Retargeting vs Remarketing: Are They the Same Thing?

While planning your marketing strategy plan, terminology matters. Yet “retargeting” and “remarketing” are often used as if they mean the same thing. It’s an understandable mistake — after all, both involve re-engaging people who’ve previously interacted with your brand. But if you’re aiming to get the most out of your digital advertising spend, understanding the retargeting vs remarketing distinction is crucial.

At Smart Digitants, we believe that clarity drives better marketing outcomes. That’s why we’re taking a closer look at both concepts — their definitions, their differences, and their real-world applications. By the end of this post, you’ll not only know what sets them apart but also how to use each effectively in your campaigns.

What Is Retargeting?

Retargeting is a form of online advertising that targets users who have previously visited your website, used your app, or interacted with your brand online. The primary goal is to re-engage those users through display ads, often served across the web or on social media platforms.

How Retargeting Works

When someone visits your website, a tracking pixel or cookie is placed in their browser. This allows your retargeting platform—like Google Display Network or Facebook Ads—to serve them tailored ads as they browse other websites or scroll through their social feeds.

Types of Retargeting

There are several subtypes of retargeting:

• Pixel-Based Retargeting: This is the most common form. It uses cookies to anonymously follow users across the web.

• List-Based Retargeting: This involves uploading a list of contact emails to a platform (like Facebook or LinkedIn) and targeting those users with specific ads.

• Dynamic Retargeting: Used mostly in e-commerce, it shows ads featuring the exact products or services users previously viewed.

Where Retargeting Happens

• Google Display Network

• YouTube Pre-Roll Ads

• Facebook and Instagram

• LinkedIn Sponsored Content

• Programmatic Ad Networks

Why Retargeting Works

Retargeting taps into behavioural intent. It focuses on people who’ve already shown interest in your brand or product. According to multiple studies, users who are retargeted are more likely to convert than those who are targeted for the first time. It’s essentially the digital marketing equivalent of a second chance.

Key Benefits of Retargeting

• Increases conversion rates

• Reinforces brand awareness

• Recaptures lost visitors

• Drives down cost-per-acquisition (CPA)

• Supports full-funnel marketing

What Is Remarketing?

Remarketing is often confused with retargeting, but the term traditionally refers to re-engaging past customers or leads via email marketing. It’s about reconnecting with users who have already been in your system—whether they’ve bought something, signed up for a newsletter, or engaged in a meaningful way.

While the lines have blurred in recent years (especially with platforms like Google Ads calling display-based strategies “remarketing”), purists in the marketing space draw a clear distinction: retargeting = ad-based, remarketing = email-based.

How Remarketing Works

Remarketing typically uses your CRM or email database to send tailored messages to users. These might include:

• Reminder emails for abandoned carts

• Follow-up offers after a product trial

• Win-back campaigns for lapsed customers

• Cross-sell or upsell promotions based on previous purchases

• Loyalty or rewards programme engagement

Email Automation in Remarketing

Most remarketing campaigns are automated through email platforms like:

• Mailchimp

• Klaviyo

• ActiveCampaign

• HubSpot

• Salesforce Marketing Cloud

With the help of behavioural triggers and segmentation, emails can be sent at the right moment with relevant content—nurturing leads or reigniting interest from existing customers.

Why Remarketing Is Powerful

Remarketing leverages first-party data—which is increasingly valuable in a privacy-first digital landscape. It allows brands to build long-term relationships, foster loyalty, and squeeze more lifetime value from existing leads or customers.

Key Benefits of Remarketing

• Strengthens customer relationships

• Boosts customer retention

• Improves average order value (AOV)

• Enhances lifetime customer value (LCV)

• Highly cost-effective with high ROI

Retargeting vs Remarketing: What’s the Difference?

At a glance, retargeting vs remarketing may appear interchangeable. Both aim to reconnect with people who’ve previously interacted with your brand. However, their execution, tools, and goals differ significantly.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how they compare:

1. Channel of Delivery

• Retargeting is primarily ad-based. It uses paid media—such as Google Display Network, Meta Ads, or programmatic advertising—to target users as they browse other websites or social platforms.

