When your Facebook and Instagram ads aren’t performing, it’s tempting to blame the creative, the copy, or the algorithm. But more often than not, the real problem is this: you’re targeting the wrong audience—or not advanced audience targeting smartly enough.
Audience targeting is the engine behind campaign success. Even the best ad won’t convert if it’s shown to people who don’t care. At Marktal, we’ve helped brands across industries unlock scalable growth just by dialing in advanced audience targeting strategies that reach the right people at the right time.
Here’s how you can do the same.
1. Go Beyond Interests—Use Behavior and Engagement Signals
Interest targeting is fine—but it’s often too broad. Instead, layer behavioral signals and platform interactions to narrow down to highly relevant users.
Try targeting:
- People who have engaged with your Instagram or Facebook page in the last 30 days
- Users who’ve saved or shared similar posts or videos
- Mobile users who’ve clicked on similar product categories
- People who viewed a product page but didn’t add to cart
These micro-signals are far more predictive of purchase intent than a general interest like “fitness” or “home decor.”
Pro Tip: Combine behavioral signals with high-performing creatives for the ultimate 1-2 punch.
2. Leverage Lookalike Audiences—But Train the Algorithm First
Lookalikes are powerful—but only if you feed Meta the right seed audience. Garbage in = garbage out.
Start with strong source data:
- Purchasers (not just leads)
- Subscribers with high open/click rates
- High-LTV customers
- Engaged video viewers or page followers
Then create Lookalikes in tiers: 1%, 3%, and 5%—and test them against each other. The narrower the seed, the sharper the Lookalike.
Pro Tip: Refresh your seed audiences every 30–60 days to keep the algorithm learning.
3. Use Retargeting to Capture Low-Hanging Conversions
Don’t let warm leads go cold. Retargeting is still one of the highest ROI tactics on Facebook and Instagram—especially when paired with smart segmentation.
Break retargeting into segments:
- Website visitors (last 7, 14, 30 days)
- Add-to-carts without purchase
- Video viewers (watched 50%+)
- Instagram profile visitors who didn’t follow
Match each segment with tailored messaging. Someone who abandoned cart may need urgency (“Only 3 left in stock!”), while a video viewer may need a benefit-driven explainer.
Pro Tip: Use dynamic product ads (DPAs) to automatically show retargeted users the exact products they viewed.
4. Combine Custom Audiences With Creative Variants
Audience targeting isn’t just about “who”—it’s also about what they see. Create custom audiences and match them with ad creatives that speak directly to their stage of the journey.
For example:
- First-time visitors → “What makes us different” videos
- Returning visitors → “Why customers love us” testimonials
- Cart abandoners → Product benefits + social proof + CTA
You’ll dramatically reduce your cost per result by pairing intent-based targeting with context-relevant creative.
5. Test Regional & Time-Based Variations
Most advertisers overlook time and location segmentation. But Facebook and Instagram give you tools to hyper-target users by:
- City or zip code (great for local businesses or events)
- Language spoken (ideal for multicultural targeting)
- Device type (iOS vs Android shoppers behave differently)
- Time of day (test daytime vs night traffic)
Even splitting audiences by weekdays vs weekends can unlock fresh insights and optimization opportunities.
Pro Tip: Use split testing to isolate these variables one by one. Over time, you’ll uncover patterns in engagement, click-throughs, and conversions.
6. Use AI Tools to Enrich Your Targeting
At Marktal, we combine human insight with AI tools to find hidden audience patterns. For example:
- Use Meta Advantage+ to auto-test placements and audiences
- Analyze top converters in Google Analytics and import those traits into Meta
- Use UGC feedback to identify unexpected interests or triggers
We even use third-party tools like SparkToro, Audience.ai, or Clay to discover adjacent interests, communities, and influencers your buyers already trust.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Just Target—Strategize
Advanced audience targeting isn’t about using every trick in the book—it’s about using the right mix of tactics for your goals, brand, and customer journey.
When you refine your audience, every part of your campaign improves:
- Lower CPMs
- Higher CTRs
- Better ROAS
- Increased conversions
If you want to stop wasting budget and start scaling with intention, advanced targeting is the path forward.
Want Expert Help? Work With Marktal
Marktal connects you with pre-vetted ad specialists who live and breathe Facebook and Instagram campaigns. We help:
- Audit your current targeting
- Design advanced segmentation strategies
- Launch optimized campaigns from day one
Don’t let your best customers scroll past you.
Let’s get you in front of the right audience—fast.
Marktal – Your growth marketing partner, on demand.
