Best Practices for Running Facebook Ads in 2022

How Meta is changing Facebook ads targeting

Published in

Lightning Growth

5 min readFeb 21, 2022

Just when we thought all major changes to online advertising had run its course, Facebook announced the “metaverse,” the official melding of the physical and digital worlds into one. But what does this mean for advertisers? Few have come to understand how the metaverse will change the way we target audiences. As a platform that generates 97.9% of its global revenue from advertising, it’s vital to keep marketers in the loop. Luckily, there is still some time before Meta fully transforms the way we approach Facebook Ads. As it looks now, they are on track to becoming even more complicated and expensive in 2022.

Here’s the adjustments to Facebook ads in 2022

Facebook ads have undergone their fair share of changes since its official launch in 2007. In trend with recent years, 2022 will bring new challenges for advertisers looking to optimize in their respective markets. Effective January 19th, 2022, advertisers are no longer permitted to target users based on affiliation with the following categories:

Health
Ethnicity
Race
Sexual orientation
Religion
Political beliefs

Existing campaigns that were made prior to January 19th will stay intact until March 17th, 2022. You are permitted to make minor campaign changes like budget increases without influencing targeting as well. However, any modifications at the ad set level will directly impact audience changes. Keep this in mind as you’re developing new or existing ad campaigns in the next few months.

If you’re wondering why this Facebook ads update is happening, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The decision to scale target options stems from the mounting pressure to restructure the way social media exposes user data. Overall, more sensitive topics have been at risk of scrutiny, which is why more social media platforms are making this change.

How to prepare

Beyond the new logo and namesake, Facebook ads will require more work and better strategies to target audiences effectively. On average, mobile Facebook users spend 57 minutes a day online. This gives advertisers ample opportunity to reach their target audiences if the right strategies are used. That is why we’ve compiled a step-by-step process of the best practices for running Facebook ads in 2022:

Step 1: Review your ad strategy

Start fresh in the new year by reevaluating your advertising strategy. Last quarter left several marketers in a fight or flight response to holiday ad campaigns. Small businesses and even major retailers had to think creatively to reach target audiences, and unfortunately, that struggle will continue well into 2022. Now that the hustle and bustle of Q4 is behind us, take the time to sit down and compare your top-performing campaigns with the ones that fall short. To save time, use artificial intelligence to seed out the good from the bad. Within minutes, you’ll have a clearer understanding of which Facebook ads are working to your benefit.

Step 2: Distinguish your targeting criteria

After almost a year of adapting to iOS 14 restrictions, it’s time to reconsider the way you approach Facebook ads in 2022. With less people enabling tracking, marketers have to pay closer attention to the type of audiences they want to attract. What this entails is clearly defining core, custom, and lookalike audiences to optimize with better success.

Step 3: Try out Facebook Conversions API

Facebook knows all too well the challenges that 2022 marketers face. It’s not like the old days where user data was easily accessible and the level of reach was attainable for any industry. With that said, there are still methods to help improve your success. To make things easier, give Facebook Conversions API a try. It is designed to create a direct and reliable connection between marketing data, such as website events and offline conversions, to Meta’s platform.

The advantages for using Facebook Conversions API include:

Optimize ads for later actions (Ex: subscriptions)
Reduce cost per action with improved connectivity
Increase data control

Additionally, this method is especially beneficial for online retailers that utilize platforms like Shopify or BigCommerce.

Will metaverse affect Facebook Ads?

Right now that is the million dollar question. Even though there is still time before Facebook advertisers have to address the proposed metaverse, there is no doubt that Facebook Ads will become more expensive and difficult to implement in the future.

Here are the main setbacks to consider:

VR isn’t cheap

The idea of a virtual reality sparks the inner child in us all. I mean really, how cool is it to go to work, hang out with friends, and create a universe designed to your liking. The problem is virtual reality isn’t free. As many know, Facebook is a free social platform which attracts a large following. As a matter of fact, it is the second-most downloaded app in the world.

Sure, ads cost money. But because Facebook is free, you’re able to build a consumer base, not to mention, interact with that audience openly. For users to take part in the metaverse, they’ll have to buy expensive equipment just to enjoy the platform. This sounds disastrous for advertisers who already reap the benefits of free social media.

Targeting younger audiences

The metaverse plans to rebrand its Facebook user statistics as well. Even though 95% of the U.S. population over age 12 is aware that Facebook exists, that doesn’t mean they are interested. We’ve watched as video platforms have spiked to the top of user interest. Sadly, Facebook just can’t compete. Reports show that a projected 45% of teenage users will drop the platform in the next two years. How does Facebook plan to solve this? Narrow a ten-year plan that targets younger audiences. Introducing the metaverse is just the start.

How Lightning AI can help you

Navigating Facebook ads in 2022 is a challenge in itself. Now that we know what lies ahead, it’s important to stay adaptable and learn as you go. Lightning AI will effectively help your business target niche audiences using advanced AI metrics. We’ll make sure your marketing budget is best utilized for optimal performance. Don’t waste any more time on ineffective campaigns, let’s get started today!