It’s rare for a prospect to convert the first time they come across your business.
Research shows it takes at least five to seven impressions before your audience notices you or takes action.
That’s why retargeting is a powerful marketing strategy. It allows you to stay visible and relevant to people who have interacted with your business.
In this article, we’re breaking down the two main types of retargeting—social media retargeting and PPC retargeting—to explain how they work, when to use them, and why combining both can improve your results.
Turn missed clicks into conversions—let’s build your retargeting strategy.
What is social media retargeting?
Have you ever visited a business’s website and seen an ad for their products on your Facebook or Instagram feed?
That business was using social media retargeting.
How social retargeting works
- A visitor interacts with your website or content
- A tracking pixel records the visit
- The data is used to show the visitor targeted ads later on
Ad platforms like Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads provide brands with the retargeting pixels they need to track activity.
Types of social media retargeting
Businesses can retarget users based on several activities, including:
- Users who visited specific website pages
- People who liked, shared, or commented on your content
- Viewers who watched a portion of your video ads or organic video content
You can also upload an email list to create a custom audience for retargeting.
What is PPC retargeting?
Pay-per-click (PPC) retargeting serves targeted ads to people who have previously visited your website.
Similarly to social media retargeting, PPC retargeting relies on a tracking pixel or tag to monitor user activity.
Where do PPC retargeting ads appear?
- Google Display Network (includes millions of websites, apps, and YouTube)
- Search results pages
- In-stream video ads
- Banner ads
For example, Someone visits your blog page and reads several blog posts. Later, they read an article on a news website and see your display ad.
PPC retargeting has a broader reach than social media retargeting, which is helpful for staying visible to potential customers as they move around the web.
Social vs. PPC retargeting: Key differences
Social media and PPC retargeting are both effective at re-engaging warm audiences, but they work differently and serve slightly different purposes.
Understanding the differences can help you use each type more strategically.
Platforms and environments
- Social media retargeting: Executed in social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or X
- PPC retargeting: Happens all around the web through platforms like the Google Display Network or Microsoft Advertising
Triggers
- Social media retargeting: Triggered by both website behaviors (like visiting a landing page) and in-platform actions (like watching a video or liking a post)
- PPC retargeting: Typically triggered by website activity, like viewing a page, adding to cart, or interacting with a paid search or display ad
Ad formats
- Social media retargeting: Often more visual and engaging, including videos, carousels, or native feed ads that blend into the user’s feed
- PPC retargeting: Can take the form of banner ads, responsive display ads, and in-stream videos across a range of websites and YouTube placements
User intent
- Social media retargeting: Tends to reach users in a more “passive” or browsing mindset
- PPC retargeting: Often captures users while they’re consuming informational or purchase-related content (suggesting they’re further along in the buying journey)
Strengths
- Social media retargeting: Excels at brand nurturing, reinforcement, and engagement
- PPC retargeting: Best for expanding your reach, re-capturing high-intent traffic, and driving direct conversions
Double the impact: Using both PPC and social retargeting works best
Your prospects bounce between devices, apps, websites, and social feeds throughout the day.
Combining your social media and PPC retargeting strategies creates a more consistent, multi-touch experience that keeps your brand top-of-mind throughout their entire purchase journey.
Why you should consider a combined strategy
1. Most prospects don’t convert after a single visit
Social ads keep your brand visible as your prospects scroll their favorite social media platforms. PPC retargeting follows them around the web.
This mix of subtle and direct reminders increases the number of touchpoints with your audience without overwhelming them.
2. Tell your story—and convert
Social media retargeting is best at telling your brand story and building up trust and engagement over time, while PPC focuses more on performance through urgency and next steps.
Together, they can help you effectively nurture and convert leads.
3. Cover the full funnel
- Top of the funnel: Social retargeting keeps your brand warm with consistent engagement
- Mid-funnel: PPC ads reinforce interest with relevant content and offers while your prospects browse the web
- Bottom of the funnel: A well-timed ad on either channel can bring a high-intent visitor to the finish line
4. Establish cross-channel consistency
Consistency builds familiarity, which ultimately builds trust!
When your prospects see your brand regularly across social and search, you’ll become a more reliable, credible source.
It will increase your odds of being remembered when they’re ready to purchase.
Bringing it all together: A full-funnel approach to retargeting
Do you want to build a structured, intentional journey for your prospects?
A full-funnel retargeting strategy ensures that you appear not just in feeds but with the right message at the right time.
Let’s look at examples of a combined approach across three industries.
Mortgage retargeting: Nurture and convert borrowers
- A prospective homebuyer clicks on a Google Search ad for mortgage rates but doesn’t apply
- PPC retargeting follows up with a display ad offering a “first-time buyer guide” while they’re reading financial news
- Social retargeting delivers an Instagram carousel ad sharing a real client success story to build trust and prompt action
Senior living retargeting: Build trust during an emotional decision
- An adult child visits your community’s website and browses care options, but leaves without filling out a form
- Social media retargeting delivers a Facebook video ad tour of the community
- PPC retargeting runs a gentle reminder ad on local news sites
Law firm retargeting: Stay top-of-mind in high-stakes searches
- A potential client clicks on a Google Search ad for estate planning but doesn’t book a consultation
- Later, they’re served a PPC retargeting ad linking to a blog post that answers common legal questions
- On LinkedIn or Facebook, they see a retargeting ad featuring your lead attorney offering a free 15-minute consultation
Across all three industries, this approach addresses the emotional, financial, or complex decisions with a balance of education, reassurance, and clear calls to action (CTAs).
Social media and PPC retargeting FAQ
Social media retargeting is a digital strategy that shows ads to people who’ve interacted with your brand on your website, social profiles, or email, but haven’t converted yet. These ads appear on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok, helping bring users back to complete an action.
Social retargeting uses platforms like Facebook and Instagram to re-engage audiences visually. PPC retargeting shows ads on Google, YouTube, and across display networks, often capturing users with higher intent. Both are effective, but serve different roles in your funnel.
Using both covers more digital ground. Social retargeting keeps your brand visible in casual, scroll-heavy environments, while PPC retargeting hits users during high-intent moments. Both increase brand recall, drive repeat visits, and improve overall conversion rates.
No—and that’s the beauty of it. Retargeting costs less than cold audience targeting because you’re advertising to people who already know you. That means higher relevance, lower cost-per-click (CPC), and better conversion rates.
We look at your whole funnel, not just individual clicks. Our team builds custom retargeting strategies that blend paid social, PPC, and content marketing to guide prospects from first visit to final sale. We also A/B test creative, optimize landing pages, and provide transparent reporting every step of the way.
Let’s build your retargeting engine
Every channel is connected.
At Kaleidico, retargeting isn’t treated as a one-off tactic—it’s part of a full-funnel, multi-channel approach designed to guide your prospects from first impression to final conversion.
Schedule a free strategy call to connect the dots in your digital strategy.
