Alright, we need to talk about a piece of advice that’s been floating around lately—this idea that audiences “don’t matter” anymore in Meta ads. Have you heard it? Apparently, Meta knows best, targeting is “out,” and all those interest-based and lookalike audiences we used to rely on? “Ineffective.”

Let me be the one to throw a big, flashing “STOP” sign in front of that advice.

Don’t get me wrong, Advantage+ campaigns are fantastic! Meta has done an incredible job of making ads more intelligent, and these campaigns can be amazing. But here’s the thing—if you’re a small business, audiences are still one of your greatest tools. The right audience targeting can mean the difference between ads that crush it and ads that…well, don’t. Meta’s Advantage+ might be a powerful addition, but it’s the cherry on top, not the whole sundae.

Let’s Get Real About “Meta Knows Best”

Yes, Meta’s algorithm is brilliant at finding potential customers based on massive amounts of data. But here’s the catch—this is great if you’re a brand with a massive amount of data and a hefty budget. If you’re a small business it’s risky to hand over all the targeting power to Meta.

With small businesses, your audiences are unique, personal, and often more specific than the vast ocean of Meta data. Your boutique fashion label isn’t a big-box brand that can throw thousands at Meta and let it figure it out. It’s different, and your audience targeting needs to reflect that.

Lookalike Audiences: Still the Small Business Secret Sauce

Let’s talk about lookalike audiences. There’s a reason these have been a cornerstone for eCommerce brands, especially for small businesses. You’re taking your highest-quality audience—your customers—and letting Meta find others just like them. For small businesses, this is ✨ gold ✨.

Lookalikes let you reach people who might actually buy from you, not just people who are vaguely interested. And yes, you’ll want to keep testing and tweaking them, but the payoff can be huge.

Interest-Based Targeting: Not Dead, Just Misunderstood

And then there’s interest-based targeting. Have the “gurus” really tried it lately? Because let me tell you, for small businesses, this is still a fantastic way to get in front of potential customers. It lets you reach people who might be looking for exactly what you’re offering but wouldn’t find you through broader targeting.

Interest-based targeting is especially useful for testing. Let’s say you’re a new brand with a limited customer base to build a lookalike from. Interest-based targeting lets you test the waters, find out what resonates, and build a solid foundation. And guess what? When you combine it with a little ad creative magic, it’s far from ineffective—it’s one of your most powerful tools.

Just make sure you’re clever with your interest base targeting, gone are the days of adding just one interest, or not using the narrow or exclude features – put the effort in and the results will follow.

Why Advantage+ Campaigns Are Great—But Not Everything

Here’s the truth: Advantage+ campaigns are fantastic. They can complement the efforts you’re putting into well-tested audiences, especially once you’ve nailed down what works. For example, if your interest-based and lookalike audiences are bringing in steady results, adding an Advantage+ campaign can help you expand in ways you might not have thought of.

But if you’re a small business, Advantage+ alone likely won’t cut it. Use it as the cherry on top, but don’t make it your only strategy. Proper audience testing and refining are still crucial to your success, and that’s not going away anytime soon.

Don’t Abandon What Works

At the end of the day, the “gurus” might have tips and tricks that work for big brands, but small businesses need to play by a different rulebook. So, if you’re seeing results from your lookalike audiences, if interest-based targeting is working—keep doing it. Don’t throw out what’s working just because someone said, “Meta knows better.”

Your business isn’t like everyone else’s, and your audience strategy shouldn’t be either. Advantage+ is great, but it’s only part of a balanced Meta ad diet. So, keep testing, keep tweaking, and don’t believe the hype. Meta might be powerful, but nothing beats a small business that knows its own audience better than anyone.