Most people who visit your event page will not buy tickets on their first visit. They browse, consider, get distracted, and move on. Remarketing (also called retargeting) is the practice of showing targeted ads to these people after they leave your site, reminding them about your event and encouraging them to complete their purchase.
It is one of the most cost-effective forms of paid advertising because you are targeting people who have already shown interest. They know your event exists and were curious enough to visit your page. They just need a nudge to convert.
How remarketing works
Remarketing relies on tracking pixels, small pieces of code installed on your website that identify visitors and allow advertising platforms to show them targeted ads later. When someone visits your event page, the pixel records their visit. When they later browse Facebook, Instagram, or other websites in the Google Display Network, they see ads for your event.
This is not as invasive as it sounds. The tracking is anonymous (you do not see individuals' identities), and the ads only appear within the normal ad placements people already encounter. Users can also opt out through their browser or platform settings.
Setting up your tracking pixels
Meta (Facebook and Instagram) Pixel
The Meta Pixel is essential for remarketing on Facebook and Instagram. To set it up, go to Meta Events Manager (accessible through Meta Business Suite), create a new pixel, and install the code on your website. If you use a website builder like WordPress, Squarespace, or Wix, there are usually straightforward integrations or plugins available.
Configure "events" within the pixel to track specific actions: page views (someone visited your event page), add to cart (someone started the ticket purchase process), and purchase (someone completed a ticket purchase). These events allow you to create precisely targeted audiences based on how far people progressed through your sales funnel.
Google Ads tag
For remarketing across Google's network (including YouTube and millions of partner websites), install the Google Ads remarketing tag on your site. The process is similar: create the tag in your Google Ads account and add the code to your website. Google Tag Manager can simplify managing multiple tracking codes.
Install your pixels well before you start running ads. The pixels need time to build up audience data. Ideally, have them in place from the moment your event page goes live.
Building your remarketing audiences
The power of remarketing lies in audience segmentation. Rather than showing the same ad to everyone who visited your site, create different audiences based on their behaviour and tailor your messaging accordingly.
All event page visitors. The broadest audience. Show them general event promotion ads reminding them about the event and its key selling points.
Visitors who did not start a purchase. These people were interested enough to visit but not enough to click "buy tickets." They may need more information or a stronger incentive. Show them ads highlighting the lineup, testimonials from previous attendees, or an early bird discount.
Cart abandoners. People who started the purchase process but did not complete it. This is your highest-intent audience. They were moments away from buying. Show them urgency-focused ads: "Still thinking about [event]? Tickets are selling fast" or "Complete your purchase before prices increase on Friday."
Past ticket buyers. People who bought tickets to previous editions of your event. They already know and enjoy your event. Target them with loyalty messaging and early access offers for the next edition.
Creating effective remarketing ads
Remarketing ads should feel like a continuation of the conversation, not a cold pitch. The viewer has already visited your event page, so you do not need to introduce the event from scratch. Focus on the next step: giving them a reason to come back and buy.
Ad formats that work
Video ads. Short, energetic clips from previous events are the most engaging format. Fifteen to thirty seconds of crowd footage, performances, and atmosphere set to music can reignite the desire that brought someone to your page in the first place.
Carousel ads. Show multiple aspects of your event in a single ad. Each card might feature a different headliner, food vendor, or experience. Carousel ads also work well for showcasing ticket tiers and what each includes.
Single image ads. A strong photograph with a compelling headline and clear call to action. Keep the text minimal and the image high-quality.
Messaging strategies
Match your messaging to the audience segment. For general visitors, lead with the event's unique selling point: what makes it special. For cart abandoners, lead with urgency: limited tickets, price increases, or approaching deadlines. For past attendees, lead with what is new: new acts, new features, or improvements based on feedback.
Include social proof where possible. "Over 3,000 tickets sold" or "Rated 4.8 stars by last year's attendees" builds confidence and creates fear of missing out. For more on using attendee feedback in your marketing, see our guide on using testimonials and reviews to sell tickets.
Budget and bidding
Remarketing campaigns typically cost less per click than prospecting campaigns (ads shown to cold audiences) because the audience is smaller and more qualified. Even a modest budget of £5 to £10 per day can be effective for remarketing, since you are only targeting people who have already visited your site.
On Meta, use the "conversions" campaign objective and optimise for ticket purchases. This tells Meta's algorithm to show your ads to the people within your remarketing audience who are most likely to complete a purchase.
Set frequency caps to avoid annoying your audience. Seeing the same ad fifteen times in a week feels intrusive and can create negative associations with your brand. A frequency of three to five impressions per person per week is generally appropriate.
Timing your remarketing campaigns
Start your remarketing campaigns as soon as you have enough pixel data (typically a few hundred website visitors) and run them continuously until the event sells out or the event date arrives.
Increase your budget and ad frequency during key moments: lineup announcements, price tier changes, and the final week before the event. These are the moments when people are most responsive to a reminder.
Exclude people who have already purchased tickets. There is no point (and some annoyance) in showing ads to people who have already bought. Use your purchase tracking event to create an exclusion audience.
Privacy and consent
Remarketing relies on cookies and tracking, which means you need to comply with UK data protection regulations. Your website must have a cookie consent mechanism that allows visitors to accept or decline tracking cookies. If someone declines, the pixel should not fire.
Be transparent in your privacy policy about how you use tracking pixels and remarketing. This is not just a legal requirement but also good practice for maintaining trust with your audience.
Measuring results
Track the key metrics for each remarketing campaign: impressions, clicks, click-through rate, cost per click, conversions (ticket purchases), cost per conversion, and return on ad spend. Compare these metrics across your different audience segments to see which are most profitable.
Use attribution windows appropriate for event ticket purchases. Someone might see your ad on Monday, think about it, and buy on Thursday. A seven-day click attribution window captures these delayed conversions.
Remarketing is not a replacement for other marketing channels. It works best as the closer: the final push that converts interest into action. Combine it with strong organic content, email marketing, and the promotional strategies outlined in our guide on creating a content calendar for event promotion. Together, these channels create a system where awareness leads to interest, interest leads to website visits, and remarketing converts those visits into ticket sales. Read our article on launch day marketing strategies for tips on maximising your sales during peak moments.
