(Last Updated On: February 16, 2022)

In November, Facebook announced it would change its Ads. Considering multiple changes in the advertising sector, we would be more surprised to see the feature untouched. Facebook regularly introduces changes, removing some options, modifying them, or adding completely new ones. The reason for that? There are many, from improving the users’ experience to following new policies. Delving into the reasons isn’t really what matters for us, for we can do nothing but go with the flow.

What is crucial, though, is to determine how Facebook Ads are changing. Learning about the significant alterations will let you know what strategy to use to make sure your posts reach the target audience and achieve the right goal. You will also be able to effectively use a Facebook post template once knowing the main changes.

Without further ado, let’s review what’s afoot for 2022 in the Facebook Ads area.

Change in sensitive targeting categories

A word must be said that the changes will be effective from January 19 onward, so, basically, they’re already in play (read on to learn the exact date). If you haven’t rolled out a marketing campaign yet, pay close attention to detailed targeting options, as they are influenced by these changes the most. Referring to various causes will soon be unavailable. For instance, marketers won’t be able to refer to the following causes:

  • Health causes, such as World Diabetes Day, Psoriasis Awareness, and alike.
  • Sex, e.g., LGBT movement, same-sex marriage, etc.
  • Political beliefs, social concerns, figures, groups
  • Religious practices, like Orthodox, Muslims, Protestants, and others.
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Facebook states that removing the mentioned options was a hard decision. And that’s not for no reason. Numerous brands, organizations, and corporations relied heavily on the above options, as it helped drive positive changes in society, raise awareness on various undermined issues, and connect people.

Upon deleting the stated options, Facebook hasn’t come up with additional, inclusive features yet. Will it add other options? Observing how Facebook has been systematically shrinking detailed targeting choices, we’d not expect new changes any soon.

Although Facebook Ads will change on January 19, companies get a two-month transition period to revise and modify their marketing plans. In other words, you can keep sticking to your marketing program and use the above options. It’s for you to decide whether or not to edit the plan before March 17. While you can make some changes, they will only be possible at the campaign level. Facebook reserves the right to edit the ad set level. The corporation also advises against making edits once the new implementations come into being.

A sudden spike of errors

Starting March 17, we will likely observe a surge in errors related to the improper use of a targeting option. If you see the error, it means your campaign still uses the subcode for some of the mentioned categories. All you should do is go to the ad set, find a no longer available item, delete it from the list, and save the changes.

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Will Facebook Ads be less effective?

Facebook Ads have long been at the forefront of digital marketing, and there is no reason for changing its position. To effectively utilize Facebook Ads, you may want to use several more options coupled with broad targeting. Mainly, consider using:

  • Engagement Custom Audiences: If you lead a small business and want to accumulate more clients, you can benefit from Engagement Custom Audiences. It will help you reach out to people who have seen your content in News Feed or liked your page.
  • Lookalike Audiences: Paired with the last option, Lookalike Audiences can cover more people of similar interests. You need to have at least 100 people from a single country to employ Lookalike Audiences.
  • Website Custom Audiences: Custom Audiences allows you to create an ad and show it to people who visited your website and may be interested in your product or service. It’s an excellent option to reach out back to people who’ve recently visited your site but haven’t purchased anything.
  • Location Targeting: Other than online stores, you can also use Facebook Ads when operating locally. Location Targeting will consider your brand’s vicinity and focus on people closest to the business.
  • Customer Data: Additionally, you can use your customers’ data to target new clients. Importantly, businesses first need to get permission from existing customers to use the option.

What will change for consumers?

People who don’t do business on Facebook will have more control over the ads they stumble across. That is, other than choosing to see fewer ads relevant to pets, alcohol, politics, and more, people will soon be able to restrict other topics related to other aspects, like health, gambling, etc. For the time being, it’s unknown when to anticipate these changes, as Facebook hasn’t provided the exact day but “early this year.” Therefore, we can expect them to appear pretty soon.

Recap

2022 will bring plenty of changes, and they will touch upon Facebook Ads, too. In a nutshell, besides diminishing detailed targeting options, Facebook will give more power to users, allowing them to restrict content they don’t wish to see. While we can’t do anything about such modifications, provided tips will help you reach the target audience. So ensure to use them interchangeably to achieve the desired outcomes.