynamic product ads

Meta Ads Example

• Campaign: Sales Objective
• Audience: Cart abandoners (180-day pixel)
• Creative: Video testimonial + discount code
• Optimization: Purchases

Best Practices in 2025

• Segment audiences as much as possible
• Use urgency, scarcity, and social proof in creatives
• Combine multiple platforms for maximum reach
• Respect privacy (GDPR, CCPA) — use server-side tracking where possible

Conclusion

Retargeting is still a no-brainer in 2025. With 10x higher CTRs and up to 50% more conversions, it’s one of the most effective ways to boost ROI.

• Install pixels today
• Build segmented lists
• Start with simple campaigns (cart abandon, lead magnets)
• Scale with dynamic creatives and cross-channel targeting

If you have a creative retargeting strategy, share it in the comments. And if you found this post useful, please share it — it helps others and keeps guides like this coming!

Meet the author: Brent Dunn is a digital marketing specialist and the founder of ActionNeuro. He is passionate about empowering small businesses and local service businesses by helping them master paid traffic and performance marketing. Brent provides practical, data-driven solutions to help entrepreneurs grow their business and compete in the digital space.