How to use retargeting to reach potential buyers

retargeting potential buyers

Why retargeting is decisive when the intent is already there

A potential buyer almost never makes a decision in a single visit. They compare, they consult their bank, they talk about it with people around them, they hesitate between several neighborhoods or several types of properties. Meanwhile, other advertisers (agencies, portals, developers, brokers) occupy the mental and advertising space. Retargeting is precisely meant to stay present at the right time, with the right people, without having to win back a cold audience.

The key is to treat each level of intent differently. Someone who viewed an Estimation page does not have the same maturity as someone who visited the same listing three times and clicked Make an appointment. Retargeting makes it possible to build progressive scenarios: reassure, prove, remove objections, then push action, while controlling ad frequency.

Identify intent signals to retarget (and those to exclude)

Not everyone should enter your audiences. If you retarget too broadly, you waste your budget and fatigue your audience. If you retarget too narrowly, you miss opportunities. The effective approach starts from real signals of interest:

1) Visits to high-value pages: detailed listings, Contact pages, Estimation, Fees, financing FAQ, calculators.
2) Depth of navigation: more than 2–3 page views, or repeated sessions over 7 to 30 days.
3) Engagement with content: guide download, newsletter signup, click to WhatsApp/phone, reading long articles.
4) Micro-actions: add to favorites, compare, open the map, request directions, click see more photos.

Conversely, exclude (or segment separately) accidental visitors: very short sessions, bounces on a generic page, internal traffic, recruitment candidates, service providers, competitors, or audiences that have already converted (form submitted, successful call, appointment confirmed). Excluding converters is essential to avoid paying for people already in the pipeline and to avoid degrading the experience.

Build smart audiences: the segmentation that makes the difference

High-performing retargeting relies less on the tool than on segmentation. A simple, robust structure that is often sufficient:

Segment 1: recent visitors (1–7 days)

They still remember your brand and the property they viewed. Objective: accelerate contact. Short messages, strong proof points, direct calls to action.

Segment 2: warm visitors (8–30 days)

They compare and need reassurance. Objective: reduce uncertainty (reviews, methodology, financing support, transparency of steps, availability).

Segment 3: high-intent visitors

Contact pages, phone click, repeated viewing of a listing, high time spent. Objective: propose immediate action (viewing, valuation, appointment) with a service angle rather than advertising.

Segment 4: content-engaged (lead magnet / blog)

They’re not necessarily looking for a property today, but they’re preparing a decision. Goal: nurturing: guide, checklist, neighborhood comparison, points to watch, taxation, financing.

Segment 5: exclusion audiences

Converted users, collaborators, duplicates, and irrelevant segments. Goal: protect the budget and the brand.

To frame the mechanisms and possible formats, you can rely on this external guide: What is retargeting and how does it work? ….

Choose the right channels: display, social, search… and their role in the journey

Retargeting isn’t a single channel. It’s a logic that applies across multiple ad platforms. Performance often comes from a coherent mix:

Social networks (Meta, Instagram) : excellent for controlled repetition, visual formats (carousels, Reels), and reassurance messages (reviews, behind the scenes, method). Attention is less intentional than on Google, so you need to polish the hook and the proof.

Google (Search / YouTube / Display) : useful for capturing active returns (when the person searches again), and for occupying space across broad inventory. Search RLSA (remarketing lists for Search ads) makes it possible to adjust bids and messages for visitors already known.

Email (if opt-in) : this isn’t ad retargeting, but it’s often the best retargeting in terms of ROI. It complements advertising by continuing the conversation.

If you want to frame the approach by platform, these internal resources are useful: Meta Ads to sell your properties: detailed strategy and Google Ads advertising for real estate agencies: complete guide.

Create messages that convert: from proof to trigger

The most common trap: following up with everyone using Contact us. A good retargeting message is contextual. It picks up the likely intent, answers an implicit question, and reduces a concrete friction. A few angles that work particularly well to reach potential buyers:

1) Reassurance and transparency : Here’s how a viewing works, Which documents to prepare, Our selection method, What the support includes.

2) Social proof : customer reviews, transaction volumes, average timelines, testimonials, Google rating, before/after (be careful to remain compliant and factual).

3) Scarcity and recency : New similar properties, Price drop, Back on the market, Last viewing slots this week. Use sparingly, without being overly dramatic.

4) Useful service : Receive a personalized selection, Email alert, Estimate your borrowing capacity, Purchase checklist.

5) Overcome the objection : renovations, condo association, energy performance diagnosis (DPE), fees, neighborhood, transportation. A Q&A format often performs better than a slogan.

To structure your first campaigns and see concrete examples of scenarios, this external resource is relevant: Retargeting: Definition and getting-started guide (+examples).

Align the ad creative with the landing page (otherwise you pay twice)

Retargeting can generate clicks easily… but if the landing page isn’t aligned, you pay for visits that don’t convert. Three simple rules:

Message match : if the ad talks about an estimate, the page should start with the estimate (not a generic homepage). If the ad talks about a selection of properties, the page should show a selection, not an empty form.

Reduce friction : short forms, essential fields, simplified appointment booking, reminder of benefits, visible trust elements (reviews, mentions, process).

Proof above the fold : the user should quickly see why they should choose you, and what they get in exchange for their information.

A quick audit of your pages and funnels can be enough to recover many conversions without increasing the budget. Take advantage of an analysis of your current site.

