Podcast Summary: Perpetual Traffic Episode - "How Meta Ads Are Changing Forever: Advantage+ & cAPI Subterfuge REVEALED!"
Release Date: May 2, 2025
Hosts: Ralph Burns and Lauren Petrullo
Guest: John Moran
Introduction and Context
In this pivotal episode of Perpetual Traffic, hosts Ralph Burns, founder and CEO of Tier 11, and marketing veteran John Moran delve deep into the seismic shifts occurring within Meta Ads. Building on their prior discussion from episode 691 on April 25th, they explore the latest updates to Meta's advertising platform, focusing on the "Advantage+ Sales" feature and the innovative use of Conversion API (cAPI) custom events.
Ralph Burns (00:00):
"These are big changes. This is nothing by comparison to when they installed Power Editor. Remember when they took away the Pixel five or six years ago? There have been huge changes in this platform, and one thing that's constant with this entire industry is change."
Overview of Meta's Changes: Advantage+ Sales and cAPI
John Moran provides an in-depth analysis of Meta's latest update: the rebranding of Advantage+ Shopping to Advantage+ Sales, which now defaults across all Meta advertiser accounts. This shift signals Meta's move towards a more automated, AI-driven approach, diminishing the role of manual targeting and giving advertisers less control over their audience segmentation.
John Moran (04:54):
"We now have a new update to Advantage plus Shopping is now called Advantage plus Sales and this now defaults into each Meta advertiser's account."
He further explains Meta's deduplication algorithm, which ensures that the same user isn't targeted across multiple campaigns simultaneously, effectively isolating conversion events to specific campaigns or ad sets.
John Moran (09:56):
"The deduping algorithm that just went live essentially means that when an opportunity is found in the same conversion event as in two different campaigns and/or ad sets, Meta will now dedupe that opportunity into one and you do not get to choose or identify which one that is."
Impact on Media Buying
The conversation shifts to the implications of these changes for media buyers. Ralph raises concerns about the potential end of the traditional media buyer role, though John reassures that skilled media buyers who can adapt to these new tools will remain invaluable.
Ralph Burns (00:00):
"I know a lot of folks will say, oh, well, this basically means like the end of the media buyer. Maybe it does at some point. Not now, though."
John emphasizes the importance of leveraging cAPI custom events to regain control over conversion tracking and audience segmentation, allowing for more precise targeting despite Meta's push towards automation.
John Moran (28:35):
"What you can leverage is your conversion actions. Your conversion actions now dictate how opportunities move... It's a hard fight against the man, but if I can leverage these custom events, I can take back some control."
John Moran's Experience and Strategies
John shares his extensive experience, having invested over $1 million in testing these new Meta features. He demonstrates how utilizing cAPI imports with precise segmentation (e.g., new customers vs. returning customers) dramatically improves campaign performance and cost-efficiency.
John Moran (23:22):
"If you have a creative testing campaign... we said, okay, I want immune purchases, which means I want my product of critical immune defense to be sold. ... We've increased this from a 50% to now like an 85%. We're 42 out of 50."
He highlights the success of his strategies, showcasing significant reductions in Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) and increases in Return on Ad Spend (ROAS), even outperforming longer-running campaigns.
John Moran (23:45):
"Adding a million dollars, getting 8% less cost of acquired first time customer, Adding a half million, getting 37% less cost. That's pretty much cumulatively we have success."
Data and Results
The episode underscores the critical role of accurate data imports in optimizing Meta campaigns. John explains how leveraging first-click data through cAPI ensures that only desired conversions (e.g., new customer purchases) are tracked and attributed correctly, thereby enhancing the precision of Meta's AI-driven optimizations.
John Moran (32:17):
"The secret sauce here is that the source of the upload has to be accurate to the campaign that it actually came from. If you're missing the first five days of a 30-day sales cycle, your imported data is junk."
He presents compelling data from his campaigns, demonstrating how targeted cAPI strategies lead to better performance metrics compared to traditional methods.
John Moran (48:48):
"We've gone from $25,000 to over a million dollars in spend. Our cost of acquired first time customer went down 9%. However, it was selling any product it could find."
Differentiation from Google’s Performance Max
Ralph and John compare Meta's Advantage+ Sales to Google's Performance Max (PMax), clarifying that while both rely heavily on AI, Meta's new approach offers unique advantages in terms of granular control through cAPI integrations.
