We’ve all been there: sitting in front of the computer or scrolling along on your phone and seeing the one-millionth ad of the day. You can often ignore them but sometimes the ads jump out, not because they use bold fonts or bright colors but because you were just thinking about the very same product or service that’s being advertised via PPC.
As the consumer this can feel wild, like the device is inside your head, watching your every move and making note of your every thought. But as a business owner, you should know better.
This is the practice of retargeting ads and it’s a valuable one. No witchcraft of telepathy required.
When you’re paying to advertise your product or service, you want those ads to cut through all the noise and actually reach people who are interested in buying what you’re selling. That’s why you need retargeting.
First, let’s start with a typical series of events without retargeting.
A customer is looking for something similar to what your business provides. They enter some keywords into a search engine and end up on your website. Great news, right? This is a success of SEO and maybe even pay-per-click advertising. Not so quick.
The customer browses around the site, maybe even adds items to their cart or chats with the support, but ultimately leaves without making any purchases.
Without retargeting, this story ends there. So close to making a sale, yet still so far away. It’s frustrating and it can happen over and over again with piles of potential customers slipping through the cracks.
Here’s how the story can end differently, with a happy ending for everyone involved.
The same sequence of events takes place, but in this version, your business practices retargeting.
After the customer leaves your website, they are shown additional ads, often specifically referencing the items or pages they originally viewed on your site. You use the information you gleaned about them to show them just the right ad to make the conversion.
One of these ads catches their attention, so they click on it, come back to the website, and make the purchase, sign up for the email list, fill out a form, whatever the final desired action is. They’re happy, you’re happy; it’s all worked out and the credit goes to retargeting ads.
Although, if you want to tell people it’s all due to your superior business skills and product, we won’t argue.
The simple premise of retargeting is to show potential customers who have expressed some interest in your business highly relevant ads that convert them from potential customers to customers.
This can take a variety of forms so let’s look at some of them and compare.
Pixel marketing is the most common kind of retargeting. And no, it doesn’t mean the ads are blurry and pixelated.
Pixel-based retargeting works by putting a line of code (otherwise known as a pixel) on your website. The pixel then puts an anonymous browser cookie in each of the visitors’ browsers as they come to your website or landing page.
They then leave the site but the pixel allows your ad provider (e.g. Google Ads, Facebook retargeting) to start showing your specific ads to these visitors.
You’ll be able to glean lots of information about visitors to your website through this method and retarget them accordingly. Want to target a visitor who clicked on a specific product page but didn’t follow through to adding to the cart or checking out? You can do it with pixel retargeting.
Sometimes pixel retargeting can come in the form of serving very specific ads showing visitors the exact products they viewed on your site, a practice called dynamic retargeting. It can be beneficial in that potential customers are reminded of the exact thing they were interested in, but some may find it intrusive and disquieting.
List-based retargeting is a more traditional kind of retargeting where you show ads to existing customers or visitors who provided you with some level of personal information like an email address.
You can email these people directly or upload the list to your retargeting platform of choice and have the retargeting campaign address them according to what you already know. It’s a slightly less sophisticated technique but it can still be extremely effective.
The major con with list-based retargeting is that you won’t be able to go after customers who have only minimally engaged with your website, but you can achieve that through other methods.
On-platform retargeting is most used on social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. If you post a video on Facebook, you can choose to retarget specifically those who watched the majority of the video.
It’s a different way of gathering information on the potential customer’s interest in your business and can also work well.
Showing users things they’ve expressed an interest in is already how these sites work, so your ads will generally fit right in.
Going back to our little story from earlier, what if the customer targeted in the retargeted ad campaign sees the ads for the business they were interested in and decides they aren’t actually interested at all? Isn’t it all a big waste of time and money?
Simply put, no. And there are a few reasons for that.
Marketing and advertising are always going to be a numbers game. There may be lots of fish in the sea but you’re never going to catch them all, even the ones right near your boat.
What you can do is narrow the holes in the net you’re casting so fewer fish get away. But enough with the fish metaphors.
Let’s put it into hard numbers. If you liked math in school, this will be your favorite part.
Website visitors who have been retargeted with display ads are more likely to convert by a whopping 70%. That’s 7-0 percent. Not good enough for you?
How about the fact that retargeted ads have a click-through rate that is 10X higher than regular display ads?
What about the evidence that retargeting campaigns can produce crazy returns on investment, as was the case with one company, Watchfinder, which achieved a 1,300% ROI over six months?
