Email Retargeting Guide: How to Create Your Campaign

What is email retargeting?

Email retargeting (sometimes called “remarketing”) is an email marketing campaign strategy that uses previously collected customer data to create personalized messages and offers aimed at reigniting interest from customers, prospects or website visitors.

There are two primary goals for email retargeting campaigns:

• Reengaging former customers: For example, if a customer bought something from your e-commerce site or filled out a contact form but hasn’t interacted with your brand since, you could use a retargeting email to spark renewed interest.
• Encouraging action from site visitors: If someone visited your website, browsed a few pages or products, but didn’t make a purchase, a retargeting email might highlight the specific items they viewed to nudge them toward conversion.

Retargeting campaigns rely on personalized customer and visitor data to deliver relevant offers. You can gather this information through tools like customer relationship management (CRM) systems and website cookies — the same technology that remembers what’s in a shopper’s cart when they return to your site.

How do you create a retargeting email?

The following best practices can help you create an effective retargeting campaign.

1. Collect customer data.

Before you can reengage customers, you must know what interests them. Generic offers and messages won’t cut it; email personalization is key. Several tools, many of which are likely part of your tech stack, already track customer behavior. Filtering and using that data effectively is essential for a successful retargeting campaign. Here are the tools to consider:

• CRM software: The best CRM software helps track customer interactions and preferences over time. This information allows you to segment your audience and tailor messages to specific behaviors or buying cycles. (More on segmentation below.)
• Email marketing software: The best email marketing services have built-in email analytics that provide valuable data about your subscribers, including who’s opening your emails, who’s deleting them without reading and more.
• Website analytics: Your e-commerce platform should include tools that help you track where customers come from (e.g., social media), how long they stay, when they leave and what actions they take. This information helps identify high-value pages, popular products, effective marketing efforts and conversion rates.
• Social media analytics: Many platforms (e.g., Instagram, Facebook) include built-in analytics tools that reveal how users interact with your content, which posts drive traffic and what type of engagement you’re generating.

When you understand more about how your audience behaves and what they want, you can create highly targeted emails with messages and offers that feel relevant and timely, increasing your chances of bringing subscribers back.

2. Segment your audience.

We’ve mentioned that email personalization is essential for successful retargeting. After all, you wouldn’t send the same message to a one-time website visitor who opted into your subscriber list and a longtime customer who’s been inactive for a while.

“Separate users by their journey,” advised Andrew Dyuzhov, marketing director at Selzy. “Someone who abandoned checkout is not the same as someone who only browsed.”

Creating email segments allows you to group subscribers into cohorts that align with shared behaviors and messaging needs. It’s also a great way to gain people’s trust (because they’re receiving only highly relevant content) and inspire more interest in and loyalty to your business.

However, Vassilena Valchanova, digital strategist at Valchanova.me, emphasized that creating effective segments is more nuanced than simply throwing people into different groups.

“Many teams create too many granular sub-segments — sometimes 15 or 20 different groups. This becomes impractical for daily execution,” Valchanova explained. “You’ll achieve better results by focusing on [three to five], maybe seven at most, customer segments that you can genuinely personalize content for.”

Valchanova also cautioned that marketers must look beyond traditional demographics when creating segments. “You might have audience segments that are diverse in age, location or income, but united by solving the same problem,” Valchanova said. “This approach creates more robust segmentation for your messaging.”

3. Set campaign objectives.

You should have specific goals for your retargeting campaigns depending on where the subscriber is in the sales funnel. For example, you may want to convert casual online store browsers into subscribers, encourage new customers to make a second purchase or win back a former customer.

“Each funnel step has different goals — decide what action is most relevant for your business step by step: purchase, sign-up, revisit, download, etc.,” Dyuzhov said. “It helps you write a focused message.”

Set your campaign goals based on what you’ve learned from customer data and social insights. Then test your messaging to see what actually works. Try sending different versions of the same email — maybe with a new subject line or a different call to action — to see which performs better. These small tests can reveal what keeps customers engaged.

4. Capture email subscribers.

To send retargeting emails, you must first grow your email list. That typically means collecting email addresses from visitors while they’re browsing your site. “Make sure users actually subscribed,” advised Dyuzhov.

