How Meta’s Andromeda Update Is Secretly Changing Your Ads (And What To Do About It)

Summary

Meta's Andromeda update drastically changes Facebook ad strategies by introducing a new ads retrieval system that prioritizes creative diversity. This shift moves away from traditional methods like targeting specific audiences and testing single ads. Instead, businesses should focus on consolidated campaigns with broad targeting and a variety of creative concepts. Successful ad portfolios include a range of content like customer testimonials, founder stories, and product demos. However, advertisers should monitor backend data to avoid over-targeting existing customers. Embracing these changes will help businesses thrive in the evolving ad landscape.

Takeaways

• 😀 Meta's Andromeda update is a major change to its ad algorithm, affecting Facebook ad performance since August 2025.
• 😀 Some businesses have seen CPMs drop by 20%, while others have experienced a drop in customer acquisition due to the new system.
• 😀 Andromeda is a new ads retrieval system that scans thousands of ads in seconds, using sequence learning to predict user preferences based on past behavior.
• 😀 Meta's Advantage Plus is now enabled by default, forcing ads to run on autopilot, with less micromanagement from advertisers.
• 😀 The new system favors creative diversity, meaning ad portfolios with different ad concepts (problem-solution ads, founder stories, UGC, etc.) perform better than simple variations of the same ad.
• 😀 The old strategy of limiting ads to three to six per ad set is outdated—Now, having 30-50 ads in a single campaign can yield better results.
• 😀 Campaign consolidation is essential, with a single campaign per objective and broad targeting. This maximizes data density for the algorithm to work effectively.
• 😀 Creative diversity and portfolio management are key. Ads should be fundamentally different, not just variations of the same creative.
• 😀 Facebook recommends testing at least 20 creatives per week (80 per month) to keep up with the system's demands for creative volume and variety.
• 😀 Andromeda is also impacting customer acquisition in unexpected ways—In some cases, it focuses on existing customers rather than acquiring new ones, so exclusion settings may be needed in campaigns to maintain new customer acquisition.

Q & A

What is Andromeda and how does it impact Facebook ads?

Andromeda is Meta's new ads retrieval system that fundamentally changes how Facebook selects and delivers ads. It replaces the previous algorithm, using sequence learning to analyze past user behaviors and predict what ads are most likely to engage users. This update significantly affects how advertisers run campaigns on the platform, moving away from traditional methods to a more automated and data-driven approach.

Why might advertisers see a drop in ad performance since August?

The drop in ad performance could be due to the implementation of the Andromeda update. Some businesses have seen CPMs drop by 20%, while others experience worse customer acquisition. This change might have led to less effective targeting or increased costs for certain businesses.

How does Andromeda's new approach differ from the old system?

The old system was like a librarian picking a random book for a user, whereas Andromeda is like an AI that has read the entire library and can predict exactly what the user would want to see based on their behavior. Andromeda scans thousands of ads in seconds, providing a more personalized and precise ad delivery.

What is the role of Advantage Plus in the Andromeda update?

Advantage Plus is a feature that Meta has paired with Andromeda, which automatically optimizes campaigns. This means campaigns are run on autopilot, with minimal micromanagement required from the advertiser. It helps the system make better decisions by focusing on creative diversity and performance.

How has the creative strategy changed under Andromeda?

Under Andromeda, creative diversity is crucial. Instead of testing minor variations of a single ad (like changing a button), advertisers need to focus on diverse ad concepts such as problem-solution ads, founder stories, or UGC. Andromeda rewards portfolios of ads that are fundamentally different from each other.

How many ads should be included in a campaign to optimize performance?

The best-performing campaigns under Andromeda include a large number of diverse ads—up to 30, 40, or even 50 ads in a single campaign. This is a shift from the old approach, where a smaller number of ads were preferred.

What is the new recommended structure for Facebook ad campaigns?

The new structure for successful campaigns involves one campaign per objective, broad targeting, and a creative portfolio with as much diversity as possible. This eliminates the need for complex audience segmentation and funnel-based approaches.

Why is data density important in Andromeda campaigns?

Data density is crucial for Andromeda to work effectively. By consolidating campaigns and focusing the budget into fewer campaigns (ideally 1-3), the system has more data to make accurate decisions. Spreading the budget too thin across multiple campaigns can deprive the algorithm of the data it needs to perform well.

What should advertisers do if they notice a decline in new customer acquisition?

If a decline in new customer acquisition is observed, advertisers should check their backend data and consider excluding site visitors and past customers. Andromeda may inadvertently focus on existing customers due to its optimization for conversions, which could negatively impact new customer acquisition.

How important is creative production in the post-Andromeda era?

Creative production has never been more important. Meta recommends testing at least 20 new creatives per week, which translates to 80 creatives per month. Advertisers need to scale their creative production and explore ways to consistently generate fresh, high-quality content for their campaigns.