Retargeting in Media Buying: How to Increase CR and Lower CPL

Publication date: 10 Mar 2025

Retargeting (or remarketing) is when you “catch up” with a user who has already visited your website but did not complete the desired action. For example, a user clicks on a “50 Free Bet” banner, visits the site, but does not register. A couple of hours later, they see an ad on Instagram*: “Your 50 Free Bet is still waiting! The promotion ends in 3 hours.” In gambling and betting verticals, where every customer counts, retargeting becomes a lifesaver. Let’s break down how to set it up and use it correctly to increase conversion rates.

What is Retargeting and Why is it Important?

Retargeting is a chance to bring back those who have already visited your site but did not take the desired action.
Why does it work?

Warm audience. These people already know about your offer, so the chances of conversion are higher.
Low cost per lead. Re-engaging users is cheaper than acquiring new ones.
Flexibility. You can test different creatives and offers on the same audience.

In short, retargeting is a way to bring back those who “left but promised to return.”

Main Types of Retargeting

Type of Retargeting	Description	Where is it Used?
Classic	Shows ads to website visitors	Banners, social media
Dynamic	Personalized ads featuring viewed products	E-commerce, marketplaces
Search	Shows ads to users searching for similar products	Google, Yandex Direct
CRM Retargeting	Uses email or phone customer databases	Email, messengers
Social	Targets user actions on social networks	Facebook, Instagram**, TikTok

Read on 3S.INFO: Media Buying: All About Ad Networks in 2024. The review includes feedback and tips from market leaders on the most effective formats and strategies in media buying.

How to Segment Audiences for Retargeting in Gambling and Betting

The main rule of retargeting is not to show the same thing to everyone. Divide users into groups based on their actions:

Retargeting in Media Buying: How to Re-engage Abandoned Users and Increase Conversions

Where to Find Competitor Creatives for Gambling and Betting: Tools and Life Hacks on 3S.INFO. The article discusses tools and approaches that help create effective retargeting campaigns.

Multichannel Retargeting: How Not to Lose Users

Users rarely stick to one device. Today they view a landing page on their phone, tomorrow they scroll through Instagram* on their tablet, and the day after they watch YouTube on their laptop. To avoid losing them, use multichannel retargeting.
How it works:

Synchronize data across platforms using Facebook Pixel*, Google Ads Tag, and other tools.
Set up integration between Facebook Ads* and Google Ads to avoid audience duplication.
Use push notifications and email newsletters for additional reach.
Launch retargeting via Telegram Ads to re-engage audiences who have already interacted with the offer.

One powerful combination is push + email, which works well for long retargeting chains.
Push + Email Combination:

First Contact (Push): Immediately after visiting the landing page, offer to subscribe to push notifications. For example, show a message: “Want to get an exclusive bonus? Subscribe!”.
Email Follow-Up: If the user registered but did not make a deposit, send an email reminding them of the bonus.
Final Push: After 24-48 hours, send a trigger push notification: “Only 1 day left to activate your bonus!”.

Retargeting via Telegram Ads:

You can upload an audience from an email or phone database and set up retargeting in Telegram Ads.
It works especially well for gambling audiences, as many players are active on Telegram.
Examples of formats: carousels with case studies, teasers with bonuses, videos of wins.

How to Analyze Results and Optimize Campaigns

Retargeting is not a “set it and forget it” strategy. To achieve maximum ROI, you need to constantly analyze data and make adjustments.
Key metrics:

CTR (Click-Through Rate): How many users clicked on the ad.
CR (Conversion Rate): How many users completed the target action.
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): How much revenue is generated for every dollar spent.

Optimization:

If CTR is low, test new creatives and headlines.
If CR is low, simplify the registration process and add testimonials.
If ROAS is dropping, optimize budgets and exclude irrelevant users.

A/B Testing in Retargeting: What and How to Test?

To improve retargeting metrics, run split tests on different audience segments. For example:

Creatives: Test different images, headlines, CTA wording (e.g., “Get a $100 bonus now!” vs. “Claim your prize in 5 minutes!”).
Ad Frequency: Find the balance where CTR and CR are maximized, but users don’t get tired of the ads.
Audiences: Compare the effectiveness of retargeting for hot (registered but not deposited) and warm (visited the landing page but did not register) segments.
Ad Formats: Try static images vs. carousels or video in Facebook Ads*, GIF vs. video in push notifications, etc.