To do this, set up opt-ins. You can use email pop-ups, slide-ins or banners on relevant product pages to invite visitors to subscribe. For example, you might:

• Offer a free gift when someone’s about to leave your site.
• Ask for contact info in exchange for a quote.
• Provide a discount, a freebie or early access to products in return for an email address.

Keep your message clear, and make sure it’s easy to close the prompt. A good user experience builds trust from the start.

5. Create retargeting messages.

Once someone’s on your list, send timely messages that encourage them to take the next step, whether that’s completing a purchase, revisiting your site or engaging with a new offer.

These messages work best when they’re personal and action-oriented. Tailor each email based on the user’s behavior. For example, you might:

• Remind them about items left in their cart.
• Highlight a product they previously viewed.
• Let them know you miss them and offer a discount on an item related to a previous purchase.

Dyuzhov recommends writing short, clear messages. “Use the product name they viewed, AB test some hooks and unusual symbols [action required]. Add social proof or time-based urgency only if it fits. Don’t overthink the design — clarity [is better than] beauty.”

6. Carefully time and sequence your retargeting messages.

Timing is crucial in retargeting campaigns. Triggered sequences should respond to specific user actions with the right timing and content.

Dyuzhov noted that user behavior should shape your follow-up strategy. “Cart abandonment? First email in [one to two] hours. Browsed but didn’t buy? Wait a day or two,” Dyuzhov explained. “Someone who adds to cart is ‘hot’ — they’re close to buying, so you follow up fast. Someone who just looked around needs more time.”

If someone browses a product or adds it to their cart but doesn’t check out, a short retargeting sequence can help bring them back. A common approach is three emails. For example, let’s say a customer looked at a set of kitchen storage containers and left without buying. The retargeting emails would go as follows:

• Email 1: Your first message is a short, clear reminder. “Still thinking about those kitchen storage containers? Here’s a quick link to take another look.”
• Email 2: Next, you’d send a content-specific follow-up. “Here’s how our best-selling storage sets help keep your pantry organized.” Include a product photo or customer review.
• Email 3: The last email is a final, personalized nudge. “Get 10% off your kitchen storage set — but only for the next 48 hours.” This adds urgency while staying helpful.

You can also retarget customers who haven’t purchased in a while. These campaigns might trigger after 30, 60 or 90 days of inactivity and could include “We miss you” emails, product recommendations based on past purchases, or notices about loyalty program rewards to bring them back. The goal is to reconnect with relevant content and remind them why they liked your brand in the first place. If they return and make a purchase, your automation tools should stop the campaign to avoid redundant messaging.

What are the benefits of retargeting your emails?

Retargeting can have a real impact on your bottom line. “Retargeting emails bring back users who already know you,” Dyuzhov explained. “They’ve visited your site, clicked something, maybe even added to cart — these people don’t need an intro.”

That makes retargeting a smart digital marketing strategy for turning interest into action. Email remains one of the highest-ROI channels available to small businesses. Research from Litmus found that email marketing generates an average return of $36 for every $1 spent, making retargeting campaigns a cost-effective way to reconnect with already-interested leads.

Consider the following benefits:

• Fewer lost customers: Retargeting helps reduce cart abandonment, improve click-through rates, bring back loyal customers and boost sales.
• More sales opportunities: Retargeting emails offer a great opportunity to present upselling and cross-selling opportunities. It’s a win-win: customers discover products that complement their past purchases, and you make additional sales.
• Smarter personalization: Retargeting requires you to tailor messages to each customer’s behavior and interests. Whether you sell many products or just one, this kind of targeted messaging increases relevance. “For multi-product businesses like e-commerce brands, email retargeting is crucial for determining which specific products and special offers will appeal to individual customers,” Valchanova explained. “Even single-product companies can benefit tremendously by personalizing their messaging to address the most pressing pain points that specific segments of their audience are experiencing.”
• Higher conversions (and even foot traffic): Retargeting can drive more visits to key product or landing pages — and sometimes prompt offline actions, like visiting a store.
• Lower costs, better returns: Retargeting campaigns are cost-effective and typically deliver an impressive digital marketing ROI. “It’s cheaper than acquiring new users and usually converts better,” Dyuzhov said. “In my experience, retarget has a [five times] higher ROAS [return on ad spend] than acquisition.”

