Glossary

What Is Retargeting?

Serving ads to people who have previously visited your website or engaged with your content.

Retargeting (also called remarketing) is the practice of serving targeted ads to people who have already interacted with your brand, whether by visiting your website, engaging with content, or appearing on a customer list. The technology uses cookies, pixel tracking, or list matching to identify and reach these known audiences.

For demand gen, retargeting is one of the highest-ROI channels because the audience already knows you. A website visitor who browsed your product page but did not convert is far more likely to respond to an ad than a cold prospect. Retargeting CPAs are typically 50-70% lower than prospecting campaigns.

Common retargeting strategies in demand gen include website visitor retargeting (anyone who visited key pages), content engagement retargeting (people who downloaded an asset but did not convert to MQL), and ABM retargeting (serving ads to specific accounts regardless of prior engagement).

The key to effective retargeting is segmentation. Showing the same generic ad to every past visitor wastes budget. Segment by behavior: pricing page visitors see a demo offer, blog readers see a relevant ebook, and trial users see a feature comparison. Match the retargeting creative to where the prospect is in their journey.

Why Retargeting Matters in Demand Gen

For demand generation professionals, retargeting plays a direct role in pipeline performance. Teams that understand and apply retargeting effectively see higher conversion rates at every stage of the funnel. It connects marketing activity to revenue outcomes, which is the core measurement that separates demand gen from other marketing disciplines.

Ignoring retargeting creates blind spots in your demand gen strategy. Without it, teams struggle to optimize campaigns, allocate budget accurately, and demonstrate marketing's contribution to closed revenue. The most effective demand gen organizations treat retargeting as a foundational element of their operating model, reviewing it regularly and adjusting their approach based on performance data.

How to Apply Retargeting

  1. Audit your current state. Review how your team currently handles retargeting. Identify gaps between your process and the definition above. Document what is working and what needs improvement.
  2. Define success metrics. Set specific, measurable targets for retargeting that connect to pipeline outcomes. Track these metrics weekly and share them with both marketing and sales leadership.
  3. Build the process into your tech stack. Configure your marketing automation platform and CRM to support retargeting tracking and execution. Automate what you can so your team focuses on optimization rather than manual work.
  4. Review and iterate quarterly. Schedule quarterly reviews of your retargeting performance. Use conversion data and sales feedback to refine your approach. What worked last quarter may not work next quarter as your market and buyer behavior evolve.

Related Terms

Paid Media: Any marketing channel where you pay for placement, impressions, or clicks.

Lookalike Audience: An ad audience built by finding people who share characteristics with your best customers.

Programmatic Advertising: Automated, data-driven ad buying that targets specific audiences across the web.

Last-Touch Attribution: A model that gives full conversion credit to the final marketing interaction before conversion.

Landing Page: A standalone web page designed to convert visitors into leads through a specific offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between retargeting and remarketing?

The terms are used interchangeably in practice. Technically, retargeting refers to serving ads to past visitors using pixel data, while remarketing often refers to email campaigns to existing contacts. Google uses 'remarketing' for their ad retargeting product.

How long should a retargeting window be?

For B2B with 3-6 month sales cycles, a 90-180 day retargeting window is standard. Shorter windows (30 days) work for lower-consideration products. Adjust based on your average buying cycle length.

What tools support Retargeting?

Several tools in the demand gen tech stack support Retargeting. Marketing automation platforms like HubSpot and Marketo provide built-in features for tracking and managing retargeting. CRM systems like Salesforce help teams measure its impact on pipeline. ABM platforms like 6sense and Demandbase add account-level context. The right tool depends on your team size, budget, and how central retargeting is to your go-to-market motion.

How does Retargeting relate to pipeline?

Retargeting connects directly to pipeline performance. When retargeting is executed well, it improves conversion rates between funnel stages, shortens sales cycles, and increases the volume of qualified opportunities reaching your sales team. Demand gen leaders track retargeting metrics alongside pipeline velocity and stage conversion rates to identify bottlenecks and optimize the full revenue funnel.