Example: If a $50 bonus creative yields a 3.2% CTR on one audience and a countdown creative yields a 4.8% CTR, urgency works better, and you can scale this approach.
Specialized services help optimize retargeting campaigns: Google Analytics, Facebook Ads Manager*, and tools like Binom or RedTrack. In the 3SNET Promo Codes section, you can find exclusive promo codes for gambling and betting for analytics services, anti-detect browsers, trackers, and other useful tools.

Mistakes That Kill Retargeting

Mistake	Example	Solution
Same Creative for All Stages	The user has already registered but keeps seeing ads like “Get a registration bonus!”	Personalize creatives for each audience group.
Too Frequent Ads	The user sees ads every 5 minutes and gets annoyed.	Limit ad frequency (3-5 times per day) and set up capping.
Ignoring Analytics	The campaign is losing money, but the reasons are not analyzed.	Regularly monitor CTR, CR, ROAS, and adjust the strategy.
Unoptimized Audience Segments	Ads are shown to users who have already made a deposit.	Exclude irrelevant segments from retargeting.
No A/B Testing	Only one creative variant is used without testing.	Test different headlines, ad formats, and impression frequencies.

Real-Life Examples of Retargeting Creatives

For Facebook and Instagram:**

Headline: “Your $100 bonus is waiting for you!”
Image: A smiling person holding a phone with a prize notification.
Text: “Sign up now and get $100 free. Only 2 hours left!”

For TikTok:

Video: A short clip of a winner’s story. For example: “Vasya won $500 in an hour – try it yourself!”
Music: Energetic and motivating.
Call to Action: “Click the link and claim your bonus!”

What to Do If Metrics Are Disappointing?

Problem	Possible Reasons	Solution
Low CTR	Boring creative, poor headline, untargeted display.	Test new creatives, change headlines, check audiences.
Low CR	Landing page doesn’t meet expectations, complicated registration.	Simplify the registration process, add testimonials and case studies.
Dropping ROAS	High bids, wrong audience segments.	Optimize budgets, exclude irrelevant users.

Optimization example:

If CR is low, try adding a countdown timer to your landing page: “Only 2 hours left to get your $100 bonus!” This creates urgency and motivates users to act faster.

Want to stay updated on the latest trends in media buying? Follow the latest market reviews on 3S.INFO. Insights on various GEOs, current offers, and promotion strategies are published here.

Retargeting in Media Buying: Strategies to Boost Conversion

Test different combinations of creatives and platforms.

For example, short videos with emotional hooks work better on TikTok, while static images with clear CTAs perform better on Facebook*.

Use warmed-up audiences.

The more a user interacts with an offer, the higher the chance of conversion. Retarget those who reviewed bonus terms, added items to their cart, or logged into their account.

Warm up your audience in stages.

Don’t show aggressive offers right away. Start by reminding them of the product, then add urgency (“Only 2 days left!”), and finally offer a big bonus or exclusive deal.

Test different ad frequencies.

If ads appear too often, users will ignore them. The optimal frequency is 3-5 impressions per day. Run A/B tests to find the sweet spot where CR increases, not CPM.

Tailor creatives to the platform.

Live “honest” testimonials work on Telegram, expert posts with arguments perform well on Facebook*, and push notifications need short, catchy headlines with FOMO triggers (“Don’t miss the bonus!”).

Use Look-alike Audiences.

In addition to retargeting, expand your reach with look-alike audiences. Identify the segment with the best conversion rate and create a look-alike audience to attract similar customers.

Rotate creatives regularly.

If a user has seen your banner 5-7 times and hasn’t clicked, they’re unlikely to do so. Change images, test new headlines, and try different CTAs (“Play for free” vs. “Try your luck now!”).

Set up retargeting via email and messengers.

If you have an email list or Telegram bot subscribers, launch retargeting through newsletters. Loyal audiences are more likely to return if offered special conditions.

Combine retargeting with bonus offers.

If someone left, give them a reason to return: an exclusive bonus, a free bet, or a limited-time promo code. Present it as a unique, personalized offer, not a standard campaign.

Conclusion

Retargeting is a powerful tool that not only reduces cost per lead but also significantly increases conversion and ROI. Start by testing one type of retargeting, such as classic retargeting, and gradually add other channels. Segment audiences, personalize creatives, and analyze data—this will help you achieve maximum ROI.
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*Fb (Facebook) and Instagram are owned by Meta, which is recognized as extremist in Russia. The service is blocked by court order.