Services · Paid traffic
Retargeting agency: bring back the visitors who did not enquire
Most people who visit your website leave without getting in touch, even the ones who were interested. Lead Gems is a UK retargeting and remarketing agency that brings them back with the right message at the right time, on the platforms they already use.
- Google remarketing
- Meta
- YouTube
- Microsoft
What is retargeting?
Retargeting is advertising shown to people who have already visited your website, watched your videos or interacted with your business, to bring them back to complete an enquiry. Google calls it remarketing; the two words mean the same thing. Lead Gems is a UK retargeting agency that runs retargeting across Google, YouTube, Meta, LinkedIn and Microsoft for service businesses.
"The difference between these leads and what I was getting before is night and day. Every lead is exclusive, they have already told me what they need, and most of them actually have assets worth advising on. I have cancelled both my other lead providers."
The problem
Why most retargeting campaigns annoy people and waste money
Most retargeting shows the same ad to everyone, too often, for too long.
One ad for every visitor
Someone who read about conveyancing sees the same ad as someone who read about divorce.
No frequency limits
The same banner appears ten times a day and puts people off.
Ads keep running after they enquire
Clients who have already booked are still being chased.
Visitors are never sorted
Five minutes on your pricing page is treated the same as five seconds on your homepage.
No consent setup
Retargeting cookies need consent in the UK, and missing Consent Mode means lost data and compliance risk.
Measured in clicks
Reports count clicks and impressions, not the enquiries retargeted visitors made.
The difference
How Lead Gems compares to a typical retargeting agency
The difference is relevance: the right reminder for each visitor, then silence once they have enquired.
| Area | Typical retargeting agency | Lead Gems |
|---|---|---|
| Audiences | All website visitors | Sorted by service viewed, time on site and stage |
| Ads | One banner for everyone | A sequence: reminder, proof, answer to an objection, offer |
| Frequency | As often as the budget allows | Capped, so people see you without being followed |
| Converted visitors | Still targeted | Excluded automatically once they enquire or book |
| Consent | Not considered | Cookie consent and Google Consent Mode v2 set up properly |
| Measurement | Clicks and view-throughs | Enquiries and clients from retargeted visitors |
Where do your visitors go after they leave?
A free audit shows how many you could bring back, and what to set up first.
Our approach
How our retargeting agency runs campaigns
We treat retargeting as a short, polite follow-up conversation, not a banner that chases people around the internet.
- 01
We sort visitors by intent
Audiences are built by the service someone viewed, how long they stayed and whether they started a form.
- 02
We tell a short story
First a reminder, then proof such as reviews and results, then an answer to the most common objection, then an offer to talk.
- 03
We cap and exclude
People see your ads a sensible number of times, and stop seeing them once they have enquired.
- 04
We set up consent properly
Cookie consent and Google Consent Mode v2 are configured so retargeting is compliant and measurement stays as complete as possible.
Why retargeting matters for service businesses
Because choosing a solicitor, accountant, adviser or clinic is rarely a one-visit decision. People compare, think and come back. Retargeting keeps you in front of the people who have already shown interest, while they decide, at a much lower cost than reaching new audiences.
It also makes your other advertising work harder, because every visit you have paid for gets a second and third chance.
Retargeting ads on Google, Meta, LinkedIn and YouTube
We choose retargeting platforms by where your visitors spend their time after leaving your site.
See our Facebook ads agencyGoogle and Microsoft
Display ads across millions of sites and apps, plus search ads that bid harder when past visitors search again.
YouTube
Short videos that build trust: your team, your process, a client story.
Facebook and Instagram
Reminder, review and offer ads in the feeds people scroll every day.
LinkedIn
Retargeting for B2B visitors, matched to job title and company.
Retargeting vs remarketing: what is the difference?
In practice, none. Google uses "remarketing" for showing ads to people who have interacted with your business, and Meta, LinkedIn and most agencies say "retargeting".
Some people use "remarketing" for email follow-up to known contacts and "retargeting" for ads to anonymous visitors. We do both.
