Facebook ad targeting has changed a lot over the past few years. The strategies that used to work back then, don’t work anymore.
That’s not what most digital marketers want to hear, but it’s true. Facebook offers many audience-targeting options, which is great. However, using them correctly takes strategy, knowledge, and skill.
One key approach is using core audiences. This way you target users based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
To get the best results, you need to
- Understand all audience options available
- Know how each one fits into your marketing funnel
- Find the right balance between different audience types
- Identify the people most interested in your product
- Optimize your targeting to get better results at a lower cost
This can feel overwhelming if you’re just starting. Even experienced advertisers sometimes struggle with it. Facebook’s ad system is complex. Many problems begin when advertisers assume it’s easier to set up than Google Ads.
In this quick read, you’ll learn Facebook ad targeting methods for better ad performance, strategies for avoiding targeting mistakes, and improving your results.
What does Facebook ad targeting mean?
Facebook ad targeting helps show your ads to the right people- those most likely to be interested in what you offer.
Think of it like planning a party. You wouldn’t invite everyone you know. Instead, you’d ask people who enjoy the theme, activities, and food you’re planning.
Facebook ads work the same way. You can “invite” the right audience by selecting specific criteria. This helps you focus on people who actually care about your product. It also saves money because targeting a smaller, interested group costs less than reaching a large, random audience.
Also read: How to create the most effective real estate Facebook ads?
Types of Facebook targeting audiences
1. Core audience
Core audience targeting helps you reach the right people. You can target based on age, location, interests, and online behavior. This helps your ads show up for people who are more likely to be interested.
Detailed targeting- Detailed Targeting lets you refine your audience. You can also exclude certain groups from seeing your ads.
Pro tip– Sometimes, broad targeting works better than detailed targeting. If you’re unsure, keep it simple and let Facebook’s system optimize for you.
Detailed targeting has three main types-
Demographics– Target people based on traits like age, gender, education, or job title.
Example- If your product is only for women, you can set your ads to show only to women.
Interests – Target people based on hobbies, favorite activities, or topics.
Example- If you sell fishing gear, you can target people who like fishing, boating, and camping.
Behaviors– Target people based on their actions, like past purchases or device usage.
Example- If you want to reach business owners, you can target those who manage Facebook business pages.
If you use detailed targeting, don’t make it too specific. A broader audience lets Facebook find the best people for you. You can always test a smaller, more targeted audience later.
2. Custom audiences
Custom Audiences let you target people who have already interacted with your business. This includes
- Website visitors
- Email subscribers
- Social media followers
- Existing customers
Why use custom audiences?
Facebook tracks billions of users. It knows their interests and behavior. This helps match your ads with the right people.
How to create a custom audience?
- Option A- Use customer data
If you have customer emails, phone numbers, or names, you can upload them to Facebook. Facebook will find those people and show them your ads.
If you don’t have customer data, Facebook’s Meta Pixel will collect data as people visit your website.
- Option B- Use website traffic
You can target people who visit your website. For example, some visitors add products to their cart but don’t buy them. You can create an ad to remind them to complete their purchase.
Once you set up a Custom Audience, you can expand your reach using Lookalike Audiences.
3. Lookalike audiences
Lookalike Audiences help you find new people similar to your existing customers. Let’s say you have 500 customers, Facebook can create a Lookalike Audience of thousands of similar people.
Lookalike audiences perform well because they are based on real customer data. Plus, they help you grow your audience while still reaching relevant people.
How to create a Lookalike audience?
- Go to Facebook Ads Manager and open “Audiences.”
- Click “Create Audience” and select “Lookalike Audience.”
- Choose your source audience. This can be website visitors, email subscribers, or customers.
- Set your location and audience size. Facebook will find similar people based on your settings.
Your lookalike audience is ready. Now, you can run ads to a larger but still relevant audience.
6 Facebook ad retargeting tips
1. Keep your audiences separate for better ads
Keep different audience types in separate campaigns. This prevents confusion and prevents your ads from competing against each other.
When different audiences are mixed in one campaign, it leads to higher costs and unclear results. Keeping them separate makes tracking and budgeting easier.
Use tools like Google Analytics and Meta Business Suite Insights to improve your targeting. These tools help you understand your audience’s interests and behaviors. You can also use them to reach people who follow your competitors.
Here’s how to organize your campaigns.
1. Prospecting campaigns– Find new customers using detailed targeting and Lookalike Audiences.
2. Re-engagement campaigns– Target people who have interacted with your videos, Instagram posts, or Facebook page.
3. Retargeting campaigns– Show special offers to people who visited your website or filled out a form but didn’t complete a purchase.
This setup makes it easier to send the right message to the right people. Also, using Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO) helps Facebook distribute your budget wisely across these campaigns.
