Frequently Asked Questions About Retargeting & Audiences

Retargeting (also known as remarketing) is one of the most effective advertising strategies, but it only works best when tracking is configured correctly and the audience is created and managed properly. When tracking is wrong or the audience is not built correctly, the entire process will be skewed: data is unreliable, the audience doesn't grow, and it becomes very difficult to optimize ads.

This FAQ compiles the most frequently asked questions when implementing retargeting: from concept, Pixel/Tag installation, file creation, processing time, minimum requirements, to expected performance, advanced scenarios, and compliance considerations.

General questions

What is retargeting?

Retargeting is an advertising strategy that displays ads to people who have previously interacted with your business, for example, visited your website, used your app, or engaged with your content. Simply put, it's a gentle reminder to encourage interested people to return and complete a purchase or take the action you want them to take.

Why should you use retargeting?

Retargeting is considered one of the most cost-effective strategies because you're not targeting complete strangers, but rather an audience that already shows interest. Common benefits include:

Higher conversion rates: 10–15% compared to 2–3% for a cold audience.
Lower costs: CPA is typically 50–70% lower.
Better ROI: you reach a group already interested in the brand.
Increase brand recall: maintain top-of-mind status.

How is retargeting different from remarketing?

In reality, they are almost identical. "Retargeting" is commonly used in a general sense, while Google often calls it "remarketing." Both involve showing ads again to people who have previously interacted with them.

Which platforms support retargeting?

Our GTG CRM supports retargeting on:

Facebook & Instagram (Meta)
Google Ads, including Search, Display, YouTube, and Shopping.

Tracking & Settings

How do I install Facebook Pixel?

Following the flow in CRM:

Go to the Audiences tab in the campaign dashboard.
Select Pixel Settings (gear icon)
Copy Pixel code
Paste it into the <head> section of the website.
Use Facebook Pixel Helper to check if it's working.

How do I set up Google Tags?

Go to Google Ads account settings
Go to Tools → Conversions → Tag setup
Copy Global Site Tag
Paste it into the <head> section of the website.
Use Google Tag Assistant to check.

Can I use Google Tag Manager?

Yes. GTM is recommended for managing both Facebook Pixel and Google Tags because it's easy to use without needing to directly edit the code, has version control, built-in debugging tools, and is convenient to update without relying on the developer.

What should I do if the Pixel/Tag isn't working?

Common inspection steps:

Check the settings using the extension to confirm that the pixel/tag is loaded.
Clear the cache and perform a hard refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R).
Check for JavaScript errors in Developer Tools → Console
Test using incognito methods to reduce the impact of ad blockers.
Compare the Pixel/Tag ID to verify if it matches the account.

Create object file

What types of files can be created?

Facebook supports: website visitor files, interaction files (video views, fan page views), customer lists from CRM, and lookalikes.

Google Ads supports: website files based on rules, Customer Match from CRM, and dynamic remarketing files.

How long after creation does the file become usable?

Facebook Website Audience: 15–60 minutes
Facebook Customer List: 24–48 hours
Facebook Lookalike: 6–24 hours
Google Website Audience: 24–48 hours
Google Customer Match: 24–48 hours

What is the minimum file size?

Facebook: Most campaigns require 1,000 users.
Google Search: minimum 100 users.
Google Display/YouTube: typically requires 1,000 users.

Is the file showing 0 an error?

Not exactly. It could be due to:

File is being processed (wait 24–48 hours).
The website is new and doesn't have enough traffic yet.
The rule is too narrow.
Tracking is having issues; please check your Pixel/Tag again.

How long do users stay in the file?

Facebook Website: 1–180 days (maximum).
Facebook Engagement: 1–365 days.
Google Remarketing: 1–540 days (maximum).
Customer Lists: Keep them until you delete them.

What is a Lookalike Audience?

Lookalike Audiences are new audiences that are "similar" to existing customer or website visitor files. Facebook analyzes the source file and finds users with similar demographics, interests, behaviors, and purchasing trends.

What does % lookalike mean?

The percentage represents the trade-off between "variety" and "spread":

1%: the most similar, with a population size in the US of approximately 2.3 million.
5%: broader, approximately ~11.5 million.
10%: the widest, approximately ~23 million.

Recommendation: Start with 1% to prioritize quality, then expand to 5% to scale up.

Customer Match / File from CRM

How does Customer Match work?

