Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out. Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on your Facebook Ads setup, which sounds like it's just getting started.
Based on what you've described, I can see why you're feeling unsure. Let's break it down a bit.
Let's look at your testing methodology...
You mentioned starting with a "pre-test" using a broad adset with 3 creatives, budgeting €5/day per ad. This is honestly where I see the first significant issue. When you're only spending €5 per day on a single creative, especially right at the start, you're giving the Facebook algorithm very, very little data to work with. You'll likely get a handful of impressions and maybe a click or two, but nowhere near enough to understand if the creative is resonating with people, if it's driving the right kind of clicks, or how it compares to the others.
Testing three creatives this way means your total spend is €15/day just for this stage. Even that budget spread across three things is quite small for gathering statistically significant data quickly. Facebook's algorithms need a certain volume of events (like impressions, clicks, and then conversion events) to properly learn and optimise. At such low budgets, you'll likely hit spend caps before you gather useful insights, or the data will be so sparse that any conclusion you draw is just a guess.
Think about it - if you get 5 clicks and 1 'view content' event on creative A, and 3 clicks and 0 'view content' events on creative B after two days, is that *really* telling you one is better? Probably not, it's just noise due to low volume.
Your KPI and what it might indicate...
You mentioned a KPI for this pre-test: spend < €5 and view contents > 5 indicates a "good hook". I understand the thinking behind trying to set a threshold, but basing a "good hook" solely on 'view content' is probably not the most effective approach, especially tied to such a low spend cap. 'View content' means someone landed on a product or content page, but it doesn't tell you much about their intent to buy or engage further. Did they just bounce immediately? Did they scroll and read? Did they add to cart?
A creative or targeting might drive lots of "view content" events, but if none of those people ever move further down the funnel (like adding to cart or purchasing), it's not a "good hook" in terms of generating actual results for your business. While early funnel metrics can be useful indicators, I'd typically look for something that shows a bit more intent, even in early testing, if possible. However, with very low budgets, even getting enough 'view content' events can be a challenge.
The fact that you're seeing decent scrolls/views on the ads but low 'view content' numbers in your product test phase (which has a higher budget) points to a potential disconnect. This suggests people are seeing and perhaps engaging slightly with the ad in their feed, but something is preventing them from clicking through to your site or taking that next step. This could be:
- The ad creative/copy isn't compelling enough to make them click.
- The targeting isn't quite right, so the ad is showing to people who aren't truly interested in the product even if they pause to look.
- Your landing page is the issue - it's slow to load, doesn't match the ad's promise, is confusing, or doesn't immediately look trustworthy or relevant. I've seen campaigns improve dramatically just by fixing website speed or clarity.
We need to give it more time...
You also mentioned your pixel is only 3 days old. This is completely normal for a new setup, but it means the pixel has gathered almost no data yet. Facebook's algorithms rely heavily on pixel data (and other signals) to learn who is most likely to take the desired action (like viewing content, adding to cart, purchasing). With only 3 days of data, it's essentially blind. You need to run traffic and generate events for a longer period – ideally several weeks – for the pixel to start understanding the characteristics of people who engage with your site.
Expecting meaningful performance data or optimization after just 3 days is unrealistic, especially with low initial budgets. It takes time and consistent traffic volume for the algorithms to learn and improve targeting and delivery.
Regarding your Product Test structure...
Your product test setup (3 adsets, 3 creatives each, €25/day per adset) is better in terms of budget per adset (€25/day is a more reasonable starting point than €5/day per creative). However, if you have 3 creatives in *each* adset and only €25/day for the adset, that budget is still being split amongst the creatives. One creative might get most of the spend, leaving the others with too little to evaluate properly. You need to ensure each creative within an adset receives enough impressions and clicks to be properly judged by you and the algorithm.
For early testing, you might consider simplifying slightly to ensure enough budget reaches each test element. Perhaps start with fewer creatives per adset, or allocate a bit more budget, or just accept that it will take longer to get clear winners.
So, what to do?
Here's a summary of what I'd recommend you consider changing:
| Area | Current Approach (as described) | Recommended Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Testing Budget (per creative/element) | €5/day per ad | Significantly increase budget per test element (creative or adset) to allow for sufficient impressions/clicks/events. Maybe aim for €10-20 per creative if testing creatives individually, or €30-50+ per adset if testing adsets/audiences with a few creatives inside. |
| Testing Duration | Very short (3 days) | Run tests for a longer period (minimum 5-7 days, ideally 2+ weeks) to allow the algorithm to learn and gather sufficient data for statistical significance. |
| Key Performance Indicator (KPI) | View Content > 5 (tied to low spend) | Look further down the funnel if possible (e.g., Add to Cart, Initiated Checkout), or use early indicators like CTR and landing page views alongside 'view content', but don't rely solely on a small number of View Contents. Ensure budget is sufficient to even get these events. |
| Pixel Maturity | 3 days old, untrained | Accept that initial performance will be suboptimal. The pixel requires traffic and events over time (weeks, months) to become effective at optimising. Patience is key here. |
| Low View Content Issue | Seen in Product Test phase | Diagnose the cause: Are the ads compelling enough? Is targeting right? Is the landing page fast, clear, and persuasive? Address any issues on the landing page first, as a poor landing page will kill any ad performance. |
Building a successful Facebook Ads strategy takes time, testing, and patience. It’s not uncommon to see low numbers and feel unsure at the start. The algorithms need data to work, and you need enough volume to draw valid conclusions from your tests.
Getting this initial setup and testing methodology right is crucial, as a poor foundation will make scaling very difficult and expensive down the line. There are lots of variables to consider – targeting, creative, offer, landing page, budget allocation, etc. – and finding the right combination often requires significant testing and experience.
If you're finding this process challenging and want a more structured approach based on experience with many campaigns, we'd be happy to hop on a free consultation call to discuss your specific situation in more detail and map out a clearer path forward.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
