3 Major Ways Facebook Ads Have Changed in the Last Six Months

At Cup O Content, we live and breathe Facebook ads. Every day, we’re inside Meta’s Ads Manager tweaking campaigns, testing creative, and making sure our clients get the most bang for their buck. What we’ve learned is this: Facebook ads aren’t static. They change constantly. Sometimes in big, obvious ways, and sometimes in subtle shifts you only notice if you’re watching closely.

That’s why our job isn’t just about setting up ads and letting them run. It’s about keeping pace with how the platform itself is evolving. From AI-driven tools to campaign structure updates, to shifts in policy that impact who you can target and how you can message, Facebook is always moving the goalposts. Our role is to make sure our clients stay one step ahead.

Over the past six months, we’ve seen some important changes that are reshaping how Facebook ads work and, more importantly, how businesses should use them. If you’ve ever wondered why your ads don’t perform the same way they did last year, or why your campaigns suddenly look a little different in the dashboard, these updates are likely the reason.

1. Advantage Plus Campaigns are Getting Smarter

Earlier this year, Meta quietly revamped how it structures ad campaigns with the introduction and expansion of Advantage Plus campaigns. These simplify campaign setup by using a traditional three-tier structure, (campaign, ad set, and ad) while handling optimizations behind the scenes. One handy new addition is the Campaign Score, which shows how well your setup aligns with Meta’s best practices. Stick close to those recommendations and you’re more likely to see smoother performance and lower setup friction.

2. AI-Powered Creative and Automation Take Center Stage

AI has moved from a supporting player to a core feature in Meta’s advertising toolkit. Not only can AI now tweak existing ads, but it's on track to eventually generate full ad campaigns including imagery, text, video, targeting, and budget included. Meta aims to roll out this full creative automation by the end of 2026.

That said, while AI is racing ahead with words, visuals are another story. In our experience, visual AI still lags well behind verbal AI. Generating images that look polished and professional usually takes a lot of handholding, not to mention two or three different programs strung together just to make something “good enough.” For a tool that promises to save time, it often creates more work in the creative process. That’s why at Cup O Content, we’re skeptical about Meta’s timeline.

AI may eventually generate full campaigns on autopilot, but when it comes to brand-ready visuals, the technology has a long way to go.

3. Policy Shifts Impacting Ad Targeting, Especially in Europe

Advertising policy in the European Union is evolving fast, and Facebook is adjusting right along with it. Meta recently announced a ban on all political, electoral, and social-issue ads in the EU, effective this October, citing new legal and transparency requirements that are too complex to manage effectively.

On a related note, Meta has been actively restructuring detailed targeting groups, particularly tightening restrictions around sensitive categories like health and finance. This means advertisers may need to rethink how they craft their target audiences if they operate in those verticals.

What This Means for You

These developments signal a few clear trends:

• Easier campaign setup, smarter optimization. Advantage Plus campaigns and campaign scoring mean less manual tweaking—when done right.

• Generated creative is coming. If you’re a small business or solopreneur, AI-assisted ads can democratize high-quality creative at lower cost.

• Compliance matters more than ever. Especially if you're advertising in regulated markets like the EU, you’ll need to adapt to stricter targeting and ad type restrictions.

  
  

Staying current with these shifts means we can make more efficient, effective ad choices and keep your strategies aligned with where Meta’s moving. If you want help creating Facebook campaigns that perform, contact us today. We're here to help.