See our email marketing agencyWhat you get
What is included in our retargeting service
Every retargeting account includes audience building, creative, platform setup, consent, frequency control and reporting.
Audiences
Visitors by page and service, form starters, video viewers, social engagers and past clients (with consent)
Exclusions
People who have enquired, booked or become clients
Creative
Image, video and text ads in a sequence: reminder, proof, objection, offer
Platforms
Google Display and Search, YouTube, Meta, LinkedIn and Microsoft
Frequency
Caps on how often and for how long each person sees your ads
Consent and tracking
Cookie consent, Google Consent Mode v2, Meta Pixel and Conversions API, LinkedIn Insight Tag
Landing pages
Pages that continue where the visitor left off
Reporting
Audience sizes, frequency, enquiries and cost per lead from retargeting in your live dashboard
Process
How our retargeting process works
Our process has six steps, from a free audit to ongoing optimisation.
Free audit
We check your tracking, consent setup and any existing retargeting.
Tracking and consent
Pixels, tags and Consent Mode are installed and tested.
Audiences
Visitors are grouped by service and intent, with exclusions set.
Creative
A short sequence of ads is produced for each audience.
Launch
Campaigns go live with frequency caps across your chosen platforms.
Optimise
We refresh ads, adjust caps and move budget to what produces enquiries.
Free guide
The Retargeting Audience Blueprint
The audiences, ad sequences and frequency caps that bring back the visitors who did not enquire.
- Eight audiences to build first
- A four-step ad sequence
- Frequency caps and exclusions
- Consent and tracking set-up for the UK
Results
Retargeting and paid media results
Every figure comes from a real client account and is tracked to the enquiry.
£43
per lead from retargeting
A Surrey kitchen and bathroom fitter had plenty of website visitors who browsed but never asked for a survey. We added a retargeting sequence across Google, YouTube and Meta.
98
treatments, £1,850 average value
A Surrey private dental practice wanted to grow its cosmetic and implant work but had no paid advertising and no way to book online. We launched Meta and Google campaigns, added an AI chatbot and automated appointment reminders.
39%
of bookings made out of hours
An East London aesthetics clinic relied on organic Instagram reach, which had fallen sharply. We launched Meta campaigns, set up 24/7 online booking with automated reminders and built an email list from zero.
Questions
Retargeting questions, answered.
How does retargeting work?
A small piece of code on your website (a pixel or tag) records visitors who have agreed to cookies. Ad platforms such as Google and Meta can then show those people your ads when they browse other sites, watch YouTube or use social media.
Is retargeting legal in the UK?
Yes, with consent. UK law requires visitors to agree to advertising cookies before they are tracked, so your site needs a proper cookie consent banner. For Google, Consent Mode v2 should also be set up.
How many times should someone see a retargeting ad?
Enough to be remembered, not so often they are annoyed. We cap frequency per person and refresh ads regularly, and the right cap depends on how long your clients usually take to decide.
How long should retargeting last?
Roughly as long as your clients take to decide. For an emergency service that might be a few days; for a financial adviser or solicitor it can be several weeks or months.
Do I need a lot of website traffic for retargeting?
Some. Google needs at least 100 active visitors in the last 30 days before it will show display remarketing ads, and 1,000 for remarketing in search. Smaller sites can still retarget on Meta and through video viewers.
Can I retarget my past clients?
Yes, if you have their consent to marketing. Customer lists can be securely matched on Google, Meta and LinkedIn to show past clients relevant offers or reminders.
Does retargeting annoy people?
It can if it is done badly. Relevant ads, sensible frequency caps and stopping once someone has enquired keep it helpful rather than intrusive.
What is the difference between retargeting and remarketing?
Mostly just the name. Google calls ads to past visitors "remarketing"; Meta and most agencies call it "retargeting". Some use "remarketing" for email follow-up to known contacts.
Still have a question? Call 020 4652 1887 or book a free growth call.
From our insights
Retargeting guides.
Practical answers from the specialists who run these campaigns every day.
Industries
Where Retargeting works best.
Related services
Find out how many interested visitors you are losing.
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