Why Retargeting Ads for Shopify Are the Key to More Sales (Without More Traffic)
Imagine this: A visitor lands on your Shopify store, scrolls around, adds a product to their cart… and then disappears into the abyss of the internet.
Annoying, right? Well, here’s the kicker—97% of first-time visitors leave without buying.
But that’s not the end of the story. Retargeting ads Shopify strategies are designed to bring those lost visitors back—like a digital boomerang for your abandoned shoppers.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
✅ Why retargeting works (and why skipping it is like throwing away money).
✅ The best Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads remarketing strategies for 2025.
✅ How Cirius Marketing helps Shopify brands set up retargeting funnels that convert.
By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know exactly how to turn lost visitors into paying customers on autopilot.
SOURCE: https://www.airboxr.com/post/how-to-identify-and-recover-shopify-abandoned-carts
Retargeting Ads for Shopify: The Digital Salesperson That Never Sleeps
Ever walk into a store, browse around, and leave—only to get a text from the store owner begging you to come back?
Okay, maybe that doesn’t happen in real life (because that would be creepy)—but in the digital world, retargeting ads do exactly that, minus the desperation.
Retargeting ads Shopify campaigns re-engage shoppers who visited your store but didn’t buy. Instead of letting those visitors vanish into the internet void, retargeting brings them back with personalized ads.
Why Retargeting Works Like Magic:
✅ Targets warm leads – These visitors already showed interest. They just need a push.
✅ Increases conversion rates – Retargeted visitors are 70% more likely to buy.
✅ Reduces wasted ad spend – Instead of constantly chasing new traffic, you maximize existing visitors.
💡 Pro Tip: Retargeting isn’t just about reminding shoppers you exist. It’s about showing them the right product, at the right time, with the right offer.
How Retargeting Ads for Shopify Use Behavior-Based Targeting
Not all retargeting ads are created equal. If you’re just blasting generic ads to every past visitor, you’re doing it wrong.
Instead, behavior-based targeting ensures that the right people see the right ad based on their actions.
Types of Retargeting Audiences:
✅ Cart Abandoners – They added items but didn’t complete checkout.
✅ Product Viewers – They browsed a product page but didn’t buy.
✅ Past Customers – They already bought something—time for a cross-sell.
✅ Repeat Visitors – They’ve been to your site multiple times—what are they waiting for?
✅ Example: A Shopify home decor store ran personalized retargeting ads for abandoned cart shoppers and recovered 22% of lost sales.
Shopify Retargeting Ad Strategies That Bring Back Lost Sales
SOURCE: https://www.cirklestudio.co/blog/retargeting-ads-for-shopify-to-boost-sales/
Let’s face it—e-commerce shoppers have the attention span of a goldfish.
One minute, they’re adding items to their cart, and the next, they’re watching cat videos on TikTok and completely forgetting about you.
But with the right retargeting ad strategy, you can bring them back, remind them why they wanted your product, and nudge them toward checkout.
Here are the top retargeting ad strategies for Shopify brands in 2025.
1. Abandoned Cart Retargeting – Recovering Lost Sales
💡 Fact: 70% of shoppers abandon their cart before checkout.
📌 How to Win Back Cart Abandoners with Retargeting:
✅ Send retargeting ads within 1–3 days – Keep your brand fresh in their mind.
✅ Use urgency-driven messaging – “Your cart is expiring soon!”
✅ Add a time-sensitive discount – A small discount can seal the deal.
✅ Example: A Shopify fashion store ran a Facebook retargeting campaign for abandoned carts with a 10% discount incentive and recovered 24% of lost sales.
2. Product View Retargeting – Nudging Browsers to Buy
🚫 The Problem: Visitors browse your product pages but never add anything to their cart.
📌 How to Retarget Product Viewers Effectively:
✅ Show dynamic product ads – Display the exact items they viewed.
✅ Use social proof – “This bestseller is almost sold out!”
✅ Create a “seen but not bought” urgency – Limited-time deals work great here.
✅ Example: A Shopify electronics brand used Google Display retargeting ads for product viewers and saw a 29% increase in conversions.
