Stop everything you’re doing with Facebook ads right now if you’re still running campaigns like it’s 2022. You are already falling behind your competitors.
At Earng Media, we live and breathe Meta advertising updates because your business depends on results that actually move the needle. In our latest Episode 15 podcast, Jackson Earngey, CEO and Founder of Earng Media, pulled back the curtain on Meta’s Andromeda update and what it means for Facebook ads in 2026.
Meta ads strategy is changing faster than ever. AI now drives more decisions than humans in ad delivery, targeting, and optimisation. You’re probably asking yourself: do Facebook ads still work? The short answer is yes, they can, but only if you understand what Meta now prioritises and adapt your campaigns accordingly.
What You Need to Know About Meta’s Andromeda Update
- Meta’s Andromeda Algorithm Is Changing Facebook Ads Performance in 2026
You need to know this first. Meta’s Andromeda update shifts the core of ad delivery from manual settings and detailed targeting towards an AI-driven evaluation of content quality and relevance.
As Jackson explains:
“AI now prioritises when it is deciding who should see an ad and why. Manual control matters less than before. You put a lot more content and a lot more variation of content into one campaign, one ad set, and then let Facebook decide what to do.”
In other words, the platform now reads your ads more like a human would. It looks at visuals, video, audio, text, and user interaction signals to predict who is most likely to take action. Older strategies that rely on narrow audience lists or rigid campaign splits are losing performance.
This shift aligns with Meta’s own 2026 strategy to use AI to drive performance and optimisation. In Q4 2025, Meta doubled processing power for its AI ranking models, which delivered measurable lifts in ad clicks and conversions on Facebook and Instagram. This shows how automated systems now play a much larger role in how your ads are served.
The takeaway for you is simple. Your ad content itself is the new targeting. The more varied and high-quality your creative, the more data the algorithm has to find conversions for you.
More: Why SEO Is Changing in 2026 and How to Rank in Google’s AI Overviews
- Proven Facebook Ads Strategies for 2026’s AI-Driven Platform
Now you need a winning Meta ads strategy that works under these new conditions. The data is clear. Campaigns that lean into content diversity and AI-friendly structures outperform traditional setups.
Jackson highlighted:
“Content is what matters now. If you are making content consistently, you are less affected by Andromeda. Clients who stopped frequent creative releases saw performance drops.”
Here are the core strategies you should adopt:
- Post frequent variations of creative
Your ads need new hooks regularly. Jackson suggests releasing new content every 7 to 10 days so the algorithm continuously tests and learns.
- Use multiple hooks and angles per campaign
In a single ad set, test versions of videos or images with different opening statements and calls to action. For example, test educational hooks, testimonials, offer focused hooks and problem driven hooks all at once.
- Let the AI optimise placements and targeting
Andromeda works better with broad campaign structures. You do not need to fragment audiences if your creative clearly speaks to the specific customer.
- Monitor what works and repeat it
Once a creative element performs well, design several more ads based on that same structure with slight twists. Jackson explains that this feedback loop helps drive cost efficiencies.
Remember that Meta’s own benchmarks in 2025 show video and carousel formats consistently outperform single-image ads, with Reels ad impressions up nearly 30 per cent year over year. This underscores the importance of creative variety in your campaigns.
- Facebook Ads Attribution Changes and They Impact Your ROI
Attribution is how you measure success. Andromeda changes what success looks like and how you find it.
“The results measured by Meta are now tied directly to which creative works best. When the algorithm finds a winner, it pushes that creative more, and over time your CPA or cost per sale drops,” Jackson said.
This means your return on ad spend (ROAS) is driven more by creative performance than audience tweaks. When the AI finds content that resonates, it automatically delivers to similar users who are more likely to take action.
Industry benchmarks show an average cost per action of around $18.68 in 2026, but results vary widely. Your job is to help the algorithm learn what works quickly. That means testing and iterating with a steady supply of creative assets.
Actionable steps you should take:
- Track which creatives drive conversions early.
- Duplicate and adapt high performing hooks across multiple formats.
- Phase out low performers quickly to allocate budget where it matters most.
This approach improves efficiency and helps reduce your cost per lead or purchase over time.
- Structure Facebook Campaigns with CBO for Maximum Scaling
Campaign Budget Optimisation or CBO is now more powerful than ever. Instead of multiple ad sets each targeting narrow groups, put your creative assets into a smaller number of broad ad sets.
Jackson puts it this way:
“Simplicity is key. Keep everything broad. One campaign, one ad set. Let Meta’s AI learn who responds best to your creative.”
Here is what works now:
- Set up one campaign per objective
Separate your campaigns by goal, such as leads or conversion,s but keep them lean.
- Use one or very few ad sets
This gives the algorithm freedom to distribute the budget to the best-performing creative.
- Place all creatives in the same ad set
Give Meta plenty of content to test so it can pair the right creative with the right user.
This structure works especially well under AI dominance because the platform now uses engagement and content signals to determine delivery, not predefined audience splits.
- Does Creative or Targeting Drive Facebook Ads in 2026
You might still be asking whether creative or targeting is more important. Data from the industry and Jackson’s insights answer this clearly.
Jackson emphasises:
“If you are still looking at targeting as the most important metric, very soon your ad accounts will become obsolete. Creative is the key.”
In 2026, Meta has reduced many detailed targeting options to make way for AI-driven audience discovery. Broad targeting paired with strong creative signals now lets the system find your best audience for you.
Data also shows that brands that use multiple creative formats reduce acquisition costs and improve engagement rates.
This does not mean targeting has no place. It still matters for local businesses or very specific compliance needs. But in most cases, creative quality and diversity will determine success.
- How E-Commerce and Lead Generation Brands Win With Meta Ads Today
Now let’s focus on how your business can win with this new environment. Whether you are selling products or generating leads, creative-driven campaigns are your best path forward.
Jackson says:
“You need to work with someone who can supply you with lots of creatives. If your agency is not doing this, you will fall behind.”
Here’s how you can win:
For e-commerce:
- Use multiple product videos highlighting different features.
- Show user testimonials or demo clips.
- Test creative that speaks to different customer motivations.
For lead generation:
- Make short educational videos that answer key questions your audience has.
- Use hooks that clarify the offer early, such as eligibility in the first 3 seconds.
- Pair offer clarity with strong calls to action.
Across both models, many advertisers are now investing in AI-assisted creative tools to scale their output, but human oversight remains essential to keep messaging aligned with brand values.
Boost Your Business with Earng Media’s Facebook Ads 2026 Expertise
You don’t have to navigate Facebook ads in 2026 on your own. Over more than a decade, we’ve helped businesses of all sizes run campaigns that actually convert. From e-commerce to lead generation, we know what works, what doesn’t, and how to scale campaigns efficiently in today’s AI-driven Meta landscape.
If you partner with us, we don’t just manage your Facebook ads; we also create the content your campaigns need to perform at their best. At Earng Media, we help businesses build real authority on Facebook. That means stronger ad creative, smarter campaign structure, and visibility to the audiences who are ready to take action.
If you are serious about improving your Facebook ads in 2026, driving conversions, and reaching high-intent customers, let’s have a proper chat. Call us on +61 482 095 249 to discuss your Meta ads strategy. We proudly serve Bundall, Australia, and beyond.
And if you want to dive deeper into the conversation behind this article, listen to the full Episode 15 discussion with Jackson Earngey.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Bfql4z667bqvCk4dbOhrk
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jacksonearngey
Stay seen. Stay converting. Make sure your brand reaches the people ready to act on Facebook ads in 2026.
