On average, it takes around eight touchpoints before a lead agrees to that first meeting. To make those touches count, you need to show up where your prospects already are—and LinkedIn is one of the top platforms for B2B engagement. That’s where LinkedIn retargeting ads come in. By reconnecting with users who previously interacted with your brand, you increase visibility and trust. And more visibility means more opportunities to convert.
Even with a perfectly crafted ad, conversions aren’t guaranteed. Most users don’t act on the first touch—and only a small percentage actually convert. But that doesn’t mean your campaign is failing. With the right LinkedIn retargeting strategies, you can re-engage cold leads and turn hesitation into action.
What Are LinkedIn Retargeting Ads?
If you’ve ever browsed a product online and later seen ads for that same item across different websites, you’ve experienced retargeting firsthand. It’s a strategic way for brands to re-engage potential customers who’ve previously shown interest but didn’t take immediate action. This isn’t just a coincidence—it’s a smart reminder, nudging you to reconsider and complete your journey.
Often, users abandon their interest not because they’re uninterested, but because life gets in the way. A call, a task, or a distraction can break their focus. Retargeting ads bring them back into the fold, reminding them of the value you offer and encouraging them to return. From a marketer’s perspective, it’s a proven way to boost brand recall and increase conversions from users already familiar with your offerings.
So how does this apply to LinkedIn? Just like with traditional display ads, LinkedIn retargeting ads allow you to reconnect with users who previously interacted with your brand—either on your website or through LinkedIn campaigns. Whether someone clicked on an ad, watched a video, or filled out a lead form, LinkedIn’s ad system remembers those interactions. You can then build a targeted campaign around that “warm” audience to re-engage and convert them.
Types of Retargeting Audiences on LinkedIn:
You can create retargeting audiences from several high-intent sources, including:
- Users who watched your LinkedIn video ads.
- Members who engaged with image ads, document ads, or conversation ads.
- Leads captured from LinkedIn lead-gen forms.
- Website visitors tracked through the LinkedIn Insight Tag.
- Uploaded email/contact lists or company data matched to LinkedIn profiles.
How Much Do LinkedIn Retargeting Ads Cost?
While general LinkedIn ad conversions may feel costly, retargeting ads offer significantly better performance. Because these users are already familiar with your brand, your message resonates stronger—and the results reflect that:
- 37% higher CTR when using contact targeting.
- 30% increase in CTR with website retargeting.
- 14% reduction in post-click cost-per-conversion (CPC) with website retargeting.
These numbers prove why retargeting is a must-have in your LinkedIn ad strategy. Not only does it help you engage warm leads more effectively, but it also lowers your overall cost-per-lead (CPL) and boosts return on investment. For brands looking to optimize ad spend and improve conversions, LinkedIn retargeting is a powerful solution.
How to Create LinkedIn Ads Retargeting Campaigns
If you’re ready to take your LinkedIn marketing strategy to the next level, setting up a retargeting campaign is the perfect place to start. This step-by-step guide will show you how to build, launch, and optimize a LinkedIn retargeting campaign that drives conversions.
Step 1: Set Up the LinkedIn Insight Tag
Before you can begin retargeting, you need to install LinkedIn’s Insight Tag to track website activity. This pixel allows LinkedIn to monitor user interactions and build retargeting audiences based on that behavior.
How to install the Insight Tag:
- Navigate to your LinkedIn Campaign Manager and click on the “Account Assets” tab.
- Select “Conversion Tracking” and go to “Data Sources.”
- Click the “Install My Insight Tag” button, then click “Manage Insight Tag” and choose “See Tag.”
- Copy the full tag code from the “I Will Install the Tag Myself” section.
- Paste the code in the global footer of every page on your website, just before the closing
</body>tag. - Go back to Campaign Manager to verify the tag. A green “Active” status means the installation was successful (verification can take up to 24 hours).
Step 2: Build Retargeting Audiences
With your Insight Tag installed, you can now create specific audience segments based on user actions. Here’s how:
- In Campaign Manager, go to “Account Assets” > “Matched Audiences.”
- Click “Create Audience” and select your audience type.
- Choose the criteria for your audience and click “Create.”
Audience Types
- Website Retargeting Audience: This audience includes LinkedIn users who have previously visited specific pages of your website.You can fine-tune your targeting using logic like “Equals,” “Starts with,” or “Contains” to match exact or partial URLs.Use AND/OR logic to combine conditions—for example, users who visited both your pricing and contact pages.
- Video Engagement Audience: Target users based on how much of your LinkedIn video ads they’ve watched—25%, 50%, 75%, or 97%.Set a lookback window ranging from 30 to 365 days to retarget viewers while your brand is still top of mind.
- Lead Gen Form Audience: This retargeting segment focuses on users who either opened or submitted your LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms.You can customize the engagement timeframe to target recent form interactions or re-nurture older leads.
- Company Page Engagement Audience: Retarget LinkedIn users who visited or interacted with your Company Page posts, updates, or profile.Define the desired timeframe to ensure relevancy and maximize re-engagement rates.
- Event Interaction Audience: Target LinkedIn members who RSVP’d or interacted with your event promotions or content.This audience type is excellent for follow-ups post-event or promoting related webinars, workshops, or offers.