3. Past Customer & Loyalty Retargeting – Encouraging Repeat Purchases
💡 Existing customers are 5X more likely to buy than new visitors.
📌 How to Retarget Past Customers for More Sales:
✅ Upsell complementary products – “Loved your skincare set? Try our new serum!”
✅ Offer exclusive discounts – Make them feel VIP.
✅ Remind them to restock – Perfect for consumable products.
✅ Example: A Shopify pet store ran retargeting ads reminding customers to restock pet food and increased repeat purchases by 35%.
4. Upsell & Cross-Sell Retargeting – Boosting Average Order Value (AOV)
🚫 The Mistake: Only retargeting visitors who didn’t buy—instead of also upselling those who did.
📌 How to Use Retargeting Ads to Increase AOV:
✅ Cross-sell complementary items – “Complete your set with these must-haves!”
✅ Show post-purchase upsells – “Upgrade to a premium version for 20% off.”
✅ Use limited-time offers – Drive urgency for additional purchases.
✅ Example: A Shopify beauty brand ran cross-sell retargeting ads for accessories after a customer bought a foundation and saw a 28% increase in AOV.
Facebook & Instagram Retargeting: The Secret Weapon for Shopify Sales
If you’re not using Facebook and Instagram retargeting for Shopify, you’re basically throwing money away.
Why? Because social media is where your lost visitors hang out—scrolling through memes, liking dog videos, and forgetting about the product they almost bought from your store.
🚀 That’s where retargeting comes in.
With Facebook and Instagram retargeting ads, you can show up in their feed, remind them what they wanted, and bring them back to complete their purchase.
Here’s how to set up Facebook and Instagram retargeting the right way.
1. Install & Set Up Facebook Pixel for Retargeting
💡 The Facebook Pixel is what allows Shopify brands to track visitors and retarget them with personalized ads.
📌 How to Set Up Facebook Pixel for Shopify:
✅ Go to Facebook Ads Manager & create a Pixel.
✅ Add the Pixel code to your Shopify store.
✅ Enable event tracking (page views, cart adds, purchases).
✅ Verify the Pixel is working with Facebook’s Event Manager.
✅ Example: A Shopify wellness brand installed Facebook Pixel and tracked cart abandoners—then retargeted them with a “10% Off” discount ad, recovering 26% of lost sales.
2. Create Custom Audiences for Retargeting
💡 Facebook lets you create highly targeted audiences based on visitor behavior.
📌 Best Custom Audiences for Shopify Retargeting Ads:
✅ Abandoned Cart Shoppers – People who added to cart but didn’t buy.
✅ Product Viewers – People who viewed a product but didn’t add to cart.
✅ Engaged Social Media Users – People who interacted with your brand on Instagram or Facebook.
✅ Past Customers – Retarget existing buyers with loyalty offers.
✅ Example: A Shopify clothing brand ran a retargeting ad specifically for product page viewers and saw a 34% increase in conversions.
3. Best Facebook Retargeting Ad Formats for Shopify
🚫 The Mistake: Using generic ads that don’t match the customer’s previous action.
📌 Best Retargeting Ad Formats for Shopify:
✅ Carousel Ads – Show multiple products they browsed.
✅ Dynamic Product Ads – Automatically show the exact product they viewed.
✅ Video Retargeting Ads – Use social proof or testimonials to build trust.
✅ Example: A Shopify gadget brand ran dynamic retargeting ads showing the exact products users abandoned in their cart and recovered 19% of lost sales.
Google Ads Remarketing: The Power Move for Re-Engaging Lost Shopify Visitors
Facebook and Instagram retargeting is great, but if you’re not using Google Ads remarketing, you’re leaving money on the table.
Why? Because your lost visitors aren’t just scrolling through social media—they’re also Googling reviews, reading blog posts, and watching YouTube videos.
🚀 Google Ads remarketing keeps your brand visible across the entire web, making sure your Shopify store stays top of mind.
Here’s how to set up Google Ads remarketing to convert lost visitors into paying customers.
1. Setting Up Google Ads Remarketing Tags & Audience Lists
💡 The Google Ads remarketing tag tracks visitors and allows you to re-engage them with targeted ads.
