Facebook Ads Retargeting Campaign: Step-by-Step Guide

Online advertisements are a vital part of any modern business strategy, and Facebook Ads Manager (also known as Meta Ads Manager) remains one of the top digital advertising platforms. At Market Disrupt, we help a wide range of businesses launch and manage their Facebook advertising campaigns to drive sales and revenue growth, contributing to their overall success and sustainability. From how to set up a retargeting campaign to strategizing on the Meta Business Suite for the most ROI for pay-per-click (PPC), in this guide, we’ll take you step-by-step through building a retargeting campaign, using the same strategies we’ve utilized across our almost $10,000,000 in advertising spend. 

What is a Retargeting Ad? 

Retargeting becomes a crucial (and highly profitable) aspect of any top-notch digital ad strategy.

A retargeting ad, or retargeting campaign, targets people who have previously interacted with your business rather than targeting audiences based on interests, geography, or demographics. The most common example of retargeting is targeting people who have visited your website. Facebook (Meta Ads) allows you to build an audience of these visitors and run ads specifically to them, a highly valuable strategy, as this audience has already expressed some interest in your brand.

Retargeting can also extend beyond website traffic, meaning you can target people who have interacted with your Instagram or Facebook page or even create "lookalike audiences" that expand on your already built audiences. Facebook Business Manager may be a useful tool to consider, as it allows you to manage multiple Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, and other ad accounts all in one location. 

Now that you understand a retargeting ad, it’s time to break down the setup. Scroll down for the step-by-step guide, or skip ahead to book a call with us.

Step 1: Set Up Your Facebook Pixel

The first step is to ensure the Facebook Pixel is installed on your website. This allows Facebook to track which users visit your website, enabling you to retarget those users later when creating your audiences. If you already have the Facebook Pixel installed on your website, great! Go ahead and skip to Step 2.

• Navigate to “Events Manager” in your Facebook account.
• Click on "Connect Data Sources" and select "Web."
• Choose "Facebook Pixel" and click "Connect."
• Name your Pixel and enter your website’s URL.

1.2: Install Your Pixel

• Follow the instructions to add the Pixel code to your website.
• Use a partner integration, such as Google Tag Manager, if available.
  
  

Step 2: Create a Custom Audience

Once the Pixel is installed on your website and has received sufficient traffic, you’re ready to create your first retargeting audience.

• In Facebook Ads Manager, go to the “Audiences” tab.
• Click "Create Audience" and select "Custom Audience."
• To create a website retargeting audience, click "Website."
• To create an Instagram or Facebook retargeting audience, navigate to the "Meta Sources" section and select your desired source.

2.1: Customize Your Audience Preferences

• After selecting your data source, click “Next.”
• A new screen will appear with further options for your custom audience.
• Under "Source," select the Pixel installed on your website for website retargeting.
• For Facebook or Instagram sources, select those pages to retarget them.
• Under "Events," choose whether you want to target "All website visitors," "People who visited specific pages," or "Visitors by time spent."
• Under "Audience retention," select the time frame of users you’d like to retarget (e.g., enter "30 days" to retarget all website visitors from the last 30 days).
• Name your audience and click "Create audience."

Step 3: Adding Your New Audience to an Ad Set

In this step, we assume you already know how to create a Campaign and add Ad Sets to that campaign. This step will show you how to create an Ad Set and how to add your newly created retargeting audience.

• In Facebook Ads Manager, go to the “Campaigns” tab.
• Check the campaign you’d like to launch this retargeting ad set in.
• Click the "Ad sets" tab to the right of the "Campaigns" tab.
• Select the green "Create" button.
• Name your ad set and click “Continue.”
• Select your conversion location, performance goal, Pixel, and conversion event.
• Set your budget and scheduling options if using ad set budgets.
• Under the "Custom Audience" section, click the "Include" search bar.
• Click the "Custom Audience" tab and select your retargeting audience.
• Fill out any additional targeting options you want, such as age or location.
• Choose your placements.
• Add ads to your new ad set and publish!

Final Thoughts

Retargeting campaigns are essential for capitalizing on traffic you would have otherwise lost. Users who have previously expressed interest in your brand are more likely to convert on a second or third visit, proving that a retargeting campaign strategy can often be a business’s best-performing ad.

If you need help creating retargeting campaigns or with anything else related to the Facebook Business suite, digital advertising, CRM management, or web development, book a call with us today!

To learn more about Market Disrupt’s results-driven approach and innovative marketing strategies, visit marketdisrupt.io.