Google Ads remarketing – how it works and why it’s a game changer for your business

Did you know that 92% of consumers visit a website for the first time to do something other than make a purchase, such as browsing or gathering information?

Whether they’re browsing, comparing prices, or just not prepared to commit, these potential customers often vanish. But what if you could bring them back, remind them about your brand, and gently guide them toward conversion? That’s exactly what Google Ads remarketing does.

It’s primarily a PPC (Pay-Per-Click) strategy within the larger scope of a digital marketing strategy.

Find out how Google Ads remarketing works and why it’s so important for businesses of all sizes – then use it to supercharge your brand.

What is Google Ads remarketing?

Google Ads remarketing is a powerful advertising strategy that allows you to reconnect with people who have already interacted with your website or app. It’s a friendly reminder tailored to people who have already expressed an interest in your products or services. By displaying ads specifically for these high-intent audiences, you can drive them back to your site and encourage them to complete their journey.

Types of remarketing

Standard remarketing – Show ads to past visitors as they browse websites and apps within the Google Display Network (GDN).
Dynamic remarketing – Deliver highly personalised ads that feature products or services people viewed on your site.
Video remarketing – Retarget people who have interacted with your YouTube channel or videos.
Customer list remarketing – Upload customer contact lists to show ads specifically to your existing audience.
Remarketing for mobile apps – Target people who have engaged with your app but haven’t taken desired actions.

For instance, imagine that someone visits your online store and browses rucksacks but doesn’t make a purchase. With Google Ads remarketing, you can later display an ad for the same bag – or a related promotion – while they’re scrolling through another site or app.

How does Google Ads remarketing work?

The secret behind Google Ads remarketing lies in cookies and audience segmentation. It works by:

Tracking visitors – When someone visits your website, a small piece of code (called a remarketing tag) places a cookie on their browser. This cookie tracks their interactions, such as pages visited, products viewed or time spent.
Building audiences – Google Ads compiles this data to create remarketing lists based on the behaviour of people visiting your website. So, you can create a list of visitors who added items to their cart but didn’t check out.
Serving ads – Using these lists, Google displays targeted ads to people as they browse the internet, search on Google or watch YouTube.

This process means your ads reach the right people at the right time, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversions.

Why is remarketing so important?

Remarketing is a great strategy for businesses aiming to maximise their ROI. Here’s why:

1. It boosts conversions

Someone who has already shown interest in your product or service could be far more likely to convert than someone who doesn’t need it. Remarketing campaigns can have conversion rates up to 292% higher than those of standard display ads. By delivering ads that reinforce their previous interest, you gently nudge them closer to taking action, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a service or filling out a contact form.

Plus, remarketing helps to shorten the decision-making process. Instead of starting from scratch with a new audience, you’re re-engaging people who are already familiar with your brand, making them more likely to act quickly.

2. It’s cost-effective targeting

Focusing on high-intent users can reduce ad spend wastage. Remarketing can help you to make sure that your budget is allocated to the people who are most likely to take action. Unlike advertising campaigns that target broad audiences, remarketing narrows down the pool to those who already have a reason to engage with your business.

Targeting a segmented audience of cart abandoners is far more cost-efficient than launching a general awareness campaign. Remarketing also tends to have lower cost-per-click (CPC) rates compared to standard ads, as the audience is more inclined to interact with the ad.

3. It improves brand recall

With so much noise online, it’s easy for people to forget about your brand. Remarketing keeps your business front of mind, gently reminding people of what you offer. This continuous exposure helps you to cement your brand as a familiar and trustworthy presence, especially if you’re in a competitive industry.

Imagine a potential customer exploring multiple options while researching a product. Your remarketing ads make sure that they don’t forget your brand during their decision-making journey, increasing the chances they’ll return to you when they’re ready to buy.

