During traffic slumps, proper placement setup becomes a key factor in campaign performance. Where your ads appear determines who sees them and how they engage. For example, a 1:1 video creative for gambling doesn’t perform well in Stories, so it’s better to adapt it or disable certain placements.
Some affiliate marketing specialists make the mistake of reusing the same placements after unsuccessful campaigns. Testing is crucial, and placements themselves need experimentation.
Facebook offers 24 placements, grouped into six categories: Feeds, Stories & Reels, In-Stream Ads for Videos and Reels, Search Results, Messages, and Apps and Sites.
- Feeds — the main traffic source. Ads appear in Facebook and Instagram feeds, profile pages, and Marketplace. Most conversions come from feeds, so these placements are usually kept active. Some options, like the right-hand column on desktop or video feeds between clips, are often turned off due to low performance.
- Stories & Reels — ideal for mobile traffic, especially in gambling verticals. Vertical 9:16 creatives are essential. Instagram Stories and Reels are usually left on, Facebook Reels with low reach are turned off, and Messenger Stories are tested selectively.
- In-Stream Ads for Videos and Reels — appear before or after video content and require short 16:9 creatives. These placements are often skipped because of low efficiency.
- Search Results and Messages — rarely effective. Users are either searching for specific information or not inclined to interact with ad messages, so these placements are generally disabled.
- Apps and Sites — display ads on third-party platforms integrated with Facebook. These placements rarely convert due to high bot traffic.
Advantage+ Placements — Facebook’s machine learning can automatically select effective audiences. Results vary, so the best approach is to test this feature in separate ad sets to see if it works for your specific campaign.
Key Takeaways
Placement setup requires careful attention and testing. Choosing the right placements not only saves budget but also boosts conversions, especially in verticals like gambling.
