Audience Targeting Without Cookies: 5 Retargeting Strategies That Convert

Third-party cookies are fading fast. Safari and Firefox blocked them years ago, and Chrome's Privacy Sandbox introduced consent frameworks that undermine signal reliability. For marketers who've relied on cookie-based retargeting to close deals and drive conversions, the change feels like watching your best tool get taken away.

But cookieless audience targeting doesn't mean less effective retargeting. We've built cookieless audience targeting solutions that help advertisers reach over 90% of U.S. households using first-party data, device observations, location signals, and CRM matching. 

The five retargeting workflows below maintain precision while improving match rates and compliance. Each strategy works independently or layered together for sequential campaigns. No cookies required.

Cookieless Audience Targeting at a Glance

Cookieless retargeting relies on privacy-safe signals: first-party data from your CRM, anonymized device IDs captured through real-world observations, location-based audience building, and server-side conversion tracking. You get stronger GDPR and CCPA compliance, more accurate cross-device attribution, and cleaner data pipelines.

The five workflows below cover website visitor retargeting, location-based targeting, event attendee re-engagement, CRM list activation, and cross-channel sequencing. Each works independently or layered together for multi-touch campaigns. All five activate through consented, deterministic signals, with no cookies required.

Why Cookieless Retargeting Works Better Than Cookie-Based Methods

Cookie-based retargeting faces critical limitations. Browsers block third-party cookies by default, reducing match rates to 31–45% in typical campaigns, according to industry studies. Cross-device tracking fails when users switch between mobile and desktop. Privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA impose strict consent requirements that cookie-based systems struggle to meet.

Deterministic signals solve these problems. Device observations from physical locations, CRM data matched to household devices, and IP-to-device conversion create more consistent audience connections across channels. The data is cleaner, and privacy preferences are respected, so compliance stops being a minefield

Privacy-first retargeting strategies also improve campaign performance. When you target based on real-world behavior rather than browser history, you reach targeted audiences with demonstrated purchase intent. Location visits, CRM status, and device observations signal buying readiness more reliably than fragmented browser histories.

Related: What Is Cookieless Marketing? A Guide to the Future of Advertising

5 Cookieless Retargeting Workflows

Each workflow solves a specific challenge: reclaiming abandoned demand, extending post-event momentum, reactivating lapsed customers, or conquering competitor audiences. Use them individually or layer them for sequential campaigns.

1. Website Visitor Retargeting (IP-to-Device Conversion)

How It Works

Web pixels capture visitor IP addresses and match them to mobile device IDs. Once matched, you can activate website retargeting audiences across mobile, display, and CTV. IP targeting vs cookie targeting comes down to deterministic data vs probabilistic matching.

Real-World Application

• E-commerce brands retarget abandoned cart visitors across mobile apps. 
• B2B companies like REITs re-engage prospects who browsed location pages but didn't request a meeting. 
• Lead gen campaigns nurture visitors who downloaded a whitepaper but haven't converted to a sales conversation.

Implementation Considerations

Match rates typically fall between 40-60%, depending on your data provider and traffic quality. Privacy compliance requires hashed IPs and clear GDPR/CCPA consent mechanisms. 

Learning how to retarget website visitors effectively means combining website visitor retargeting with CRM data to focus on higher-intent segments rather than all site traffic. 

See how a regional bank achieved 11.8% CTR and 75% landing page conversion using multi-channel retargeting.

2. Location-Based Retargeting (Geoframing)

How It Works

Draw precise geofences around physical locations (stores, events, competitor locations). Identify visitor device IDs with lookback windows extending up to six months. Location-based retargeting lets you reach those devices across digital channels days, weeks, or months after the initial visit.

Real-World Application

• Retailers target competitor store visitors with conquest messaging. 
• Event marketers re-engage trade show attendees weeks after the conference ends through event retargeting. 
• Quick-service restaurants use mobile retargeting to reach drive-thru visitors with limited-time offers when they're most likely to convert.

Implementation Considerations

Polygon accuracy matters. Use rooftop boundaries rather than radius targeting to avoid capturing irrelevant traffic. Dwell time filters remove drive-by devices and focus on genuine visitors who spent meaningful time at the location. Device IDs are anonymized throughout the process, so no personal data gets collected or stored. 

See how Raising Cane's drove 176,640 visits by targeting competitor location visitors.

3. Event Attendee Retargeting

How It Works

Geoframe event venues (conferences, rallies, concerts, sporting events) during event dates/times. Collect device IDs of attendees. Event attendee retargeting captures the most qualified prospects at peak engagement, targeting highly engaged audiences at the moment they're most interested, something standard location targeting can't match.