• Remarketing is primarily email-based. It uses direct email communication, often triggered by user actions or events in your CRM system.

2. Audience Data Source

• Retargeting relies on cookies and tracking pixels. It’s typically used to target anonymous website visitors or app users.

• Remarketing uses first-party data—collected from customer sign-ups, purchases, or CRM interactions. It targets known contacts, not anonymous users.

3. Type of Engagement

• Retargeting re-engages users with visual ads across third-party platforms.

• Remarketing re-engages users with personalised emails, often text- and offer-driven.

4. Typical Use Cases

Scenario	Retargeting	Remarketing
Someone viewed a product but didn’t purchase	Yes	No
A customer completed a purchase and you want to upsell	No	Yes
A newsletter subscriber hasn’t engaged in 60 days	No	Yes
A blog reader clicks an ad to visit your pricing page	Yes	No
Someone starts a checkout process but drops off	Yes	Yes (if you have their email)

5. Timing and Triggers

• Retargeting is often instant and can begin the moment a user leaves your site.

• Remarketing may be delayed or triggered based on specific criteria (e.g. 24 hours after cart abandonment, or 30 days of inactivity).

6. Measurement Metrics

While both can boost conversions, their metrics differ:

• Retargeting focuses on click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), and conversion rate.

• Remarketing focuses on open rates, click rates, email ROI, and customer lifetime value.

7. Compliance and Privacy Considerations

In a post-GDPR landscape (especially in the UK and EU), both strategies require strict compliance:

• Retargeting depends on cookie consent.

• Remarketing requires opt-in consent for email communications.

Brands must ensure transparency and give users the ability to manage their data preferences.

Retargeting vs Remarketing General Comparison

Feature	Retargeting	Remarketing
Delivery Method	Display & Social Ads	Email Campaigns
User Type	Anonymous Visitors	Known Contacts
Data Source	Cookies & Pixels	First-Party Data / CRM
Purpose	Bring Users Back to Site	Nurture, Upsell, Reactivate
Tools	Google Ads, Facebook Ads	Mailchimp, HubSpot, Klaviyo
Timing	Instant or Trigger-Based	Schedule- or Trigger-Based
GDPR Requirement	Cookie Consent	Email Opt-In

 

When to Use Retargeting vs Remarketing?

Understanding the retargeting vs remarketing difference is one thing. Knowing when to use each is what separates average campaigns from high-performing ones. The truth is, most successful digital marketing strategies use both—strategically, and at different points of the customer journey.

Use Retargeting When:

1. You Want to Re-Capture Abandoned Traffic

Most website visitors won’t convert on their first visit. Retargeting brings them back with timely, visual ads based on their behaviour.

2. You’re Running a Product or Offer Launch

If someone has browsed your product launch page or ad campaign, retargeting can reinforce the message across platforms to maintain momentum.

3. You Need Top-of-Funnel Reinforcement

Visitors who landed on your homepage or blog but didn’t explore deeper can be reminded of your value proposition through broader awareness campaigns.

4. Your Sales Cycle Is Long

B2B and high-value B2C products often require multiple touchpoints. Retargeting helps guide prospects from interest to action over time.

Use Remarketing When:

1. You Have a List of Known Contacts

If you’ve already collected emails through forms, newsletter sign-ups, or past purchases, you can engage them via email campaigns.

2. You’re Looking to Upsell or Cross-Sell

Use behavioural triggers (e.g. past purchases) to suggest complementary products or premium services.

3. You Want to Re-Engage Inactive Users

Remarketing is ideal for win-back campaigns. Whether someone hasn’t opened emails in a while or hasn’t purchased recently, it’s a cost-effective way to reignite interest.

4. You Have a Loyalty or Rewards Programme

Email-based remarketing is essential for nurturing long-term brand loyalty, offering special deals, and maintaining engagement.

