Meta Advertiser Field Notes shares recent observations and updates relevant to Meta advertisers, highlighting smaller but important changes in Ads Manager and related features.
Detailed Targeting Suggestions Update
Meta has increasingly limited advertiser control over detailed targeting inputs. Since 2021, what began as Detailed Targeting Expansion evolved into Advantage+ Detailed Targeting, which is now mandatory for many performance goals like maximizing conversions, app events, link clicks, and more. Advertisers cannot disable this feature for most common goals, meaning detailed targeting inputs serve only as suggestions rather than strict constraints, reducing their overall impact.
URL Parameters Update
Meta consolidated the URL Parameters builder into a single location within the Tracking section of Ads Manager, moving it from the Destination section. This change simplifies managing URL parameters, though the builder itself remains largely unchanged and still useful.
Breakdown by Attribution Disappearance
The Breakdown by Attribution feature, which allowed advertisers to analyze attribution data in new ways, has disappeared from some accounts. This is likely due to rollout quirks or testing phases. It remains available in some accounts and is expected to return.
Combined Sales and Awareness Objective
Meta introduced a new campaign type that combines awareness and sales objectives, optimizing budgets across both to drive conversions. However, the feature is confusing because it claims to optimize for lower-funnel goals like conversions while including awareness, making its practical application unclear. Access to this feature is limited, and its effectiveness remains uncertain.
Meta AI Business Assistant Chatbot
Meta is launching the Meta AI Business Assistant, an AI-powered chatbot integrated into Ads Manager. It offers features such as identifying performance trends, resolving account issues quickly, providing personalized campaign recommendations, and enabling direct action from chat. Currently in Beta for select small businesses in English, it will roll out more broadly in 2026.
US Bill on Advertiser Verification
In response to reports that Meta earned up to $16 billion from scam ads in 2024, US senators proposed a bill requiring social media platforms to verify advertisers through government-issued IDs or proof of business existence. This would extend verification beyond special ad categories, increasing review workload but aiming to reduce scam ads and improve accountability.
New Custom Event Attribution Lag
Newly created custom events on Meta may experience a delay or failure in reporting attributed conversions despite firing correctly. This issue has been observed multiple times without a clear resolution, suggesting an initial lag beyond normal verification processes.
Preview to Publish Feature
A new "Preview to Publish" button in Ads Manager provides a summary of all ad settings and creative previews before publishing. This feature helps advertisers review automatically activated settings and confirm details before launching campaigns.
Ongoing Updates
These observations will be shared regularly as Meta continues to introduce rapid changes, often faster than they are fully explained.
