Meta Ad Remarketing Explained!

When it comes to orthodontic marketing, there’s a hard truth that many practices overlook: 97% of first-time website visitors never take action! They might click your ad, scroll your homepage, or browse your before-and-after gallery but most won’t book a consultation. In healthcare especially, those decisions take time.

“Most marketing budgets focus on chasing new traffic,” explains Arash Shoushtari, Director of Digital Advertising at People + Practice. “But the real opportunity lies with the people who already know your brand and just aren’t ready yet.”

That’s where Meta remarketing comes in. By focusing on Facebook and Instagram, the two most-used social platforms in the U.S., orthodontic practices can stay visible to potential patients who’ve already shown interest. Maybe they visited your site last week, clicked on an ad, or liked a post. Remarketing brings your message back to those same people while they’re still deciding.

Research shows it can take seven to ten touchpoints before someone books a consultation. Remarketing fills that gap, keeping your practice top-of-mind during that decision window. And because you’re targeting an audience that already knows you, these campaigns are typically lower cost and more effective than cold outreach.

“Our remarketing clients regularly see 25 to 40 percent lower costs per result compared to cold traffic,” said Shoushtari. “It’s one of the most efficient, budget-friendly strategies we run.”

One practice, Sharp Orthodontics, saw a 34 percent higher click-through rate and 33 percent lower cost-per-result simply by retargeting past visitors. Others, like Star Orthodontics and Marion Smile Center, saw engagement climb by more than 20 percent with little to no increase in cost.

Click here if you want to take advantage of remarketing for your practice!

There’s one important caveat, however: compliance matters. Meta remarketing relies on behavioral targeting, which means you can’t use actual patient data or any identifiable information. Every campaign must be HIPAA-safe and built using de-identified targeting.

“That’s where most general agencies get it wrong,” Shoushtari warned. “If you’re in healthcare, you need a partner who understands both digital advertising and compliance.”

To see how remarketing fits into a larger growth strategy, watch our webinar: “2025 Orthodontic Marketing Trends You Can’t Afford to Miss.”