Google Ads

Your Retargeting Windows Are Probably Too Long

A 30-day retargeting window made sense when attribution was generous. It doesn’t anymore. Here’s how to right-size it.

Long retargeting windows used to be a safe default. With shorter attribution lookbacks and tighter privacy constraints, a 30-day window often just burns budget on cold-by-then traffic.

What the data shows

Across the accounts I manage, the marginal conversion rate of retargeting impressions drops sharply after day 10-14 for most consumer categories.

A better default

Start with a 7-day window and a separate 14-30 day window at a fraction of the bid, rather than one blended audience treated the same way regardless of recency.

Edited & Reviewed by Anil Veeramaneni
Performance Marketer

I work across Google Ads, Meta Ads, CRO, and analytics. At GrowthPulp, I review and break down what actually happens inside campaigns, what marketers often miss, and how to make better paid media decisions.