2. Improve targeting with Facebook ad relevance diagnostics
Facebook checks how well your ad matches your audience. It uses three main rankings-
- Quality ranking– Measures if your ad is better or worse than others targeting the same audience.
- Engagement rate ranking– Shows how likely people are to like, comment, or share your ad.
- Conversion rate ranking– Tells how well your ad turns viewers into customers.
Facebook wants people to see ads that interest them. If your ad is relevant, you get better results.
Ways to improve your ad scores
To make your ads perform better, try these tips.
- Use clear text and high-quality images or videos.
- Pick the best ad type for your goal.
- Avoid showing the same ad too many times.
- Post ads at the right time for your audience.
- Test different versions of your ad to see what works best.
- Watch competitor ads for ideas and improvements.
How to fix low scores?
If your ad isn’t doing well, make some changes.
- Low-quality ranking? Try a different audience that might like your ad better.
- Low engagement? Use Audience Insights to find people more likely to interact.
- Low conversions? Target people ready to buy, like “engaged shoppers” or those with upcoming events.
No ad works for everyone. The key is to match the right ad with the right audience. Keep testing and updating your ads to get better results.
3. Target hesitant buyers
Many advertisers miss a useful feature in Facebook’s targeting options. You can show your ads to people who have already shown interest in buying from Facebook ads.
The Engaged Shoppers option helps you reach users who clicked the Shop Now button on a Facebook ad in the last week.
Some people scroll past ads without clicking. But this setting ensures you target those who are actively looking to buy.
Here’s how to target engaged shoppers.
- Open an existing ad set or create a new one.
- Scroll to the Audience section.
- In Detailed Targeting, type Engaged Shoppers in the search bar.
- Click on Engaged Shoppers to select it.
This method helps you connect with people who are more likely to make a purchase.
Also read: Google Display Network vs Facebook: Which One is Better?
4. Spend more budget on finding new customers
Many advertisers put most of their budget into retargeting because it brings quick sales. But without a steady flow of new visitors, retargeting stops working over time. This leads to fewer results and higher costs.
To keep your ads effective, spend 60-70% of your budget on finding new customers (prospecting) and 15–25% on retargeting past visitors.
Let’s see why prospecting is Important.
One business shifted more money to prospecting and saw a 400% jump in sales. At the same time, their cost per sale dropped by 54.69% within a week.
A great way to improve prospecting is by using Dynamic Creative Ads. These ads automatically test different images, headlines, and buttons to find what works best for new audiences.
5. How to avoid ad fatigue
Facebook’s system lowers the performance of ads over time. Even if your retargeting campaign is doing well, it won’t last forever. To keep your ads effective, follow these tips.
- Switch ads regularly– Turn some ads off and activate new ones to keep things fresh.
- Change ad content– Update images, text, and offers to grab attention.
- Adjust targeting and goals– Try reaching new audiences or changing your campaign objective.
These simple changes will help your ads stay relevant and perform better.
6. Use discounts or flash sales to get more sales
People in your retargeted audience already know about your business. They just need a small reason to buy. A discount or flash sale can help. Here’s how.
For online stores– Show a carousel ad with products on sale for a short time. This creates urgency and encourages quick purchases.
For service businesses– Use a carousel ad to share customer testimonials. Good reviews build trust and make people more likely to choose your service.
A special offer is the final push that turns interested people into paying customers.
Conclusion
A simple way to get more conversions on Facebook is to create a landing page with your offer. Use Google Ads to send traffic to this page.
Next, create a custom audience on Facebook. Add people who visited the page but did not take action. Then, show them targeted ads on Facebook.
This method works well because you are reaching people who are already interested in your offer.
In 2025, Facebook targeting has become easier. If you’re unsure where to start, begin with broad targeting. Later, refine it to improve your results.
Need help with Facebook ads retargeting?
Reach out to our social media ad experts at McElligott Digital Marketing and start optimizing your campaigns today!
Get a FREE strategy call today at (833) 772-489.
Facebook ad retargeting FAQs
1. What is Facebook ad targeting?
Facebook ad targeting helps you show ads to the right people based on location, interests, and behavior. This makes your ads more effective and relevant.
2. How to target Facebook ads effectively?
Know your audience- Choose based on age, location, and interests.
Use custom & lookalike audiences- Retarget past visitors and find similar users.
Test & improve- Try different ads and track results to refine targeting.
3. What are the types of Facebook ad audiences?
Core audiences- Based on demographics and interests.
Custom audiences- Retarget past visitors or customers.
Lookalike audiences- Find new users similar to existing customers.
Retargeting audiences- Show ads to those who engaged but didn’t convert.