Combining Retargeting and Remarketing for Maximum ROI

The most effective campaigns don’t pit retargeting vs remarketing—they blend both. Here’s how:

Stage	Action	Tool
Visitor browses product	Trigger retargeting ads	Meta Ads or Google Display
Abandons cart	Retarget + send remarketing email	Facebook Ads + Klaviyo
Completes purchase	Email cross-sell	Email platform
Doesn’t return in 30 days	Email win-back + reminder ad	CRM + display network

Smart integration creates a seamless user journey across platforms, increasing the chance of conversion without overwhelming your audience.

Platform Breakdown: Google Ads, Facebook, Email Tools

The difference between retargeting vs remarketing isn’t just theoretical—it plays out clearly across the platforms you use. Each platform has distinct capabilities, strengths, and ideal use cases for reaching your audience effectively.

Google Ads (Display & Search)

Google Ads is one of the most powerful platforms for retargeting, particularly through the Google Display Network (GDN) and YouTube Ads.

Key Features:

• Pixel-based retargeting with Google Tag Manager

• Dynamic product ads for e-commerce

• Cross-device ad delivery

• Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSAs) to tailor search campaigns for past visitors

Best For:

• Re-engaging users who visited your website

• Targeting cart abandoners or product viewers

• Reinforcing brand awareness across millions of websites

Note: Google sometimes uses “remarketing” to describe these features, but they are functionally ad-based retargeting tactics.

Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)

Meta’s advertising ecosystem offers some of the most granular retargeting capabilities, especially due to its vast behavioural data and custom audience features.

Key Features:

• Facebook Pixel for site visitor tracking

• Custom Audiences based on actions like video views, page visits, or engagement

• Lookalike Audiences for broader reach

• Dynamic Product Ads tailored to user interests or site behaviour

Best For:

• Re-engaging warm leads with visually compelling content

• Promoting products or services browsed on your site

• Running multi-stage funnel campaigns across both platforms

Email Platforms (Klaviyo, Mailchimp, HubSpot, etc.)

This is where remarketing takes the spotlight. Email platforms integrate with your website, CRM, or e-commerce store to automate personalised email campaigns.

Key Capabilities:

• Behaviour-based triggers (cart abandonment, last login, etc.)

• Segmentation based on purchase history or activity

• A/B testing for subject lines and offers

• Seamless integration with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and CRMs

Best For:

• Post-purchase follow-ups

• Abandoned cart recovery

• Loyalty programme engagement

• Customer win-back campaigns

Other Retargeting and Remarketing Tools

• LinkedIn Ads: Great for B2B retargeting based on job titles or company visits.

• AdRoll: Combines retargeting and email remarketing into a single platform.

• Criteo: High-performance dynamic retargeting for e-commerce.

• Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Advanced automation and journey building for enterprise-level remarketing.

Integration Is the Future

Modern marketing doesn’t live in silos. Leading businesses integrate:

• Facebook retargeting with email remarketing

• Google Ads with CRM segmentation

• On-site behaviour with off-site ads and email flows

By doing so, they create a consistent and persuasive experience that keeps leads moving down the funnel.

Benefits of Retargeting and Remarketing in Digital Strategy

When evaluating retargeting vs remarketing, it’s not just about definitions. The real value lies in how they contribute to your broader digital marketing strategy. Each serves a purpose, and when used together, they create a full-circle system for acquisition, retention, and revenue growth.

1. Boosted Conversion Rates

People rarely convert on their first visit. Retargeting and remarketing help keep your brand top-of-mind, guiding users back to complete their journey—whether that’s making a purchase, signing up, or booking a demo.

• Retargeting lifts conversion rates by 150% on average.

• Remarketing emails recover 10–15% of abandoned carts—a major revenue stream.

2. Improved ROI from Existing Traffic

You’ve already spent money driving users to your site. Retargeting and remarketing squeeze more value from that traffic by:

• Recapturing visitors who bounced

• Nurturing leads over time

• Encouraging repeat purchases

This reduces customer acquisition costs (CAC) and increases return on ad spend (ROAS).

3. Personalisation at Scale

With both strategies, messaging can be tailored to each user’s behaviour:

• Ads can show the exact product someone viewed

• Emails can address the user by name and reference their previous actions
  This personalisation significantly increases engagement, trust, and likelihood of conversion.

