What is Display Retargeting?
Display Retargeting (often called Display Remarketing) is the additional targeting of a consumer that has already seen an ad, during the same advertising campaign or during a previous campaign. Such sequential targeting can reemphasize the message to build loyalty as well as push consumers down the sales funnel. Different messages and creatives could be delivered during the original and follow-up Display Retargeting campaign to match the campaign objective.
How Display Retargeting Works
A display retargeting strategy starts by identifying an audience of consumers who have already been exposed to your brand through:
- A previous ad impression
- A website visit
- A location-based interaction
Once that audience is captured, retargeting display ads are served to those same consumers across additional placements and channels, reinforcing the original message.
The follow-up creative does not need to match the original. Shifting the message based on where a consumer is in the purchase cycle is one of the more effective ways to use display retargeting. A first-touch ad might focus on awareness, while a retargeted ad can speak more directly to a specific product, offer, or call to action.
Monitoring Retargeting Performance
Running a display retargeting campaign without tracking its performance is a missed opportunity. Keep an eye on metrics like impression frequency, click-through rate, and conversion rate across both the original and follow-up ad groups. Comparing the two reveals which messages are most effective at moving audiences to act.
Watch for ad fatigue over time, which shows up as a drop in engagement after a consumer has seen the same ad too many times. Rotating creatives and adjusting frequency caps keeps retargeted audiences engaged without overexposure.
GroundTruth platform supports retargeting across Mobile, Desktop, CTV, and OTT, with device ID-based audiences that can be activated within the same campaign or carried into a new one.
Retargeting as Part of a Broader Strategy
Display retargeting works best as part of a broader campaign rather than a standalone tactic. Pairing retargeting display ads with location-based audience targeting lets advertisers re-engage consumers who were physically near a store or point of interest, adding a real-world behavioral layer to the retargeting audience.
When retargeting is connected across channels, the effect compounds. Consumers move through the funnel faster when messaging follows them across mobile, desktop, and CTV in a consistent, sequenced way.