Retargeting broken? Here's how to fix it

Retargeting is one of the most powerful but misunderstood tactics in digital marketing. Too often, it's broken and marketers don't even know it.

In this episode, I sit down with Paul Kovalski, head of marketing at Self Financial and host of the Efficient Spend podcast. Paul has driven more than $200M in revenue through paid media, and he brings a unique perspective on what really works in retargeting.

We talk about:

• The difference between paid and unpaid retargeting

• Why incrementality is the key metric that most marketers miss

• How fintech retargeting is different from retail or e-commerce

• Why sometimes education beats the hard sell

• The role of automation, MMPs, CDPs, and real-time audience updates

• The hidden risks of “set it and forget it” automated campaigns

If you’ve ever wondered whether your retargeting spend is truly moving the needle — or just padding platform reports — this conversation is for you.

00:00 Introduction to Marketing and Retargeting

00:29 Meet Paul Kovalski

01:34 The Goal of Retargeting in FinTech

01:58 Paid vs. Unpaid Retargeting Strategies

04:05 Infrastructure for Paid Retargeting

05:38 Effective Messaging and Creative Strategies

07:01 Measuring Incrementality in Retargeting

08:16 Challenges and Considerations in Retargeting

10:10 Impact of iOS Changes on Retargeting

11:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts