Google ads Remarketing Tutorial in 2025 (Step-by-Step)

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Google ads Remarketing Tutorial in 2025 (Step-by-Step)

 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a Google Ads remarketing campaign in 2025.

Step 1: Set Up Google Analytics (If Not Already Done)

Before you start setting up remarketing, make sure that your website is connected to Google Analytics.

  1. Sign into Google Analytics.
  2. Go to Admin > Property > Tracking Info > Tracking Code.
  3. Copy the tracking code and paste it on every page of your website.

Step 2: Link Google Ads to Google Analytics

Ensure that your Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked to enable effective remarketing.

  1. In Google Analytics, go to the Admin section.
  2. Under the Property column, select Google Ads Linking.
  3. Click + New Link Group and follow the prompts to connect your Google Ads account.

Step 3: Enable Remarketing in Google Analytics

You need to enable the remarketing feature in Google Analytics.

  1. In Google Analytics, go to Admin.
  2. Under the Property column, click Tracking Info > Data Collection.
  3. Turn on Remarketing and Advertising Features.
  4. Save changes.

Step 4: Set Up Audience Lists in Google Analytics

To target specific groups of users, create audience lists based on their behavior.

  1. Go to Admin in Google Analytics.
  2. Under the View column, click Audiences > + New Audience.
  3. Define your audience based on criteria such as:
    • Visitors to specific pages
    • Time spent on site
    • Actions taken (e.g., product views, cart abandonment)
  4. Click Publish when finished.

Step 5: Create a Remarketing Campaign in Google Ads

Now you’re ready to set up the remarketing campaign in Google Ads.

  1. Sign in to Google Ads.
  2. Click the + Campaign button.
  3. Choose the campaign type. Display Network or Search Network is typically used for remarketing, but Display is more common.
  4. Select Create a Campaign without a goal’s guidance if you want to customize.
  5. Choose Display Network or Video depending on your preferred ad format.
  6. Set your campaign name, targeting, and budget.
    • Choose Locations and Languages that fit your audience.
    • Set your daily or lifetime budget.
  7. Select the audiences option and choose the remarketing audience list from Google Analytics that you created earlier.

Step 6: Create Remarketing Ads

Design the ads that will be shown to your remarketing audience. You can use:

  • Text Ads for the Google Display Network
  • Responsive Ads that automatically adjust size, appearance, and format across networks
  • Image Ads in various sizes for Display campaigns
  • Video Ads for YouTube remarketing

When creating your ads:

  • Use compelling visuals and clear calls-to-action (CTAs).
  • Make sure the ads reflect what the user interacted with (e.g., showing the product they viewed or left behind in the cart).

Step 7: Set Up Bidding Strategy

Choose a bidding strategy based on your campaign goals.

  • For remarketing, you can use Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) or Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) for smarter bidding based on past performance.
  • Alternatively, use Manual CPC if you prefer to control bids manually.

Step 8: Set Up Frequency Capping

Frequency capping is essential to ensure you don’t bombard users with ads too often.

  1. Go to the Settings of your campaign.
  2. Under the Frequency Capping section, set the maximum number of impressions per day/week to avoid overexposure.

Step 9: Monitor and Optimize Your Campaign

After your campaign starts running, regularly review performance to optimize it.

  1. Check the conversion data to see if users are taking action (purchases, sign-ups, etc.).
  2. Adjust targeting (e.g., time of day, device, location) if necessary.
  3. Test different ads (A/B testing) to see which creatives perform best.
  4. If using Target CPA or Target ROAS, ensure these goals are aligned with your business objectives.

Step 10: Analyze and Adjust

Over time, analyze the remarketing data and make adjustments:

  • Look at CTR (Click-Through Rate) and CVR (Conversion Rate) to see how well the campaign is performing.
  • Adjust your audiences, bidding strategy, and ads based on the insights.

Best Practices for Google Ads Remarketing

  1. Segment Audiences: Create different remarketing lists based on user behavior. For example, one for users who viewed a product, another for cart abandoners, and another for past customers.
  2. Use Dynamic Remarketing: If you’re in e-commerce, dynamic remarketing allows you to show users ads featuring the exact products they viewed.
  3. Limit Ad Frequency: Avoid overexposure by limiting the number of times a user sees your ads.
  4. Personalize Your Ads: Show ads relevant to the user’s past behavior to increase the likelihood of conversion.

Advanced Remarketing Features in Google Ads (2025)

1. Dynamic Remarketing

Dynamic Remarketing allows you to automatically show personalized ads to users based on their previous interactions with your website or app. This is particularly useful for e-commerce websites.

  • What it does: If someone visits a product page and doesn’t make a purchase, dynamic remarketing can show them the exact product they viewed with a compelling ad, including a price or discount.
  • How to set it up:
    • Link your Google Merchant Center account to Google Ads.
    • Use feed-based ads that include dynamic product details.
    • Create a custom audience using Google Analytics and include the relevant events (e.g., product views, add-to-cart actions).

2. Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA)

Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA) allow you to target people who have previously visited your site when they perform a search on Google.