Real-World Application

• B2B brands follow up with conference attendees who visited their booth or attended keynote sessions. 
• Political campaigns continue messaging to rally attendees in key districts. 
• Entertainment venues promote upcoming shows to past concert-goers who've already demonstrated interest in similar events.

Implementation Considerations

For multi-day events, frame each day separately or combine them for comprehensive reach, depending on how attendance patterns vary. 

Focus geofences on registration areas and session spaces rather than parking lots to capture genuine participants. Use sequential retargeting to activate campaigns immediately post-event while engagement and recall remain fresh. Event-based audience targeting captures genuine attendees for follow-up campaigns across display, CTV, and direct mail. 

See how Fort Desolation Fest used event targeting to drive $5K in ticket sales.

4. CRM List Retargeting (Address-to-Device Matching)

How It Works

Match customer addresses from your CRM to household device IDs. CRM retargeting activates personalized campaigns across mobile, CTV, display, and social channels using first-party data targeting (customer information you already own converted into addressable reach).

Real-World Application

• E-commerce companies run win-back campaigns for customers who haven't purchased in 90 days. 
• Financial services firms cross-sell new products to existing account holders. 
• Subscription services re-engage churned subscribers with special offers designed to bring them back.

Implementation Considerations

Match rates range from 70-80%, depending on data hygiene and the age of addresses. Privacy compliance requires clear opt-in language in your privacy policies. Segment your CRM data by lifecycle stage to personalize messaging based on where customers are in their journey. Learn more about first-party data activation for CRM-based audience targeting.

See how Panera Bread used CRM matchback to verify 4.5% visit lift and sales increase.

5. Cross-Channel Sequential Retargeting

How It Works

Layer multiple cookieless signals over time through cross-channel retargeting. Start with awareness campaigns using contextual display, move to consideration with CRM retargeting, and close with conversion-focused offers using location-based audiences. Unified frequency capping across all touchpoints prevents ad fatigue and maintains a consistent user experience.

Real-World Application

• Omnichannel advertisers run digital awareness campaigns, retarget engaged users on mobile, then measure in-store visits. 
• Multi-touch B2B campaigns target content engagers, retarget webinar attendees, then coordinate with sales outreach. 
• Political campaigns reach issue-aware voters, retarget event attendees, then mobilize for get-out-the-vote efforts.

Implementation Considerations

Define attribution windows for each channel based on typical conversion timelines. Digital touchpoints might use seven-day lookback windows, while location-based signals could extend to 30 days. 

Tailor creative messaging to match the customer journey stage. Cookieless attribution connects all touchpoints through unified measurement to understand how each contributes to the final conversion. 

See how a QSR chain increased foot traffic 280% using layered audience tactics across mobile and CTV.

Measuring Cookieless Retargeting Performance

Proving incrementality and validating real-world impact requires transparent measurement. Track reach, impressions, cost per visit, visitation lift, and conversions through geo-lift testing, incrementality analysis, and server-side conversion tracking.

Avoid black-box measurement models that obscure how campaigns perform. Transparent reporting shows exactly which touchpoints drive results, how audiences move through your funnel, and where to optimize spend for better ROI in your retargeting strategies.

The Path Forward for Cookieless Retargeting

Cookieless audience targeting isn't a workaround, it's a better foundation for precision marketing. The five workflows above deliver what cookie-based retargeting never could: consistent cross-device reach, privacy compliance by design, and deterministic signals that reflect real-world behavior.

Key takeaways:

• Website visitor retargeting maintains 40-60% match rates using IP-to-device conversion, offering a direct path to re-engage abandoned traffic across channels.
• Location-based retargeting extends campaign windows up to six months, turning past visits into future opportunities through precise geoframing.
• Event attendee retargeting captures peak engagement moments, targeting prospects when intent is highest and recall is freshest.
• CRM list retargeting activates your first-party data with 70-80% match rates, connecting customer addresses to household devices for personalized, addressable campaigns.
• Cross-channel sequential retargeting layers these signals over time, creating multi-touch campaigns that guide prospects from awareness to conversion without fragmentation.

Each strategy works independently. Combined, they create a cookieless retargeting engine that outperforms cookie-dependent alternatives while respecting privacy preferences and regulatory requirements.

Ready to activate cookieless audiences?

OnSpot's audience targeting platform enables all five workflows: cookieless IP-to-device matching for website visitors, geoframing technology with 0.11-meter accuracy for location-based audiences, first-party data targeting for CRM activation, and unified cross-channel measurement. 

Start with one workflow, validate performance, then layer additional strategies for sequential campaigns that drive measurable results. Contact us to launch a 30-day pilot.