Small businesses often struggle to maximize their marketing budget while targeting users most likely to convert. Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSA) offer a powerful solution—letting you show ads only to people who’ve visited your site before and are actively searching relevant terms again.
For growth-focused Long Island businesses, this means smarter PPC (Pay-Per-Click) spend and higher conversion potential. In a PPC model, advertisers pay each time their ad is clicked. Business Nucleus leverages RLSA daily to help local brands re-engage visitors and turn interest into action.
What Is RLSA and How Does It Work?
RLSA enables Google Ads remarketing campaigns to serve search ads specifically to users who previously visited your website and then conduct a related search.
This Google Ads remarketing strategy is different from traditional display remarketing, which uses banner ads to follow users across the web. Instead, it targets high-intent users on Google Search.
This approach is especially beneficial for service-driven businesses such as HVAC companies, law firms, and dental practices located on Long Island.
Why RLSA Matters for Small Businesses
Better Results for Known Visitors
These features are particularly valuable to Long Island businesses competing for attention in crowded markets:
- Increased relevance and conversions: By targeting users familiar with your brand, RLSA campaigns typically yield higher CTRs and conversion rates.
- More efficient ad spend: You avoid paying for clicks from cold or uninterested users.
- Personalized ad messaging and smart bidding strategies: Customize bids and ad copy for users who have already taken interest—boosting ROI.
Example: A Long Island law firm retargets visitors who viewed their DWI page and search again for “DWI lawyer near me.” With higher bids and tailored copy (“Been here before? Let’s get you the results you need”), conversions spike.
Key Benefits for Long Island Businesses
Efficient Ad Spend
Only paying when someone has shown prior interest means every click is more qualified.
Flexible Bidding
Bid higher for users who abandoned intent-rich pages like appointment forms—while scaling back on others.
Custom Ad Messaging
Ads referencing specific services (e.g., “Back for a dental cleaning?”) resonate better with returning visitors.
Hyper-Local Precision
Pair RLSA with geo-targeting across Long Island neighborhoods to reach exactly your ideal audience.
How to Set Up RLSA (Step-by-Step)
1. Add Google Remarketing Tag
Use Google Ads or Analytics to install the remarketing tag across your site. This allows data collection for audience segmentation.
2. Build Your Audience Lists
Create lists such as past visitors, blog readers, or those who abandoned forms/products. Google requires a minimum of 1,000 users per list before using it in search campaigns.
3. Apply Lists to a Search Campaign
You can choose two modes:
- Observation: Monitor behavior and data without restricting who sees your ads—ideal for initial testing.
- Targeting: Ads only serve to users on the remarketing list when they search your keywords.
Most Long Island SMBs start in Observation to gather audience data before switching to Targeting once performance is clear.
4. Launch and Monitor
Begin with Observation mode, collect data, and refine bids and ad copy. Business Nucleus clients receive real-time dashboards and expert consulting for ongoing optimization.
Best Practices & Pro Tips for RLSA Success
- Start in Observation Mode: Use this lower-risk phase to test audience behavior and bid performance before committing.
- Segment Audiences by Behavior: Distinguish between blog readers, service page visitors, and cart/form abandoners.
- Use Broad & Exact Keywords Strategically: Broad match can uncover unexpected traffic in remarketing audiences, while exact match ensures precision for high-intent users.
- A/B Test Ad Variations: Tailor copy and offer messaging per segment—e.g., urgency, discounts, testimonials.
- Exclude Existing Customers: Prevent wasted spend by creating an audience of known customers and excluding them from acquisition campaigns.
Case Study: Local RLSA Success Story
A Long Island HVAC company looking to increase service appointments and lower cost-per-lead partnered with Business Nucleus to launch an RLSA campaign:
List Segments: Service page visitors, people who accessed the “Schedule Service” form but didn’t submit.
Strategy: Begin with Observation mode and modest bid adjustments. As the list grew, shift to Targeting mode to improve precision.
Results:
- CPC lowered by 45%
- Conversion rate increased by 60%
- Monthly leads doubled within 2 months
This integrated strategy—combining RLSA, geo-targeting, and tailored messaging—delivered strong ROI in a competitive local market.
“Working with Business Nucleus has been a game changer. We saw results almost immediately, and the increase in leads helped us scale our operations faster than expected,” said the owner of the HVAC company.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these pitfalls to get the most from your RLSA campaigns:
- Skipping audience segmentation and using generic messaging. Remedy: Create separate lists for different behaviors (e.g., blog readers vs. form abandoners) and tailor your messaging to each.
- Failing to meet the 1,000-user list minimum. Remedy: Use broader targeting and longer time windows to build your list faster.
- Ignoring performance metrics and not implementing regular optimization. Remedy: Set a schedule to review performance weekly and make data-driven bid and copy adjustments.
- Launching in Targeting mode right away—without data gathering—which may limit reach or skew results. Remedy: Begin in Observation mode to test performance and gather insights before narrowing your targeting.
Why Business Nucleus Is Your Ideal RLSA Partner
Business Nucleus brings national-level expertise to your Long Island digital marketing strategy, helping you compete and win in your local market. With over 15 years of proven success and recognition, such as the 2024 & 2025 Best of Long Island Award for Digital Web Services, we offer:
- Complete setup of RLSA campaigns, segmented audience building, and optimized ad copy
- Integrated support: combining SEO, lead generation, web design, and PPC to maximize your PPC strategy results
- Data-driven consulting—A/B tests, bid adjustments, and ongoing improvements after launch
Turn High-Intent Visitors into Paying Customers
Remarketing Lists for Search Ads are a high-impact, cost-effective way for Long Island small businesses to convert high-intent site visitors more efficiently. By retargeting users who’ve shown interest and combining local targeting with personalized messaging, RLSA campaigns drive superior ROI and measurable growth.
Ready to capture more value from your website traffic?
📞 Call us at 516-388-7100 or 💬 drop us a message to schedule your free strategy consultation and discover how RLSA can transform your PPC strategy on Long Island.
High-intent visitors are ready to act—don’t miss the opportunity to engage. Let us help you turn their interest into results.