Retargeting Strategies for Shopify: Facebook, TikTok, and Google

You got the click. Maybe even an “Add to Cart.”
But then—silence.

If you’re running a Shopify store, you know how frustrating it is to lose warm traffic. That’s why retargeting is one of the most powerful (and underused) tools for e-commerce success.

In this guide, we’ll break down:

• What retargeting is & why it matters

• Key retargeting strategies on Facebook, TikTok, and Google

• How to tailor your messaging for each platform

• Best practices to boost ROAS and recover lost customers

🔁 What Is Retargeting—and Why Should You Care?

Retargeting (also called remarketing) means serving ads to people who’ve already interacted with your brand but haven’t converted yet.

This includes:

• Visitors who browsed but didn’t buy

• Users who abandoned their carts

• Past customers you want to re-engage

Why it works: these people already know you. You’re not interrupting them—you’re reminding them. Retargeted users are 70% more likely to convert compared to cold audiences.

🎯 Facebook & Instagram Retargeting for Shopify

Meta’s ad ecosystem is still king when it comes to advanced audience segmentation and creative options.

Best Audiences to Retarget:

• ViewContent: Product page visitors

• AddToCart: High-intent browsers

• InitiateCheckout: Almost-buyers

• Past purchasers: For cross-sells & upsells

Tips:

• Use Dynamic Product Ads (DPAs) with your product catalog for automatic personalization

• Layer in time frames (e.g. “cart abandoners in the last 3 days”)

• Test copy that addresses urgency: “Your cart’s still waiting” or “Still thinking it over?”

🛠 Pro Tip: AdsPolar helps you visualize Facebook ROAS segmented by funnel stage—so you can double down on the warmest audiences.

🎬 TikTok Retargeting: Hook with Content, Convert with Context

TikTok’s strength lies in engagement. Retargeting here needs to feel native, fast, and fun.

Retargeting Options:

• Profile engagers

• Video viewers (25%, 50%, 75%)

• Website visitors synced via TikTok Pixel

• Add to cart but no purchase

Tips:

• Reuse top-performing TikToks with a fresh CTA

• Build “story-driven” retargeting sequences (Day 1 = product intro, Day 3 = social proof, Day 5 = FOMO offer)

• Add UGC elements or creator-style voiceovers to make the ad feel organic

💡 Best practice: Cap frequency. TikTok users burn out fast if you retarget too often.

🔍 Google Retargeting: Intent Meets Relevance

Google’s strength is in search and display intent. Your retargeting strategy here should match that.

Channels to Use:

• Google Display Network (GDN): for banner-style retargeting

• YouTube ads: especially for cart abandoners

• Search retargeting: bid higher when a past visitor searches your brand or product type again

Smart Tactics:

• Create segmented audiences by product category

• Use discount-based copy for abandoners (e.g. “Still want these sneakers? 10% off today only”)

• Run dynamic display ads using your product feed synced with Shopify

📈 What works: Visual, consistent branding across search and display can reinforce trust and recall—especially for higher-priced items.

🧠 How to Choose the Right Platform for Retargeting?

The best strategy? Use them together. A customer might first see you on TikTok, come back via Facebook, and convert through a Google search.

⚙️ Automating Your Retargeting with AdsPolar

Manually managing retargeting across platforms can eat up hours. That’s where AdsPolar comes in:

• View all retargeting campaigns in one dashboard

• Track ROAS by funnel stage (cold, warm, hot)

• Spot underperforming audiences or creatives

• Sync your product feed for dynamic ad retargeting

• Set budget rules based on performance thresholds

📌 Example: Auto-pause campaigns if cost-per-conversion goes above $30. Or boost TikTok warm audiences if ROAS exceeds 2.0.

🛍 Retargeting Isn’t Just About Recovery—It’s About Growth

Great Shopify sellers don’t just acquire—they recapture.
And retargeting is the key to doing both efficiently.

Whether you’re just getting started or scaling hard, retargeting should be a core pillar of your paid strategy—not an afterthought.

Start simple, iterate quickly, and let tools like AdsPolar do the heavy lifting.