Written by: This article explains how Google Ads and Meta/Facebook Ads are increasingly relying on AI-driven targeting, reducing advertisers’ manual audience control. It recommends adapting through stronger ad creative, clearer audience messaging, simplified campaign structures, ongoing testing, and patience while AI systems optimise performance. A construction industry case study demonstrates improved engagement and conversions through creative-led advertising.
If you’ve been running Google or Facebook ads for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed the shift happening with targeting. These platforms, once the go-to for finely tuned ad campaigns, are gradually moving towards AI-driven models that don’t always align with the audience you want to reach. In the pursuit of profits, both Google and Facebook are offering more “broad” options, leaving advertisers with less control over who sees their ads. But don’t worry-there’s still a way to make these platforms work for you. Let’s dive into the changes and how you can adjust your approach to keep your ads performing at their best.
What’s Happening with Google and Facebook Ads?
A few years ago, Google and Facebook gave us the tools to zero in on our ideal customers-age, location, interests, income levels, and more. For example, if you were a home renovation business, you could easily target homeowners within a specific suburb or even those who were DIY enthusiasts shopping at Bunnings. Fast forward to today, and this level of precision is slipping away. These platforms have become more reliant on AI to determine where and to whom your ads are shown. What this means for you is that even though you might select specific interests or demographics, your ads could be seen by people who aren’t remotely related to your target audience-like an 18-year-old in Bali or a random person in the middle of the ocean. Sounds frustrating, right? It is. But here’s the thing: these platforms still work. You just need to adjust how you approach your ads.
The Importance of Creativity in the Age of AI
While precise targeting has become more difficult, the creative side of your ads has never been more important. Think of it like this: if your creative isn’t tailored to your target audience, the AI can’t optimally find the right people for you. In fact, the better your creative speaks directly to your target market, the more likely the AI will find those people-eventually. So, what does this mean for your campaigns? Here’s what you should do:
- Be Specific in Your Copy: With less control over targeting, your ad copy needs to do the heavy lifting. If you’re targeting women in their 30s living in Sydney, your copy should say that clearly-“Attention Sydney Gym Junkies” or “Attention Sydney Homeowners”. This helps guide the AI in the right direction.
- Test, Test, Test: Use a mix of image and video creatives to see what resonates best with your audience. Test a variety of copy and visuals-such as “founder’s story” videos, product demos, or location-specific promotions. With AI now doing more of the work, you need to let the system figure out what works while you focus on testing different content.
- Simplify Your Campaign Structure: Forget the complicated, segmented campaigns you used to set up. Instead, try a streamlined structure: one campaign, one ad group, and multiple creatives. This allows the AI to work with a broader dataset and optimise for the best results. You can test with a mix of video and image ads-aim for a 70/30 split to start-and let the AI do its thing.
How Much Should You Spend?
A big question on many business owners’ minds is: how much should I spend on ads, especially when targeting feels like a shot in the dark? Here’s the deal: for testing purposes, start with a daily budget of $30-$40. If you’re seeing positive results-more clicks, more conversions-then gradually increase your budget by $10-$20/day. Be patient. I know it can feel like you’re throwing money into the void, but allow the AI at least three weeks to optimise your ads before you make any drastic changes.
Real-World Case Studies
Case Study: Dazzling Homes – Construction Industry – Melbourne
The Challenge: Dazzling Homes, a Melbourne-based home renovation business, was struggling with poor conversion rates on their Facebook and Google Ads. Despite targeting homeowners in specific suburbs (like Brighton), their ads were being shown to irrelevant audiences, including people from overseas. The Strategy: The business adjusted their strategy by focusing on creative content. They created targeted, locally-relevant messaging like “Attention Melbourne Homeowners” in their ad copy. They also simplified their campaigns: one campaign, one ad group, and a mix of images and videos. The Results: Within three weeks, the business saw a 45% increase in engagement and a 30% boost in conversions. Their ad spend remained under $50/day, and they focused on testing different creatives, with image-heavy ads outperforming videos in this case. The Lesson: Even with limited control over targeting, focusing on strong, relevant creative and being patient with AI-driven ads can yield solid results. Industry Application: This approach applies to any business where geographical and demographic targeting is important-such as local trades, home improvement, and retail.
