Want to do more with your Facebook and Instagram ads? The reality is that Meta has just given us all a hint based on what people are doing the most on their apps right now, and this is one of those nuggets of information that could have a direct impact on your ad strategy.
After their latest money report, the folks at Meta have released five key things they’ve observed that advertisers should take note of. From eyeball-grabbing videos to those new Threads ads and the power of AI, Meta’s showing you what’s hot at this very moment – and where you should probably be directing your efforts to get more for your spend.
First Up: Trust the Robots (Meta’s AI Ad Tools, That Is)
Meta is making it loud and clear: their AI-driven ad tools are legitimately good. They can offer the explanation that all the smart systems are making ads way more relevant, and people actually engage with them more.
Behind the scenes, they were able to show you more content that you clicked on and liked, and so you stayed for longer—7% longer on Facebook, 6% longer on Instagram, and a staggering 35% longer on Threads in just the last six months, Meta claims.
Because of this, Meta is urging businesses to try out their “Advantage+” campaigns. These use Meta’s AI smarts to show your ads to the people most likely to care.
Their ultimate goal is to fully automate everything about making and showing ads using AI. But right now, they’re saying you should at least play around with their AI tools because they’re seeing real improvements.
- Advertisers using “Generative Ads Recommendation” on Facebook Reels are seeing up to a 5% increase in ad conversions (that’s people actually doing what you want them to do, like buying something).
- For every dollar spent on ads using Meta’s AI-powered “Advantage+” stuff, advertisers are making an average of $4.52 in revenue, which is a 22% jump compared to their usual ad campaigns.
Sounds like it might be worth giving their AI a shot with your ads.
Video Still Rules the Roost (and Your Ad Strategy Should Too)
Meta also pointed out that people are watching more and more videos on both Facebook and Instagram. In the US, the time spent watching videos has grown by double digits compared to last year.
So, if you’re not using video in your ads, you might be missing out on a huge audience.
They even have tools to help you make video ads if you don’t have any. Their “generative AI Image Animation” (now for everyone) can turn a still picture into a simple video. And their “Video Expansion” (now on Facebook Reels) can fill in the sides of your videos to make them fit different screen sizes better.
Messaging is the New Conversation (and a Chance to Connect)
More and more people are chatting with businesses through messaging apps.
Meta says that WhatsApp has over 3 billion active users every month, and Messenger has over a billion. Plus, 80% of people around the world message with a business every week, leading to a massive 600 million conversations every day on WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram Direct.
Because of this, Meta suggests businesses should think about using AI to handle customer support and sales in these messages eventually. In the meantime, they recommend using “click-to-message” ads that encourage people to send you a direct message.
You can even join a waiting list to get early access to Meta’s AI tools for businesses.
Don’t Forget Threads (Another Place to Show Your Ads)
Meta’s Twitter competitor, Threads, now has a pretty big audience with 350 million active users.
And now, you can show ads on Threads too!
Meta says that the new “Threads feed” will automatically be included in your “Advantage+” and manual placements for new ad campaigns focused on reaching people, getting traffic, and website conversions. So, if you’re running ads, it might be a good idea to set up a new campaign and include Threads to reach even more people.
Influencers Still Have Influence (So Team Up!)
Finally, Meta suggests working with influencers who are relevant to your brand.
They say there are millions of creators you can find on Instagram’s creator marketplace, making it easier than ever to connect with the right person to tell your brand’s story. Then, you can try running “partnership ads,” which let you run ads together with creators and other businesses.
Meta says that 40% of people using Instagram for shopping rely on recommendations from creators. So, tapping into the power of influencers can be a really effective way to get people interested in what you’re selling.
The Bottom Line (and a Little Grain of Salt)
These are some helpful tips from Meta. Of course, it’s worth remembering that these are also things that benefit Meta and encourage you to use their tools. So, while you should consider these suggestions, it’s always good to think critically about what works best for your specific business goals.
However, the fact that Meta is highlighting these areas means they’re likely putting a lot of focus on making them work well, which could be a good sign for advertisers. The user numbers they shared also give you some real-world context that could help you decide where to focus your ad efforts.
You can find Meta’s full list of ad recommendations if you want to dig deeper.
