Retargeting vs remarketing

Retargeting is advertising aimed at users who have already visited your website or app, most often through paid ads on other platforms. A visitor leaves without buying, and an ad later reminds them of the product.

The mechanism relies on tracking behaviour on the web. The user has shown intent, so retargeting reactivates that intent at the right moment.

What is remarketing

Remarketing traditionally means reaching existing contacts again, most often by email or through your own database. It starts from people you already know, not from anonymous visitors.

The difference lies in the source of the audience. Retargeting starts from behaviour on the web, while remarketing starts from your contact database.

When to use which

Retargeting makes sense when you want to bring back visitors who did not complete an action. Remarketing works when you have a contact database you want to reactivate with an offer or news.

In practice, the two approaches complement each other. Retargeting captures fresh intent, while remarketing nurtures a relationship that already exists.

Impact on conversions

Both approaches target a warm audience, so they usually have a lower cost per conversion than cold reach. A warm audience already knows the brand, which shortens the path to a decision.

The key is measurement: we track CPA and conversion rate for each audience. A data-driven approach means we make budget decisions based on numbers, and a mentor checks the direction.