How are Facebook ads changing in 2022?

Facebook ads are changing. Realistically, who is surprised?


Facebook ads and change are synonymous. It would take at least 3 digits to count all the updates Facebook has made to its ad platform since its launch in 2007. As marketers, we are only riding the wave (including the biggest wave of its recent main name change to Meta ).


With every change in advertising, it's not our job to dramatically ask "WHY?" Instead, we have to ask, "How?"


How are the ads changing?

How does this specifically affect my business (based on products and niche)?

How will I adapt?


Here's what you need to know about the latest changes to be released on January 19, 2022.


Visit us for: Top SEO Company in India

Top SEO Company in India | Clicks Bazaar

* Some * Detailed Targeting Options Will Be Removed


For those who rely heavily on Facebook advertising for profit, take note that Facebook said * some *, not all.


This is not necessarily Facebook's opinion on how to improve advertising. The social media platform confidently says, "We firmly believe that the best advertising experiences are personalized." But, your consultants in the civil rights and policy sectors (and your stakeholders) are asking for the update.


Facebook agrees to make some parts of its advertising platform less personalized to "better fit people's changing expectations of how advertisers can reach them on our platform ...".


The detailed targeting options to be removed involve topics that Facebook has categorized as sensitive such as:


  • Health

  • Race

  • Ethnicity

  • sexual orientation

  • Religion

  • Political beliefs


As of January 19, 2022, advertisers will no longer be able to target user-based interests such as:


  • Lung Cancer Awareness

  • LGBT Culture

  • Jewish Holidays

  • Social Problems


And, as usual, Facebook will also use this update to remove interest targeting options that advertisers have not been opting for.


Here's a summary from the Meta for Business blog on how advertisers can adapt to these new changes.


What does this mean for the Marketing API?


The Marketing API will change on January 19, 2022, but most campaigns can continue to target the above options until March 17, 2022.


However, that doesn't mean you should wait until March to make changes. Facebook's recommendation is "List of Ad Set IDs Targeting Affected Objects via Outdated Targeting Terms API."

Top SEO Company in India | Clicks Bazaar

Thereafter, partners can evaluate the targeting specifications of the ad sets with the targeting health API to identify object IDs that can cause a delivery pause. ”


Before March 17, you can make changes to the campaign level, but Facebook cautions that some changes to the ad set level, such as changes to placements and targeting options, could update your target audience. They advise you to avoid editing your campaigns or ad sets if possible after January 19.


How to tell if you chose a deleted targeting option?


After March 17, 2022, advertisers who choose a targeting removal option will see this message from Facebook:


“Error code 100, sub code 18157520: Cannot use invalid detailed targeting options - Some of your detailed targeting options have been removed - This ad set includes detailed targeting options that are no longer available or unavailable when people are excluded from an audience. You may need to remove items from your ad set or commit changes to get it back on. "


If you see this message, you will need to update your targeting option outside of the interests listed above.


Facebook advertising is changing, but we're not surprised. We are here to ride the wave of Facebook, which looks like it will take us into the metaverse very soon. Using your suggestions to help reach these audiences, we can update our ad sets and campaigns to suit.