7 Retargeting Campaigns That Every Business Should Run in 2026
Why Retargeting Still Matters in 2026
No matter how good your Facebook campaigns are, most visitors don’t convert the first time they interact with your brand. That’s where retargeting campaigns come in. By showing the right ad to people who’ve already engaged with your business — website visitors, social media engagers, past leads — you increase the likelihood of conversion, while reducing wasted ad spend. The best part? Retargeting isn’t complicated. The key is setting up specific campaigns for different user behaviors. In this guide, we’ll cover 7 retargeting campaigns every business should run in 2026, with real-world examples across industries.
1. Website Visitors Retargeting
Who to Target:
All users who visited your website but didn’t convert.
Why It Works:
These users already know your brand and have shown intent. Retargeting them is cheaper than targeting cold traffic.
Example Campaigns:
E-commerce: Show products they viewed but didn’t buy with a carousel ad.
Law Firm: Retarget users who visited the “Personal Injury” page with a case study ad.
Pro Tip:
Segment based on time spent on site or specific pages visited. High-intent pages (pricing, services, product details) should get more aggressive messaging.
2. Abandoned Cart / Incomplete Purchase Retargeting
Who to Target:
Users who added products to their cart but didn’t complete checkout.
Why It Works:
They were close to buying — a little nudge can turn them into customers.
Example Campaigns:
E-commerce Skincare Brand: Carousel ad highlighting the exact products abandoned, plus an optional bundle incentive (e.g., “Buy 2, get 1 free”).
Fitness Studio: Retarget users who started online class registration but didn’t finish.
Pro Tip:
Use a conversion campaign objective rather than traffic. Meta will optimize for users most likely to finish checkout, not just click.
3. Engaged Social Media Audience Retargeting
Who to Target:
People who interacted with your Facebook page or Instagram profile, videos, or posts.
Why It Works:
Social media engagers are warm leads — they already like or follow your content.
Example Campaigns:
Restaurant: Retarget users who watched 50% of a video showing a signature dish, promoting a reservation special.
B2B SaaS: Retarget users who engaged with demo video content with a “Book a Free Demo” ad.
Pro Tip:
Use custom audiences to target users who watched specific video lengths (25%, 50%, 75%). Engagement correlates with purchase intent.
4. Past Customers Retargeting
Who to Target:
People who purchased from you previously.
Why It Works:
Past customers are 5–10x more likely to buy again than cold leads.
Example Campaigns:
Retail: Promote accessories that complement previous purchases.
Law Firm: Offer a subscription or follow-up service (e.g., estate plan updates).
Pro Tip:
Use exclusion lists to avoid showing irrelevant ads to customers who already completed the upsell or repeat purchase.
5. Lead Magnet / Free Offer Retargeting
Who to Target:
Users who signed up for a free resource (e-book, guide, checklist) but didn’t convert to a paid client.
Why It Works:
They’ve expressed interest and are already in your funnel — just need a high-value, low-friction next step.
Example Campaigns:
Lawyers: Users who downloaded a “Case Readiness Checklist” ad retargeted with a “Book Your Strategy Call” offer.
Fitness Studio: Leads who downloaded a “7-Day Workout Plan” receive a class package promotion.
Pro Tip:
Focus on conversion campaign objectives — Meta will target users most likely to complete the next step, not just click.
6. Product / Service Upsell Retargeting
Who to Target:
Existing customers or users who purchased a basic product/service.
Why It Works:
You already know they like your brand. A strategic upsell can dramatically increase LTV.
Example Campaigns:
E-commerce Skincare: Users who purchased sunscreen are shown anti-aging serum or premium moisturizer offers.
Law Firm: Personal injury clients are shown estate planning services.
Pro Tip:
Bundle complementary offers or create limited-time packages to increase perceived value.
7. Website Visitors from Ads But No Form Submission
Who to Target:
Users who clicked your ad, landed on a page, but didn’t fill out a form or book a call.
Why It Works:
They’re warm leads who already interacted with your ad, but something prevented conversion — often messaging or urgency.
Example Campaigns:
Realtor: Users who viewed property listings but didn’t schedule a showing get “VIP Home Buyer Program” ad.
Dental Practice: Users who visited Invisalign info page but didn’t book a consultation see a “Win Back Your Invisalign Investment” ad.
Pro Tip:
Use dynamic creative to test multiple angles: social proof, urgency, and benefits.
How We Structure Retargeting for Maximum ROI
At Cristanta, we don’t just slap retargeting pixels and hope for the best. Our step-by-step approach is:
Define the funnel segments: Identify TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU behaviors.
Use conversion campaign objectives at every stage. This ensures Facebook finds users most likely to complete the next step.
Dynamic creative testing: Use multiple images, copy, and offers to prevent ad fatigue.
Set frequency caps: Retargeting too often can annoy users; too little and you miss conversions.
Analyze & adjust: Weekly check-ins on CTR, CPL, and ROAS allow us to reallocate spend to the top-performing segments.
This method works across industries — real estate, law, e-commerce, SaaS, local services, and more.
Retargeting Isn’t Optional in 2026
Retargeting campaigns are where the big ROI lives. Acquisition campaigns get people in the door, but retargeting campaigns turn curiosity into revenue.
Segment your audience.
Use conversion campaign objectives.
Test multiple creatives.
Retarget at every stage of the funnel.
When done correctly, retargeting campaigns can reduce CPL by 30–60%, recover abandoned leads, and increase LTV for existing customers.
CTA: Let Us Build Your Retargeting Machine
Want us to set up your Facebook retargeting campaigns for 30 days, completely free, including CRM integration and lead follow-up automations?
We’ll handle everything: funnel setup, ad creatives, audience segmentation, and automated messages. You just watch the leads flow in.