A Simpler Ad Strategy is Better: 10 Ways You Hurt Results

Advertisers who resist automation and optimization often take the completely opposite approach. Here are 10 ways you overcomplicate things and hurt results…

The List

1. You use Traffic, Awareness, and Engagement campaigns. It’s not that these are never useful, but they often lead to low-quality results and don’t contribute the value that advertisers think.

2. You use any performance goal other than conversions. Optimizing for conversions is when the algorithm thrives. Top-of-the-funnel optimization can lead to bad results.

3. You use manual bidding to outsmart the system. This is a good way for advertisers to show how smart they are. More often than not, it just restricts the algorithm and prevents ads from delivering.

4. You restrict by age and gender when you don’t need to. This feels like something you need to do, but it’s rarely the case — especially when optimizing for conversions.

5. You obsess over targeting when it rarely makes a difference. Every test I run brings me back to the conclusion that my targeting inputs make very little impact, if any. Due to expansion when optimizing for conversions, the algorithm is going to show ads to many of the same people.

6. You create several ad sets to test your brilliant targeting ideas. This is rarely necessary now, and it often leads to Auction Overlap or Audience Fragmentation.

7. You remove the placements you think don’t work. If you’re optimizing for conversions, this just restricts the algorithm. It’s unnecessary.

8. You test creative by optimizing for clicks and looking for the best CTR. Optimizing for clicks is a sure-fire way to attract the lowest quality traffic possible. A high CTR when optimizing for clicks isn’t a sign of a high-performing ad when optimizing for conversions.

9. You create click baity copy to inflate surface level metrics. You’ll often be punished for creating low-quality ads.

10. You reject every Advantage+ Creative optimization. Some of them may look bad in your opinion, but these optimizations can only work to benefit you.

A Straight Line

The simplest possible solution will often outperform your convoluted strategy. You won’t get a medal for using the most complicated approach.

The most efficient route from Point A to Point B is a straight line. Stop taking the longest route thinking that it’s better.