Is your Facebook Ads strategy prepared for Black Friday? If not, it’s time to start planning because the significant day is approaching quickly. It’s the perfect time of year for eager shoppers seeking great deals. To ensure your Facebook and Instagram Ads campaigns attract these eager buyers, you must be ready.  

Given the changes in advertising on Facebook and Instagram after iOS updates, the Meta algorithm is also adapting. How can you guarantee your ads will succeed? We have made a checklist that has tips and advice suggested by engineers from Meta. This checklist covers everything you need to encourage your target audience to make purchases. 

Get ready to make your audience open their wallets with our expert insights straight from Meta’s engineers.

Optimizing Your Black Friday Facebook Ads: New Meta Insights

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Step 1: The Power of 20 Events

You might have heard about needing 50 conversions within a week for an ad set. That used to be true, but things have changed now.

In the past, the Facebook Ads Learning Phase ended when an ad set had 50 events in a 7-day period. These events could be conversions, lead generation, landing page views, and more. But Meta Ads Manager has improved. Now, your campaigns can exit the learning phase and optimize with just 20 completed events in a 7-day span.

What’s the significance of this?

Campaigns can now move out of the Learning Phase once they hit 20 events, based on your chosen objectives. This allows the algorithm to gather data efficiently, aiding you in making quicker and smarter decisions. It streamlines success on the platform.

But what if your campaign falls short? Don’t worry. After the 7-day period (not a minute sooner), you can tweak your campaign for better results. The algorithm will still learn from successful events. 

For optimal Meta Ad success, though, consider raising your budget. This will help you achieve the 20-event goal that Meta requires for optimization within a week.

Step 2. Separate Cold and Warm Audiences for Better Results

Think of your cold and warm audiences as stages in a relationship.

Cold traffic is like trying to catch someone’s attention on a dating app. They have only a few seconds to decide if they’re interested based on your profile.

Similarly, with Instagram ads, viewers decide quickly if they’ll engage with your content.

Warm traffic, on the other hand, consists of people familiar with you, like someone you’ve already been on a date with. With Facebook ads, you’re trying to build on that familiarity and encourage them to take the next step, like subscribing or making a purchase.

These are distinct strategies:

• Cold Traffic: Aim to capture attention and engagement, possibly leading to a purchase.

• Warm Traffic: Focus on converting engaged users into subscribers or buyers.

Mixing these audiences can affect how the algorithm works. By blending cold and warm audiences, you give priority to warm ones, which are more likely to convert efficiently. This is like focusing on people you’ve already been on a date with, rather than seeking out new matches.

When dealing with cold audiences, you’re training the Meta Ads algorithm to identify which ones lead to conversions. Success signals the platform to find similar users. If you only use cold audiences and exclude warm ones, the platform searches for entirely new people to convert.

However, combining both cold and warm audiences means Meta will often prioritize warm audiences. This is because those who have already engaged, like abandoned cart customers, are more likely to convert. Meta’s algorithm aims for the most efficient path.

For best results, it’s recommended not to mix these audiences in the same campaign. Keep cold and warm audiences separate to guide the algorithm effectively. Create one campaign for reaching new prospects and another for retargeting warm traffic. This approach helps Meta optimize for both scenarios, ultimately improving your ad performance.

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Step 3: Define Your Cold & Warm Audience CPA Targets

Guide the Algorithm: 

Make Your Intent Clear When you’re using Facebook Ads, remember that the algorithm responds to your instructions. This rule applies to everything in your ads, especially the CPA (cost per acquisition).

For instance, let’s say you’re okay with paying $85 for a new skincare customer, but you’ve limited your bid budget to $75. Now, if you don’t communicate clearly, the algorithm won’t know you’re willing to spend more. As a result, it will optimize for the $75 budget, potentially missing out on valuable customers you’d be willing to invest more for.

Why It Matters: 

Expand Your Reach This is vital because there might be better prospects with higher order value or greater likelihood to buy. But if you’ve told the algorithm your budget is $75, your ad might not reach these potential customers.

Remember this: A high CPA eats into profits, while a low CPA might mean losing out on customers.

Time Matters: Rising Competition As Black Friday gets closer, more competitors enter the auction, increasing the pressure you face. So, plan your CPA strategy ahead of time.

Key Dates to Consider:

• September 20th: Gentle pressure increase in the ‘pre-Black Friday auction’

• October 15th: Unofficial start of Black Friday season, heavy auction competition begins

• November 15th: Think about different Meta objectives due to high ad volume

Expert Advice: Opt for Different CPAs Warm and cold audiences have different value, so your CPAs for these groups should also differ.

Not Sure About Your CPA? Get Expert Help If you’re unsure about setting your CPA, a qualified Meta Ads consultant can assist you in defining a realistic CPA for your business.

Prepare your Facebook Ads strategy now to make the most of Black Friday!

