The Best Examples of 3 Practical Retargeting Campaigns (Plus 5 More You Should Steal)

When marketers talk about the best examples of 3 practical examples of retargeting campaigns, abandoned cart retargeting is always on the list. It’s boring, predictable, and wildly effective when set up correctly.

Picture this: a visitor adds $120 worth of products to their cart, hits the checkout page, then disappears. Instead of accepting that loss, you run a coordinated retargeting sequence across email and paid media.

Here’s how a practical version looks in the real world:

• Trigger: User adds items to cart and reaches checkout but doesn’t purchase.
• Timing: Ads and emails start within 1–3 hours of abandonment, then taper off over 3–5 days.
• Channels: Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Google Display, and email.
• Creative: Dynamic product ads showing the exact items left behind, plus one or two variations with social proof and a soft incentive.

One mid-sized DTC apparel brand I worked with ran this kind of retargeting campaign and saw abandoned cart recovery jump from about 8% to 16% after tightening the window and improving the creative. That’s not a unicorn story—that’s what happens when you stop being timid with retargeting and start being intentional.

Why this belongs in any list of examples of 3 practical examples of retargeting campaigns

Abandoned cart retargeting checks all the boxes:

• High intent: These people nearly bought. You’re not convincing strangers; you’re nudging fence-sitters.
• Measurable: You can directly attribute recovered revenue.
• Scalable: Works for ecommerce, digital products, and even service bookings.

Industry data backs this up. While exact benchmarks vary, it’s common for abandoned cart emails to drive double-digit revenue lifts for ecommerce brands, and combining them with ad retargeting usually improves performance further. For context on consumer behavior and online shopping patterns, the U.S. Census Bureau’s e-commerce data is a useful baseline: https://www.census.gov/retail/index.html

How to make this example of a retargeting campaign less creepy

If abandoned cart ads feel like they’re stalking your customers, it’s usually because of frequency and tone, not the tactic itself.

To keep this practical example from backfiring:

• Cap frequency: 2–3 ad impressions per day, max, for 3–5 days.
• Use helpful language: “You left this behind” beats “We’re watching you.”
• Offer a clear next step: Return to cart, ask a question, or save for later.

Done right, this is one of the safest, most reliable examples of retargeting campaigns you can run.

2. Content View → Offer: A Smarter Example of Prospecting with Retargeting

Not every visitor is ready to buy. Some just read your blog, watched a video, or downloaded a guide. Ignoring them is a waste; hard-selling them is a turnoff. This is where one of the best examples of 3 practical examples of retargeting campaigns comes in: content-based retargeting.

Here’s a simple, very 2024-friendly scenario.

A B2B SaaS company publishes a detailed guide on “How to Cut Customer Support Costs by 30%.” They promote it with cold traffic ads on LinkedIn and Meta. Anyone who spends at least 45 seconds on that article or reaches 75% watch time on a related video is added to a retargeting audience.

The retargeting campaign then shows:

• A case study ad: “How Acme Co. cut support costs by 27% in 90 days.”
• A testimonial carousel: quotes from real customers, with logos.
• A soft CTA: “See a 15-minute demo” instead of “Book a 60-minute call.”

This is a textbook example of a practical retargeting sequence: you’re not blasting everyone with the same generic message. You’re speaking specifically to people who already raised their hand by consuming your content.

Why this is one of the best examples of 3 practical examples of retargeting campaigns

A few reasons this works so well in 2024–2025:

• Privacy changes (iOS tracking limits, browser restrictions) make broad, spray-and-pray ads less effective. Retargeting people who engaged with your content on-platform is more reliable.
• Shorter attention spans mean your first touch rarely closes the deal. You need a second and third touch that feel relevant.
• Rising ad costs make it important to squeeze more value from existing traffic.

When SaaS companies layer this kind of content → case study → offer retargeting into their funnels, they often see cost per qualified lead drop by 20–40% compared to pure cold traffic. Those numbers vary, of course, but the pattern is consistent across industries.

If you want broader context on digital advertising trends and consumer behavior, the Pew Research Center’s work on internet and technology is worth bookmarking: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/

3. Post-Purchase Upsell: The Overlooked Example of a Retargeting Goldmine

The third pillar in any serious list of examples of 3 practical examples of retargeting campaigns is post-purchase retargeting. Most brands chase new customers and forget the people who already bought and liked them.

Imagine a skincare brand. A customer buys a 30-day supply of moisturizer. Instead of just sending a shipping confirmation and disappearing, the brand sets up a post-purchase retargeting flow.

Here’s how it plays out:

• Days 1–7: Educational content ads and emails on how to get the best results from the product.
• Days 14–21: Retargeting ads for complementary products (cleanser, sunscreen) with bundle pricing.
• Days 25–30: Subscription offer or refill reminder, with a small loyalty discount.

This is a practical, real example of using retargeting to increase lifetime value without hammering people with discounts on day one.

Why this example of retargeting works now more than ever

In a world of rising acquisition costs, retaining customers is not optional. The U.S. Small Business Administration routinely emphasizes that repeat customers are far more profitable than new ones, and that marketing to existing customers is often significantly cheaper than acquiring new ones: https://www.sba.gov

Post-purchase retargeting gives you:

• Higher average order value through cross-sells.
• More predictable revenue through subscriptions or refills.
• Better customer experience through helpful education.

This is one of the best examples of retargeting campaigns that feels like service, not spam.

4. Price Drop & Back-in-Stock: Real Examples from Ecommerce

Beyond the classic trio, some of the most effective real examples of retargeting campaigns are built around product status changes.