  • How it works: If someone searched for “best running shoes” after visiting your online store and browsing your shoe collection, your remarketing ads will appear when they search for relevant keywords on Google.
  • How to set it up:
    1. Go to Audiences within Google Ads.
    2. Under Bid Adjustments, select the remarketing list you want to target.
    3. Choose keywords relevant to your products or services.

3. Custom Audiences

Custom Audiences allow you to target people based on behaviors, interests, or demographics, which enhances your remarketing efforts.

  • How to create:
    • Go to your Google Ads account and select the campaign you wish to target.
    • Under the Audience tab, click + New Audience.
    • Choose from Custom Intent, Custom Affinity, or even Customer List.

This helps you create granular segments based on user behavior and interests. For example, if someone is frequently searching for athletic gear and has previously interacted with your site, your ads will become more relevant to them.

Advanced Bidding Strategies for Remarketing

1. Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)

Target CPA allows you to optimize your bids to meet your desired cost per conversion. Google Ads will automatically adjust bids based on how likely it is that a person will convert.

  • How it works: Google automatically adjusts bids in real-time to help you get as many conversions as possible at your target CPA.
  • When to use: When you have enough historical data and conversions. This feature works best when you’ve already gathered at least 30 conversions in the past 30 days.

2. Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)

Target ROAS is a bidding strategy where you set a target return on ad spend, and Google adjusts bids accordingly to maximize revenue.

  • How it works: Google will try to generate as much revenue as possible within your specified ROAS target.
  • When to use: If your goal is to maximize the revenue from your remarketing efforts while keeping your costs in check.

3. Maximize Conversions

If you’re focused on getting as many conversions as possible, the Maximize Conversions bidding strategy automatically sets your bids to maximize conversions for your campaign.

  • When to use: If you’re just starting your remarketing campaign and want to gather data quickly. Google will try to get as many conversions as possible within your budget.

4. Manual CPC

Manual CPC gives you full control over your bids. You can manually set the cost per click on ads in your remarketing campaign.

  • When to use: When you want to have more control over how much you’re paying per click and are not relying on Google’s algorithm for automatic bidding.

How to Optimize Your Remarketing Campaign

1. Segment Your Audience for Greater Relevance

Rather than showing the same ad to everyone who visited your site, create multiple remarketing lists based on user actions. This segmentation allows you to craft highly relevant ads.

  • Examples of segments:
    • Product Viewers: Users who viewed a product but didn’t add it to their cart.
    • Cart Abandoners: People who added products to their cart but didn’t complete the purchase.
    • Repeat Visitors: Users who visited multiple pages but didn’t convert.

2. Frequency Capping for Better User Experience

If you bombard your audience with too many ads, you risk annoying them and driving them away. To avoid this, set frequency caps on your remarketing campaigns.

  • Best practice: Limit impressions to 1-3 ads per day. For special offers or promotions, you may want to increase it slightly, but don’t overdo it.

3. Test Different Ad Formats

Experiment with different ad formats to see which performs best. Google Ads allows you to create responsive ads that automatically adjust size, appearance, and format based on the platform they are displayed on.

  • Types of ads to test:
    • Static Image Ads: Simple and straightforward.
    • Responsive Display Ads: Automatically adjust to fit the available space on different sites.
    • Carousel Ads: Perfect for showcasing multiple products at once.

4. Leverage Dynamic Remarketing for E-Commerce

Dynamic Remarketing allows you to show users exactly what they viewed on your site, with personalized messaging (such as showing the price, product name, and more).

  • When to use: This works especially well for e-commerce websites. If someone looked at a pair of shoes but didn’t purchase them, you can target them with an ad showing the exact shoes they browsed.

Best Practices for Remarketing Campaigns

  1. Use Cross-Device Remarketing Since users are likely to visit your website on multiple devices (desktop, mobile, tablet), set up cross-device remarketing to ensure you reach your audience no matter where they are browsing.
  2. Tailor Your Offers and Messaging Show users ads that speak directly to their interests. For example:
    • Discounts for cart abandoners
    • Upsell or cross-sell for people who previously made a purchase
    • Special promotions for frequent visitors
  3. Monitor Performance and Adjust Regularly Track key metrics such as CTR, Conversion Rate, and Cost Per Conversion to identify what’s working and what needs improvement. Adjust your bidding, targeting, and creatives accordingly.
  4. Test and Optimize Creatives A/B test different ad creatives, headlines, and calls-to-action. Use ad variations to see which ones resonate most with your remarketing audience.
  5. Use Customer Match for More Precision If you have a customer list (e.g., email addresses), upload it to Google Ads and create Customer Match audiences. This allows you to target people who have already interacted with your business in some way (e.g., existing customers or newsletter subscribers).

Conclusion

Google Ads remarketing in 2025 is more powerful than ever. By leveraging dynamic ads, RLSA, custom audiences, and advanced bidding strategies, you can ensure your ads are relevant and personalized. Remember to continuously optimize your campaigns, test new strategies, and segment your audience for the best results.

Remarketing helps you re-engage potential customers who have already shown interest in your business, and when done correctly, it can significantly boost conversion rates and ROI.

 

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