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Step 4: Treat Your Ads Like a Marathon, Not a Horse Race

Instead of imagining your ad campaigns as horses racing, think of them as a marathon where pacing is key. You’re promoting your products or services, so take your time.

It’s tempting to constantly tweak your ads when you see something off, but it’s better to let them run. The Facebook Ads Learning Phase lasts 7 days. If you keep changing your ad every other day, the learning phase restarts, delaying optimization.

Also, you’re not giving the algorithm enough time to work. For example, if you launch an ad on Monday and it’s not performing by Wednesday, don’t panic. The algorithm needs time to understand your campaign and reach your target audience.

Resist the urge to edit or stop a campaign early. Decide after 4 days, but waiting a full 7 days allows the algorithm to optimize better.

Now, before you relax, remember these key points:

• Tracking: Correct tracking is crucial for effective Facebook Ads. Without it, you can’t know if your ads are succeeding during the holidays.

• Creatives: During Black Friday, ads compete for attention. Ensure your ads are designed to stand out.

• Ecommerce Certification: Prepare your ad creatives well in advance. Experiment with different designs to make your campaigns eye-catching.

• Winning Offer: Craft an irresistible Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal tailored to your audience.

• Budget Planning: Have a daily budget you’re comfortable with for long-term success. Meta Ads are effective, but they work best with a solid marketing plan.

Remember, Meta Ads are a part of the strategy, not the entire solution. Your offer is the crucial element driving success.

Step 5: The Algorithm Trusts Your Data 

It might seem obvious, but remember: the algorithm learns from the data you provide, as it can’t guess your intentions.

Hence, it’s crucial to share accurate information. The algorithm treats your inputs as truth, encompassing your desired audience and ad budget. Carelessness might harm your campaign’s performance.

Step 6. Optimize Your Ads with Advantage+ Placements & Budget Automation

Advantage+ Placements refer to the platforms where your Meta ads appear. Think Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, different spaces to showcase your ads.

By choosing various placements, you’re ensuring your ads hit the mark across diverse platforms. Meta’s smart system pinpoints the ideal spot for your ad, where your intended audience is likely to engage and take action.

Harnessing Advantage+ Placements means Meta optimizes your ad for conversions across all placements. Translation? More bang for your buck, as Meta’s data-driven delivery picks the cost-effective, high-performance placements. Result? Better use of your campaign budget.

Automated Budget Power: 

Advantage Campaign Budget Meet the Advantage Campaign Budget—your campaign’s budget wizard. It lets Meta work its magic by allocating your budget where each ad set gains optimal events without breaking the bank.

Combined, these features are your aces in the hole. They ace the Black Friday game, making sure your budget is used smartly. 

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Step 7: Embrace Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns 

Enhance your campaign’s performance effortlessly, even when you’re not glued to your computer. Meta’s latest innovation, Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns, launched on August 15, 2022, is my top pick. It uses machine learning to automate your ad campaign. 

It then lets you focus on your online store’s big picture and reduce campaign management.

Imagine automating everything – from ad creation to targeting. Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns turbocharge your ad effectiveness during Black Friday weekend and beyond. No more manual toil.

Business owners and media buyers can now automate entire campaigns with AI. This optimizes your ad budget by placing ads where they convert most at a lower cost.

But that’s not all. This feature also automatically tests and selects the best-performing creatives for specific audiences.

Moreover, if you own a Facebook or Instagram Shop, Meta’s AI directs traffic to the best-converting destination, your in-platform shop or website, depending on what resonates with your audience.

When Should You Run Your Black Friday Facebook Ads? 

Start Early To make the most of your Black Friday Facebook Ads, it’s best to begin as soon as possible. 

Here’s why

You need to allow the algorithm to learn and optimize your campaign within a 7-day window called the Learning Phase. Considering this, Meta suggests kicking off your Black Friday Facebook Ads campaigns between July and September.

But don’t worry if you haven’t started months ago. Instead, the key is to create campaigns earlier to identify your target audience and establish a warm list.

Why does this matter? 

The goal is to compile a list of buyers interested in your product/service, eagerly anticipating great deals. This allows you to offer them exclusive access or special deals if they sign up or register before the big day.

Why is this significant? 

While Black Friday and Cyber Monday appear to be weekend events, more people than ever start seeking deals before November even arrives. So, starting early to warm up your traffic is both crucial and cost-effective.

But hold on! If you’re reading this in October or November, all hope isn’t lost. Just be aware that launching your Facebook ad campaign during this time will involve higher auction pressure.”

Conclusion 

The secret lies in planning ahead. Craft ads that sell, reach your audience, and get them to click “Buy now”. Plus, helps the algorithm understand your brand and show your deal to interested consumers. Keep them in mind for winning campaigns.

Join us for a winning Black Friday Facebook at Anahad Media. Your journey starts here.