4. Enhanced Brand Recall

People are exposed to hundreds of ads and emails daily. Retargeting helps you stand out by reinforcing your brand across multiple touchpoints. Remarketing does the same by continuing the conversation in a more intimate setting—in their inbox.

This frequency builds mental availability, crucial for high-consideration products or services.

5. Recovery of Lost Leads and Sales

Both retargeting and remarketing excel at rescuing leads who’ve shown interest but didn’t take action:

• Cart abandonment

• Form drop-offs

• Incomplete sign-ups

• Trial expirations

This can be the difference between a flat campaign and a highly profitable one.

6. Data-Driven Optimisation

Platforms offer granular analytics:

• Ad performance (CTR, CPC, view-through conversions)

• Email performance (open rate, click rate, conversions)

These insights let you optimise spend, adjust messaging, and refine segmentation for better performance over time.

7. Audience Segmentation Opportunities

Advanced targeting means you can create:

• Separate flows for new vs. returning visitors

• Ad sets for different product categories

• Email campaigns for high-value vs. dormant customers

This level of control allows you to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

While both retargeting and remarketing are powerful, poor execution can lead to wasted ad spend, unsubscribes, and even damage to your brand reputation. Knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to do.

1. Overexposure and Ad Fatigue

The Problem:
If users see the same ad or email too often, they tune out—or worse, get annoyed. This can result in banner blindness, negative brand sentiment, or even being flagged as spam.

Solution:

• Cap ad frequency across platforms (most ad networks allow this).

• Refresh creative assets regularly.

• Use exclusion lists to avoid targeting users who’ve already converted.

2. Poor Segmentation

The Problem:
Sending the same message to everyone, regardless of behaviour or interest, reduces engagement and wastes budget.

Solution:

• Segment your audience based on actions: product views, cart activity, purchase history, email engagement.

• Tailor messaging by funnel stage: awareness, consideration, decision.

3. Tracking and Pixel Errors

The Problem:
If your Facebook Pixel, Google Tag, or CRM integrations aren’t set up correctly, you won’t be tracking behaviour accurately—and your campaigns won’t hit the right people.

Solution:

• Test your pixels and tags using tools like Facebook Pixel Helper or Google Tag Assistant.

• Double-check that events (add to cart, purchase, form submit) are firing as expected.

4. Ignoring GDPR and Privacy Regulations

The Problem:
Retargeting relies on cookies. Remarketing uses personal data. Without clear consent and opt-in mechanisms, you risk fines and reputational harm.

Solution:

• Use cookie consent banners (with explicit opt-in for tracking).

• Ensure email remarketing follows UK GDPR standards with clear opt-ins and unsubscribe options.

• Maintain a clean, permission-based list.

5. Lack of Alignment Between Ad and Landing Page

The Problem:
A user clicks an ad or email expecting one thing but lands somewhere irrelevant. This kills trust and conversions.

Solution:

• Match ad copy and creative directly to landing page content.

• A/B test landing pages for alignment, clarity, and conversion performance.

6. Set-and-Forget Mentality

The Problem:
Too many campaigns are launched and then left to run without review. Audiences shift, creative gets stale, and budgets get misallocated.

Solution:

• Regularly audit performance across both retargeting and remarketing channels.

• Rotate creatives, update product feeds, and refine targeting every few weeks.

• Use automation for consistency, but not as an excuse to disengage.

7. Misunderstanding the User Journey

The Problem:
Blasting a “Buy Now” message to someone who just discovered your brand can push them away. Conversely, sending awareness content to someone ready to buy wastes opportunity.

Solution:

• Map your customer journey clearly.

• Use different messages and goals for different funnel stages.

• Employ sequencing: e.g. awareness ad → product view → reminder email → urgency-based CTA.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are retargeting and remarketing the same thing?

No, retargeting vs remarketing involves two distinct strategies. Retargeting uses paid ads to reach people who visited your website but didn’t convert. Remarketing typically uses email campaigns to reconnect with people already in your database—such as previous customers or email subscribers.

Although platforms like Google Ads blur the line by calling their ad features “remarketing,” the difference lies in the channel and data source: cookies and pixels for retargeting, versus CRM or first-party data for remarketing.

