Brought to you by Billboard Online – Your Local Growth Partner
Imagine a potential customer visits your website, browses your services, maybe even adds something to their cart, but then… they leave without taking action. Sound familiar? This is a common scenario for many local businesses online. In fact, over 95 percent of first‑time visitors leave without taking action. But what if you could bring those interested visitors back and nudge them towards becoming paying customers? That’s where the magic of Google Ads retargeting comes in. It lets you step back into their line of sight and gently guide them toward a sale, booking, or phone call.
At Billboard Online, we understand that every interaction with a potential customer is valuable. Retargeting isn’t about chasing people around the internet; it’s about strategically re-engaging those who have already shown interest in your business, increasing your chances of converting them into loyal customers and boosting your bottom line.
Below, we unpack how retargeting works (in plain English), why it’s so effective for local businesses, and the simple steps Billboard Online uses to turn “maybe later” shoppers into loyal customers.
What Is Google Ads Retargeting?
Retargeting (also called remarketing) is a Google Ads feature that lets you show ads to people who have already interacted with your business online. Think of it as a second chance to connect with someone who visited your website, clicked on an ad, or even browsed your products but didn’t take action.
Google saves that interaction and later shows them a tailored ad as they read the news, scroll social feeds, or search again. Because these prospects already know your brand, they’re far more likely to choose you over an unfamiliar competitor.
How Retargeting Works (Without the Technical Jargon)
At its core, retargeting is straightforward:
- A small piece of code is added to your website (we handle this for you)
- This code creates an anonymous “cookie” that tracks when someone visits your site
- When these visitors browse elsewhere online, your ads appear strategically to remind them of your business
- These warm prospects click back to your site, significantly more likely to convert the second time around
The Local Business Advantage with Retargeting
When someone walks into your physical store or browses your website, you wouldn’t just forget them as they walk out the door, would you? Retargeting allows you to have a similar “follow-up” online, reminding them of what they looked at and encouraging them to take the next step.
For local businesses, retargeting is especially valuable because it focuses your marketing budget on people who are already familiar with your brand and are more likely to convert. Whether you run a coffee shop, a plumbing service, or a retail store, retargeting can help you:
- Recapture Lost Opportunities: Website visitors who don’t convert on their first visit aren’t necessarily lost forever. Retargeting allows you to display relevant ads to them as they browse other websites and apps, keeping your brand top-of-mind and encouraging them to return and complete their desired action.
- Increase Brand Recall and Recognition: Even if a visitor isn’t ready to convert immediately, seeing your ads again reinforces your brand and builds familiarity within your local community. This increased exposure can lead to them thinking of you first when they are ready to make a purchase or need your services. In addition, prospects comparing multiple local vendors see you repeatedly, positioning your business as the most familiar choice.
- Generate More Leads: Turn website visitors into phone calls, form submissions, or bookings.
- Drive Higher Conversion Rates: By showing targeted ads to people who have already demonstrated interest, you’re reaching a warmer audience that is more likely to convert. This focused approach can significantly improve your conversion rates and ultimately lower your customer acquisition cost.
- Personalise Your Messaging: Retargeting allows for highly specific ad messaging. For example, you can show visitors the exact product they viewed on your website or offer a special discount on a service they inquired about. This level of personalisation makes your ads more relevant and compelling.
- Lower Cost Per Acquisition: Because you’re targeting warm leads who have already expressed interest in your business, your advertising dollars go much further. Many of our clients see 40-50% lower cost per conversion with retargeting compared to standard display advertising.
- Grow Sales: Convert hesitant shoppers into loyal customers by reminding them of your products or services.
Consider these eye-opening statistics:
- 97% of first-time website visitors leave without converting
- People who see retargeting ads are 70% more likely to convert compared to new visitors
- Retargeting can increase conversion rates by up to 150%
The psychology behind this is simple: purchasing decisions rarely happen instantly. Your potential customers need time to research, compare options, and build trust with your business. Retargeting keeps your business visible during this consideration process, gently reminding prospects about your services when they’re most receptive to making a decision.
At Billboard Online, we’ve seen retargeting campaigns drive impressive results for our clients, from increased foot traffic to higher online sales. Let’s dive into how you can use retargeting to boost your conversions.
Practical Tips for Using Google Ads Retargeting
Retargeting is powerful, but it works best when done strategically. Here are practical tips to make your retargeting campaigns shine—tips that Billboard Online puts into action for every client we serve:
1. Segment Your Audience for Personalization
Not all website visitors are the same. Someone who browsed your product page is different from someone who abandoned their shopping cart. By segmenting your audience, you can show tailored ads that speak to their specific interests. For example:
- Show a special offer to people who added items to their cart but didn’t check out.
- Promote a service page to visitors who spent time reading about your offerings.
Billboard Online creates custom audience segments to ensure your retargeting ads are relevant and compelling, driving higher conversions. We create strategic audience segments based on:
- Which pages they visited
- How long they stayed
- How recently they visited
- How many times they’ve returned
Each segment receives tailored messaging designed to address their specific stage in the buying journey.
2. Craft Eye-Catching Ad Creative
Your retargeting ads need to grab attention and remind customers why they visited your business in the first place. Use high-quality images, clear messaging, and a strong call-to-action like “Shop Now” or “Book Today.” For local businesses, highlighting your community connection—such as “Proudly Serving [Your City]”—can make your ads feel personal and trustworthy.
Our team at Billboard Online designs visually appealing ads that resonate with your audience and inspire action. We create:
- Compelling visuals that stand out without being intrusive
- Messaging that addresses specific customer pain points
- Clear calls-to-action that drive immediate response
- Multiple ad variations tested against each other for continuous improvement
3. Offer Incentives to Seal the Deal
A little nudge can go a long way. Retargeting ads are the perfect place to offer discounts, free consultations, or limited-time deals to entice customers to act. For example, a gym might retarget website visitors with an ad offering “First Class Free!” Billboard Online helps you craft irresistible offers that motivate customers to take the next step.
4. Set Frequency Caps to Avoid Annoying Customers
Nobody likes seeing the same ad 20 times a day. Overexposure can turn potential customers away. Google Ads lets you set frequency caps to limit how often your ads appear to the same person. Billboard Online carefully manages ad frequency to keep your brand visible without overwhelming your audience.
5. Use Local Targeting to Stay Relevant
As a local business, you want to focus on customers in your area. Google Ads retargeting allows you to narrow your audience to specific locations, like your city or a radius around your store. This ensures your ads reach people who can actually visit your business or use your services. Our team optimizes location settings to maximize your local impact.
6. Sync with Email Marketing
Reinforce your message across channels. Consistent branding speeds up trust and sales.
7. Track and Measure Results
To know if your retargeting campaign is working, you need to track conversions—whether that’s online sales, phone calls, or form submissions. Google Ads provides tools to monitor how many people clicked your retargeting ads and took action. Billboard Online sets up detailed tracking to give you clear insights into your campaign’s performance, so you can see the real value of your investment.
8. Test and Optimize Continuously
The best retargeting campaigns get better over time. By testing different ad designs, offers, or audience segments, you can find what works best for your business. Billboard Online runs A/B tests and analyzes data to refine your campaigns, ensuring they deliver maximum conversions and a strong return on investment.
9. Privacy-Compliant Approaches
With increasing privacy regulations, proper implementation of retargeting in compliance with legal requirements is essential. We ensure your campaigns are fully compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant regulations.
Strategic Retargeting Approaches That Drive Results
At Billboard Online, we leverage the power of Google Ads retargeting in smart and effective ways to drive real results for your local business:
Behavior-Based Retargeting
One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to retargeting. We create different campaigns based on how visitors interact with your website:
- Service Page Visitors: If someone browses your specific service pages, we show them ads highlighting the exact services they viewed.
- Shopping Cart Abandoners: For e-commerce businesses, we create special ads for people who add products to their cart but don’t complete the purchase, often including special offers to encourage completion.
- High-Value Page Visitors: We can create premium retargeting campaigns for visitors who view your high-value service pages or pricing information.
A local home services company we work with saw conversion rates triple after implementing behavior-based retargeting that showed specific ads based on which service pages prospects had visited.
