Meta’s ads are getting more automatic. Here’s what to keep control of

Every few months Meta gives its automated campaign options (the Advantage+ settings) a little more say over who sees your ads, where they show and which version runs. For a small business with a small budget, that’s often a good thing. The system has far more data than any of us.

But automation only optimises what you give it. Hand it a weak offer and blurry creative, and it will very efficiently find people who don’t care.

The four things to keep in your hands

1. The offer. Why someone should act this week, not someday.
2. The creative. Real people, real product, first second that earns the second one.
3. The area. A café in Brunswick doesn’t need clicks from Perth.
4. The tracking. If a booking or enquiry isn’t being counted, the system is optimising blind.

Let Meta handle the dials. You handle the reasons people buy.