You’re spending money on Meta ads. You’re seeing impressions, maybe even clicks. But your phone isn’t ringing and your inbox is empty. Sound familiar?
The truth is, most small businesses waste money on Meta ads not because the platform doesn’t work — but because their campaigns are set up wrong. Here are the five most common mistakes we see, and how to fix them.
1. Your targeting is too broad. Showing your ad to everyone is the same as showing it to no one. Get specific about who your ideal customer is — their age, interests, location, and behaviours. Meta’s targeting tools are incredibly powerful when used correctly.
2. Your creative doesn’t stop the scroll. You have about 1.5 seconds to grab someone’s attention. If your ad looks like an ad, people will scroll right past it. Use bold visuals, genuine content, and hooks that speak directly to your audience’s pain points.
3. Your landing page lets you down. Great ad, bad landing page = wasted money. If someone clicks your ad and lands on a slow, confusing, or generic page, they’re gone. Your landing page needs to match the promise of your ad and make it dead easy to take the next step.
4. You’re not testing enough. Running one ad and hoping for the best isn’t a strategy. You need to test different creatives, headlines, audiences, and placements. The winning combination is rarely the one you’d expect.
5. You’re measuring the wrong things. Likes and impressions feel good but they don’t pay the bills. Focus on cost per lead, cost per acquisition, and return on ad spend. These are the numbers that actually matter.
The good news? All of these are fixable. And when you get them right, Meta ads can be one of the most profitable marketing channels for your business.