Of course, every business will see different conversion levels with their retargeting campaigns, but the numbers show they can be incredibly effective. So effective, in fact, that you’d really be silly not to get in on the action.
But if you really want to increase the success of your remarketing campaign, follow these tips:
This may be the most important tip of them all, which is why we’ve put it at the top. Do you hear that? If you’re only going to pay attention to one of these, make it this one!
One of the worst things you can do is to bombard potential customers with too many ads. Customers have expressed frustration and annoyance regarding repetitive ads that seem to follow them around wherever they go online.
Don’t be the creepy business harassing would-be customers. It’s not a good look or a good strategy.
On the other side, use too few impressions and your ads may never breakthrough, even to the interested customers you are specifically going after. Show them enough to keep them thinking about your business but not so many you turn them off of it.
Essentially, you want just the right number of impressions. A Goldilocks amount, if you will. Not too many and not too few.
You may think that just because retargeting goes after customers who have already expressed an interest, that the ads don’t have to be as eye-catching the second (and third and …) time around.
Well, cast that thought from your mind. Lock it out and throw away the key.
Ad design will always be important. It may even be more important in retargeting.
You need to make sure the ads are recognizable and tie directly to your brand. Variety in ad type is also valuable here since customers can find the same ad over and over again much less appealing than a bunch of different ones.
This goes with tip #1 but it deserves its own shoutout. Don’t go after recent customers right after they’ve made a purchase.
If a customer is won over by your ads, decides to buy something, and then is immediately inundated with more ads, it will feel more like a punishment than a friendly suggestion.
An annoyed customer is not likely to become a repeat customer. And if you happen to make the critical error of serving them an ad for the very product they just purchased? Forget it.
You should be conscious of where each potential customer is in the sale funnel and make sure that your retargeting campaigns reflect that.
The value of the retargeting campaign compared to any ordinary ad campaign is that you already have additional information about the potential customers and their interest in your business.
Don’t waste that information by doing nothing with it. Create specific ads and different campaigns depending on what level of interaction the customers have engaged in and what product types they showed interest in.
As with any marketing campaign, a critical component is consistent monitoring and evaluation.
Tracking conversions, whichever conversion you’re aiming for, whether it’s sales, email signups, or views, is a great way to know how your retargeting campaign is going.
If something’s not working right, this is how you can find out and fix it. And if everything’s perfect, well, you’ll want to know that, too, so you can keep doing what works.
Find the right metrics that work for you and track them religiously.
As you may be able to see at this point, retargeting, while very beneficial, isn’t always the simplest strategy to implement. There are lots of different factors and best practices to stay on top of to get the process to pay off the way you hope.
If you want to be sure that you get the full rewards of a retargeting ad campaign, go to the professionals.
At PPC.co, we have a team of marketing experts that will help ensure your first-time visitors don’t stay one-time visitors. We do the heavy lifting on the retargeting front so the potential customers who are most likely to make a purchase are right there, ready to be wowed by your business.
Play your cards right and you’ll have swaths of new customers who keep coming back. That’s the potential for a crazy high return on investment.
Don’t leave money on the table by using a poor performing PPC marketing agency. Start using retargeting by engaging our PPC retargeting service.
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When this apartment complex client partnered with PPC.co, their goal was clear: generate more qualified leads through Google Ads. In just 60 days—from January to March 2025—we transformed their paid acquisition performance. Total conversions more than tripled, jumping from 10 to 32, while the overall conversion rate soared by over 300%. At the same time, we drove down the cost per conversion by 44%, delivering significantly more leads at a much lower cost.
By strategically combining Performance Max and high-intent Search campaigns, we not only increased lead volume but improved overall efficiency and ROI. This rapid and measurable improvement underscores the value of data-driven optimization and expert campaign management.
This case study is a testament to what can happen when a well-structured campaign meets expert strategy and continuous optimization. Whether you're launching a new property or looking to boost occupancy in a competitive market, PPC.co delivers real results—fast.
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If you run a fashion or apparel brand, you already know how fierce the competition is. One scroll through Instagram and you’re up against influencer capsule collections, fast fashion giants, and a dozen other brands selling something that looks eerily similar to what you just launched last week.
So how do you rise above the noise?
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising can be one of your most powerful weapons…if you know how to use it right.
PPC isn’t just about throwing money at Google or Meta and hoping for the best. It’s about strategy. Precision. Timing. And a deep understanding of what makes your ideal customer click, scroll, save, and, most importantly – buy.
This article will show you exactly how successful fashion brands are using PPC to grow fast, scale smart, and stay ahead.
Whether you’re a DTC startup or an established apparel line looking to boost your online sales, you’ll walk away with clear steps to sharpen your strategy and drive real results.
Before launching a single ad, the best fashion brands get laser-focused on who they’re talking to. Not just demographics like age and gender – but psychographics, style preferences, income levels, and buying behavior.
You need to know:
Use Meta’s Audience Insights, Google Analytics, TikTok Creator Marketplace, or post-purchase surveys to dig deep into the habits of your buyers. The more you understand your buyer persona, the easier it is to write ad copy, choose images, and build irresistible offers that convert.
Here’s a pro tip for you. Many successful brands create different audience segments and run tailored ads for each. One segment might respond to lifestyle-focused creative. Another might want free shipping and a clear price. By segmenting the audience into different buckets, these brands are able to consistently deliver ads and creatives that are more likely to convert for each demographic.
In the fashion world, your creative is your first impression. With just a second or two to capture attention, your ad needs to stop the scroll cold. Successful fashion brands do this by focusing on movement, people, and something we like to refer to as “microhooks.”
When it comes to getting people to stop scrolling, movement is the best way to grab attention. Research shows that short-form video (6–15 seconds) outperforms most static images across Meta, TikTok, and Pinterest. (Think quick outfit transitions, close-up fabric reveals, or behind-the-scenes clips.) You can also use stop motion or cinemagraphs to add subtle animation to product shots without producing full video. And for TikTok or Instagram Reels, use fast-paced cuts, trending sounds, and quick outfit changes to match user expectations on the platform.
As for people, do your best to feature user-generated content (UGC) from happy customers wearing your products. (You can reach out to repeat buyers or incentivize customers to tag you for a chance to be featured.) You can also collaborate with micro-influencers to shoot content that feels natural, not like an ad.
Finally, leverage microhooks. This is ad copy that highlights the unique benefits that your audience gets with your products. One way to do this is by asking questions that expose a current pain point and insinuate that your products do the opposite. For example, “Wearing stiff jeans in 2025?” or “Tired of leggings that show everything?”
One of the biggest PPC mistakes you can make? Launching a campaign, watching it flop, and declaring, “PPC doesn’t work for fashion.”
Top brands don’t just test – they test smart. Here’s how you can do the same:
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. The objective is to keep refining it until it runs smoother and faster.
Most people won’t buy the first time they visit your site – and that’s not a failure. It’s just how online shopping works, especially in fashion. Shoppers might be comparing prices, waiting for payday, or simply scrolling while distracted.
But successful apparel brands don’t let those warm prospects slip away. They use retargeting to stay top-of-mind and guide potential customers back to the cart.
With tracking pixels installed on your site, you can identify who visited what, how long they stayed, and which products they interacted with. From there, you can serve hyper-relevant ads that feel personal – not generic.
If someone browsed your linen jumpsuit but didn’t add it to their cart, you can show them that exact product again later – this time with a timely offer like “Free Shipping Ends Tonight” or “Only 3 Left in Your Size.”
For cart abandoners, you might highlight a hassle-free return policy, reviews from other buyers, or even a quick video showing how to style the item. Retargeting works because it removes the guesswork and friction that keep shoppers from checking out.
More advanced brands go even further by segmenting their audiences based on behavior. For example, someone who lingered on a high-ticket leather jacket might get a different follow-up sequence than someone who looked at a discounted tee. Some campaigns re-engage past customers with complementary products (“Bought the dress? Here’s the perfect bag.”), while others reach back out to lapsed buyers with a loyalty discount. The goal isn’t to stalk – it’s to stay relevant, helpful, and persuasive at exactly the right moment.
If you’ve already paid to get someone to your site, don’t let that investment go to waste. Retargeting is how you turn passive interest into real sales – and it often delivers the highest ROI of any campaign in your entire funnel.
Successful brands don’t rely on aesthetics. They give people a reason to act now. That’s where the offer stack comes in – everything your customer gets when they click “buy.”
Think about:
But don’t make the mistake of jamming every offer into every ad. Instead, match your offer to the audience and funnel stage. For example:
Make sure your offer feels like a win – not some gimmicky trap to get people to buy something. There has to be a level of consistency with your brand that people recognize and resonate with.