- Single Image Ad Interaction Audience: Focus your retargeting on users who took chargeable actions on your single image ads—such as clicking your CTA, liking, or sharing.
Avoid using “any interaction” to prevent audience dilution and ensure higher quality engagement.
Step 3: Use Matched Audiences in Your Campaign
Once your audiences are ready, integrate them into your ad campaigns:
- Create a New Campaign: Go to Campaign Manager and set up a new campaign group.Choose your campaign objective.
- Apply Matched Audiences: “Who is your target audience,” click “Audiences” > “Retargeting.”Select your desired audience type (Video, Website, Lead Form, etc.).
- Finish Campaign Setup: Choose your ad format, placement, budget, schedule, and conversion tracking.
- Create Tailored Ads: Customize ad creative to align with the behavior of each retargeted segment.Use multiple formats to appeal to different user preferences.
Step 4: Leverage Audience Exclusions
To improve performance and reduce wasted spend, it’s crucial to exclude irrelevant segments:
Recommended Exclusions:
- Current Customers: Prevent targeting users who’ve already converted.
- Competitors: Exclude companies you don’t want to advertise to.
- Your Own Employees: Avoid internal impressions by excluding your company.
- Unqualified Job Titles: Filter out students, interns, and junior-level employees if you’re targeting decision-makers.
- Job Seekers: Exclude members with the “Open to Work” trait.
- Converted Users: Create a retargeting audience based on thank-you pages and exclude it.
Retargeting Content Strategy: What to Show Your Warm LinkedIn Audience
Retargeting isn’t just about reminding users you exist—it’s about moving them further down the funnel. While it’s tempting to run the same cold ads that link back to your homepage, this approach rarely works. If someone already saw your initial message and visited your site, repeating the same content offers no added value.
To make LinkedIn retargeting truly effective, your content must evolve. Focus on addressing the pain points, questions, and objections your audience may still have. Here are the most impactful content types to use in your retargeting campaigns:
Thought Leadership Content
Position your brand as a credible authority by sharing insights, frameworks, or expert opinions. These ads not only establish expertise but also act as subtle social proof—especially if the content has strong engagement.
Best for: Building trust and staying top-of-mind with decision-makers.
Case Studies
Demonstrate real-world results through client success stories. Case studies show your solution in action, highlight the transformation you deliver, and build credibility by association.
Best for: Reassuring prospects that others have seen success with your product or service.
Testimonials
Put a human face to your brand by sharing feedback from happy customers. Testimonials help prospects feel confident that working with you will be a smooth and rewarding experience.
Best for: Reducing buyer hesitation and reinforcing trust in your team and process.
Deep-Dive Product Ads
Your homepage can’t explain everything. Use retargeting to spotlight specific product features, unique use cases, or industry-specific benefits. These ads allow prospects to understand the value of your solution in more detail.
Best for: Educating users about how your offering solves their specific challenges.
How to Structure LinkedIn Retargeting Audiences for Maximum Impact
A well-planned retargeting strategy on LinkedIn means more than just showing your ad to everyone who’s visited your site. Segment your audience by intent and recency to deliver the right message at the right time—and boost your conversions. The best approach is to create audience buckets based on time windows: 30, 90, and 180 days.
Audience Segments and Their Purpose
- 30-Day Audience
These users are your hottest prospects. They’ve recently interacted with your brand and are the most likely to convert. Serve them high-intent content like demo offers or limited-time promotions. - 90-Day Audience
This group has shown interest but may need more education or trust-building. Use this window to deliver value through case studies, product explainers, or thought leadership. It’s often the best-converting audience over time. - 180-Day Audience
These users are colder but still familiar with your brand. They may not be ready to engage now but could convert in the future. Focus on brand awareness with lightweight, low-cost formats to stay on their radar.
Final Verdict
Structuring your LinkedIn retargeting campaigns by engagement timelines—30, 90, and 180 days—is the key to reaching prospects when they’re most likely to convert. Use high-intent CTAs for recent visitors, educational content for mid-funnel prospects, and brand awareness for longer-term leads. By aligning content type with audience readiness, you’ll not only reduce ad spend waste but also maximize your ROI across the full buyer journey. Remember, most conversions often happen in the 90-day window—so focus your budget and creativity there.
FAQs About LinkedIn Retargeting Strategy
What is the best time window to target in LinkedIn retargeting?
The 90-day audience is often the best-performing group for retargeting. It includes users familiar with your brand who are warm but may need more information before converting.
Should I always start with a 90-day audience?
Yes, it’s a reliable starting point. It captures enough recent engagement without being too narrow or too broad, giving you a balanced mix of reach and conversion potential.
What content should I show to a 30-day retargeting audience?
Focus on high-intent content like “Book a demo,” special offers, or direct CTAs. These users are most likely to take immediate action.
How can I stay visible to a 180-day audience without overspending?
Use low-cost formats like Text Ads and Spotlight Ads. These formats help maintain brand awareness without putting too much pressure on a colder audience.
Is it okay to use detailed product content in retargeting?
Absolutely. In fact, retargeting is the best place for technical or detailed content, as these users already have some familiarity with your offering.
