Facebook Ads - The fall of Interest Targeting and Rise of Ad Creatives

Interest targeting, once hailed as the holy grail of audience segmentation in Facebook Ads, is now, mostly dead.

In its place, a new government reigns supreme: ad creatives & ad copy.

Not that these were never un-important, but in recent years it has become the only variable that makes a difference between good and great.

At our agency, we've heavily tested this new paradigm shift. We put against each other Advantage+ and interest-based targeting.

90% of the time the new Advantage+ wins.

However, there is still room for interest targeting.

Don't take my word for it. Test it. Then test more. 

Testing is still key in marketing!

What this means shift for marketing agencies and advertisers?

On one hand, business owners need to understand that ad creative and ad copy are the utmost important.

Find marketing partners who understand this. Search for agencies who are both analytical and creative.

You need a partner who understands performance metrics and who can create and test creatives.

This includes ad copy, as well.

On the other hand, marketing agencies need to shift their focus from audience testing to ad creative and ad copy testing.

The "new age" agency model is a mix of creative production testing against certain performance metrics, rather than audience segmentation.

How marketers should approach Meta ads as of 2024

There are 3 fundamentals, we marketers, need to understand:

Create Ads Aligned with Your Buyer Persona

Focus now lies in crafting ads that resonate deeply with your buyer.

Understanding the intricacies of your target audience is paramount, allowing you to tailor your messaging to speak directly to their needs, desires, and pain points.

Embrace Advantage+ Targeting

The only constant in Facebook Ads since I started working with this ad platform is CHANGE.

In 2014, a basic white background product showcase was enough to run ads, as there were small amounts of ads, and few advertisers on the platform.

In 2024, manual audience segmentation and interests targeting is drawing to a close. The machine learning and AI driven "Advantage+ Package" by Meta, simplifies the process and helps advertisers to find their audience.

The funnel is changing, too!

Now, with the audience segmentation controls like 'Existing Customers' and 'Engaged Audience' the traditional 

3-Step Funnel (top, middle, bottom) is breaking up.

It seems we are transitioning into a more simple 2 step approach: interested audience (cold) and existing audience (customers).

There is still room for a middle, those who interacted with your ads or content but not yet became customers. This could be considered middle (warm) audience.

But in the Ads Manager this audience is considered "Engaged Audience", basically who is still not a customer.

By understanding these, advertisers can maximize their reach while minimizing unnecessary complexity.

Remember, success lies not in uncovering secret targeting and niche audiences but rather in forging authentic connections with your customers.

Ad creatives and copy are the essential pillars through which these connections are forged, breathing life into your campaigns and sparking genuine engagement from your audience.

Conclusion

Ad creatives aren't merely important—they're indispensable in 2024.

As interest targeting fades into obscurity, advertisers must adapt to this new paradigm, embracing the power of compelling ad creatives to drive success in their Facebook ad campaigns.

Those who are one step ahead and dare to prioritize creative testing, will emerge victorious, leaving their competition behind.