What Is Social Media Remarketing and how does it work?
Ever browsed an online store, looked at a product, and then saw that same product following you around on Facebook or Instagram? That’s not a coincidence. That’s social media remarketing—and it’s one of the smartest tools in digital marketing.
So, what is social media remarketing?
Remarketing (or retargeting) is when you show ads to people who have already interacted with your business online—whether that’s visiting your website, adding something to cart, or even watching a video.
Social media remarketing takes that concept to platforms like:
- TikTok
- X (Twitter)
In short:
You’re reminding interested people about your business—on the platforms they use every day.
Why is it so effective?
Most people don’t convert the first time they visit your website. They browse, get distracted, compare prices, or just forget. Remarketing helps bring them back. It’s like a digital nudge: “Hey, you were looking at this. Still keen?”
That’s why remarketing campaigns often have:
- Lower ad costs
- Higher click-through rates
- Better conversion rates
- You’re not targeting strangers. You’re targeting warm leads.
So, how does it work?
Here’s a simplified version of how social media remarketing works:
We install a tracking pixel (like the Meta Pixel) on your website. This lets your website “remember” who visited which pages or took specific actions. We then create ads and custom audiences based on your user behaviour. For example:
All website visitors in the last 30 days
People who viewed a product but didn’t buy
Users who engaged with your social posts
The ads we create are specifically for those audiences. We can remind, offer a discount, share testimonials, or guide them back to a specific page. We can then track performance, test new creatives, and make tweaks based on what gets clicks, conversions, or engagement.
Examples of remarketing:
Ecommerce: We show the exact product someone added to their cart but didn’t buy.
Service-based business: We remarket to people who visited your pricing page.
Real estate: We retarget viewers of a specific property with updates or similar listings.
Courses or webinars: We remind signups or viewers to complete a registration or purchase.
Key benefits
- Stay top of mind
- Your audience already showed interest—remarketing keeps your brand in their head.
- Increase ROI
- Because you’re targeting people more likely to convert, your ads often perform better and cost less.
- Customise your messaging
- Speak directly to where someone is in their online journey. i.e First-time visitor? Product viewer? Cart abandoner? We can tailor these messages.
Social media remarketing isn’t creepy—it’s smart.
It’s how businesses turn window shoppers into actual customers. And when combined with a solid website, a strong offer, and a little creativity, it becomes one of the most powerful tools in your digital strategy.
Want to add remarketing to your social campaigns?
We’ll set it up, track it properly, and make sure your ads are reaching the right people at the right time.
Let’s chat a bietjie.