904-447-0750
904-447-0750
How to Set Up a Remarketing List in Google Ads
SEO / AEO / GEO
How to Set Up a Remarketing List in Google Ads
Peter RoeslerWritten ByPeter Roesler  ·  January 2021  ·  5 min read

Do you have an active Google Ads account? Is your goal to encourage users to take a specific action? If so, now is the time to create and run a remarketing campaign.

Remarketing campaigns are designed to help you re-engage your visitors and encourage them to come back to your site and convert. With a well-designed and carefully planned remarketing campaign, your business can remain connected with your target audience after they have left your website. This is done by showing them ads for your products on other websites the potential customer visits.

Users who have visited your site once are more engaged with your product/service options and your brand messaging. Usually, returning visitors will browse more pages and will be more likely to convert. Remarketing can be a powerful tool when trying to increase your ROAS – return on ad spend.

The Basics of Remarketing Campaigns

Remarketing campaigns focus on users in the action phase. These people have seen and clicked your ad in the search engine results, and they have visited your website. They may have shown interest in your service or product, too. However, then, for some reason, they left without taking action. This is when remarketing steps in, helping to encourage the person to return to your site.

Even though remarketing is an effective tool for your business, setting up that first campaign can be difficult. Keep reading for some tips and guidance.

Create a Remarketing List Via Google Ads

To start your first campaign, you must add a remarketing tag to your site. This small snippet of code lets visitors be tagged with a cookie, which means your remarketing ads will be shown to them after they have visited your site. Once the tag is active, you can create remarketing lists.

After you log into your Google Ads account, click the “tools and settings” option. Then select “audience manager.” Once in audience manager, be sure you choose the remarketing section below “audience lists.” Click the “+” button and choose “website visitors.”

Create a name for the audience. It is a good idea to include remarketing, and who you are targeting so you don’t forget. For example, the name could be Remarketing – All Visitors. Under “list members,” choose “visitors of a page.”

Under the “visited page” option, choose “match any rule group.” Below the first option, you should see “page URL,” and the second option is “contains.” Enter the URL you want to retarget, regardless of if it is a specific landing page or the entire website. At this point, you can pre-fill your list with the people who have visited your page or website in the past 30 days, or you can begin with an empty list.

Under the “membership duration” option, choose how long you are keeping someone on your list. A good starting point is 30 days.

Are You Ready to Create a Remarketing Campaign?

The tips here will help you create a remarking list through Google ads. This will help you encourage people to return to your site after they have visited without converting. If necessary, you can seek help from professionals to ensure you create an effective remarketing campaign.

 

Get Your Free Guide

No spam. Just the guide. Unsubscribe anytime.
Written By
Peter Roesler
Peter Roesler
President & Founder · Small Business SEO

By, Peter Roesler, President of Small Business SEO. 25+ years. One obsession.

Pete started in digital marketing before Google was the default search engine. He's been Google Certified every year since day one. Always barefoot. Never corporate. Still the hungriest person in the room.

5,000+
Clients Served
$200M+
Revenue Generated
100+
#1 Rankings Owned
The Real Reasons AI Search Engines Favor Interactive Websites Over Static Pages
AI & New Search
The Real Reasons AI Search Engines Favor Interactive Websites Over Static Pages

Why is interactive content a must for modern websites? It’s because AI search is changing what a strong website needs to do. A Claude...

Peter Roesler · April 2026
Read Now →
8 Clues Your Headings Are Weakening Your AI Search Performance
AI & New Search
8 Clues Your Headings Are Weakening Your AI Search Performance

Strong content does not always translate into visibility in AI-driven results. Many pages lose ground because their structures fail to clearly communicate intent. Weak...

Peter Roesler · April 2026
Read Now →
Why Your Website Traffic Drops Even When You Keep Publishing New Content
SEO / AEO / GEO
Why Your Website Traffic Drops Even When You Keep Publishing New Content

Traffic should climb when you keep publishing, but for many business owners, the opposite starts to happen. New posts go live, effort stays high,...

Peter Roesler · April 2026
Read Now →
SEO vs Google Ads: Which One Is Right for Your Business?
SEO / AEO / GEO
SEO vs Google Ads: Which One Is Right for Your Business?

Should you spend on SEO or Google Ads to get more leads? The answer depends on your timeline, your market, and how your customers...

Peter Roesler · April 2026
Read Now →
How to Rank on Google Maps
SEO / AEO / GEO
How to Rank on Google Maps

Want to rank higher on Google Maps without wasting time on junk tactics? Google Maps rankings come from clear signals, a clean setup, and...

Peter Roesler · April 2026
Read Now →
25 Years. One Obsession. Jacksonville FL
Stop Losing Online.Start Winning Today.

No pitch. No fluff. One free 30-minute call and you'll know exactly what's costing you customers and how to fix it.

Google Certified · No Contracts · Senior Level Only · Since 2009
5,137+
Businesses Ranked On Google
250%
Average Traffic Lift - Year One
25 Yrs
One Obsession.