Remarketing
Showing ads to users who have previously interacted with your website, app, or content. Also known as retargeting.
What Remarketing means
Remarketing (or retargeting) involves serving ads to users who have previously visited your website, used your app, or engaged with your content. It relies on pixel data, app SDK data, or customer lists to identify past visitors. Remarketing is highly effective but faces increasing compliance challenges. GDPR requires consent for the tracking that enables remarketing, and Apple's ATT framework significantly reduced remarketing capabilities on iOS. Platform-specific remarketing tools include Meta's Website Custom Audiences, Google's remarketing lists, and similar features on other platforms. Privacy-compliant remarketing strategies include server-side tracking (CAPI), first-party data activation, and contextual re-engagement. Platforms have implemented minimum audience sizes for remarketing to prevent overly granular targeting that could identify individuals.
Related terms
Retargeting
The practice of showing ads to users based on their previous interactions with a brand's digital properties.
Custom Audience
An audience segment created from an advertiser's own customer data (email lists, website visitors, app users) for targeted advertising.
Pixel
A piece of code installed on a website that tracks user actions and sends data back to an ad platform for measurement and optimization.
CAPI
Conversions API — a server-side tracking method that sends conversion data directly from the advertiser's server to the ad platform.