The process is usually as follows:

You provide the data (email, phone number).
The data is securely hashed using SHA-256.
The platform matches the hash value with its users.
The matched individuals will become a targetable file.

Raw data is not sent, only the hashed value is sent.

What is the typical match rate?

Typically 30–60%, depending on data quality, whether customers use personal or company email, and the platform's user base in your market.

How can I increase my match rate?

Send both the email address and the phone number.
Prioritize the primary email address, as personal emails often match better than company emails.
Standard telephone numbers should be in the correct format and include the country code (+1, +44…).
Clean up data, remove incorrect and duplicate emails.

Is customer data secure?

Yes. The protection mechanism includes:

Hash the data into an irreversible value before transmitting it.
The platform does not store your raw data.
Complies with GDPR, CCPA, and the platform's privacy policy.
You can delete the audience at any time.

Campaign performance

What are the typical results of retargeting?

Common benchmarks:

CTR: retargeting 0.5–2.0% vs cold 0.05–0.1%
Conversion rate: retargeting 5–15% vs cold 1–3%
ROAS: retargeting 4–10x vs cold 1–3x
CPA: Retargeting is typically 40–70% lower than the baseline.

How much should you spend on retargeting?

Suggested daily budget based on file size:

1,000–5,000: $5–15/day
5,000–20,000: $15–30/day
20,000–100,000: $30–75/day
100,000+: $75–150/day

General rule: allocate 15–25% of your total advertising budget to retargeting.

How long does it take to see results?

First appearance: within a few hours after running.
Initial clicks: 24–48 hours.
Significant conversion data range: 7–14 days.
Insight for optimization: 2–4 weeks.

What should you check if your retargeting is not working effectively?

Files that are too small will be difficult to distribute.
Excessive frequency leads to advertising fatigue (especially if it's more than 7 per week).
Creative has been running for over two weeks, so it needs to be refreshed.
Does the message match the intent of the file?
Is the landing page mobile-friendly and does it accurately reflect the advertisement's content?
Have those who have switched been excluded?

Advanced topics

Should the buyer be excluded?

Yes. Recent buyers should be excluded to avoid wasting budget, prevent inconveniencing recent customers, and create upsell opportunities. It is recommended to exclude buyers from the last 7–30 days.

What is Dynamic Remarketing?

Dynamic Remarketing displays personalized product ads based on products a user has viewed on a website. For example, if a user views "Green Running Shoes – $89," they might then see ads for that specific product and related products.

The requirements include: a product feed (Google Merchant Center), a dynamic remarketing tag with product IDs, and a campaign linked to the feed.

Is it possible to combine multiple files?

Facebook: can combine using AND/OR logic and exclude other files.
Google: You can layer audiences at the campaign level and use audience exclusions.

How often should Customer Match be refreshed?

Recommended frequency:

Active guests: weekly.
Email subscribers: every two weeks.
Guests have been leaving: monthly.

What is sequential retargeting?

This is retargeting using "message threads" based on when they visited the site:

Day 1–3: "Thank you for visiting!"
Days 4–7: "Why Customers Love Us"
Days 8–14: "Limited Offer: 10% Off"
Day 15–30: "I missed you so much! We have a special offer here!"

This approach creates a flow of content that guides users toward conversion.

Privacy & Compliance

Yes, if done correctly: consent must be obtained via cookie banner, privacy policy must be transparent, opt-out processing must be handled, and data must only be collected for legitimate purposes.

How do we handle users who opt out?

Respect the "Reject" option in cookie consent, remove them from customer lists if requested, consider Do Not Track, and direct users to the platform's ad settings.

What are the effects of iOS 14.5?

iOS 14.5+ requires apps to request tracking permission. The consequence: reduced pixel data from iOS, smaller website files, and less accurate attribution.

Solution: Use the Facebook Conversions API, Google Enhanced Conversions, and focus on first-party data such as customer lists.

Troubleshooting

Why can't I create a lookalike?

Common causes:

The source file is too small (100+ is needed, 1,000+ is recommended).
The source file is being processed.
The account has reached its rate limit.
Lack of rights.

Is a decreasing file size normal?

Yes. This could be due to the user's "retention period" expiring, the platform clearing invalid accounts, or the user locking their account. To maintain the file, consistent traffic or regular uploads to the list are necessary.

What to do if the file creation fails?

Check the error message, ensure the account is legitimate and has the necessary permissions, try a simpler rule, and contact support if the issue persists.