20 Reasons Your Facebook Ads Aren’t Working in 2025 (And How to Fix Them)

Summary

In this video, the speaker outlines 20 potential reasons why Facebook ads may not be working effectively in 2024. The key issues include poor targeting, low quality of creatives, inadequate testing, and lack of a strategic marketing calendar. The speaker stresses the importance of focusing on metrics like conversion rate, average order value, and click-through rate, while also acknowledging that some factors, like seasonality and external events, can impact performance. Ultimately, having a strong media plan, storytelling through ads, and adapting to cultural moments can help improve ad success and boost revenue.

Takeaways

• 😀 A high conversion rate is essential for ad success, and testing different offers or optimizing your website can help improve it.
• 😀 Seasonal factors, like election seasons, can drive up CPMs and decrease performance. It's crucial to plan for these fluctuations in your marketing strategy.
• 😀 You can't always control CPM, but focusing on metrics like conversion rate, average order value, and click-through rate gives you more control over performance.
• 😀 Conversion rate can sometimes drop due to factors outside your control, such as market events or seasonal changes, which are often unavoidable.
• 😀 A strategic and well-planned marketing calendar is key to ensuring consistent revenue and effective media spend throughout the month.
• 😀 Tying your ads to cultural moments or events relevant to your brand can increase engagement and drive conversions (e.g., promoting couch covers during International Dog Day).
• 😀 Having a contingency plan in place for slower performance periods allows for better resource allocation during high-conversion times.
• 😀 Developing a strong media plan that aligns with your marketing calendar helps you confidently meet your advertising goals and efficiency expectations.
• 😀 Ads should be part of a larger narrative or story. Creating moments around cultural events enhances the connection between your audience and brand.
• 😀 Consistent and strategic planning across your ad campaigns can help you meet revenue goals and outperform market fluctuations.

Q & A

What is the significance of low CPM in Facebook ads?

Low CPM (Cost Per Mille) can make ads cheaper to run, but it doesn't necessarily lead to better performance. It is not always indicative of success since CPM can fluctuate, and performance can vary even when CPM is low.

What are some common reasons for a drop in conversion rates on Facebook ads?

Conversion rates can drop for various reasons, including poor ad targeting, bad creative, or external factors like seasonal trends or increased competition during events such as elections.

How does the 'sale hangover' concept affect marketing?

The 'sale hangover' refers to a drop in performance after a major sales event, where the momentum from a sale fades. Marketers must account for this drop and have strategies in place to deal with reduced conversion rates during these periods.

Why is it important to have a strong marketing calendar?

A strong marketing calendar helps brands plan and execute campaigns strategically, aligning marketing activities with cultural moments and other opportunities to generate revenue throughout the year. Without it, it becomes harder to achieve consistent success.

What role does seasonality play in ad performance?

Seasonality can significantly impact ad performance, with certain periods (like presidential election seasons) leading to higher CPMs and reduced performance. Brands need to anticipate these changes and adjust their strategies accordingly.

How does an ad's creative impact its performance?

The creative (visuals and messaging) plays a key role in ad performance. If the ad creative doesn't resonate with the target audience or lacks relevance, conversion rates are likely to suffer.

What should a brand do when they experience a drop in performance due to external factors?

When external factors like seasonal shifts or market events affect performance, brands should have contingency plans, such as adjusting ad budgets, revisiting creative strategies, or focusing on different revenue sources.

Why is conversion rate considered one of the most important metrics?

Conversion rate is crucial because it directly measures how well your ads convert visitors into customers. Improving conversion rate is often more actionable than focusing solely on metrics like CPM, which doesn't directly indicate success.

How can brands capitalize on cultural moments for better ad performance?

Brands can tie their ads to cultural moments, such as International Dog Day, by aligning their products with the event. This creates relevant and engaging content that resonates with the audience, potentially boosting conversion rates.

What is the relationship between CPM and ad performance?

CPM does not directly correlate with ad performance. While CPM measures how much it costs to display ads to 1,000 people, high or low CPMs can occur regardless of how well the ads actually perform in terms of conversions and sales.