Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out. I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on what you're seeing with your Facebook ads. It's definately a common problem.
What you've described – ads performing amazingly well for a week or two and then suddenly dropping off a cliff – is something we see *a lot*, especially on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It's almost standard practice for some campaigns.
We'll need to look at audience fatigue...
The primary reason this happens is audience fatigue. When you run an ad, you're showing it to a specific group of people (your target audience). Initially, it's fresh and new to them. The people most likely to respond will see it first and take action. But after a while, that initial segment of your audience has seen the ad multiple times. They either converted, aren't interested, or are just annoyed by seeing it again and again. The ad becomes stale, the click-through rate (CTR) drops, and the cost per click (CPC) and cost per acquisition (CPA) often start to climb significantly. The system then struggles to find new people within that audience who haven't seen it or who are still receptive.
Think about it from the perspective of someone scrolling through their feed. The first time they see a brilliant ad, they might click. The tenth time? Probably not, or worse, they might hide it. This tells the algorithm the ad isn't performing well anymore, and it starts showing it less or costing you more to reach the same diminishing returns.
So, what can you actually do about it?
Combating ad fatigue is less about fixing a broken ad and more about having a continuous testing strategy in place. You need to constantly be introducing new creative elements and targeting options to keep your campaigns fresh and effective.
It's like tending a garden; you can't just plant seeds once and expect endless harvest. You need to rotate crops, fertilise, prune, and keep planting new seeds as the old ones finish their cycle.
Here are the main areas you need to focus on:
Testing is key for creative and messaging...
This is arguably the most important factor when ads burn out. Your visual creative (images, videos) and your ad copy (headlines, primary text) are what people see first. If they've seen it before, they ignore it.
You should have a pipeline of new creative ready to go. If you're using images, test different images, different angles, different styles (polished vs. more raw/UGC style). If you're using videos, test different lengths, different hooks, different key points being highlighted.
Also, test different ad formats entirely. If image ads were your bangers, try video ads or carousel ads. Carousel ads can be great for showcasing different benefits or products in one go. We've seen several SaaS clients get realy good results testing UGC videos, which can feel more authentic on platforms like FB/IG.
Just as important as the visual is the messaging. You can often reuse a winning visual creative but pair it with completely new copy. Test different headlines, different primary text, different calls to action. Maybe focus on a different benefit, address a different pain point, or offer a slightly different angle on your solution.
The goal here is to find new combinations of visuals and text that resonate with your audience and feel new, even to those who saw your previous ads.
Don't forget audiences...
While creative fatigue is usually the main culprit, audience exhaustion is also a factor. If you've been hammering a very specific, narrow audience for two weeks with a good budget, you might have simply reached most of the people who were immediately interested in that specific ad.
Consider testing new audiences. This could mean expanding your existing ones slightly (e.g., broadening interest categories or lookalike percentages) or targeting completely different interest groups or demographics that still fit your ideal customer profile. The goal is to tap into fresh pools of people who haven't seen your previous campaigns.
And always be retargeting...
Don't forget about the people who saw your great ads but didn't convert! Maybe they were busy, maybe they needed more information, maybe they just weren't ready at that exact moment. Setting up retargeting campaigns for website visitors, ad engagers, or even video viewers is crucial. You can show these people different ads – perhaps testimonials, case studies, or a specific offer – to remind them and push them further down the funnel. This often helps lower overall acquisition costs as you're targeting people who already have some familiarity with your brand.
Keeping on top of this testing can be alot of work.
To summarise the key actions:
| Area | Recommended Action |
|---|---|
| Creative | Constantly test new images, videos, and ad formats (carousels, UGC, etc.). Keep a fresh supply ready. |
| Messaging | Test new headlines, primary text, calls to action, and different benefit angles, even with existing creative. |
| Audiences | Explore new interest groups, demographics, or lookalike percentages to reach fresh segments of potential customers. |
| Retargeting | Implement campaigns targeting people who engaged with your previous ads or website visitors with different, persuasive messaging. |
Ultimately, maintaining consistent performance on platforms like Facebook requires continuous effort and a structured approach to testing. It's not a "set it and forget it" game. You have to be proactive in identifying fatigue and rolling out new variations before the old ones completely die.
This level of ongoing testing and strategy can be complex and time-consuming to manage effectively, especially when you're also running the rest of your business. Sometimes having an expert team dedicated to this can make a significant difference in maintaining stable performance and scale.
If you'd like to discuss your specific situation in more detail and explore how we could help implement a sustainable testing strategy for your account, feel free to book in a free consultation. The link is in my bio.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
