The essentials
- Definition: dynamic retargeting automatically generates ads showing the products each visitor viewed or added to their basket, from a catalogue feed and a tag that passes the product IDs.
- Three building blocks: an up-to-date product feed (Merchant Center or Meta catalogue), a tag that sends the events with the IDs (view_item, add_to_cart, purchase), and an ad template.
- Results: the most profitable retargeting format in e-commerce; ROAS often 2 to 4 times that of classic Display, especially on abandoned baskets.
- Prerequisite: identical product IDs in the feed and on the site, consent, exclusion of recent buyers.
The aim of dynamic retargeting is the personalised version of remarketing : instead of a generic banner, the visitor sees again the products they viewed or left in their basket, with the current price and image, and often complementary products. It relies on a catalogue and on precise events sent by the site. It is the most profitable retargeting format in e-commerce, and it also applies to non-retail offers (travel, property, jobs, training) through custom feeds. This article describes how it works, setting it up on Google Ads and Meta, the segments and the results.
How it works
- The catalogue: a product feed (ID, title, description, price, image, availability, URL, category) sent to Google Merchant Center and the Meta catalogue manager, updated at least once a day.
- The tag: on the site, the events
view_item,add_to_cart,begin_checkoutandpurchasepass the IDs of the products concerned (the parameteritemsorcontent_ids), usually through Google Tag Manager. - The audiences: the platform links each visitor to the products viewed and builds segments (viewed without buying, abandoned basket, purchased).
- The ads: a template (responsive or catalogue) automatically assembles image, title, price and button for each visitor's products, with complementary recommendations.
Google Ads and Meta: setting up
| Step | Google Ads | Meta (Facebook, Instagram) |
|---|---|---|
| Catalogue | Google Merchant Center (Shopping feed); custom feeds for non-retail sectors (travel, property, jobs, education) | Catalogue manager (feed, pixel, e-commerce partner) |
| Tag | Google tag with dynamic remarketing parameters (ecomm_prodid or GA4 items), or linked GA4 e-commerce events | Meta pixel + conversions API with content_ids and content_type; see installing the Meta pixel |
| Linking | Link Merchant Center and Google Ads; enable dynamic audiences | Link the pixel and the catalogue in the catalogue manager |
| Campaign | Display with dynamic responsive ads; Performance Max with a feed (replaces Smart Shopping); Demand Gen with a feed | A “Sales” campaign with a catalogue, Advantage+ sets or manual retargeting |
| Segments | Automatic lists (product visitors, abandoned baskets, buyers) or custom ones | Viewed or added to the basket without buying, over 3 to 30 days; buyers for cross-selling |
| Check | Merchant Center diagnostics, Tag Assistant, audience report | Catalogue diagnostics, Meta Pixel Helper, event match rate |
The critical point common to both: the product ID sent by the tag must be strictly identical to the one in the feed (same case, same variant). One discrepancy and the ad shows nothing, or a generic product. Tag configuration is covered in Google Tag Manager and Google Ads.
Segments and messages
| Segment | Window | Message | Bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abandoned basket | 1 to 7 days | Products in the basket, a reminder, possibly free delivery or a code after 48 h | The highest |
| Product viewed, not added | 3 to 14 days | Product viewed + similar ones, reviews, guarantee | Medium |
| Category browsed | 7 to 30 days | Best sellers in the category | Moderate |
| Recent buyers | After purchase | Complementary products, accessories (cross-selling); never the product bought | Moderate |
| Older buyers | 30 to 180 days depending on the cycle | Restocking, new arrivals | Low to medium |
Always exclude buyers from the segment of their purchase: receiving an ad for a product you have just paid for is the most visible and most frequent mistake.
Prerequisites and settings
- A clean feed: quality images, descriptive titles, up-to-date prices and stock, no disapproved products; Merchant Center disapprovals block delivery.
- Complete events: IDs, values and currency on every event; checked in GA4 DebugView and Tag Assistant.
- Consent: the tags depend on
ad_storageandad_personalization; without Consent Mode v2, European audiences do not build up; see Consent Mode v2. - Frequency: 3 to 5 impressions per day per person, and a short membership duration for baskets.
- Creatives: templates with your logo and colours, short copy; test the layouts (carousel, collection).
- Volume: you need a few hundred product visitors a month for the segments and the optimisation to work.
Expected results and measurement
On e-commerce accounts, dynamic retargeting generally shows a ROAS 2 to 4 times that of classic Display and a cost per purchase half as high, with the abandoned basket as the most profitable segment. Track by segment: ROAS, cost per purchase, conversion rate, frequency, share of incremental sales (an experiment with a control group where possible). Read it with data-driven attribution: retargeting closes sales that acquisition prepared. The metrics are detailed in SEA for e-commerce and ROAS in social ads.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's Google Ads module brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is dynamic retargeting only for e-commerce?
No. Google Ads accepts custom feeds for travel, property, jobs, education and any catalogue of offers; Meta accepts catalogues of hotels, flights, properties, vehicles and generic offers. The principle is the same: a feed of items, a tag that sends the IDs, an ad template.
What is the difference between Performance Max and dynamic Display retargeting?
Performance Max with a feed covers acquisition and retargeting across all Google networks while optimising on its own; dynamic Display explicitly targets your lists, with control over the segments, the frequency and the messages. Many accounts combine the two, reading the share of new customers of Performance Max.
Why do my dynamic ads not show the right products?
Almost always a discrepancy between the product ID sent by the tag and the one in the feed (variant, case, prefix), or products disapproved in Merchant Center or the Meta catalogue. Check with Tag Assistant or Meta Pixel Helper on a product page, then in the catalogue diagnostics.
Should you offer a discount in abandoned basket ads?
Not straight away: a simple reminder with the product and an argument (delivery, reviews, guarantee) already converts a share of the baskets. Test an incentive after 48 hours for the remaining segment, and measure the margin: a systematic discount teaches customers to abandon their basket in order to get it.