Not all PPC platforms are created equal – and the most successful fashion brands understand that. Instead of putting all their ad spend into one platform, they diversify based on their audience, product category, and buying behavior. They choose channels that align with how people shop for their specific type of apparel. Here’s how smart brands match platform to product:
Google Shopping Ads
If you’re selling products people are actively searching for – like “vegan leather boots” or “wool pea coat men’s” – Google Shopping Ads are your best friend. These ads show up directly in search results with product photos, prices, brand names, and ratings. This format is ideal for intent-driven shoppers who already know what they’re looking for and are ready to compare options. For fashion brands with a strong product-market fit and clear differentiators like price, materials, or shipping perks, Shopping Ads can drive highly qualified clicks that convert.
To get the most out of Google Shopping, successful brands optimize their product titles and descriptions with keywords, upload high-quality images, and keep their feed clean and accurate. This is a volume play – great for staples, seasonal items, or products that meet specific needs.
Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram)
Meta is where most fashion brands start – and for good reason. It’s visually driven, highly customizable, and perfect for storytelling. You can build full-funnel strategies here: introduce your brand with engaging lifestyle video, retarget product viewers with carousel ads, and upsell past customers with limited-time bundles. Meta’s strength lies in its ability to create desire through imagery and social proof.
The most successful apparel ads on Instagram and Facebook pair compelling visuals with aspirational copy. Think: “Your new favorite weekend hoodie,” or “Outfits made for airport looks and coffee runs.” These platforms are especially strong for trend-based products, impulse buys, or highly aesthetic pieces like dresses, outerwear, or coordinated sets.
Pinterest Ads
Pinterest is a hidden gem for fashion brands – especially those targeting women, occasion-based shoppers, or DIY fashionistas. It acts like a visual search engine, which means users are actively planning their next look, vacation wardrobe, or event outfit. Unlike Meta, where ads interrupt, Pinterest ads blend seamlessly into content users are already curating for inspiration.
What works well here? Seasonal collections, bridal and maternity wear, capsule wardrobes, and anything that taps into life milestones. Brands that do well on Pinterest often repurpose lookbooks, blog content, or style guides into promoted pins that link back to product pages or collections. And because pins have a long shelf life, Pinterest campaigns can continue driving traffic well after the ad spend stops.
TikTok Spark Ads
If your brand skews younger – or if you’re trying to reach trendsetters – TikTok is super important. But it’s not about polished brand videos. The content needs to feel native, raw, and personal. That’s where Spark Ads shine. These are paid boosts of organic content (either your own or from creators) that blend seamlessly into the feed.
Fashion brands win on TikTok by showing products in motion, using trending audio, and leaning into humor, storytelling, or transformation-style videos (like before-and-after outfit reveals). Fast fashion, streetwear, bold accessories, and viral-friendly products do especially well here. You can work with creators to show “how it looks on” or do mini hauls that demonstrate fit, stretch, and styling versatility.
This channel is less about direct conversion and more about top-of-funnel discovery. And when it’s done right, it creates cult followings fast.
YouTube Shorts and Pre-Roll Ads
YouTube is an underrated but powerful channel for fashion brands looking to show off movement, build trust, and drive longer engagement. YouTube Shorts (their answer to TikTok) can showcase outfits in action, quick styling tips, or model walk-throughs in 60 seconds or less. Pre-roll ads, on the other hand, give you more control over brand storytelling.
Think of YouTube as a storytelling and branding platform. It’s especially strong for higher-ticket items like outerwear, formalwear, or custom-tailored pieces where the buyer needs more confidence before purchasing. Brands that leverage YouTube well often blend influencer partnerships, educational content (like “how to build a capsule wardrobe”), and in-depth product demos to establish authority and build affinity.
Clicks are worthless if the landing page doesn’t convert.
Once someone clicks your ad, they expect to land on a page that matches the promise of that ad. If they don’t see the product, price, or offer you teased? They bounce.
Here’s what winning landing pages include:
As a final note: Don’t forget to use Dynamic Product Ads (DPAs) where possible, so your landing page and ad are in perfect sync.
Did you know that less than 25 percent of PPC ads industry-wide actually produce conversions? That’s because most PPC agencies are doing it wrong.
At PPC.co, we don’t just pump out ads and try new creatives. We have concrete, proven strategies and frameworks that ensure you get the results you’re looking for.
Want to learn more? Contact us today and we’ll show you how we get results.
