You spent money on Google Ads and got website visitors to your site. But 98% of them left without calling or requesting a quote from your business. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone.
These leads checked your services, compared prices, and then disappeared to look at three other Minnesota contractors nearby. The question is: how do you bring them back without spending another fortune on ads?
The answer is remarketing. Remarketing shows your ads to people who have already visited your website, bringing them back when they’re ready to make a purchase or hire. At MatterSolutions, we help local trade businesses run remarketing campaigns in MN that turn lost website visitors into paying customers for a fraction of the cost of new advertising.
In this article, we’ll show you why remarketing works better for Minnesota trades, how to set it up with limited traffic, and which campaign types convert best for local businesses.
Ready to learn remarketing strategies? Let’s get started.
Why Remarketing Works Better for Minnesota Trades Than Cold Advertising
The best part about remarketing is that you only pay to reach potential customers who have already shown interest in your services.
Now we’ll break down why this works so well for trade businesses in Minnesota.
HVAC replacements and remodeling projects take weeks to decide. Homeowners research multiple local businesses and compare options before they spend thousands on their home.
That’s where remarketing becomes valuable. Your initial ad spend gets them researching, but display ads bring them back when they’re ready to buy.
Think about seasonal patterns, too. Minnesota’s harsh winters create buying spikes where furnace shoppers browse your website in October but become buyers in November when the first cold snap hits.
They realize their 20-year-old heating system won’t make it through another winter, and suddenly, your remarketing ads remind them exactly who can help.
Here’s the kicker: remarketing costs you $0.50-2.00 per click versus $8-15 for cold search ads. When you’re running a small business with a limited marketing budget, that difference adds up fast.
How to Start Remarketing with Limited Website Traffic
What if you only get 100 website visitors per month? Can remarketing still work for your small business in the trades?
The answer is yes, but you need to adjust your approach. Let’s look at three ways to make remarketing work even when your traffic is limited.
Understanding Minimum Audience Requirements
The Google Display Network needs a minimum of 100 active users to start showing display ads. You might be wondering what happens when small trades only get 50-150 monthly visitors in rural Minnesota markets where search volume stays low.
The good news is that small traffic can still work if you build your audience strategically.
Extending Membership Duration to Build Audiences
Here’s where strategy comes in. Extend your membership duration to 180-540 days so visitors from January still see your remarketing ads in June. This builds larger audiences over time.
You can combine traffic from Google Ads campaigns, search engine optimization efforts, and social media marketing to reach that 100-user threshold faster (think of it like filling a bucket instead of letting water run through).
Tracking the Right Pages Only
Based on our experience, you should focus your pixel tracking on high-intent pages like service quote forms, emergency repair contact pages, and specific trade service pages only. Tracking every page dilutes your audience and wastes ad spend on people who bounce after reading one blog post.
Best Remarketing Strategies for HVAC, Builders, and Trade Companies
Remarketing lets you show different ad types and messages based on which services someone looked at on your website.
Now let’s look at the campaign types that work best for local trade businesses.
Here’s how the pros do it:
- Show Testimonials to Build Trust: A homeowner visits your kitchen remodeling page but doesn’t call. If this sounds like you losing qualified leads, show them image ads or video ads featuring testimonials from recent projects in their Brainerd neighborhood. This builds trust and keeps your business top-of-mind when they’re ready to get estimates.
- Segment by Urgency: Create separate PPC ads for different buying timelines. Emergency services need a short 30-day window, while planned projects work better with 180-day targeting. The reason is simple: a burst pipe needs immediate help while bathroom renovations get planned months ahead. Your ad copy should reflect that difference in buying timeline (nobody waits three months to fix a flood).
- Target Your Actual Service Area: Geo-target your display network campaigns within your actual 30-mile service radius only. This prevents wasted budget on Minneapolis residents when you serve the Brainerd area exclusively. You can adjust these settings in Google Ads to focus your advertising dollars on customers that you can help. Matter Solutions uses this segmentation strategy to help Central Minnesota trades maximize their ad spend.
Common Questions About Remarketing Campaigns MN for Small Businesses
If you’re new to remarketing, you probably have questions about how it works and whether it fits your budget. We’ve answered the most common questions Minnesota small business owners ask us about remarketing campaigns.
What is a remarketing campaign?
A remarketing campaign shows your ads to people who have already visited your website. It tracks visitors using cookies and displays your ads as they browse other websites or search on Google.
What’s the difference between remarketing and retargeting?
The terms are used interchangeably in digital marketing. Both mean showing ads to previous website visitors. Google typically uses “remarketing,” while other platforms like Facebook often say “retargeting.”
How to make a remarketing campaign?
First, add a tracking pixel to your website through Google Ads or Facebook. Then create audience lists based on which pages people visited. Finally, design ads that speak to what they originally looked at on your site.
What are retargeting campaigns?
Retargeting campaigns work the same as remarketing campaigns. They show your ads to people who interacted with your website but didn’t convert into customers or leads.
What is the best advertising for small businesses?
Google Ads and Facebook ads work well for small businesses because you control your budget and target local customers. Remarketing makes both platforms more cost-effective by focusing on warm leads.
Is $10 a day enough for Google Ads?
For remarketing, $10 a day can work because you’re targeting a smaller audience of previous visitors. For cold traffic campaigns, you’ll need $20-50 daily to see consistent results in competitive markets.
How to make an ad for a small business?
Focus on one clear benefit, use simple language, and include a strong call-to-action like “Call Today” or “Get Your Free Quote.” For remarketing, reference what they looked at on your site.
What is the best advertising platform for a small business?
Google Ads reaches people actively searching for your services. Facebook and Instagram work well for building awareness. Most small businesses get the best results using both platforms together with remarketing.
Managing Your Minnesota Remarketing Campaigns
Now that you understand how remarketing works, you’re probably wondering whether you should manage PPC campaigns yourself or get professional help.
Based on our experience, self-management requires 3-5 hours weekly for pixel troubleshooting, audience building, ad testing, and performance tracking. That’s a lot of time when you’re already busy running service calls, writing estimates, and managing crews.
On the other hand, professional digital marketing services handle technical setup, daily monitoring of ad spend, and quarterly strategy reviews while you focus on customer work.
If you’re ready to recapture lost leads without adding hours to your workweek, contact Matter Solutions today. Our team manages remarketing campaigns for Central Minnesota trades so you can turn website visitors into paying customers.
