Google Ads Remarketing in 2026: Your Cookie-Proof Strategy for Customer Match, Demand Gen, RLSA and More

Is remarketing dead? Not exactly, but the old way of chasing users around the internet with low-quality banner ads certainly is. Relying on standard display campaigns for retargeting is way less effective than it used to be. In episode 102 of the Inside Google Ads podcast, host Jyll Saskin Gales explains why (and how) you need to pivot toward in-platform remarketing and first-party data to get better results.

She answers three listener questions that cover the essentials of your modern remarketing strategy. We discuss why you should likely ditch Display for Demand Gen, how Google actually prioritizes who sees your ads, and what to do when you see that "too small to serve" error in Audience Manager. Whether you are running B2B lead gen or high-volume ecommerce campaigns, this episode breaks down how to leverage Google's owned properties - like YouTube, Gmail, and Discover - to reconnect with your most valuable prospects.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why Display campaigns are often ineffective for remarketing and what to use instead
• The power of "In-Platform" audiences: Google-engaged audiences and YouTube remarketing
• How to use Customer Match to inform Smart Bidding, even if you can't target the list directly
• Understanding RLSA (Remarketing Lists for Search Ads) to improve ROAS and CPA
• How Google's algorithm prioritizes users in your remarketing lists based on intent, not time
• Troubleshooting the "Too Small to Serve" error and understanding active matched records

Do you have a question for Jyll? Drop a comment on Spotify, YouTube, or any of her social media posts, and she'll answer it for you in an upcoming episode.

You can get Inside Google Ads episode transcripts delivered to your inbox each week by signing up for free at https://free.jyll.ca/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode102

Google Ads Coaching
Need some expert help with your Google Ads strategy or optimizing your campaigns? Book a call with Jyll! Learn more at https://jyll.ca/pages/google-ads-coach?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode102

Inside Google Ads course
Join more than 400+ Google Ads practitioners in Jyll's Inside Google Ads membership course. You'll find up-to-date Google Ads tutorials, and you can ask Jyll your questions at an exclusive live video call every single month. Learn more at https://learn.jyll.ca/iga?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode102

Resources mentioned in this episode
Google-Engaged Audience: Worry-Free Remarketing, Or A Waste Of Money? [Search Engine Journal] https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-engaged-audience-worry-free-remarketing-or-a-waste-of-money/561628/

Read more about this topic on Jyll's Google Ads Blog

Should you upload your customer list in Google Ads? (Customer Match) https://learn.jyll.ca/blog/should-you-upload-your-customer-list-in-google-ads-customer-match?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode102

Google Ads Remarketing: The Ultimate Guide to Retargeting https://learn.jyll.ca/blog/google-ads-remarketing-the-ultimate-guide-to-retargeting?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode102

Google Ads RLSA: How to Retarget Your Search Campaigns https://learn.jyll.ca/blog/google-ads-rlsa-how-to-retarget-your-search-campaigns?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=episode102

Follow Jyll on social media
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jyllsaskingales
https://www.youtube.com/@the_google_pro
https://www.instagram.com/the_google_pro
https://www.threads.net/@the_google_pro