Understanding Retargeting & Lookalike Audiences

Updated in 15th of April 2025

by McFAI — Digital Marketing

Ever visited a website, looked at a product, and suddenly started seeing it everywhere? 👀 That’s retargeting in action — and it’s one of the smartest ways to turn curious visitors into loyal customers.

Let’s break it down…

What is Retargeting?

Retargeting is like a gentle reminder. It shows ads to people who’ve already interacted with your brand — visited your website, watched your video, clicked your link, or added something to their cart but didn’t buy.

🛒 Why it’s powerful:


  • People rarely buy on the first visit.
  • Retargeting keeps your brand top of mind.
  • It gives your audience a second (or third) chance to act!

Example: Someone visits your online store and browses sneakers. Later, they scroll through Instagram and — boom! — they see your ad with those exact sneakers (maybe even with a discount). That’s retargeting magic!


What are Lookalike Audiences?

Lookalike audiences help you scale your reach by finding new people who are similar to your best customers.

It’s like saying to Facebook or Google:

“Hey, go find more people like these awesome buyers!”

Why it works:

  • You’re targeting people with similar interests, behaviors, and buying patterns.
  • You get better ad performance with less guesswork.
  • It saves money and time while growing your brand.

Example: If 1,000 people bought your fitness course, a lookalike audience will help you reach millions who act just like them — and may be ready to buy too.


How to Use Both Together

The real power? Use retargeting AND lookalikes.

  • First, retarget those who already know you.
  • Then, expand your reach with lookalikes who are likely to love your offer.


Tips: Before running lookalike ads, build a strong custom audience from:

  • Website visitors
  • Engaged social followers
  • Email subscribers
  • Video watchers
  • Past customers

The better your source, the stronger your lookalike audience!


NOTE - If social ads are like fishing 🎣 — retargeting is reeling in the fish already nibbling... and lookalikes are casting your net where the fish are most likely to bite.

Use both, and your brand isn’t just chasing clicks, it’s building smart, targeted, profitable campaigns.


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