Two of the most practical examples include:

Price Drop Retargeting
A shopper views a \(180 pair of headphones multiple times but doesn’t buy. Two weeks later, the price drops to \)149 for a weekend promotion. You trigger a retargeting audience of users who viewed that product in the past 30 days and show them ads like:

“Good news: The headphones you checked out just got cheaper. Sale ends Sunday.”

No gimmicks. Just a timely, relevant nudge.

Back-in-Stock Retargeting
Someone views a sold-out size or color and either joins a waitlist or bounces. When inventory returns, you run a short, focused retargeting burst:

“Your size is back. Last time it sold out in 48 hours.”

These are highly practical, low-waste retargeting examples because they target people with proven interest and a clear reason to reconsider.

5. Local Service Retargeting: Real Examples for Brick-and-Mortar and Pros

Retargeting isn’t just for ecommerce and SaaS. Some of the best examples of 3 practical examples of retargeting campaigns come from unglamorous local businesses.

Consider a dental practice running Google Ads for “teeth whitening near me.” A visitor clicks the ad, browses the whitening page for two minutes, then leaves without booking.

A practical retargeting play:

• Show Meta and Google Display ads only to visitors who spent at least 60 seconds on the whitening page.
• Creative highlights before-and-after results, reviews, and a limited-time new patient offer.
• CTA goes to a short booking form or phone call.

Another example: a local gym targets people who visited the membership page in the last 14 days with:

• A 7-day free pass offer.
• A short video walkthrough of the gym.
• Social proof from local members.

These real examples of retargeting campaigns prove the tactic isn’t just for big brands with giant budgets. Any business that gets website traffic or social engagement can run a lean, focused retargeting layer.

For broader small business marketing guidance and data, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s marketing resources are helpful: https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/manage-your-business/marketing-sales

6. B2B “Warm Account” Retargeting: Practical Examples for Longer Sales Cycles

B2B buying journeys are messy, with multiple stakeholders, long timelines, and lots of research. That makes retargeting even more valuable.

Here’s a practical example of a retargeting campaign for a B2B software company selling to mid-market firms:

• Build audiences of users from target accounts who visited pricing, integrations, or security pages.
• Show them ads featuring:
  • Security certifications and compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA, etc.).
  • Integration demos with tools they already use (Salesforce, Slack, etc.).
  • Short clips from webinars addressing common objections.

You’re not hammering them with “Buy Now.” You’re systematically addressing the questions that usually slow deals down.

Another example: retarget visitors who attended a webinar but didn’t book a call. Follow up with:

• A recap ad linking to the recording.
• A case study from a similar company.
• A limited-time incentive, like implementation support.

These are grounded, real examples of retargeting campaigns that reflect how B2B buying actually happens in 2024–2025.

7. How to Build Your Own Practical Retargeting Campaigns (Using These Examples)

Looking at examples of 3 practical examples of retargeting campaigns is helpful, but the real value is turning them into your own playbook.

Here’s a simple way to translate these ideas into action:

Map your funnel
Identify three key moments:

• High-intent non-buyers (cart, pricing page, booking page).
• Engaged researchers (content readers, video viewers, webinar attendees).
• Existing customers (recent buyers, lapsed buyers, subscribers).

Pick one practical example per stage
Use the examples above as templates:

• Abandoned cart or abandoned booking for high-intent visitors.
• Content → case study → offer for researchers.
• Post-purchase upsell or refill reminder for customers.

Keep your retargeting windows tight
Shorter windows usually mean fresher intent:

• 1–7 days for carts and pricing.
• 7–30 days for content viewers.
• Product-specific cycles for post-purchase (e.g., 25 days for a 30-day supply).

Watch frequency and fatigue
If your retargeting ads feel annoying, it’s usually because you’re:

• Showing the same creative too many times.
• Running the campaign for too long.
• Ignoring exclusions (e.g., not removing buyers from pre-purchase audiences).

Rotate creative, cap impressions, and always exclude people who already took the action you wanted.

FAQ: Real-World Questions About Retargeting Campaigns

What are some real examples of retargeting campaigns that work for small businesses?

Some of the best examples include abandoned cart ads for online stores, retargeting visitors who checked your service pricing page but didn’t book, and post-purchase campaigns that offer a follow-up service or product. Local gyms, salons, dentists, and home service pros all use these patterns effectively.

Can you give an example of a simple retargeting campaign I can launch this week?

A very simple example of a retargeting campaign: target visitors who viewed your main product or service page in the last 7 days but didn’t convert. Show them one ad that highlights a customer testimonial and a clear CTA to book, buy, or schedule a demo. Keep the campaign running continuously with a modest daily budget and monitor results.

How many days should I run retargeting after someone visits my site?

For high-intent pages like carts or pricing, 3–7 days is usually enough. For content viewers or upper-funnel researchers, 7–30 days can work. For post-purchase retargeting, align timing with your product usage cycle (for example, retarget 25 days after shipping a 30-day supply).

Are there privacy concerns with these examples of retargeting campaigns?

Yes, you need to respect privacy regulations and platform policies. That means using consent banners where required, honoring opt-outs, and avoiding sensitive targeting categories. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publishes guidance on online advertising and privacy that’s worth reviewing: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance

How do I know if my retargeting is working?

Track metrics like return on ad spend (ROAS), cost per purchase or lead, and view-through conversions. Compare performance of retargeting audiences against cold audiences. If your retargeting campaigns aren’t outperforming cold traffic, revisit your timing, creative, and audience definitions.

If you take nothing else from these examples of 3 practical examples of retargeting campaigns, take this: you don’t need fancy tech or giant budgets. You need clear intent signals, tight audiences, and messages that feel like helpful reminders—not harassment. Start with one or two of these examples, get them working, then layer on the rest.