What changed in Meta advertising?
Meta has steadily moved its campaigns toward automation with Advantage+, where the system chooses audiences, placements and budget across ad sets (Meta Business). Detailed targeting still exists, but it works more like a suggestion than a limit.
The practical effect is that the creative now plays the role targeting used to play: a video made for restaurant owners ends up reaching restaurant owners because they are the ones who stop to watch it. Several industry guides agree on this point (Verde Media).
Which formats work best?
- Vertical 9:16 video for Reels and Stories, which is the format Meta recommends for those placements (Meta, ads guide).
- A hook in the first few seconds: show the problem or the result right away, not the logo.
- Always use captions, because many people watch with the sound off.
- Native-looking pieces: shot on a phone, with real people, explaining something specific. They tend to perform better than a studio piece that looks like an ad.
- Carousels to show steps, product options or a before and after.
Be careful not to overuse generated images that look artificial. In Hootsuite’s 2026 trends report, more than 30% of consumers said they are less likely to choose a brand whose ads are clearly made with AI (summary of the Hootsuite report).
How many creatives do I need?
More than you think, but not an endless number. A good starting point is to test three to five different concepts (a problem, a testimonial, a demo, an offer) with two or three hook variations each. The system can only optimize among what you give it: if all the pieces are similar, it learns little.
Refresh your creatives when you see frequency going up and cost per result getting worse, instead of waiting for the campaign to stop working.
How long should I wait before changing anything?
Every ad set goes through a learning phase. Meta says it needs around 50 optimization events within a seven-day period to stabilize (Meta Business Help Center). Some accounts already show lower thresholds, so check what your Ads Manager says. Major changes to budget, audience or creative restart that learning.
If your budget can’t reach 50 conversions a week, optimize for an earlier event in the funnel (for example, a conversation started or a form submitted) and consolidate ad sets instead of splitting the budget into many small ones.
How do I measure whether the campaign works?
- Install the Meta Pixel and the Conversions API so you don’t lose data.
- Set an acceptable cost per customer before you start, based on how much a customer is worth to your business.
- Look at results by creative, not just by campaign: that way you know which message sells.
- Compare against your actual sales or your CRM, not just what the platform reports.
In short
- The creative decides who your ad reaches.
- Prioritize vertical video, an immediate hook and captions.
- Test several concepts with a few variations of each.
- Respect the learning phase before changing everything.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I spend to get started?
Enough for each ad set to collect data for two or three weeks. With small budgets, a single campaign with a few ad sets and several creatives works best.
Instagram or Facebook?
With automatic placements, Meta splits delivery between the two based on where it performs better. Design with Reels and Stories in mind and let the system decide.
Is interest-based targeting still useful?
It's useful as an initial signal, especially for new accounts. Over time, conversion data carries more weight than interests.
Can I advertise in another country from Argentina?
Yes. You can choose the countries where your ads are shown and pay in dollars. It's best to have the landing page in your audience's language.
How often should I change my creatives?
Review them once a week. When a piece loses performance consistently, replace it with a new variation of the concept that worked best.
Answers from the AiDo Creative teamPaid social
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