Google Ads Remarketing: How to Get Back the People Who Didn't Enquire

# Google Ads Remarketing: How to Get Back the People Who Didn't Enquire

Let's be honest: most people who visit your website aren't ready to buy or book right then. They're browsing, comparing, or just not quite convinced yet. Remarketing is how you remind them you exist—without being creepy about it.

If you've got a Google Ads budget already, remarketing is one of the best bang-for-buck tactics available. You're not chasing cold strangers; you're following up with people who already know who you are. The conversion rates are typically 2–3 times higher than regular Google Ads campaigns.

This guide explains what it is, how to set it up, and whether it's worth your time and money.

What is remarketing, really?

Remarketing (or retargeting, the terms are used interchangeably) is basically showing ads to people who've already visited your website.

Here's how it works: when someone lands on your site, a small tracking code places a cookie on their browser. Later, when they browse other websites or use Google services, they'll see your ads reminding them about you.

A practical example: You're a plumber in Manchester. Someone Google searches "emergency plumber near me", finds your website, reads your page, then leaves without calling. A few days later, while they're reading the news or watching YouTube, your ad pops up saying "24-hour emergency plumbing—call now". They remember you and get in touch.

That's remarketing. It's simple, and it works.

Why it matters for small businesses

Most small business owners are fighting tooth and nail for every lead. Your Google Ads budget is tight. Remarketing helps you squeeze more value from the traffic you've already paid for.

Think about your website visitor journey:

• Someone arrives via Google or social media
• They spend 30 seconds on your homepage
• They leave and never come back

Without remarketing, that visit was wasted money. With it, you get a second, third, and fourth chance to reach them while they're still thinking about their problem.

The numbers back this up. Websites that use remarketing see conversion rates around 0.7–1.5%, compared to 0.1–0.3% for cold traffic. That's a real difference to a small business.

How to set up remarketing

You've got two main routes: Google Ads and Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Both work, but GA4 is more flexible if you're already using it.

Setting up through Google Ads

This is the straightforward approach:

1. Install the tracking code. Google Ads gives you a code snippet to paste into your website (or your website builder, like Wix or Shopify). If you're not technical, your web designer or BrightClick can do this in 10 minutes.

2. Create an audience. In Google Ads, go to Tools > Audiences. Click "Create audience" and select "Website visitors". Google will ask you to define who you want to remarket to: everyone who visited, people who visited specific pages, people who spent more than X seconds on your site, etc.

3. Create a campaign. Use the Display Network (banner ads across the web) or YouTube. Add your new audience to the campaign. That's it—you're remarketing.

Setting up through GA4

If you're already tracking your website with GA4, this gives you finer control:

1. Make sure GA4 is set up properly. You need the GA4 tracking code on your site. Most modern website builders have this built in.

2. Create an audience in GA4. Go to Admin > Audience > New Audience. Define your audience (e.g., "people who visited the pricing page").

3. Link GA4 to Google Ads. In Google Ads, link your GA4 property. Now you can use those GA4 audiences directly in your campaigns.

This approach lets you create more sophisticated audiences. For example: "people who visited the pricing page but didn't fill out a form" or "people who visited more than once".

A practical note: Don't overthink this. Start simple. Create one audience of "everyone who visited my website in the last 30 days" and build from there.

Good use cases for small businesses

Not every business needs remarketing, but most do. Here's where it works best:

Trades and services: If you're a plumber, electrician, decorator, or landscaper, remarketing is gold. People often get multiple quotes. Your ads remind them you exist and build trust.

Local services: Dentists, accountants, solicitors—people need to build confidence before booking. Remarketing does this.

E-commerce: If you sell products online, remarketing people who abandoned their basket is a no-brainer.

B2B services: Consultants, agencies, designers. Your sales cycle is longer. Remarketing keeps you in front of prospects over weeks or months.

Cases where it's less useful: If you're a supermarket or petrol station, you probably don't need it. Your customers are making quick, repeat purchases. But honestly, most small businesses benefit.

Budget and bidding

Here's the truth: you don't need a huge budget for remarketing.

Typical spend: UK small businesses usually allocate £300–£1,000 per month to remarketing campaigns, depending on their overall marketing budget. Some spend less, some more.

Cost per click: Remarketing clicks are typically 30–50% cheaper than cold traffic, because the audience is warmer.

Bidding strategy: Start with a cost-per-click (CPC) bid of 20–50p for display ads, depending on your industry. YouTube ads cost a bit more. Monitor your conversion rate. If you're getting leads at a good cost, increase the bid slightly to get more visibility.

A realistic scenario: You spend £500 a month on a remarketing campaign. You get 50–100 clicks. You convert 2–5 of those into enquiries. That's roughly £100–250 per lead—often cheaper than your regular Google Ads.

What creative actually works

Your ads are competing for attention alongside Netflix ads, news articles, and cat videos. They need to work.

Banner ads (Display Network):

• Keep the message simple. "Still thinking about it?" or "We're here to help" works better than "CLICK HERE NOW".
• Show your face or your team. People buy from people.
• Include a clear benefit or offer. "Free quote in 24 hours" beats vague promises.
• Use your brand colours and logo so they recognise you.

Text ads:

• Remind them what problem you solve. "Emergency plumbing available now" is better than "Plumbing services".
• Add a specific offer or deadline. "Book by Friday for 10% off" creates urgency.
• Include a phone number. Tradespeople especially should make it easy to call.

YouTube ads (skippable and non-skippable):

• Show your work. A 15-second video of a completed job or happy customer beats a static image.
• Lead with your offer (people skip after 5 seconds).
• Keep it human. A quick testimonial from a real customer works.

Real example: A Bristol-based decorator ran remarketing ads with the line "See our recent projects—click for before and afters." Click-through rate was 3x higher than generic ads about "quality painting services". Because they showed, not told.

Frequency and fatigue

One more thing: don't show the same ad to the same person 50 times a week. They'll get sick of you.

Safe limits: Show your ads 3–5 times per week per person. After someone clicks and buys, remove them from the audience (Google calls this "excluding converters"). No point advertising to someone who's already booked with you.

Getting started today

You don't need perfect. You need functional.

1. Check you've got the tracking code on your site. Ask your web designer if you're unsure.

2. Open Google Ads. Go to Tools > Audiences. Create one basic audience: "All website visitors, last 30 days."

3. Create a small Display Network campaign with a £5–10 daily budget. Write one simple ad. Run it for two weeks.

4. Check your results. How many clicks? Any conversions? If the cost per lead is reasonable, increase the budget slightly.

If you're not confident setting this up yourself, BrightClick can have you live within a day. It's worth getting right.

The key takeaway: you've already paid to get people to your website. Remarketing just makes sure they don't forget about you. It's one of the best investments you can make in Google Ads—and most small businesses aren't doing it.

Start this week.