Meta ads optimization is LITERAL. Accept this and strategies become clearer. You know how this can help and hurt you. Here’s what I mean by that…
When you select a performance goalThe Performance Goal is chosen within the ad set and determines optimization and delivery. How you optimize impacts who sees your ad. Meta will show your ad to people most likely to perform your desired action. More in the ad setAn ad set is a Facebook ads grouping where settings like targeting, scheduling, optimization, and placement are determined. More, the algorithm’s entire focus is getting you as many of that thing as possible.
It’s not trying to get you a certain type of link click or landing page view or ThruPlay. The only goal is to get you that thing and make you happy.
Many advertisers try to trick the algorithm. They optimize for link clicksThe link click metric measures all clicks on links that drive users to properties on and off of Facebook. More or landing page viewsLanding Page View is a Facebook ads metric that represents when people land on your destination URL after clicking a link in your ad. More because they know that X% of people who visit their website convert. They assume that traffic sent when optimizing for link clicks and landing page views acts like normal traffic.
But, these people may do nothing else. The algorithm does not care. And it will load you up with that surface-level action if you ask for it.
If you want purchases, optimize for purchases.
If you want high-value purchases, optimize for Value.
If you want leads, optimize for leads.
If you want high-value leads, optimize for conversion leads.
And if you want bots, accidental clicks, and low-quality engagement, optimize for just about anything else.
Because Meta is literal, and when you optimize for those things, the assumption is that you are satisfied with that surface-level action.
Understand this and you’re on your way.
