Retargeting Ads for Local Business
Ever heard the term "retargeting ads" and wondered what in the world it means? You're not alone. Let me break it down in plain English and show you why they're absolutely essential for your local business.
Hi there! I'm Nicole, a marketing strategist who's supported hundreds of business owners with their Facebook and Instagram ads. While I've worked with all kinds of businesses, my heart is with local businesses. Why? Because there's simply not enough education out there for local business owners who aren't trying to spend tens of thousands on ads, especially when they're not sure how those ads will perform.
What Are Retargeting Ads?
Simply put, retargeting ads are ads that only go out to people who already know you.
The beauty of these ads is that you're only paying to get seen by people who are already "warm" to your business. Let me explain what I mean by that.
In marketing, we typically categorize people into two main audiences:
Cold audience: People who have never heard of you before. They don't know your business exists.
Warm audience: People who already know you, are familiar with your business, and might already be somewhat interested in buying from you (or have bought from you before).
When you run retargeting ads, you're specifically targeting that warm audience – people who have already interacted with your business in some way.
Why Retargeting Matters for Local Businesses
Think about your marketing as a cycle:
You need new people learning about your business every day (cold audience)
You need to stay top of mind with those people once they know about you (warm audience)
Many local businesses make the mistake of focusing only on step 1 – getting new eyes on their business. They run "visibility ads" or try to increase their reach on social media to gain more followers.
That's a great start! But if that's all you're doing, you're missing a huge opportunity.
Just because someone knows about your business doesn't mean they're going to buy right away. You have to stay top of mind. This is where retargeting ads come in – they act as your "touchpoint machine."
The Touchpoint Theory
Years ago, marketing experts would say that someone needs to see your offer or business about 7 times before they buy. That was the average – some people might buy after seeing you once, others might need 20 touchpoints, but 7 was the magic number.
Guess what? That number keeps going up every year. Some marketing experts now say it takes 40+ touchpoints for online businesses!
While the number might be lower for local businesses, the principle remains: people need to see and hear from you MORE THAN ONCE.
This is why simply boosting a post here and there doesn't work. You might get clicks and likes, but you won't get new customers. Running one ad about one offer one time doesn't bring in conversions from social media – at least not anymore.
When our feeds weren't saturated with ads and business content, that might have worked. But now, we need a full-cycle approach:
Bring in new people
Stay in front of those new people
Convert some into leads
Keep staying in front of those who haven't converted yet
And when you set this up correctly, it works like a well-oiled machine – bringing in new people, converting them, bringing in more people, converting them, and so on.
How Retargeting Works in Facebook Ads Manager
To run retargeting ads, you need to set up what Facebook calls "custom audiences." For local businesses, we typically create these based on:
People who follow you on social media
People who engage with your content
Your website visitors
That last one – website visitors – is tracked through something called "pixel tracking."
I know, I know – when I mention the Facebook pixel, most people tense up. It sounds technical and complicated. Take a deep breath – I promise it's not as scary as it sounds!
The Facebook pixel is a small piece of code that you copy from Facebook Ads Manager and paste into a specific part of your website. When it's set up correctly, Facebook can "track" people who visit your website.
This means if someone finds your website through Google, sees you in person and decides to check out your site, or discovers you through a "near me" search on Maps – next time they're scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, your retargeting ads will pop up for them.
This pixel also helps Facebook's algorithms learn about who your ideal customers are, making all your ad targeting more effective over time.
If you don't have your Facebook pixel set up yet, you'll want to do this ASAP – even if you're not running ads yet. It's good to start the tracking because Facebook will begin learning about your audience right away, making your ads more effective when you do launch them.
What Content Works Best for Retargeting Ads?
Your retargeting audience will typically be smaller than your cold audience (everyone in your town). Because of this, retargeting ads aren't necessarily the place for direct lead generation. Instead, these ads help your lead generation ads convert better.
For retargeting content, focus on:
1. What makes you unique Highlight what sets you apart from competitors in your niche. Why should someone choose you over the other options in town?
2. Storytelling and testimonials Share customer stories and reviews – but not just as plain text on a graphic (people don't read those anymore). Get creative!
For example, instead of just posting a graphic with a review quote, tell the story of the client: "Jane came in wanting highlights, so we did XYZ, and here's how it turned out. In her review, she said..."
Or create a Reel where you show a screenshot of the review while playing video footage of what it's like to work with your business.
3. Objection handling Address the reasons why someone might hesitate to buy from you (beyond just price).
For example, if you run a lawn service, potential objections might be:
"My lawn is too small to hire someone" → Create content about how you handle small lawns and why it's still worth it
"I don't want to commit to a long contract" → Highlight your one-off service options
"No one will do as good a job as I would" → Show your attention to detail and quality standards
By addressing these objections in your retargeting ads, you're answering the "why nots" that are stopping people from booking with you.
A Simple Retargeting Strategy That Works
One strategy that's been working really well for my clients is this simple funnel:
Set up a "local follower ad" as your top-of-funnel to gain visibility and followers
Create retargeting ads that show to those new followers
This keeps your business top of mind with people who have already shown interest by following you, dramatically increasing your chances of converting them into paying customers.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you're ready to take control of your Facebook and Instagram ads and start seeing real results for your local business, Hometown ADvantage is for you.
For just $1,500 (normally $1,800 – I'm running a special $300 off promotion right now!), you get:
Three months of expert mentorship from me, someone who's managed hundreds of thousands in ad spend for local businesses
Lifetime access to my complete Facebook ads course that breaks down complex strategies into simple, actionable steps
Weekly live Q&A calls where I give you personalized feedback on your ads, help you interpret your numbers, and optimize for better results
Multiple access points to me throughout the program, including personalized video audits and a one-to-one strategy call
My clients are seeing incredible results with just $5-10 daily ad budgets:
Jen, who owns a car detailing shop, turned $27 in ad spend into 3 new client bookings
Robyn, who markets for a sauna wellness spa, saw a 35% uptick in sales within weeks of joining
Samantha, who owns a doula agency, gained 50+ new targeted local followers using just the "local follower ad" I teach inside
Instead of paying $1,500+ EVERY MONTH to an agency or freelancer who might not get you results, invest once in a skill that will serve your business forever.
Ready to become the obvious choice in your local area? Grab your $300 discount now at hello.nicoleeldridgemedia.com/300
Have questions before joining? Message me on Instagram – I'd love to chat about your specific situation and help you determine if Hometown ADvantage is the right fit for your local business.
