---
title: "What Is Retargeting (Remarketing)? | Kihan Marketing"
description: "Retargeting, or remarketing, shows ads to people who already visited your site. How it works, the rules that apply, and a roofing example."
url: https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/retargeting/
published: 2026-10-16
updated: 2026-10-16
author: "Atisam Elahi"
---

# Retargeting

Ads for people who already visited, and how to set them up

Retargeting, also called remarketing, shows ads to people who already visited your website, used your app or gave you their details, while they browse other sites, apps and social feeds. It reaches someone who showed interest but did not call or book. In Google Ads the audiences behind it are now called "your data" segments.

By [Atisam Elahi](https://kihanmarketing.com/atisam/), SEO Strategist

## How does retargeting work?

A tag on your website, such as the Google tag or the Meta pixel, records visits. The ad platform groups those visitors into audiences, such as everyone who viewed a service page in the last 30 days, and shows them ads elsewhere. Google describes its version in its help page on [your data segments](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2453998).

Retargeting has to follow each platform's rules and privacy law, and some categories, including housing ads, carry their own targeting limits. Visitors also have to be told about the tracking in the site's privacy notice.

## Why does retargeting matter for a roofer?

Because roofing is rarely bought on the first visit. A homeowner reads about roof replacement, leaves to get a second opinion, then waits for the next storm. Retargeting keeps the roofer in view during that wait, so when the homeowner is ready, the name they saw last is one they recognize.

For example, a homeowner reads a roofer's replacement page and a page about financing options, and leaves without calling. Over the next few weeks they see the roofer's ads with photos of finished roofs in their area and a short note about free inspections. When a storm passes through, that roofer is the one they call.

## How do you set up retargeting?

1. **Tag the site.** Install the Google tag and the Meta pixel, and confirm they fire on every page.
2. **Build audiences by intent.** Separate people who viewed a service page from those who only read a blog post.
3. **Write ads for the second visit.** Proof and reassurance, not the same pitch they already passed on.
4. **Cap the frequency.** Set a limit on how often one person sees the ads, so the reminder never turns into a nuisance.

## Related terms

- **Landing page.** The [page a retargeting ad sends people back to](https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/landing-page/).
- **Conversion rate.** The [share of returning visitors who act](https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/conversion-rate/).
- **Cost per lead.** [What each lead from retargeting costs](https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/cost-per-lead/), compared with first-visit ads.

We run retargeting as part of our [paid advertising](https://kihanmarketing.com/services/paid-ads/) work, including for [roofing companies](https://kihanmarketing.com/roofing-marketing/).

## Keep reading

- [Google Ads and Paid Social](https://kihanmarketing.com/services/paid-ads/): Campaigns on Google and Meta, judged on what a qualified lead costs.
- [Roofing](https://kihanmarketing.com/roofing-marketing/): SEO, websites and lead generation for roofing companies, covering every suburb you serve.
- [Landing Page](https://kihanmarketing.com/glossary/landing-page/): A page built around one offer and one action, often for an ad campaign.