Google Ads
remarketing
Most people leave a website without calling or buying, even when they're interested. Google Ads remarketing shows them a relevant reminder on Search, YouTube and across the web over the next days or weeks, so the visit you already paid for gets a second chance.
Free: a 30-minute call, an action plan and a price range in writing.
Six remarketing lists
that usually earn their keep
Not every visitor is equal. A pricing-page visitor is closer to buying than someone who read a blog post.
People who saw a specific service page get an ad for that service, not a generic banner.
The warmest group. A short reminder with a clear next step often brings them back within days.
Started the checkout or the form and stopped. Shown a short, friendly nudge, not a countdown timer.
People who watched most of your YouTube ad, ready for a more direct offer on Search or Display.
Uploaded with consent through Customer Match for repeat services, seasonal check-ups or a new product line.
Recent buyers and existing clients removed from prospecting ads, so you don't pay to sell twice.
An ad in Stories,
a message in the inbox
A vertical ad in Stories, Reels or TikTok stops the scroll and starts a conversation.
- 9:16 format for phones
- A clear call-to-action button
- Messages come straight to you
Launching remarketing
in 5 steps
Remarketing
pricing
My fee in Canadian dollars. Ad spend is paid to Google directly.
Tags, consent, lists and first campaigns.
- Audiences by service and intent
- Consent Mode configuration
- Ads for Search, Display and YouTube
- Customer Match where you have consent
Often part of a wider Google Ads plan.
- List and message refresh
- Frequency checks
- Exclusions kept up to date
- Report every 2 weeks
Why Google Ads remarketing is usually the cheapest win
Every click you buy on Search costs real money, and most of those visitors leave without acting. They were comparing, got interrupted, or wanted to check with a partner first. Google Ads remarketing gives you a way to stay in front of those people while they decide. Because the audience already knows you, conversion rates are usually higher and the cost per lead lower than with cold audiences.
Remarketing isn't one campaign. It's a set of audiences that you can use across several Google channels: Search, YouTube, Display, Gmail and Discover. The skill is in matching the message to how close each person is to buying.
Remarketing on Search: the underrated one
Remarketing lists for search ads (often called RLSA) let you adjust bids or ads for people who already visited your site when they search again. Picture someone who looked at your renovation pricing page last week and now searches “basement renovation quote”. You can bid higher for that person, or show an ad that says “Still planning your basement? Book a free estimate.” For broad, expensive keywords, I sometimes show ads only to past visitors, which keeps costs down while still catching returning buyers.
Display and YouTube: the visual reminder
On Display and YouTube, remarketing works as a visual reminder. I keep messages specific: a kitchen visitor sees kitchens, a cleaning visitor sees cleaning. Generic “visit our website” banners rarely work. For stores, dynamic remarketing can show the exact products someone viewed, pulled from your Merchant Center feed.
Customer Match: using the data you already have
If customers have agreed to hear from you, you can upload their emails or phone numbers to Google as a Customer Match list. That's useful for repeat services (yearly furnace check, seasonal tire change), cross-selling, or excluding current clients from campaigns aimed at new ones. Under CASL and privacy law, consent matters, so I only use lists you've collected properly. Google also has its own eligibility requirements for using Customer Match.
Settings that separate good remarketing from creepy remarketing
- Membership duration matched to your sales cycle: days for urgent services, months for big purchases.
- Frequency caps so a visitor sees a few ads a week, not dozens a day.
- Exclusions for people who already converted.
- Sequenced messages: a reminder first, then perhaps a reason to act, such as a seasonal slot or a free estimate.
Privacy and consent built in
In Canada, remarketing must be transparent. Your privacy policy should explain that you use advertising cookies, and visitors should be able to opt out. In Quebec, Law 25 generally requires consent before tracking. I set up a cookie banner and Consent Mode through Tag Manager, so tags respect the visitor's choice and Google can still model conversions where allowed. Healthcare and other sensitive categories have extra limits on personalized ads, which I check before building lists.
Small traffic, smart remarketing
Remarketing depends on traffic. A site with a few hundred monthly visitors builds small lists, and some networks won't serve ads until a list reaches their minimum size. In that case I focus on Search and SEO first, then add remarketing once traffic grows. Longer membership durations can also help a small site reach a usable list size.
Remarketing beyond Google
Your visitors also spend time on Facebook and Instagram, so many clients pair Google remarketing with Meta remarketing, and with email automation for people who left their details. Setup costs $650 and management starts from $750 a month. Remarketing is usually one part of the broader Google Ads services I run for a business.
Remarketing
questions
How many visitors do I need for remarketing?
Google needs a minimum list size before it will show ads, and it varies by network: Display lists can work with fewer users than Search or YouTube lists. For a small local site with a few hundred visitors a month, remarketing often reaches only part of the list. I check traffic first and tell you if it's worth setting up now.
Is remarketing legal in Canada?
Yes, when done transparently. Under PIPEDA you should explain tracking in your privacy policy and give people a way to opt out. In Quebec, Law 25 generally requires consent before tracking cookies are used. I configure Consent Mode and a cookie banner so tags follow the visitor's choice.
Can I use remarketing for a medical clinic?
With care. Google restricts personalized advertising based on health conditions, so remarketing lists built around sensitive treatments may not be allowed, and ads must not imply anything about the viewer's health. General lists for a clinic's homepage visitors are usually fine. I review your services against the policy before setup.
How long should someone stay on a remarketing list?
It depends on how long people take to decide. For emergency services, a week is plenty. For kitchens, renovations or courses, 60 to 180 days makes sense. I set durations per list and use frequency caps, so the ads stay a reminder rather than a nuisance.
Does remarketing work on Facebook too?
Yes, through the Meta pixel and Conversions API, and many clients run both. Google covers search and YouTube, Meta covers Facebook and Instagram feeds. I can manage both or just the Google side; the Meta version is on my Facebook and Instagram remarketing page.
Remarketing
across channels
Let's bring
those visitors back
Send me your site and roughly how many visitors you get. On a free 30-minute call I'll tell you whether remarketing is worth it yet.