Read: 5 essential steps to building and keeping brand trust

4. Enables personalisation

Dynamic remarketing takes personalisation to the next level. As the tailored ads feature products or services people have already viewed, they are super relevant to each person targeted. This means they are more likely to respond to ads that feel relevant to their needs.

For example, if a visitor browses your site for a pair of shoes, dynamic remarketing can display ads featuring those exact shoes, along with similar products or a special discount. Personalised experiences like these create a stronger emotional connection, driving higher engagement and conversions.

5. Strengthens customer relationships

Remarketing is a great tool for building trust and reinforcing your brand’s credibility. By staying visible, you show potential customers that you’re reliable and ready to meet their needs. Consistent and relevant advertising makes it easier to create long-term relationships with your audience.

Beyond first-time conversions, remarketing can also encourage repeat purchases and customer loyalty by showing your potential customers complementary products or reminding them about ongoing promotions or new arrivals.

6. Improves overall campaign efficiency

Remarketing works alongside other marketing efforts, helping to improve the efficiency of your campaigns by bringing back ‘warm’ leads (potential customers who have shown an interest) and optimising ad spend. Rather than relying on top-of-funnel strategies to attract new audiences, remarketing means you’re making the most of existing traffic.

It complements broader strategies like search engine optimisation (SEO), social media marketing and email campaigns by keeping your audience engaged throughout the buyer’s journey. This integrated approach helps you maximise ROI across all channels while ensuring no lead is left behind.

Google Ads remarketing best practices for success

To make the most of your Google Ads remarketing campaigns, follow these proven strategies:

Set frequency caps

Avoid overwhelming people with too many ads. ‘Frequency caps’ – limits to make sure that your ads remain a helpful nudge rather than an annoyance. Too many ads can lead to negative brand perception, so setting a limit helps you maintain a positive relationship with your potential customers.

Segment your audiences

Group potential customers based on their behaviour, such as ‘cart abandoners’, ‘product page viewers’, or ‘high-spending customers’, and tailor ads accordingly. This approach ensures your messaging is relevant and targeted, which increases engagement and conversion rates. For instance, cart abandoners could receive a discount offer, while returning customers might see new product updates.

Use dynamic remarketing

Show ads that feature specific products people have viewed, increasing relevance and engagement. Dynamic ads also let you cross-sell or upsell by highlighting related products or services, improving the chances of generating higher revenue per customer.

A/B test your ads

Experiment with different headlines, images, and calls to action (CTAs) to identify what resonates most with your audience. Continual testing helps you refine your campaigns over time, ensuring you’re always optimising for performance. Consider testing different formats, such as carousel ads versus static images, to see which produces better results.

Optimise landing pages

Ensure the pages people are directed to are optimised for conversions. An easy experience can make all the difference. For example, if your ad promises a discount, check that the landing page displays the offer clearly. Fast-loading, mobile-friendly pages with obvious CTAs and no distractions are key to maximising conversions.

Read about how to optimise SEO content – a step-by-step guide.

Exclude converted users

Once someone converts, remove them from your remarketing lists to avoid wasting ad spend or annoying them with more advertising. Instead, consider adding them to a new list for post-purchase engagement, where you can target them with new products, loyalty rewards or referral incentives.

Maximise seasonal campaigns

Align your remarketing ads with seasonal trends, holidays or special events. Seasonal campaigns often tap into heightened purchase intent, making them very effective. You can tailor your messaging with limited-time offers or seasonal-themed discounts.

Monitor and adjust campaigns regularly

Use performance data to refine your campaigns. Analyse key metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), and conversion rates to see where there might be areas for improvement. Adjust your audience segments, ad creatives, or bidding strategies based on what the data tells you.

At Submerge, we’ve seen first-hand how remarketing can transform a business’s performance. Our team uses advanced strategies and tools to create campaigns that deliver real results. From creating dynamic ads that captivate audiences to fine-tuning audience segmentation, we’re here to help you make the most of your remarketing efforts.

Learn how we can elevate your Google Ads campaigns – Get in touch with us today!