You’re paying for clicks, but your conversion rate is stuck. Where are the results?
It turns out that up to 92% of first-time visitors leave without making a purchase. That might sound discouraging, but it doesn’t mean these people aren’t genuinely interested in what you’re offering.
But what you might be overlooking is remarketing, which turns initial interest into real action. And in crowded local markets such as Brisbane, it can give you a clear advantage.
At Matter Solutions, we’ve been running Google Ads campaigns since 2010, which means we’ve seen firsthand how proper remarketing transforms those seemingly wasted clicks into real revenue.
In this guide, we will help you avoid those mistakes. You’ll learn how to get the most from Google Ads remarketing without overspending.
First, here’s what Brisbane businesses need to know about display audiences.
What Remarketing Brisbane Businesses Need to Know About Display Audiences
Your first step to successful remarketing is understanding who you’re targeting and where to reach them. Many Brisbane businesses jump straight into campaigns without mastering these basics, which often leads to wasted budget and weak results.
Fortunately, the Google Display Network gives you access to over 2 million websites and apps globally. Your target audience is definitely out there somewhere, but knowing the following will help you connect with them effectively.
Remarketing vs. Retargeting
Most marketers use the terms “remarketing” and “retargeting” as if they mean the same thing, but they are actually different strategies with distinct approaches.
Remarketing focuses on re-engaging existing customers through email campaigns and channels you own. But retargeting uses paid ads based on website behaviour patterns.
We understand why the confusion exists, though. It’s likely because Google Ads calls their retargeting tools “remarketing.”
Why local context impacts performance
After setting the terms, Brisbane businesses need to look at how their location affects remarketing results.
Now, this might not surprise you, but local customers behave differently from national audiences. This difference affects how they respond to ads, meaning campaigns that work nationally may not perform the same way in your local area.
From our experience, Brisbane residents usually respond better to messages and offers that are relevant to their area and the season.
Google Display Network
Finally, let’s talk about where your remarketing actually happens. Yes, you guessed it right: the Google Display Network.
It serves as the main platform to reach past visitors, showing your ads on sites they already visit, which makes it ideal for remarketing. Plus, by targeting the sites they already visit, you turn every browse into a chance to bring them back to your brand.
Now, you’re ready to start building the actual audience segments that will drive your campaigns forward.
How to Find and Reach the Right Audience in Google Ads
We admit, finding the right Google Ads audience can be tough. If you go broad, you’ll pay for empty clicks, but if you go narrow, you’ll miss buyers. So here’s how we make it easier.
Smart segmentation
Targeting just “women aged 25–45” is a thing of the past, and the reason is smart segmentation. It involves layering multiple audience signals to create highly specific groups that are much more likely to convert.
So, rather than targeting one broad demographic category, successful campaigns now combine demographics, interests, and purchase intent to reach the most relevant people.
Use behavioural signals to build intent-based audiences
Our next step is to focus on online behaviour. Did you know that the most valuable audiences are actually built on what people do online?
This is because of Google’s in-market audiences, which track users actively researching products like yours using signals such as recent searches, sites visited, and content consumed.
You can also create custom intent audiences by strategically combining keywords and websites that are most relevant to your specific business needs.
Avoid fatigue: frequency caps and list exclusions
Even when you’ve got perfect targeting and segmentation in place, there’s still one more important step to save your budget. It’s showing your ads too often to the same people, which only causes ad fatigue and wastes your budget.
So, for display campaigns, you can start with 3–5 impressions per user per day. If you want to avoid unnecessary costs, exclude recent converters, existing customers, and irrelevant audiences while using frequency caps.
Once you’ve reached the right audience (congrats!), your next challenge is making content that engages and converts.
What to Show Remarketing Audiences for Maximum Engagement
Remarketing works best when your ad creative (the images, copy, or videos you show) speaks to the audience’s previous interest. This means your ads should connect to what users have done on your site. Try these proven strategies:
Weak Creative Leads to Lost Opportunities
Poor remarketing creatives are where most campaigns fail, regardless of how well you’ve set up your targeting. We’re talking about generic banner ads with bland messages like “Come back!” which waste valuable data on warm prospects.
But strong remarketing creatives highlight the products someone viewed, recognise their interest, and offer clear incentives to return. Most importantly, they feel personalised instead of random interruptions.
Types of remarketing creatives that convert
Some remarketing creatives grab attention and bring people back, while others barely get noticed. Static banners work particularly well for brand recall campaigns, especially when they show viewed products with friendly messages like “Still thinking it over?”
While static ads have their place, YouTube video remarketing lets you tell richer stories. You can showcase products, share testimonials, or explain services in ways that connect with your past visitors.
Customise visuals and copy for Brisbane locals
Now, if you’re a Brisbane business, we recommend adding local references to your remarketing creatives, like events, weather, or landmarks that connect with your audience. This is because people notice familiar details, which makes your ads feel more relevant and can help boost engagement.
Local customisation also includes timing and offers based on Brisbane’s business patterns and seasonal trends. We’ve found that audiences respond much better to promotions and messages that reflect their local context.
Turn Interest Into Sales With Smarter Remarketing in Brisbane
You’ve already done the hard part: getting people to actually visit your website. Now you have a rare opportunity to reach out to them again when they’re most likely to buy something from you.
The strategies we’ve shared show you how to use smart targeting, engaging ads, and local Brisbane touches to reconnect with these interested customers. But if all of this still feels like too much to handle, that’s completely okay.
Our Matter Solutions team can help your Brisbane business drive sales by managing your ads and audience, so you can focus on running your business.
Ready to turn those website visitors into customers? Contact us today and let’s chat about improving your remarketing.
