Google Analytics remarketing lists go cross-device May 15

Last September, Google announced it would start using signed-in user data to enable retargeting across devices on the Google Display Network. Starting May 15, audience lists created in Google Analytics will start using that data.

Google has started showing the following alert in Google Analytics:

Starting May 15, 2017, all properties using Remarketing with Google Analytics will be enhanced to take advantage of new cross-device functionality. This is an important update to your remarketing settings, which may relate to your privacy policy.

The change means that advertisers will be able to show ads to users who visited their sites on one device on another device when signed in, just as Facebook and other platforms have long been doing. Google had been relying on cookies and mobile IDs for retargeting, which don’t carry across devices.

The shift also means advertisers should think differently about frequency capping and message sequencing in their campaigns, now that they’ll be able to reach users across mobile, desktop and tablet.

Advertisers should review their privacy policies regarding data collection and consider how this change might impact bidding, device targeting and messaging in their Google display campaigns.