Time-Based Retargeting
The timing of your retargeting ads matters tremendously:
- Immediate Follow-up: For urgent services like emergency repairs or time-sensitive offers
- Strategic Intervals: For higher-consideration purchases, showing ads at strategic intervals over 30-60 days
- Seasonal Reminders: Retargeting previous customers when they’re likely to need seasonal services again
One of our restaurant clients implemented a time-based retargeting strategy that showed different messages based on how recently people had visited their website. The result was a 27% increase in online reservations.
Multi-Channel Retargeting
Your potential customers don’t just use one platform, so your retargeting shouldn’t either. We create cohesive campaigns across:
- Google Display Network: Reaching prospects as they browse over 2 million websites
- YouTube: Showing video reminders when prospects watch videos
- Gmail: Placing your ads in the promotions tab of Gmail
- Partner Mobile Apps: Appearing in apps your customers use daily
Customer List Retargeting (Customer Match)
By securely uploading your customer email list to Google Ads, we can show targeted ads to your existing customers, encouraging repeat business or promoting new offers.
Common DIY Pitfalls
- One‑Size‑Fits‑All Audience – Serving the same ad to every past visitor leads to low engagement.
- Outdated Offers – Old pricing or expired promotions can erode trust.
- Ignoring Mobile Users – Most local searches happen on phones—mobile‑optimised creatives are essential.
- No Conversion Tracking – Without clear goals, you can’t measure success—or fix underperforming ads.
How Billboard Online Makes Retargeting Effortless
At Billboard Online, we specialize in creating sophisticated retargeting campaigns that feel personal to your prospects without requiring you to become a digital marketing expert yourself.
Our approach includes:
- Strategic Planning and Expert Management- We strategize based on your specific business goals, leveraging our experience in creating and optimizing retargeting campaigns that drive results.
- Custom Solutions: We tailor every campaign to your unique business goals, whether it’s more leads, sales, or foot traffic.
- Smart Audience Segmentation – We build high‑intent lists (cart abandoners, service‑page readers, past purchasers) so every ad feels relevant.
- Local Expertise: We know how to connect local businesses with their communities, ensuring your ads hit the mark.
- Budget Efficiency – By combining retargeting with geo‑targeting, we make sure your spend focuses on people who can actually walk into your store or book locally.
- Creative Refresh Cycle – Our design team rotates ad headlines and images every few weeks to keep interest high.
- Professional Implementation – We ensure to execute our data-driven strategies with proper tracking. We also conduct continuous optimization based on real performance data
- Transparent Reporting – We provide clear reporting that shows exactly how retargeting impacts your bottom line. You’ll see clear metrics: cost per conversion, revenue returned, and your exact ROI—in language you understand.
With Billboard Online, you don’t have to worry about the details—we handle everything, from audience setup to ad design to performance tracking, so you can focus on running your business.
Real Results from Real Local Businesses
Our clients typically enjoy a 30–50 percent boost in overall conversion rates after adding retargeting to their Google Ads mix. The proof is in the performance:
- A local dental practice saw a 43% increase in appointment bookings after implementing a strategic retargeting campaign
- A boutique furniture store recovered 35% of abandoned carts through targeted retargeting
- A B2B service provider decreased cost per lead by 51% by focusing budget on retargeting campaigns
Stop Letting Interested Customers Slip Through Your Fingers
Retargeting is a powerful tool in your digital marketing arsenal, but it requires strategic planning and expert execution to be truly effective. Trying to set up and manage retargeting campaigns on your own can be time-consuming and may not yield the desired results.
That’s where Billboard Online comes in. We have the expertise to develop and manage sophisticated retargeting campaigns that are tailored to your specific business goals and target audience. We’ll handle the technical complexities, ensuring your ads are seen by the right people at the right time, ultimately boosting your conversions and driving real growth for your local business.
Ready to recapture lost opportunities and turn interested browsers into loyal customers? Contact Billboard Online today for a consultation. Let us show you how our strategic use of Google Ads retargeting can be a game-changer for your local business success. We’re here to help you make every online interaction count.
Ready to Re‑Engage Prospects and Close More Sales?
Your best customers already know who you are—they just need a timely reminder. With Billboard Online’s tailored retargeting strategies, you’ll turn lost traffic into loyal patrons while squeezing more profit from every ad dollar.
Book a free strategy chat today and discover how easy it is to boost conversions with smart, fully‑managed Google Ads retargeting. Let’s capture those missed opportunities—together.