How to Create Remarketing Lists in Google Ads (Step-by-Step Guide for Smarter Retargeting)

Ever noticed how an ad for the product you almost bought follows you around the internet?
That’s remarketing — and it’s one of the most effective ways to turn browsers into buyers.

In fact, according to WordStream, remarketing can boost conversion rates by up to 161% when used correctly.

Why? Because it targets people who already know your brand — those who visited your site, explored your products, or added items to their cart but didn’t convert.

The best part? Setting up remarketing in Google Ads is simpler than most people think.

Let’s walk through exactly how to create remarketing lists in Google Ads, so you can start re-engaging your warmest audience and getting more sales for less ad spend.

Key Takeaways

• Remarketing lets you show ads to people who’ve already interacted with your site or business.

• Create remarketing lists in Audience Manager inside Google Ads.

• Segment audiences by behaviour — like page visits, cart activity, or checkout starts.

• You can also import customer lists or connect Google Analytics audiences.

• Once lists are ready, apply them to campaigns to boost conversions and lower CPCs.

1. What Remarketing Really Does (and Why It Works)

Most website visitors don’t convert on the first visit.
In fact, only about 2–3% of users make a purchase right away (WordStream).

Remarketing gives you a second chance — sometimes a third or fourth — to bring those visitors back.

By tracking who’s visited your site (using Google’s tag or Analytics integration), you can:

• Show them relevant ads as they browse YouTube, Gmail, or the Display Network.

• Re-engage users who viewed products or abandoned carts.

• Remind potential customers of what they left behind — and encourage them to return.

It’s digital marketing’s version of a friendly follow-up — automated, measurable, and highly effective.

2. Step-by-Step: How to Create Remarketing Lists in Google Ads

Creating your first remarketing list only takes a few minutes. Here’s how to do it right.

Step 1: Go to Audience Manager

In your Google Ads dashboard, click Tools & Settings → Shared Library → Audience Manager.
This is where all your audience data lives — including website visitors, app users, and uploaded customer lists.

You can also refer to the official Google Ads Help Guide on Creating Remarketing Lists for step-by-step details.

Step 2: Create a New Audience List

Click “+ New Audience” → Website Visitors.
Here, you’ll define who you want to track and include in your remarketing campaigns.

Step 3: Define Your Audience Rules

You can segment users based on their activity, such as:

• Visiting specific pages (e.g., “/pricing” or “/contact”)

• Adding products to their cart

• Starting the checkout process

• Spending more than X minutes on your site

This allows you to tailor your messaging.
For example, someone who started checkout might see “Still thinking it over? Get 10% off your order today.”

Step 4: Set Membership Duration

Choose how long people stay on your list — 30 days, 60 days, or longer.
If you sell high-ticket items, consider longer durations (like 180 days).

Step 5: Save and Let It Build

Once saved, your list will automatically populate as more people visit your site and meet the criteria.

3. Advanced Options: Using Customer Lists and Analytics Audiences

Remarketing doesn’t stop with website visitors. You can also expand your reach using other data sources.

Customer Lists

Upload a list of past customers or leads (emails, phone numbers, etc.) directly into Google Ads.
Google matches those users with signed-in accounts to deliver your ads across its platforms.

Make sure your data meets Google’s Customer Match Policy.

Google Analytics Audiences

If your Google Analytics is linked to Ads, you can import audiences based on behaviour — such as “users who visited more than 3 pages but didn’t convert.”
This gives you deep segmentation and smarter targeting.

By layering these audiences, you can tailor your remarketing ads to specific intent levels — improving ROI and reducing wasted ad spend.

For more advanced automation strategies, explore AI and the Future of Digital Marketing — where AI helps refine audience targeting and ad delivery in real time.

4. Apply Remarketing Lists to Your Campaigns

Once your lists start populating, it’s time to put them to work.

Go to any campaign or ad group and choose your remarketing audience under:
Audiences → Browse → How They Have Interacted with Your Business → Website Visitors or Customer Lists.

Now your ads will only show to users who already know your brand — increasing the likelihood of clicks and conversions.

For even better results, combine remarketing with a data-driven Google Ads Strategy built for 2025.
It’s a proven way to target smarter, lower your cost per acquisition, and scale sustainably.

5. Pro Tips to Optimise Your Remarketing Lists

Once your lists are live, here’s how to keep improving them:

• Segment by intent. Create separate lists for high-intent (checkout started) vs. low-intent (homepage visited) users.

• Exclude converters. Don’t waste budget showing ads to customers who already bought.

• Refresh your creative. Rotate ads regularly to avoid “banner fatigue.”

• Test different membership durations. 7, 30, 90, and 180 days can all perform differently.

• Track performance by audience size. Smaller, warmer lists often deliver the best ROI.

And remember, if your organic strategy is driving steady traffic, pairing remarketing with a strong SEO campaign for Australian businesses helps you nurture and re-engage those visitors even more effectively.

The Bottom Line

Remarketing is one of the easiest, most profitable tools in Google Ads — but it all starts with your audience lists.

By setting up well-segmented remarketing lists in Audience Manager, you can stay top-of-mind, re-engage warm leads, and dramatically improve your conversion rates — all while lowering your cost per acquisition.

If you’re ready to take your remarketing strategy further, talk to the experts at Above Digital about setting up an advanced Google Ads campaign that turns lost traffic into paying customers.

Because in digital marketing, the second impression often matters more than the first