📌 How to Set Up Google Ads Remarketing for Shopify:
✅ Go to Google Ads > Audience Manager & create a new audience.
✅ Install the Google Ads remarketing tag on your Shopify store.
✅ Enable dynamic remarketing to show visitors the exact products they viewed.
✅ Segment your audiences (cart abandoners, product viewers, past buyers).
✅ Example: A Shopify home decor brand installed Google’s remarketing tag and segmented cart abandoners—then ran a display ad with a limited-time offer, recovering 22% of lost sales.
2. Google Display Network (GDN) Retargeting – Keeping Your Brand Everywhere
🚫 The Problem: Most Shopify brands think Google Ads are just search ads.
💡 Fact: The Google Display Network (GDN) reaches 90% of internet users across millions of websites.
📌 Best Practices for GDN Retargeting Ads:
✅ Use eye-catching image ads – Your ads need to stand out.
✅ Retarget cart abandoners with urgency-based messaging – “Your cart is waiting—checkout now!”
✅ Keep brand consistency – Make sure your ads match your store’s colors and messaging.
✅ Example: A Shopify gadget brand ran Google Display retargeting ads featuring their best-selling products and saw a 19% increase in returning traffic.
3. YouTube Retargeting Ads – Re-Engaging Shopify Visitors with Video
💡 YouTube isn’t just for cat videos—it’s one of the most effective places to retarget Shopify visitors.
📌 How to Use YouTube Ads for Shopify Remarketing:
✅ Create a short video ad (5–15 seconds) showcasing your product.
✅ Target users who visited your Shopify store but didn’t buy.
✅ Use urgency-based messaging (limited-time discounts, testimonials, social proof).
✅ Example: A Shopify fitness brand ran YouTube retargeting ads for visitors who watched their product demobut didn’t buy—and saw a 24% increase in conversions.
Retargeting Ads for Shopify: The Secret Sauce Is in the Creative
You’ve set up your Facebook, Instagram, and Google retargeting ads—but if your ad creatives aren’t compelling, no one’s clicking.
🚀 The key to high-converting retargeting ads? Strong visuals, persuasive copy, and urgency-driven CTAs.
Here’s how to design retargeting ads that actually make people stop scrolling and take action.
SOURCE: https://www.adpushup.com/blog/static-vs-dynamic-ads-which-is-the-best-ad-strategy/
1. Best Practices for Retargeting Ad Copy & CTAs
🚫 The Mistake: Using generic CTAs like “Shop Now” or “Click Here”—which don’t create urgency or excitement.
📌 How to Write High-Converting Retargeting Ad Copy:
✅ Use FOMO & urgency – “Your cart is waiting! Checkout before it’s gone!”
✅ Highlight discounts – “Get 10% off if you complete your purchase now.”
✅ Personalize based on behavior – “Still thinking about [Product Name]? Here’s 15% off to make it yours.”
✅ Example: A Shopify apparel brand changed their cart abandonment retargeting ad CTA from “Shop Now” to “Get 15% Off – 24 Hours Left” and saw a 21% increase in conversions.
2. Using Urgency & Scarcity to Drive Conversions
💡 Shoppers hate missing out—use that to your advantage.
📌 How to Use Urgency & Scarcity in Retargeting Ads:
✅ Limited-time offers – “This deal expires in 12 hours!”
✅ Low-stock warnings – “Only 3 left in stock!”
✅ Exclusive access – “VIP Offer: 20% Off for Returning Customers.”
✅ Example: A Shopify beauty brand used countdown timers in retargeting ads for a flash sale and saw a 31% increase in CTR.
3. A/B Testing Ad Creatives to Optimize Performance
🚫 The Mistake: Assuming one ad creative will work for everyone.
📌 What to A/B Test in Retargeting Ads:
✅ Headline variations – Does “Limited-Time Offer” perform better than “Your Cart is Waiting”?
✅ Image vs. video ads – Which gets higher engagement?
✅ CTA button colors – Does a red “Buy Now” button work better than a green one?✅ Example: A Shopify electronics brand A/B tested static image ads vs. video testimonials in their retargeting campaign and found that videos drove 28% more sales.
