Most Common Ad Campaigns For Meta Ads

Below is the most common Ad Campaigns we run for Meta Ads – Facebook and Instagram along with their purpose, creative needed or best creative and other campaign notes.

Retargeting (Middle Funnel) Ads: Driving Familiar Audiences to Bookings #

Objective:
Retargeting ads aim to convert warm audiences—those familiar with the vacation rental brand—into bookings. These campaigns target users who’ve already shown interest and are likely closer to making a decision.

Target Audiences: important note – audiences for retargeting on Meta typically need to have around 1,000 tagged users. Therefore, very small email lists, low traffic websites and new pages often struggle to get retargeting ads to serve.

1. Website Visitors:
   • Users who visited the site in the past ~60 days, tracked via the Meta Ads Pixel.
   • Important note: make sure the client has the Meta Ads Pixel on their website as soon as possible as the Pixel is NOT retroactive.
2. Email List Subscribers:
   • Past guests and email subscribers familiar with the brand.
   • Acquire the full email list export (CSV file or similar) from the client
3. Social Media Followers:
   • Facebook Page Fans and Instagram Followers.

Ad Creative Strategy:

• Messaging:
  • Highlight promotions, urgency, or specific properties.
  • Reinforce the value of booking directly.
• Visuals:
  • Use consistent branding and feature properties or guest experiences.
  • Consider using VIDEO to show the top-rated properties. While static ads are generally easier to get a client to approve, VIDEO has the most reach on Instagram and converts better typically on clicks.

Key Metrics to Monitor:

• ROAS: To measure profitability. Ideally we have Meta Pixel tracking for bookings and the revenue from those bookings. ROAS of 5:1 is often breakeven whereas ROAS of 10:1 or greater is likely highly profitable and we should increase our budget if we can.
• Conversion Rates: To gauge success in driving bookings.
• CPC: To measure cost efficiency.
• CTR: To assess ad engagement.

Optimization Tips:

• Test shorter or longer retargeting windows (30 vs. 60 days).
• Refine audience segmentation (recent vs. older guests).
• Refresh creatives regularly to avoid ad fatigue.
• Test video ads instead of static-only image ads.

Challenges & FAQs:

• Challenge: Pixel not tracking properly. Review Meta Pixel tracking. Solution: Check Pixel integration and troubleshoot missing events.
• FAQ: “Why don’t retargeting ads convert immediately?”
  Answer: Conversion times vary; retargeting often assists conversions rather than completing them directly.

Top of Funnel (ToFu) Campaigns: Expanding the Audience and Building Awareness #

Objective:
ToFu campaigns aim to introduce the brand to new audiences and build awareness. These campaigns focus on attracting interest from users who may not yet know about the vacation rental brand.

Target Audiences:

1. Interest-Based Audiences:
   • Target people based on their interests, such as travel, vacation rentals, or specific destinations.
2. Lookalike Audiences:
   • Built from valuable data sources:
     • Website visitors.
     • Email lists of past guests or homeowners.
     • High-engagement followers.

Ad Creative Strategy:

• Messaging:
  • Highlight brand uniqueness and general value propositions.
  • Keep calls to action simple: “Learn More” or “Explore Now.”
• Visuals:
  • Use aspirational imagery and videos that capture the essence of the brand.
  • Focus on recognizable vacation experiences or high-quality properties.

Key Metrics to Monitor:

• Reach: To gauge how many unique users are exposed to the campaign.
• Impressions: To measure total exposure.
• Engagement Rates: To assess interest and interaction.
• CTR: To evaluate how well the ad captures attention.

Optimization Tips:

• Experiment with interest targeting segments (e.g., luxury travel, family vacations).
• Refine Lookalike Audiences by adjusting similarity percentages (e.g., 1% for precision, 5% for broader reach).
• Regularly update creative assets to avoid viewer fatigue.

Challenges & FAQs:

• Challenge: Audience targeting too broad.
  Solution: Narrow focus by layering interests or creating smaller Lookalike Audiences.
• FAQ: “Why don’t ToFu campaigns generate immediate bookings?”
  Answer: These campaigns are designed for awareness, not direct conversions, but they prime the audience for mid-funnel retargeting.

Page Growth Campaigns: Building Fans and Followers for Long-Term Engagement #

Objective:
Page Growth Campaigns aim to grow the audience for future organic marketing by increasing Facebook Page Fans and driving Instagram Page Visits. While Facebook Page Fans can be directly acquired, Instagram users must choose to follow the page after visiting.

Target Audiences: note – these can still be separate campaigns in Meta. For example: ToFu – Page Growth AND MoFu – Page Growth. Generally speaking, top funnel followers are cheaper to acquire but less

1. ToFu (Top of Funnel) Audiences:
   • Reach new potential followers through interest-based and Lookalike targeting.
2. MoFu (Middle of Funnel) Audiences:
   • Retarget warm audiences, such as recent website visitors, email subscribers, and current followers of the brand’s Facebook or Instagram pages.

Ad Creative Strategy:

• Messaging:
  • Showcase the value of following the page: exclusive offers, travel inspiration, or stunning vacation properties.
  • Use friendly and inviting language to build trust and interest.
• Visuals:
  • Highlight aspirational imagery, like beautiful vacation settings or happy guests.
  • Use videos or carousels to capture attention.

Key Metrics to Monitor:

• Facebook Page Likes (Fans): Growth of the fan base.
• CPL (Cost Per Like): To measure cost efficiency on Facebook.
• Instagram Page Visits (Clicks): Traffic driven to the Instagram page.
• CTR: To gauge interest and engagement with the ad.

Optimization Tips:

• Refine ad copy to highlight different aspects of the page (e.g., property deals vs. vacation inspiration).
• Test audience segmentation:
  • ToFu for audience expansion.
  • MoFu for lower CPL and higher engagement rates.
• Use visually dynamic ad formats like carousels or videos.

Challenges & FAQs:

• Challenge: Low Instagram follower conversion from page visits.
  Solution: Focus on high-quality content on the Instagram page to increase the likelihood of follows.
• FAQ: “Why doesn’t everyone who clicks on Instagram follow the page?”
  Answer: Instagram doesn’t allow direct follower campaigns; following is a user’s choice after visiting.
• FAQ: “Is growing page fans worth it?”
  Answer: Page fans provide a long-term audience for organic content, which can increase engagement and build trust over time.