If you’ve been paying attention to social media advertising, you’ve likely noticed a shift in the way platforms are handling ad targeting.
For years, advertisers have relied on detailed interest targeting to get their ads in front of the right people. But that’s all starting to change, and Meta is leading the charge by removing more and more interest-based options.
In July 2024, Meta announced another round of detailed interest targeting options that would be removed, following a trend that started a few years ago.
This isn’t just a one-off adjustment—it’s part of a broader shift toward broader, AI-powered audience targeting.
The result?
The traditional ways of precisely targeting ads based on specific interests are being phased out, leaving advertisers to adapt.
Why Is Meta Removing Interest Targeting?
Meta’s move to remove certain targeting options isn’t entirely unexpected. The company has been facing mounting pressure around privacy concerns and regulatory scrutiny over how personal data is used for ad targeting.
After the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal and the implementation of stricter privacy laws like GDPR and Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT), Meta had to rethink how it collects and uses personal data.
In response, Meta has been increasingly focused on AI-driven advertising. Instead of relying on manually set interests, the company is moving toward broad targeting, which uses algorithms to find relevant audiences.
This is where Meta’s Advantage+ products come in—like Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns and Advantage+ Audience—which rely heavily on machine learning to optimise ad delivery and audience selection.
The Future of Interest Targeting
Meta hasn’t explicitly said they’ll remove all interest-based targeting, but the signs point in that direction. With the rise of products like Advantage+ Audience, which treat detailed targeting as mere suggestions rather than strict guidelines, we’re already seeing how irrelevant those detailed interest inputs have become.
In many cases, the AI will adjust your targeting far beyond what you set, prioritising performance over advertiser control.
For advertisers who have long relied on granular interest categories, this shift can feel unsettling.
You might wonder how to get the same level of precision without interest-based targeting. The answer lies in embracing the new tools Meta offers and understanding that the platform’s algorithm is becoming smarter at identifying high-value users on its own.
Advantage+ and the Power of Machine Learning
If you’re already using Meta’s Advantage+ Audience or Advantage+ Shopping, you’ve probably noticed that these tools simplify the ad setup process by reducing the need for manual targeting.
The AI analyses signals from your existing customer base, pixel data, and past conversions to decide who should see your ads. As an advertiser, this means you can focus more on your creative strategy and less on fine-tuning specific audience segments.
Advantage+ allows Meta to expand your audience beyond what you specify, meaning you can reach people you may not have thought to target.
This approach has the potential to generate better results, as it uncovers new opportunities for engagement and conversion. It’s no longer about finding the perfect audience but letting Meta’s AI continuously optimise for the best outcome.
However, this doesn’t mean you’re completely at the mercy of the algorithm. While broad targeting is now the default, Meta still allows some input—like setting minimum age ranges or locations.
You can also use custom audiences and lookalike audiences to guide the algorithm, though even these inputs are treated as “suggestions” rather than firm rules.
Here’s what came into effect from the 15 July:
- You cannot use detailed targeting exclusions in new ad sets.
- You will see a warning banner in Ads Manager reporting if any of your ad sets use detailed targeting exclusions. Meta will recommend that you edit affected ad sets and publish them again.
- You cannot duplicate and edit an ad set, or use a saved audience or draft audience, unless you remove any detailed targeting exclusions.
- Existing campaigns will remain unaffected until 31 January 2025. From 31 January, Meta will stop delivery on campaigns using detailed targeting exclusions. You will see a warning banner if this happens.
You can still use alternative exclusion products, including custom audience exclusions.
You can also use the audience controls in your advertising settings to restrict audiences based on brand protection or employment.
Adapting to the New Normal
For businesses and agencies, the move away from interest targeting represents a significant shift in strategy.
If you’re used to creating multiple ad sets with different interests and behaviours, you’ll need to adjust. The good news is that the shift to broader, AI-driven targeting is working for many advertisers, especially when paired with high-quality creative.
We’ve seen this firsthand with one of our clients in the healthcare industry. Previously, we relied on detailed interest targeting to reach niche segments of the market. But as we transitioned to Advantage+ Audience, we noticed that the AI was actually better at avoiding audience fatigue.
By continuously refining and expanding the audience, Meta was able to keep engagement high without increasing costs. This has led to more consistent conversions over time—a testament to how effective broad targeting can be when combined with the right creative assets.
The Long-Term Implications for Social Media Advertising
So, what does the future look like for social media advertising as we move further away from interest targeting? We expect to see continued improvements in AI-driven ad platforms, with Meta leading the way. As more advertisers embrace these tools, it will likely become the standard across other platforms as well.
If you haven’t already started experimenting with broad targeting and machine learning in your campaigns, now is the time.
The key to success in this new landscape is to test, adapt, and trust the technology. Start small, and use Meta’s automation features to see how they can improve your results.
As privacy regulations continue to tighten and platforms move toward more automated systems, advertisers who can adapt will have a clear advantage.
The removal of detailed targeting options may feel like a loss of control, but in reality, it’s an opportunity to let AI do the heavy lifting.
By focusing more on creative, messaging, and overall strategy, you can leverage the power of Meta’s advanced algorithms to deliver better performance with less manual input.
In 2024 and beyond, it’s not about knowing exactly who to target—it’s about crafting ads that work for the platforms’ evolving algorithms.
The future of advertising is here, and it’s automated.
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