When should you consider implementing a retargeting campaign?

Consider implementing retargeting campaigns if you find your business in the following circumstances:

You have high rates of abandoned shopping carts.

Getting traffic to your website often comes at a cost, so when someone browses your products, adds items to their cart and then leaves without buying, that’s a missed opportunity. Shopping cart abandonment represents lost sales.

The scale of the problem is significant. According to data from the Baymard Institute, the average documented online shopping cart abandonment rate is about 70 percent — meaning roughly seven out of every 10 shoppers who add something to their cart leave without completing a purchase.

“They wanted to buy,” Dyuzhov said. “Something stopped them — distraction, second thoughts, unclear terms. A follow-up reminder email can fix that. You already paid for that traffic. Letting it go is just [a] waste.”

A well-executed retargeting campaign can bring those shoppers back and help you close the sale.

You have plenty of traffic but few conversions.

If visitors are flocking to your site, your marketing is doing its job. But if they leave without taking action, like making a purchase or filling out a contact form, you’ve got a conversion gap.

They might be comparing prices, doing more research or simply getting distracted before making a decision.

“Not everyone buys on the first visit; some businesses wait weeks and months,” Dyuzhov said. “Retargeting keeps your offer visible. Some users need more time to think about it, more reasons to return. This is a second chance — and cheaper than finding new users.”

With the right follow-up strategy and automated CRM tools, retargeting gives you another chance to turn interest into action and improve your conversion rates.

You want to personalize your promotions.

Today’s consumers expect businesses to recognize their preferences and past behaviors and respond with relevant offers. A retargeting campaign does exactly that. It shows customers you’re paying attention, reminds them what caught their eye and encourages them to come back with offers that feel timely and personal.

The demand for personalization is well documented. According to McKinsey & Company, 71 percent of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions, and 76 percent get frustrated when that doesn’t happen.

“You already have data. Use it,” Dyuzhov advised. “Show products they checked out. Offer discounts on items they almost bought. People ignore generic emails. But they read things that feel written just for them.”

5 examples of companies using retargeted emails

Consider the following companies and their retargeting strategies. 

Netflix

Streaming platforms thrive on personalized messaging, and Netflix uses retargeted emails to keep users engaged. In this example, the recipient received a notification about a new season of a show they had previously watched. The email features two clear calls to action — Play and + My List — giving the subscriber an immediate way to start watching or save it to their list of shows so they can watch it later.

Amazon

Amazon regularly sends retargeting emails with personalized product suggestions based on a recipient’s browsing history or past purchases. In this example, the email subject line was “We found something you might like.” The headline then reads, “How about another look?” and highlights several products the customer previously viewed, along with current pricing and discounts.

A prominent “Shop now” link at the top encourages the recipient to return to the site and continue browsing. By resurfacing items the customer already showed interest in, Amazon makes it easy to pick up where they left off.

Eberjey

E-commerce brands like Eberjey use retargeting emails triggered by product views. In this example, the recipient had recently looked at the featured item. The subject line is a direct nod to this, saying “Caught you looking?” The email then opens with a reminder: “That item you’ve been eyeing won’t be here for long. Take them home before it’s too late.” 

A clear “SHOP NOW” button appears near the product image, along with perks like free shipping and loyalty rewards to further entice a purchase.

Express

Clothing brand Express combines retargeting with loyalty program data. In this example, the email reminds the customer they have $10 in Express Cash and encourages them to “USE IT ASAP,” creating a sense of urgency tied to their rewards balance.

By pairing the reminder with a seasonal promotion — the Winter Warm-Up Sale — Express gives shoppers a timely reason to return and apply their available credit.

Sephora

Sephora uses post-purchase retargeting to recommend complementary products. In this example, the email references the customer’s recent purchase and suggests a related item to try next.

The message feels personal without being intrusive. It opens with “We hope you love…” and follows with “Here’s what you need next,” positioning the recommendation as a helpful add-on rather than a hard sell. A clear “SHOP NOW” button makes it easy to act immediately.

The subject line — “Into your last purchase? Make sure to try this pick too.” — reinforces that the suggestion is based on prior buying behavior, while loyalty perks like Beauty Insider Cash and points reminders add extra incentive to return.

Amanda Hoffman contributed to this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.