Manage ad pressure: frequency, windows, and sequences

Retargeting becomes counterproductive when it chases the user. Managing pressure is a major lever to stay performant:

Frequency cap : limit the number of impressions per person (per day/week). The right level depends on the decision cycle; for a real estate purchase, a regular presence can be helpful, but not intrusive.

Audience windows : separate 1–7 / 8–30 / 31–90 days. The further back in time, the more the message should be value (content, service) rather than immediate conversion.

Creative sequencing : don’t show the same visual for 30 days. Create a sequence: (1) benefit reminder, (2) social proof, (3) explanation of the process, (4) call to action.

Dynamic exclusions : exclude those who filled out the form, but also those who made a call (if you track the event), or those who booked an appointment. Ideally, move them into a post-lead (onboarding) campaign if that makes sense.

For practical recommendations on setup and optimization, you can refer to: The 8 keys to ultra-high-performing retargeting.

Examples of concrete scenarios to reach potential buyers

Here are simple (and realistic) sequences that work well, especially in real estate, but also in other long decision-cycle sectors.

Scenario A: visited a listing, no contact

D+1 : carousel of similar properties (same area, similar budget).
D+3 : social proof + what a visit is like / what you’ll see on site.
D+7 : CTA to book an appointment + availability (time slots) + reminder of key strengths (without overpromising).

Scenario B: multiple visits, financing pages viewed

D+1 : content on preparing your file + checklist.
D+5 : message We help you secure the process (notary, diagnostics, co-ownership) + getting in touch.
D+10 : service offer: receive a personalized selection with criteria.

Scenario C: engagement on content (article, guide), unclear intent

D+1 : content retargeting neighborhoods / price trends / mistakes to avoid.
D+7 : short video format our tips in 30 seconds.
D+14 : switch to a soft service offer (email alert, personalized selection).

To further explore the idea of sales- and activation-oriented scenarios, this external reading can complement your thinking: How to use retargeting to boost your sales?.

Measure what matters: conversions, incrementality, and lead quality

Retargeting can show flattering ROAS… while cannibalizing conversions that would have happened without advertising. To manage correctly, measure at multiple levels:

1) Hard conversions : viewing requests, qualified forms, calls, appointments scheduled.

2) Quality : qualification rate, average budget, areas searched, project timeline. A low CPL with unusable leads is a false victory.

3) Journey : attribution windows, number of touchpoints, time between 1st visit and conversion.

4) Incrementality : if possible, test geographic areas, time periods, or holdout segments (a group you don’t expose) to estimate the real lift.

To structure a useful dashboard and avoid vanity metrics, this internal guide can serve as a foundation: The 20 marketing KPIs to track for your agency.

Fueling retargeting with content: the weapon for long cycles

The longer the decision cycle, the more ad repetition must be earned. Content is excellent fuel: practical articles, guides, checklists, short videos, comparisons. It lets you stay present without hammering a contact request.

Two direct benefits: (1) you segment better (people who read a specific article reveal their intent), (2) you improve trust, therefore future conversion. If you lack material, start with 5 topics that answer recurring questions: financing, purchase steps, condo pitfalls, reading the diagnostics, choosing the neighborhood.

To frame an editorial strategy suited to an agency, here is an internal resource: Why blog for a real estate agency.

Leverage short-form video to warm up the audience (without overdoing it)

Short-form video is particularly effective in retargeting: it quickly adds context back, shows the human behind the brand, and accelerates trust. You can use it to:

– present a property (3 key strengths + one practical info),
– explain a step (offer, preliminary sales agreement, timelines),
– answer a frequent objection (DPE: how to interpret it?),
– show a micro tour (entryway, living room, view, surroundings).

Most important: produce simple, regular, utility-oriented formats. An imperfect but clear video on a key point can convert better than a production that’s too ad-like. For concrete format ideas, you can consult: Instagram Reels: how to showcase your real estate properties.

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

1) Retargeting without segmentation : same message for everyone. Solution: segments by intent + time windows.

2) Forgetting exclusions : converters, employees, duplicates. Solution: conversion events + exclusion lists.

3) Too much pressure : high frequency, creative fatigue. Solution: frequency cap + rotation + sequences.

4) Misalignment between ad/page : promise A, page B. Solution: dedicated, consistent pages.

5) Optimizing for the wrong conversions : clicks, page views. Solution: optimize for qualified events (lead, call, appointment) and track quality.

7-step implementation checklist

1) Map the pages and actions that signal intent (ads, contact, valuation, favorites).
2) Set up events (view content, lead, call, appt) and verify they fire.
3) Create 4–5 audiences (recent, warm, high intent, content, exclusions).
4) Design 6–12 creatives (visuals/videos) split into sequences, with different messages.
5) Align each campaign with a dedicated landing page (or at minimum a very relevant page).
6) Define frequency caps, windows, exclusions, and creative rotation rules.
7) Track conversions + quality + timelines, then iterate every 1–2 weeks.

Go further: master the mechanics and performance over time

Effective retargeting isn’t a hack. It’s a discipline: segmentation, useful messaging, controlled pressure, and rigorous measurement. In competitive markets, the best results rarely come from a single lever, but from a coherent system that supports the decision all the way to taking action.

To dive deeper into a complete and structured approach, this external guide can complement your toolbox: Retargeting: complete guide to increase your ….