5 mistakes in setting up targeted ads and how to avoid them

Setting up targeted advertising: how to avoid unnecessary expenses

Our targeting specialist Lena Romanova has mentored more than one group of junior specialists. She has definitely seen all the mistakes and myths beginners make when etting up targeted ads.

Myth #1: “You should turn off ads on weekends because Uncle Vasyl said so”

Turning off ads just because someone said so means depriving your project of results. Weekends may be the peak activity time for your target audience, which you could miss. Also, leads may respond later. For example, they see an ad on Saturday but buy the product on Wednesday. That’s why you should first test your hypothesis, and only then make changes to your ad settings.

Myth #2: “If the pixel is new, first collect 50 clicks with traffic ads, then launch conversions”

If you need sales or registrations — launch conversion ads right away. Don’t waste your budget on traffic or other ad objectives — it’s better to “spend” it on additional testing of hypotheses and creatives.
However, if your goal is to research the market and understand how the audience reacts to different offers, it may be worth starting with traffic collection. This will give you valuable insights about your target audience before deeply refining your conversion process.

Myth #3: “You shouldn’t set up ads using the ‘Boost’ button because it has limited functionality and won’t bring good results”

Remember — everything needs to be tested. In targeting, there’s no absolute YES or NO. There are only tests. In many cases, ads launched via the button perform better than complex setups in Ads Manager. Even within the same niche, results can vary. And if you’re a new entrepreneur or blogger, it’s a great first step in promoting your product or blog.

Myth #4: “Interest-based targeting no longer works, you should only run broad campaigns”

Only analysis and testing — nothing else. In advertising, you can’t rule out tools just because someone said so. The key to success is critical thinking. You can’t set up targeting “as Katya from the super case study said” and expect great results. When setting up Facebook ads, you need to know all the tools and be able to combine them, test different combinations, and not abandon methods just because someone told you to. In the same niche, Project A might perform better with interest-based and narrowed audiences, while Project B might succeed with lookalikes and broad targeting. Until you test — you never know.

Questions every beginner (and not only) targeting specialist wants answered

How much should you spend on targeted ads?

There’s no correct answer. Just like there’s no “correct” cost per click, because it depends on the offer, niche, brand awareness, and services provided. It’s better to make sales at $0.40 per click (as long as it’s profitable) than not make any at $0.05 per click. As always, analysis is a must-have.
Also, both the advertiser and the business owner will face far fewer problems if they stop chasing screenshot numbers and start analyzing the situation based on at least these points:

1. We look at the average cost per click in your niche.
2. We analyze what data you have at the start.
3. Step by step, we begin working on finding the ideal strategy for your project.

What’s the main difference between a good specialist and a not-so-good one?

A not-so-good specialist: nothing worked, unfortunately. Maybe next time…
A good specialist: we did this — here’s the result. And we did that — here’s the outcome. My conclusions based on the work are as follows. Further recommendations and possible solutions are as follows. We analyze, draw conclusions, adjust the process, think critically, and keep testing — and success will follow.

How to find a paying audience through targeting?

To make someone pay, it’s not enough just to reach them with an ad. You also need a strong product, a proper sales funnel, and a compelling offer. Then the algorithms will find the paying audience themselves — no need for expensive interest targeting.
Every entrepreneur wants to sell and make a profit. But every skilled ad specialist must understand that:

1. Not every product can be sold directly.
2. Not every product can be sold at all.
3. You don’t need to look for a paying audience.

You attract paying customers with a valuable product, not with interest-based targeting. Technical ad setup is important, but it’s only 20% of a campaign’s success. The remaining 80% depends on how well the product is analyzed, how it’s prepared for advertising, and how it communicates with the audience.

If you want to improve your sales and get useful advice for future ad campaigns — contact us. Our ad specialists will create a successful formula tailored to your product.