Retargeting means showing ads to people who already visited your page, watched your videos or started checkout but didn't buy. These people already know you, so retargeting ads are usually some of the cheapest sales you'll get. To set it up, put your Meta and TikTok pixels on your store, create audiences of recent visitors and checkout starters (minus people who bought), and show them a reminder, proof or a time-limited offer.
Why it works
Most people who visit a product page don't buy the first time. They get distracted, need to think, or wait for payday. A reminder a day or a week later, showing a review or answering a worry, brings a share of them back.
Step 1: Pixels on your store
The pixel tells Meta and TikTok who visited and what they did. On Paylead, paste your Meta pixel ID (and a Conversions API token) and your TikTok pixel ID in Store Settings → Integrations. Paylead then reports page views, product views, checkouts started and purchases, plus leads and sign-ups from forms. Connect your pixels.
Step 2: Build the audiences
In Meta Ads Manager (Audiences → Custom audience → Website) and TikTok's audience tools, create:
| Audience | Who | Typical window |
|---|---|---|
| Checkout starters | Started checkout, didn't buy | Last 7–14 days |
| Product viewers | Viewed a product page | Last 14–30 days |
| All visitors | Any page | Last 30 days |
| Video viewers / engagers | Watched 50%+ of a video, or engaged with your page | Last 30–60 days |
| Buyers (to exclude) | Purchased | Last 30–180 days |
Always exclude recent buyers, unless you're advertising a different product to them.
Step 3: What to show them
Match the message to how close they got:
- Checkout starters: "Still thinking? Here's what [customer] said", or a reminder of the deadline. They nearly bought, so a small push works.
- Product viewers: answer the top objection ("Does it work on dark skin?", "How long is delivery?") or show a short demo.
- Video viewers: your best sales video or offer, since they know you but haven't seen the product page.
Formats that work well: customer reviews, before-and-after, short "FAQ" videos, and the offer with a deadline.
Step 4: Budget and timing
- Retargeting audiences are small, so budgets can be too: often GH₵ 20–GH₵ 60 a day is enough.
- Watch frequency: if the same people see your ad more than about 5–7 times a week, refresh the creative or widen the audience.
- Judge by cost per purchase, like any other ad.
Retargeting without ads
You can bring people back for free too:
- Cart reminders: on Paylead, people who started checkout get reminders by email, plus texts on the first reminders if they left a phone number. See how to recover abandoned carts.
- Email follow-ups for anyone who signed up for a free guide.
- WhatsApp status: reviews and reminders for contacts who've asked about the product.
Common mistakes
- Showing the same ad you showed cold audiences. Retargeting should answer "why didn't I buy?".
- Forgetting to exclude buyers.
- Big audiences with old windows (e.g., everyone in 180 days) that behave like cold traffic.
Frequently asked questions
How many visitors do I need before retargeting?
Meta needs a minimum audience size to deliver ads, so very small stores may need to wait or use broader audiences such as video viewers.
Is retargeting allowed?
Yes, with the pixel and a clear privacy and cookie policy on your site. People can control ad tracking in their own settings.
Read next: how to run Facebook and Instagram ads in Ghana and how to test ad creatives.
