Audience Network is a part of Meta, and it makes it easier for advertisers to connect with their ideal audience while users enjoy their apps. And here's the kicker – Meta's ad money isn't limited to just Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Advertisers can reach folks on different online spots, even when they're not using Meta's main platforms. But honestly, some folks say Meta Audience Network is a bit of a headache for in-app ads. Let’s learn how true it is.
The Problems with Meta's Audience Network
Low-Quality Clicks and Abandonment
When folks try to make their ads better for getting people to click links or view landing pages, a big chunk of their money goes to Audience Network. But here's the issue: most of these clicks aren't that good. People click, but then they quickly leave the website. Some clicks happen by accident, and sometimes, there's even fake clicking going on. This messes up the results, making the traffic you get not really helpful.
Click Fraud Refunds
Another important point to mention in our Meta Audience Network review is getting refunds from Meta. These refunds usually aren't much, but they keep happening with this network. Advertisers might think they're getting great results, but then find out that Audience Network is often involved in click fraud situations that lead to these refunds.
Problematic Rewarded Video Placement
The video ads in the Audience Network are kinda tricky. When folks get rewards for watching a video, it might make the numbers look better than they really are. Even though people watch the video, they don't really do much afterward, and that can be confusing for advertisers who want real interactions. It's like, things might not be as good as they seem at first glance.
ThruPlay Manipulation
ThruPlay checks if people watch a video for at least 15 seconds, and it can be messed with in the Audience Network. This means advertisers might see really high ThruPlay numbers, but it might not match up with how many people actually saw the ad. This could make us wonder if people are really engaging with the ad, and it might cause us to make the wrong decisions because the numbers are not accurate.
Algorithm Bias towards Clicks
The way Meta's ads system favors getting more clicks is a big worry. When it's set up to get Link Clicks or Landing Page Views, it often spends a lot of money on Audience Network. This focus on getting more clicks puts quantity first, not really caring about making sure people are actually interested. This might make the whole ad campaign not work as well because it's more about getting clicks than making users really engaged.
Related: 15 Best Mobile Advertising Networks and Platforms
Overlooking Quality Metrics
Some folks might miss how important it is to focus on the quality of metrics instead of just looking at surface-level stuff like Link Clicks or Landing Page Views. Ignoring the qualitative side of how people interact can make us put too much emphasis on metrics that don't really show the true impact and engagement.
So, we talked about some things to watch out for when using Audience Network by Meta. Now, let's chat about how to make the most out of Meta Audience Network for the best results. We've got some smart tips to share with you.
- Smart Ad Compliance
Avoid accidental clicks by doing simple stuff, like showing ads when things naturally pause, making it easy to close ads, making ads stand out, and having a clear "do this" message. Advertisers should stay away from tricky moves, like making ads pop up out of the blue, avoiding app icons, using honest images, and not going over the ad's edges. If you break these rules, it usually messes up just one ad, but if you keep doing it, it could mess with all Android or iOS ads.
- Monitor Your Ad's Performance
If your property gets 50,000 views within a 10-day period, there's an automatic 60-day review of ad click quality. To check your ad's status, go to Integration > Quality Check. The outcomes are either Passing (excellent ad experience, no action needed), Passing (good ad experience with some room for improvement), or Failing (not-so-great ad experience, with three severity levels that need fixing before the review period ends).
- Keep Your Brand Safe
To keep your brand safe, you gotta check your ads yourself to make sure they follow all the brand safety rules. Showing the wrong stuff might mess up your relationship with users and advertisers. Just try not to promote things that go against your brand's image, goals, or advertising style. Take some time and get hang of the rules about making money from your content, like what formats and topics are not allowed. It's a smart move to keep your brand looking good in the advertising world.
Wrapping Up
Meta Audience Network comes with some challenges, like getting low-quality clicks, dealing with fake clicks, problems with where videos are shown, tricks to make videos play longer, unfair computer decisions, and making sure the ads are good quality. You want to make sure users have a good experience, and keep a track of how well your ads are performing. You also got to follow the safety rules for brands. If you want to make the most of Meta Audience Network and need help, reaching out to Maven can give you good advice and support for a better advertising plan.
