Meta ads have evolved, and tightly targeting audiences is no longer effective. Recent privacy changes have made interest targeting inherently fuzzy. The key shift is moving from demographic labels to behavior-based insights. Creative content now plays a vital role in audience engagement, driving self-identification. Additionally, having too many small campaigns can hinder performance; instead, fewer campaigns with diverse creatives deliver better results. A clearer and simpler framework for 2026 emphasizes creativity and behavior over guesswork.
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insights INSIGHT
Meta’s Data Depth Has Shrunk
Meta no longer has the same depth of user data due to privacy changes and tracking limits.
Jeremy Neisser explains this reduced data makes traditional interest targeting much fuzzier.
insights INSIGHT
Lookalikes Are Slower And Less Predictable
Lookalike audiences are now based on incomplete signals and are less predictable.
Jeremy says Meta can't tell why someone bought, so finding high-value lookalikes is harder.
insights INSIGHT
Behavior Not Labels Powers Performance
The algorithm now learns from user behavior (what stops the scroll) rather than static labels.
Jeremy emphasizes behavior signals like video watches and clicks drive who sees your ads next.
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Meta ads didn’t “break” — they evolved. In this episode, Jeremy explains (in plain English) what actually changed inside Meta over the last few months and why the old playbook of tight targeting, lookalikes, and lots of small campaigns no longer works. If you’re trying to sell more tickets in 2026, this episode gives you a clearer, simpler framework built around creative, behavior, and momentum — not guesswork.
Key Topics Covered
Why Meta Platforms knows less about fans — and why that’s not a bad thing
How privacy changes permanently weakened interest targeting and lookalike audiences
The shift from labels (sports fan, parent, local) to behavior-based learning
Why creative now does the targeting — not audience checkboxes
How too many small campaigns quietly kill performance
Why fewer campaigns + more creative = better results
The real minimum budgets Meta needs to learn and optimize
How sports teams can let fans “self-identify” through engagement
Episode Chapters
00:00 – Why Meta ads feel broken right now
01:03 – What actually changed inside Meta
03:28 – Why interest targeting is fuzzy (and always will be)
05:49 – Why lookalike audiences are slower and less predictable
08:03 – The biggest shift: Meta learns from behavior, not labels
10:14 – Creative as targeting: showing moments, not audiences
12:14 – Campaign structure mistakes teams keep making
14:24 – The new Meta mindset: clear beats clever
15:39 – Homework, next steps, and final takeaways
Tactical Takeaways
Stop asking “Who should we target?” — start asking “What moment are we showing?”
Let Meta learn from scroll-stopping content, not assumptions
Consolidate campaigns so Meta gets enough data to optimize
Feed the algorithm with real fan experiences, not generic graphics
Clarity sells tickets better than cleverness
Call to Action
If this episode helped clarify where Meta ads are actually heading, share it with someone on your team who’s frustrated with paid ads right now. And if you want to pressure-test your current Meta setup, head to the website and book a quick call — even if it’s just to sanity-check what you’re running.
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