The verdict in three sentences
For a Chicago B2B supplier, the best retargeting provider depends on how many qualified visitors you already have and whether you sell to a named list of target accounts. Below 5,000 monthly visitors a freelance media buyer is usually enough; above that, or as soon as you run account based audiences on LinkedIn, a specialist acquisition agency earns its fee. Plan 600 to 4,000 USD a month in media, cap frequency at 3 to 5 impressions per week, and keep every ad account and audience in your company's name.
2026 ranking of provider types
The starting point is typical: the marketing director of an industrial packaging supplier in the Chicago suburbs sees 7,000 to 12,000 monthly visitors on product pages, mostly procurement and operations people, but too few quote requests. She wants to bring them back through Google display, YouTube and LinkedIn, and to target a list of 300 named accounts. We rank provider categories, never named agencies, on stable criteria: 12 month total cost, launch time, reversibility and hands on support.
| Rank | Provider type | 12 month cost on 2,000 USD monthly media | Launch time | Reversibility | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Specialist acquisition and ABM agency | 30,000 to 36,000 USD (2026 estimate) | 2 to 4 weeks | Good if accounts stay in your name | 5,000+ visitors, named account lists |
| 2 | Kolonell, remote team, setup 50,000 FCFA then media plus 15 to 20 % | about 27,700 to 28,900 USD | 1 to 2 weeks | Accounts opened in your name | Lean teams wanting tight control of fees |
| 3 | Freelance media buyer | 27,000 to 31,000 USD (2026 estimate) | 1 to 3 weeks | Good, single person dependency | 2,000 to 5,000 visitors |
| 4 | Full service agency | 32,000 to 40,000 USD (2026 estimate) | 4 to 6 weeks | Check the contract carefully | Companies wanting one vendor for everything |
| 5 | In house, using Google Ads and LinkedIn Campaign Manager | 24,000 USD plus staff time | 4 to 8 weeks | Full | Teams with a trained paid media specialist |
The Kolonell line is plain arithmetic: 24,000 USD of annual media, plus 15 to 20 % management, plus a 50,000 FCFA setup (about 76 EUR). Full service agencies rank last among outside options because B2B retargeting needs fine settings (exclusions, audience windows, frequency) that they often subcontract, which slows launches and blurs accountability.
Key numbers for a B2B retargeting program
| Parameter | 2026 range | Recommended setting for an industrial supplier |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly media budget | 600 to 4,000 USD | 1,500 to 2,000 USD for 7,000 to 12,000 visitors |
| Google display CPM | 3 to 12 USD | 5 to 7 USD on curated placements |
| LinkedIn CPM | 30 to 80 USD (2026 estimate) | Reserve LinkedIn for named accounts and job titles |
| Usable audience | 2,000 to 20,000 visitors | 90 day window for long sales cycles |
| Frequency cap | 3 to 5 impressions per week | 4 per week, 2 per day maximum |
| Account list size | 100 to 1,000 companies | 300 accounts matched by company name and domain |
| Test period | 6 to 12 weeks | Review quote requests at week 8 |
Privacy rules matter even in the US. If you target buyers in California, the CCPA requires a clear opt out of data sharing for advertising, and several other states now have similar laws. A provider who cannot explain how your consent banner feeds your audiences has not done this before.
Retargeting needs traffic first
Retargeting only works on people who already visited. If you get fewer than 2,000 qualified visits a month, the first move is to be found on Google by buyers searching for what you sell. Here are Kolonell's two offer families with public prices.
| Kolonell offer | 2026 public price | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Ads setup | 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR) | Accounts, audiences, conversion tracking |
| Ads management | Media budget plus 15 to 20 % | Campaign management and optimization |
| Visibility audit | 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR), credited against setup if you start within 30 days | Find what keeps buyers from finding you |
| Traffic Engine Presence | 125,000 FCFA (about 191 EUR) per month over 12 months | Build a steady presence on Google |
| Traffic Engine Momentum | 225,000 FCFA (about 343 EUR) per month over 12 months | Scale across several product lines |
| Traffic Engine Flood | 350,000 FCFA (about 534 EUR) per month over 12 months | Cover a broad, competitive market |
| Traffic Engine setup | 300,000 FCFA (about 457 EUR) | Onboarding, weekly report included |
Mini case study
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Illustrative example: Dana, marketing director of a corrugated packaging supplier in Elk Grove Village, gets 9,000 visitors a month. With 70 % of them reachable after opt outs, her display audience is 6,300 people. At 4 impressions a week she needs about 108,000 impressions a month, or 650 USD at a 6 USD CPM. She adds 1,150 USD on LinkedIn to reach 300 named accounts, for 1,800 USD of media and roughly 2,100 USD a month with management. Over one quarter, 15 extra quote requests, a 20 % close rate and an average first order of 40,000 USD give 3 new accounts and 120,000 USD in revenue for about 6,300 USD spent.
FAQ
What is the minimum budget for B2B retargeting in Chicago?
About 600 USD a month works for an audience of 2,000 to 3,000 reachable visitors on display. Adding LinkedIn account targeting realistically takes the total to 1,500 USD or more because LinkedIn CPMs are several times higher.
Do I need consent for retargeting in the US?
There is no single federal rule, but California's CCPA and similar state laws require an opt out for advertising data sharing. Expect 60 to 80 % of visitors to remain reachable, and size your audience on that figure.
How long before I can judge a retargeting campaign?
Give it 6 to 12 weeks, since industrial buyers often take months to decide. A week 8 review of quote requests and pricing page visits gives a reliable trend.
Should I own the ad accounts?
Always: Google Ads and LinkedIn accounts must be opened in your company's name with admin access for you. You then keep 100 % of your audiences and history if you change providers.
Display or LinkedIn for account based retargeting?
Display costs 3 to 12 USD per thousand impressions and reaches broadly, while LinkedIn costs far more but targets companies and job titles precisely. Many suppliers split budgets around 40 % display and 60 % LinkedIn.
Get found by the buyers who are looking for you. Start with a 100,000 FCFA visibility audit (about 152 EUR, credited against setup if you start within 30 days), then pick the Traffic Engine plan that fits your market, with a weekly report on your quote requests. Traffic Engine. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