Stop Wasting Ad Spend – Optimize Your Retargeting Budget & Bidding Strategy
If your Shopify retargeting ads are eating up your budget without delivering results, your bidding strategy is broken.
Retargeting ads work best when you allocate your budget correctly and use the right bidding strategies.Here’s how to make every dollar count.
1. Allocating Budget for Retargeting vs. Cold Traffic Ads
🚫 The Mistake: Spending too much on cold traffic and neglecting retargeting.
💡 Fact: Retargeting ads convert 10X better than cold traffic ads—yet many brands don’t invest enough in them.
How to Allocate Your Budget for Maximum ROI:
✅ Start with 30-50% of your ad budget on retargeting.
✅ Prioritize high-intent audiences (cart abandoners, product viewers).
✅ Use smaller daily budgets ($10–$20/day) to test before scaling.
✅ Example: A Shopify fitness brand shifted 40% of its budget from cold traffic to retargeting and increased ROAS by 42%.
2. Best Bidding Strategies for Facebook & Google Retargeting Ads
🚫 The Mistake: Using the wrong bidding strategy and overpaying for clicks.
Best Bidding Strategies for Shopify Retargeting:
✅ Lowest Cost (Best for Small Budgets) – Lets Facebook/Google optimize automatically.
✅ Target ROAS (Best for Scaling) – Focuses on profitability over volume.
✅ Cost Cap (Best for Predictable CPA) – Ensures you don’t overpay per conversion.
✅ Example: A Shopify beauty brand switched from “Lowest Cost” to “Target ROAS” bidding and increased return on ad spend (ROAS) by 36%.
3. AI-Driven Bidding Optimization for Cost Control & Higher ROAS
💡 Machine learning can optimize your retargeting ads better than manual adjustments.
How AI-Driven Bidding Improves Performance:
✅ Automatically adjusts bids based on audience intent.
✅ Reduces wasted spend by optimizing delivery to high-value customers.
✅ Uses predictive analytics to show ads to the right people at the right time.
✅ Example: A Shopify pet brand used Facebook’s Advantage+ AI-driven bidding and saw a 29% increase in conversions while lowering CPC by 18%.
Why Your Retargeting Ads Aren’t Converting (And How to Fix Them)
Retargeting ads should be a sales-generating machine. But if your Shopify retargeting ads aren’t delivering results, chances are you’re making one (or more) of these costly mistakes.
Let’s break down the most common retargeting blunders—and how to fix them before you waste more ad spend.
1. Not Segmenting Audiences Properly – One Size Doesn’t Fit All
🚫 The Mistake: Running the same retargeting ad for every past visitor—cart abandoners, product viewers, and repeat customers alike.
The Fix: Segment your audiences to serve more personalized ads.
✅ Cart Abandoners – Show urgency-driven ads with a discount or free shipping.
✅ Product Viewers – Use dynamic ads featuring the exact product they browsed.
✅ Past Customers – Promote upsells, cross-sells, or loyalty rewards.
✅ Example: A Shopify beauty brand segmented their audience and ran different retargeting ads for cart abandoners vs. past customers—leading to a 38% higher ROAS.
2. Showing the Same Ad Too Often – Avoiding Ad Fatigue
🚫 The Mistake: Displaying the same retargeting ad repeatedly until visitors get annoyed and ignore it.
The Fix: Cap ad frequency & refresh creatives regularly.
✅ Keep frequency below 5-7 impressions per week per user.
✅ Rotate ad creatives every 2-3 weeks.
✅ Use multiple ad variations (carousel, video, single image).
✅ Example: A Shopify gadget store implemented ad frequency caps and refreshed creatives—reducing cost per click (CPC) by 22% while maintaining conversions.
3. Failing to Track Performance & Optimize for ROAS
🚫 The Mistake: Running retargeting ads without monitoring key metrics—leading to wasted budget and missed opportunities.
The Fix: Track and optimize for ROAS (Return on Ad Spend).
✅ Watch CTR (Click-Through Rate) – If CTR is low, your ad creatives need improvement.
✅ Monitor Conversion Rate – If it’s low, your landing page may need tweaks.
✅ Check ROAS – If ROAS is under 2x, adjust targeting or bids.
✅ Example: A Shopify pet brand monitored their ROAS weekly and adjusted their ad bids accordingly—resulting in a 27% increase in profitability.
Why DIY Retargeting Ads Aren’t Enough—You Need a Proven Strategy
Setting up Shopify retargeting ads is easy. Getting them to convert at a high ROI? Not so much.
The Problem: Most e-commerce businesses waste money on retargeting ads because they:
- Don’t segment their audiences properly.
- Use the wrong ad creatives that don’t drive action.
- Fail to optimize for ROAS (Return on Ad Spend).
💡 That’s where Cirius Marketing comes in.
We don’t just set up retargeting ads—we build high-converting retargeting funnels designed to bring back lost shoppers, increase sales, and maximize every ad dollar.
1. Custom Retargeting Funnels to Bring Back Lost Shoppers
🚫 Most Shopify brands only run basic retargeting ads—but a true retargeting funnel goes deeper.
How We Build High-Converting Retargeting Funnels:
✅ Step 1: Segment your audience into intent-based groups.
✅ Step 2: Create tailored retargeting ads for each group.
✅ Step 3: Optimize and A/B test continuously for maximum ROI.
✅ Example: A Shopify apparel brand worked with Cirius Marketing to implement a full-funnel retargeting system—leading to a 52% increase in returning customer sales.
2. Expert Ad Creative Design for High-Converting Retargeting Ads
🚫 The Mistake: Running boring, generic ads that don’t stop the scroll.
How We Optimize Retargeting Ad Creatives:
✅ Use urgency-driven messaging to create FOMO.
✅ A/B test dynamic product ads vs. single-image ads.
✅ Leverage video testimonials and customer reviews for social proof.
✅ Example: A Shopify beauty brand partnered with Cirius Marketing to redesign their retargeting ad creatives, resulting in a 41% lower cost per conversion.
3. AI-Driven Retargeting Strategy for Maximum Sales & Efficiency
💡 Smart AI bidding beats manual adjustments every time.
How We Use AI to Optimize Retargeting Ads:
✅ Predictive audience targeting to increase ROAS.
✅ Dynamic budget allocation for higher-performing ads.
✅ Automated bid adjustments to avoid overspending.
✅ Example: A Shopify pet store used Cirius Marketing’s AI-driven retargeting strategy and saw a 33% drop in ad costs while increasing conversions.
It’s Time to Scale Your Shopify Store with Retargeting Ads That Actually Convert
At this point, you know that retargeting ads for Shopify are the key to recovering lost sales, boosting conversions, and increasing customer lifetime value (CLV).
But let’s be real—running profitable retargeting ads takes more than just setting up a campaign and hoping for the best.
You need:
✅ The right audience segmentation – Because not all visitors are the same.
✅ High-converting ad creatives – If they’re not clicking, they’re not converting.
✅ Smart budget and bidding strategies – To maximize ROAS without overpaying.
💡 That’s where Cirius Marketing comes in.
How Cirius Marketing Can Help You Build Profitable Retargeting Campaigns
🚀 We take the guesswork out of retargeting and build campaigns that actually work.
What You Get When You Work With Us:
✅ A fully customized Shopify retargeting funnel.
✅ Conversion-optimized ad creatives & messaging.
✅ AI-powered bidding and budget optimization for maximum efficiency.
✅ A/B testing and continuous campaign scaling.
🚀 Example: A Shopify electronics brand partnered with Cirius Marketing and saw a 57% increase in retargeting conversions while cutting ad spend by 24%.
Book a Free Retargeting Ads Audit & Strategy Session
Here’s how to get started:
1️⃣ Click below to book a free retargeting strategy session.
2️⃣ We analyze your current retargeting setup (or build one from scratch).
3️⃣ You get a data-driven, high-converting retargeting ad system that scales your Shopify sales.
Book Your Free Retargeting Ads Audit Now
✔ No wasted ad spend. No guesswork. Just results.
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