What’s the Best Way to Retarget Website Visitors Who Didn’t Buy?

If you're frustrated that thousands of people visit your website but only a handful ever become customers, you're not alone. The truth is, most businesses are targeting the wrong audience at the wrong time.

We'll reveal why most of your website visitors aren't ready to buy today, and the exact retargeting strategies that can transform those "lost" prospects into paying customers.

Why 98% of Website Visitors Don't Convert (And Why That's Normal)

Here's a shocking statistic from the podcast: only 2-4% of people who visit your website are ready to buy today.

According to HubSpot data, 96% of all visitors are not in the purchase-aware or decision-aware stage of the buyer's journey.

This means when someone:

• Clicks on your ad
• Visits your landing page
• Opts in for your offer
• Watches your video
• Opens your email

They're likely just researching, not buying. The problem isn't your sales page or messaging, it's timing.

"The problem is you just met the right person probably at the wrong time."

Most businesses make the critical mistake of abandoning these prospects after they don't immediately convert. Instead, you need to stay top-of-mind until they're ready to buy.

The Two Best Ways to Retarget Website Visitors Who Didn't Buy

Based on strategies that have generated 4X return on ad spend for businesses, here are the two most effective retargeting approaches:

1. Database Reactivation Campaign

This strategy targets leads already in your database, people who opted in but never purchased. Here's how it works:

1. Identify "dead" leads in your CRM or email software (HubSpot, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, etc.)
2. Create a "problem awareness reengagement" email sequence focusing on the top 3-5 problems these prospects have
3. Ask simple questions like "Do you still have this problem?" to restart the conversation
4. Follow up consistently over 3-18 months (the timeframe most prospects take to make a decision)

This method works because you're not trying to sell, you're reconnecting based on the problem they originally came to you with.

2. Top-of-Mind Remarketing Sequences

This strategy uses social media advertising to stay visible to people who've already engaged with your brand:

1. Create audience segments based on website visitors, video viewers, email openers, and social media engagers
2. Develop a "waterfall sequence" of content that educates about your product or service
3. Allocate just 5% of your total ad budget to these warm audiences
4. Space out your messaging to avoid overwhelming prospects

This approach treats retargeting ads like "digital billboards," ensuring your brand remains visible while prospects move through their buying journey.

Why Do Most Businesses Abandon Leads Too Early?

Many businesses give up on prospects after 30-60 days because:

• Sales teams have quotas to meet and focus on "hot" leads
• Marketing teams constantly chase new leads instead of nurturing existing ones
• There's a misconception that non-converting leads are "bad leads"

The reality? According to research mentioned in the podcast, 50-55% of people who inquire about solving a problem will actually make a purchase in the next 3-18 months. They just might not be ready when you first connect.

"I believe that there's no such thing as a bad lead. It's just a lead who wasn't ready to solve their problem when you showed up in their world, and you made the mistake and didn't stick around."

How Long Should You Keep Retargeting Website Visitors?

The optimal retargeting window depends on your industry and sales cycle, but research suggests:

• B2C products: 30-90 days
• B2B services: 6-18 months
• High-ticket purchases: Up to 24 months

The key is consistent visibility without overwhelming your prospects. For email sequences, this might mean one touch per week initially, then reducing to monthly check-ins.

For ad retargeting, using frequency caps ensures your audience sees your ads 2-3 times weekly, not 2-3 times daily.

What Content Works Best for Retargeting Campaigns?

The most effective content for retargeting focuses on:

1. Problem awareness: Reminding prospects of the pain points they're experiencing
2. Solution education: Showing how your product/service solves these problems
3. Social proof: Sharing testimonials from similar customers
4. Low-friction offers: Providing valuable content before asking for the sale

Avoid aggressive sales messaging in your retargeting. Instead, position yourself as a helpful resource who understands their challenges.

Real-World Example: 4X Return on Ad Spend

A great example to this is Zach Barnes. He is a business owner who implemented this retargeting strategy to achieve a 4X return on ad spend.

His approach:

1. Built an audience of people engaging with his brand online
2. Implemented a retargeting sequence that focused on staying top-of-mind
3. Created a system that converted 15-20 customers per month on autopilot

Another example mentioned was an e-commerce company with 30,000 active customers that implemented a six-month campaign targeting 3-5,000 unengaged leads.

The result? Sales started coming in "like clockwork" from people who had previously been written off as dead leads.

Is Retargeting Worth the Investment for Small Businesses?

Absolutely. In fact, retargeting often provides better ROI for small businesses because:

• You've already paid to acquire these visitors (through SEO, advertising, etc.)
• Retargeting costs significantly less than cold traffic acquisition
• Conversion rates are 3-10X higher for warm audiences versus cold traffic

Even with limited marketing resources, dedicating a small percentage to retargeting warm audiences typically delivers better results than focusing exclusively on new customer acquisition.

How to Get Started With Retargeting Today

1. Install tracking pixels on your website (Facebook Pixel, Google Tag, etc.)
2. Create custom audience segments based on:
   • Website visitors from the last 30-180 days
   • People who viewed specific product/service pages
   • Email subscribers who haven't purchased
   • Video viewers who watched at least 50% of your content
3. Develop a simple email sequence focused on problem awareness
4. Create 3-5 retargeting ads that provide value rather than just selling
5. Set a small budget (5% of your total ad spend) for these warm audiences

The Gold Mine in Your Database

Most businesses are sitting on a gold mine of potential customers who simply weren't ready to buy when they first encountered your brand.

By implementing these retargeting strategies, you'll capture sales that most businesses leave on the table.

"You have gold sitting in your database if you only knew how to mine it properly."

Ready to stop wasting your marketing budget on cold traffic while ignoring warm prospects?

Implement these retargeting strategies and watch your conversion rates and ROI transform.