Facebook Retargeting Ads: Guide to Boosting Conversions

According to the data shared by ExplodingTopics ("21+ Retargeting Statistics and Trends"), retargeting is an extremely effective tool in marketers’ toolbox. The data shows that the global retargeting software market is expected to reach $8.87 billion by 2029. Also, despite a higher cost per click, retargeted clients are up to 8x cheaper to reach per click. The key lies in super-precise targeting.

Retargeting ad campaign usually comes with popular platforms and toolsets – often used interchangeably. The data shows that 77% of marketers use retargeting on Facebook and Instagram Ads, resulting in more than three out of four marketers using retargeting in the Meta ecosystem.

What Is Facebook Retargeting?

The use of Facebook retargeting ads is a technique that enables marketers to reach users who have previously interacted with a brand. For example, they may have visited the e-commerce website, browsed the online catalog, engaged with other ads, or interacted with the brand's Facebook page. Possibilities are limited mostly by your creativity. Deploying a Facebook page is just tip of the iceberg for everyone that wants to engage with Facebook retargeting ads manager.

Usually, the system stores the information about website visitors for no longer than 30 days, unless there is consent for a longer period. Retargeting is used, for example, to encourage users to complete a purchase, offer them a discount, or retrieve abandoned carts. 

How does Facebook retargeting work?

Facebook retargeting is an easy-to-use, yet technically sophisticated system that enables companies and marketers to reach a target audience made up of people who have previously interacted with the brand. Here's how it works:

Facebook Pixel - one of the key elements of the ecosystem is Facebook Pixel – a tiny snippet of code embedded in a website that enables companies to combine website data with Meta's database. This allows connection to information about items a user has viewed or abandoned in their cart.

People are tracked across multiple touchpoints - apart from the pixel, Meta has mobile apps and web versions of its products, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. This enables the company to follow users and suggest new products or offers. It also combines data, so if a user clicks an ad on mobile, it will have an effect across other channels.

Targeting users - Meta benefits from a vast database of behaviors and information about millions of people. Companies can leverage this data to design ads and deliver messages. Targeting can be super-narrow and precise, making ads more effective and increasing ROI.

Benefits of Facebook Retargeting campaigns

As mentioned above, Meta's data-rich and comprehensive ecosystem provides multiple benefits for companies.

Super-narrow targeting

The data processed by Meta is hard to comprehend, storing interactions with mobile app, websites, and fanpages, just to name one, top layer. This enables the company to be super-narrow regarding the targeting, including only certain geographies and demographics, interests and finance levels. 

On the other hand, the company needs to remember that the data itself is also a kind of limitation - Meta has no access to information that was not shared with it. A good example is job position - people are not that eager to share these info as they are on LinkedIn. 

Greater ROI

Access to data collected by Facebook retargeting tools helps to remove the "blindness" in campaigns. Being specific and narrow in targeting is like switching from a blunderbuss to a sniper rifle. Delivering ads to people who are not only potential buyers but are also actively interested in the brand is a wise allocation of resources.

Brand advantages

Last but not least - the company the company delivers ads to people actively interested in the brand, encouraging them to engage and stay connected. Even if a purchase isn’t completed, the money spent helps increase brand awareness and eventually reach target audience members with another campagin with better tailored ads.

How to boost conversions with Facebook retargeting?

All the benefits mentioned above are great and sound interesting for basically any company. Yet they should not be taken for granted. To maximize the benefits and desired outcomes, the company should follow the best practises and hints listed below: 

Be super-specific regarding the target audiences

It is always tempting to go wide and show the ad to as many people as possible – isn’t this what advertising is all about? Well, not exactly. 

The company should be cautious and aware regarding the target audiences it chooses to include in Facebook retargeting strategy. People come to the website or fan page for various reasons – from purchasing intentions to competition research or just out of curiosity. Proper segmentation enables the company to cherry-pick the specific audiences. On the other hand, being super-specific essentially delivers a personalized experience – the company knows more about the person who is about to see the ad and can modify it accordingly. Data gathered by sender.net ("55+ Personalization Statistics & Facts for 2024") shows that 63% of users are going to stop buying from brands that don’t offer personalized experience - and that includes ads. 

Also, the most obvious audience may not be the most profitable one. For example, male cosmetics ads may be targeted to end users, yet Old Spice includes women in their campaign, as they are the purchasing decision-makers regarding cosmetics for their husbands. When you create audience segments for your Facebook retargeting ads, make sure you keep the overall brand strategy in mind.

Have a sales funnel ready

Facebook retargeting is effective only when the company knows when and how to use it. And that is impossible without having a sales funnel in place. To know the role of Facebook retargeting strategy in the overall operations, the company needs to have the funnel and purchasing journey mapped out and ready.

Without that, there is a glass ceiling, with a lack of knowledge and context being the biggest obstacle for well functioning dynamic retargeting ads.

Keep an eye on the budget

It may be tempting to increase the budget during the campaign, for example, to boost channels that overperform. But it is not always a good idea. The limitations are there for a reason.

The company may be limited by its processing power. For example, the sales team may not be prepared to work with leads gathered this way, or there may be logistical limitations. Last but not least – the company may simply run out of items to sell. Pushing the ads in that situation would be just burning cash.

Keep an eye on ROI

The other side of the same coin. The hint above was about counting the raw money. This one is about controlling how every dollar is spent.

ROI is where tinkering and optimization need to be done. All experiments with ads should focus on maximizing ROI using all available methods. DemandSage data ("72 Retargeting Statistics For 2024 (Facts, Insights & More)" shows that over 50% of marketers consider ROI the most important KPI for marketing. 

Maintain consistent messaging

All the experiments mentioned above may be challenging to run when the company aims to be consistent across all channels it uses. On the other hand, though, consistency is what makes a brand strong and ensures that users can expect the same experience regardless of the channel.

Maximizing ROI shouldn’t be an excuse to compromise on messaging consistency – brand is an asset that can be among the most valuable ones in a company’s portfolio.

Exclude converting users

A basic yet valuable hint – retargeting ad campaign should not be displayed to users who have already converted. After a purchase, it can be more than just annoying. Also, if the Facebook retargeting funnel offers discounts and the customer purchased without one, it may ruin the experience – instead of being happy with the purchase, they may feel bad about buying an overpriced item.

Monitor, analyze, optimize

Last but not least – digital advertising is all about the data. The data that is collected, processed, and used to extract valuable insights. Every ad campaign should be followed by retrospective analysis, where the team considers:

What worked: and should be repeated

What didn’t work: and should be avoided in the future

Any ideas for future experiments: and how to measure their effectiveness

The retrospective analysis enables the company to avoid mistakes and repeat successful outcomes.

To create interesting product ads on Facebook, be sure to check out Cropink. We are campaign management tool that allows you to create dynamic social media adverts. Moreover, take a look at our product ad templates and dynamic ad templates.

Craving more Facebook ads insights? Check out these resources:

• Facebook Carousel Ad Examples
• Facebook Ads Case Studies
• Facebook Dynamic Ads Best Practices
• How to Create Good Facebook Ads

Summary

Facebook retargeting campaign might be an easy and effective way to promote products and offers. It can be used effectively by people with little to no experience, yet reaching the next level can bring tremendous benefits to a company. Improve your website traffic with well implemented Facebook retargeting strategy.

The key is to gather knowledge, build up custom audiences and collect insights to use in the future. These don’t need to come only from your own experience – the hints above can save hours of work and hundreds of dollars spent on campaigns!