Ralph Burns (16:16):
"But how is it different in your opinion?"
John Moran (16:35):
"Performance Max has always been, since day one, contrary to popular belief... The metric that Meta quoted on Advantage plus compared to Manual, that was from the variable group, not the control Group."
John explains that Meta's Advantage+ allows for more precise targeting based on custom events, whereas Google's PMax often relies on broader, less controllable data points.
Technical Demonstration: Screen Sharing
The hosts incorporate a live demonstration, showcasing the changes within the Meta Ads Manager interface. John illustrates the disappearance of the manual setup option and the dominance of Advantage+ Sales, highlighting how these changes streamline the campaign creation process but also limit advertiser control.
John Moran (34:11):
"Watch what happens when I hit create Sales continue. It bypasses... no longer a choice, no longer an option."
Ralph Burns (35:22):
"I can't. Good luck. You are in it now. You're in. You're done."
Future Implications
Looking ahead, Ralph and John discuss the long-term implications of Meta's AI investments, including the company's $60-65 billion commitment to AI by 2025. They emphasize the growing reliance on AI-driven algorithms and the necessity for advertisers to adapt by utilizing tools like cAPI to maintain control over their campaigns.
Ralph Burns (15:09):
"Meta said we are investing 60 to 65 billion in AI in 2025. That's billion with a B."
John Moran (50:13):
"If you're not doing an import then Meta says, hey, I made you 12 sales. And then you know, you hop into Data Suite, says they actually made four sales. Then it's like that helps. But how do I fix this?"
Conclusion and Closing Remarks
The episode wraps up with Ralph and John acknowledging the complexity and rapid evolution of Meta's advertising platform. They encourage listeners to stay informed and adaptable, leveraging the latest strategies to navigate these changes effectively.
Ralph Burns (55:37):
"We got a little bit carried away today. Bring back your questions next week... make sure that wherever you listen to podcasts, you leave a rating and a review."
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
-
Ralph Burns (00:00):
"These are big changes. This is nothing by comparison to when they installed Power Editor." -
John Moran (04:54):
"We now have a new update to Advantage plus Shopping is now called Advantage plus Sales and this now defaults into each Meta advertiser's account." -
John Moran (09:56):
"The deduping algorithm that just went live essentially means that when an opportunity is found in the same conversion event as in two different campaigns and/or ad sets, Meta will now dedupe that opportunity into one and you do not get to choose or identify which one that is." -
Ralph Burns (16:16):
"But how is it different in your opinion?" -
John Moran (32:17):
"The secret sauce here is that the source of the upload has to be accurate to the campaign that it actually came from. If you're missing the first five days of a 30-day sales cycle, your imported data is junk." -
John Moran (50:13):
"If you're not doing an import then Meta says, hey, I made you 12 sales. And then you know, you hop into Data Suite, says they actually made four sales. Then it's like that helps. But how do I fix this?"
Key Takeaways
-
Meta's Shift to Advantage+ Sales:
Meta is progressively automating its advertising platform, reducing the need for manual targeting and increasing reliance on AI-driven algorithms. -
Role of cAPI Custom Events:
Utilizing Conversion API (cAPI) custom events allows advertisers to regain control over their campaign targeting and conversion tracking, ensuring that only desired actions are attributed correctly. -
Deduplication Algorithm:
Meta's new deduplication system prevents the same user from being targeted across multiple campaigns simultaneously, enhancing campaign efficiency but limiting advertiser control. -
Differentiation from Google’s Performance Max:
While both platforms leverage AI, Meta's Advantage+ Sales, combined with cAPI integrations, offers more granular control over campaign performance metrics compared to Google’s Performance Max. -
Importance of Accurate Data Imports:
Precise first-click data through cAPI is crucial for optimizing campaigns and ensuring that Meta's AI targets the right audiences without misattribution. -
Future of Media Buying:
The evolving landscape emphasizes the need for adaptable, technically savvy media buyers who can leverage new tools and strategies to navigate increased automation.
For More Information:
Visit perpetualtraffic.com and subscribe to their YouTube channel for live episodes and additional resources.
Stay Updated:
Join the next week's episode where Ralph and John plan to answer listener questions and further explore the implications of these Meta Ads changes.
This summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting the critical changes in Meta’s advertising platform and providing actionable insights for advertisers navigating this new landscape.