Retargeting is an essential strategy for driving conversions, but it traditionally relies on the Facebook Pixel to track website visitors. However, what if you don’t have the Pixel set up or are working with a platform that doesn’t support it? Don’t worry! You can still implement retargeting strategies on Facebook without using the Pixel. Here’s how:

1. Use Facebook Engagement Custom Audiences

Facebook allows you to retarget users based on their interactions with your Facebook or Instagram content. This is known as an Engagement Custom Audience and can be a powerful alternative to the Pixel.

You can retarget users who:

• Watched a specific percentage of your videos.
• Engaged with your posts, including likes, comments, and shares.
• Visited or interacted with your Facebook Page or Instagram profile.
• Messaged your page on Messenger.

To create an engagement-based custom audience:

• Go to Facebook Ads Manager.
• Click on Audiences, then select Create Audience.
• Choose Custom Audience and then Facebook Page, Instagram Account, or Video.
• Define the time range and engagement type.
• Name and save the audience for future use in your campaigns.

2. Retarget Users Who Have Engaged with Your Facebook or Instagram Ads

If you’re running Facebook or Instagram ads, you can retarget people who have already engaged with those ads. This works similarly to retargeting website visitors but doesn’t require a Pixel.

Steps to create this audience:

• Navigate to Ads Manager.
• Select Create Audience > Custom Audience.
• Choose Engagement, then pick Ad Engagement.
• Define how you want to retarget (e.g., people who clicked on your ads, watched your videos, etc.).

This method allows you to capture users who are already familiar with your brand through ads and target them with more relevant content.

3. Utilize Customer Lists

Another powerful way to retarget on Facebook without a Pixel is by uploading your customer list. This feature allows you to import contact data such as email addresses or phone numbers to create a custom audience.

To use customer lists:

• Go to Audiences in Facebook Ads Manager.
• Choose Custom Audience, then select Customer List.
• Upload your contact list, and Facebook will match those contacts with their Facebook profiles (if available).
• You can then target these users with tailored ads.

Be sure to comply with Facebook’s policies and have permission to use your customer data for advertising.

4. Leverage Lookalike Audiences

Once you’ve created a custom audience through engagement or a customer list, you can go one step further and build Lookalike Audiences. Facebook uses machine learning to find new users who share similar traits to those in your custom audiences.

To create a lookalike audience:

• Go to Audiences.
• Select Lookalike Audience and choose your custom audience as the source.
• Set the audience size (1%-10% similarity) and geographical location.
• Facebook will find users similar to your best customers or the most engaged audience.

Conclusion

While the Facebook Pixel is a useful tool, it’s not the only way to retarget on Facebook. By leveraging Engagement Custom Audiences, customer lists, and lookalike audiences, you can effectively reach potential customers and drive conversions on facebook without relying on a pixel.