2. Which is more effective: retargeting or remarketing?

It depends on your goals. For top-of-funnel and mid-funnel campaigns, retargeting is often more effective because it captures intent-driven traffic quickly. For customer retention, upsells, or win-back campaigns, remarketing offers better personalisation and cost-efficiency.

A combined approach delivers the best results—each strategy complements the other.

3. Is retargeting more expensive than remarketing?

Generally, yes. Retargeting involves paid ad impressions across networks like Google, Meta, or LinkedIn, so costs scale with budget. Remarketing through email platforms has a lower marginal cost and often delivers higher ROI, especially when re-engaging existing customers.

However, retargeting vs remarketing costs must be viewed in context: retargeting brings back leads that might otherwise be lost; remarketing nurtures and retains customers you’ve already earned.

4. Can I use both retargeting and remarketing in one campaign?

Absolutely. In fact, the most effective campaigns integrate both. You might:

• Retarget anonymous visitors with product ads

• Collect email leads through a landing page

• Trigger remarketing emails for users who abandoned carts

This synergy makes retargeting vs remarketing less of a competition and more of a collaboration.

5. What platforms support retargeting vs remarketing strategies?

Retargeting is supported by:

• Google Ads (Display Network, YouTube)

• Facebook and Instagram (Meta Ads)

• LinkedIn Ads

• Twitter Ads

• Programmatic networks like Criteo, AdRoll, and StackAdapt

Remarketing is done via:

• Email platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, HubSpot, ActiveCampaign

• Marketing automation tools like Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Marketo

Each platform supports different triggers, segmentation, and personalisation options for retargeting vs remarketing execution.

6. What data do I need to start a retargeting or remarketing campaign?

For retargeting, you’ll need:

• A tracking pixel installed on your site

• Visitor behaviour data (page views, cart actions, time on site)

• Ad creatives tailored to user actions

For remarketing, you need:

• A clean email list (with proper consent)

• Behavioural or demographic data from your CRM

• Segmented email workflows and automation

Both strategies benefit from solid audience segmentation and analytics tracking.

7. How does GDPR affect retargeting vs remarketing in the UK?

UK marketers must follow strict privacy regulations under UK GDPR:

• For retargeting, you must obtain explicit consent for cookies before tracking users for ads.

• For remarketing, you must have opt-in permission to email users, and provide clear unsubscribe options.

Mismanaging data compliance in either approach could lead to fines and lost consumer trust.

8. What are the best practices for optimising retargeting vs remarketing campaigns?

For retargeting:

• Use frequency caps to avoid ad fatigue

• Segment based on funnel stage

• Rotate creatives regularly

• Exclude converters from campaigns

For remarketing:

• Personalise content based on behaviour

• Send timely emails (e.g. within 1 hour of cart abandonment)

• A/B test subject lines and CTAs

• Clean your list regularly to maintain deliverability

Best practice is to align both strategies with your overall funnel—using retargeting vs remarketing not in isolation, but as interconnected parts of your customer journey.

9. Can I retarget users who didn’t click on my ad?

Yes. Retargeting is based on behaviour—such as visiting a page—not necessarily clicking an ad. So if someone visits your website from search or social, they can be added to your retargeting audience and shown ads later.

This is a core advantage in the retargeting vs remarketing debate: retargeting reaches anonymous users you haven’t captured yet.

10. What metrics should I track to evaluate retargeting vs remarketing performance?

For retargeting:

• Impressions

• Click-through rate (CTR)

• Conversion rate

• View-through conversions

• Cost per acquisition (CPA)

For remarketing:

• Open rate

• Click-to-open rate

• Bounce rate

• Unsubscribe rate

• Revenue per email sent

Understanding these metrics helps you continuously improve both retargeting vs remarketing efforts and measure ROI accurately.

Ready to Put Retargeting and Remarketing to Work?

At Smart Digitants, we don’t do guesswork. We build data-driven strategies that combine retargeting and remarketing to maximise your marketing ROI—whether you’re an e-commerce brand, SaaS platform, or service-based business.

Let’s make your digital marketing sharper, smarter, and more profitable.

Contact us today