How to Retarget Past Visitors with Facebook Ads (Step-by-Step)
Think your website traffic is “wasted” if people don’t convert on the first visit? Think again. With a proper Facebook retargeting strategy, you can bring those warm leads back — and close them when they’re ready. Retargeting ads on Facebook allow you to show custom ads to people who’ve already interacted with your brand. Whether they visited your website, watched a video, clicked a button, or viewed a product — you can bring them back with precision. Here’s how we do it step-by-step at BLOAT Media, the same way we build high-converting retargeting funnels for small businesses across Singapore.
4/20/20253 min read
Step 1: Install the Facebook Pixel
You can’t retarget what you can’t track.
The Facebook Pixel is a piece of tracking code that you place on your website. Once it’s installed, it quietly monitors user behavior — which pages people visit, which products they view, and whether they added something to cart.
To install the Facebook Pixel:
Go to Facebook Ads Manager → Events Manager.
Click “Connect Data Sources” → Web → Facebook Pixel.
Name your pixel and enter your website URL.
Choose manual install or use a platform integration (e.g., Shopify, WordPress).
Paste the code in the header of your website.
Verify that it’s working using the Meta Pixel Helper Chrome extension.
Now, every visitor who lands on your site becomes trackable — and that unlocks your ability to build Custom Audiences for retargeting.
Step 2: Create Custom Audiences
This is where the magic starts.
Inside Facebook Ads Manager, you’ll now create Custom Audiences based on your Pixel data.
Some high-performing examples:
All Website Visitors in the last 30 days
Visitors who viewed a product page but didn’t purchase
People who added to cart but didn’t checkout
Those who spent more than 1 minute on your landing page
Leads who submitted a form but didn’t book
To create one:
Go to Audiences → Create Audience → Custom Audience.
Choose Website as your source.
Define your conditions (e.g. URL contains “/product”).
Set the time window (typically 7–30 days for warm leads).
You can even stack conditions — like “Visited /pricing but did not visit /thank-you”.
Step 3: Build Your Retargeting Funnel
Retargeting isn’t just a single ad. It’s a sequence — designed to gently bring people back through your sales process.
Here’s a simple retargeting campaign structure we recommend:
Top Funnel – Education-Based Reminder
Audience: All site visitors in last 30 days
Ad: “Still thinking it over? Here’s why 1,200+ Singaporeans choose [Brand] every month.”
Format: Video, carousel or image with testimonials
Middle Funnel – Objection Handling
Audience: Added to cart but no checkout
Ad: “We noticed you left something behind. Still unsure? Here’s our FAQ.”
Format: Instant Experience or lead form with reassurance copy
Bottom Funnel – Offer & Urgency
Audience: Viewed pricing page or repeated visits
Ad: “Get 10% off your first booking – valid for 24 hours only.”
Format: Single image or Stories ad with clear CTA (book, buy, or message)
Step 4: Set Your Retargeting Campaign in Ads Manager
Head into Facebook Ads Manager, and set up a new Conversion Campaign.
In the ad set level:
Choose your custom audience (e.g. ViewedProductNoCheckout)
Set placement (Facebook + Instagram feed, Stories, Reels)
Limit your budget — start small, scale if profitable
Use 1-day click or 7-day click attribution, depending on your offer urgency
At the ad level, make sure to:
Match your creative to the funnel stage
Personalize the message based on what they already did
Add UTM parameters if you want to track in Google Analytics
Step 5: Track, Optimize, Repeat
Once the retargeting campaign is live, keep an eye on:
Frequency – anything over 3–4 means ad fatigue is setting in
CTR – your copy or offer may need a refresh if this drops
CPL / ROAS – what’s your actual return?
High-performing retargeting campaigns should show a 3x–7x ROAS — that’s where the margin is. Don’t waste money on cold traffic alone; warm audiences are where conversions live.
Bonus Tip: Segment Deeper with Engagement-Based Retargeting
You’re not limited to website visitors.
You can retarget:
Anyone who watched 50%+ of your video ad
Anyone who messaged your page
People who engaged with your Instagram profile
Users who clicked but didn’t convert on your lead form
These audiences can be gold for nurturing campaigns — and they cost less to acquire.
The Bottom Line
Most brands only focus on cold traffic. That’s a mistake.
Your warm audiences — the ones who already know you — are the lowest-hanging fruit. Retargeting helps you harvest them before they disappear.
Need help setting up your first retargeting campaign?
We’ve helped dozens of Singapore businesses reduce their cost per acquisition by 50–70% using retargeting — and we can do the same for you.
