Inside Meta: What I Learned as a Facebook Direct Response SME. By Brandon Stweart.

When I joined Meta (formerly Facebook) as a Direct Response Subject Matter Expert (SME), I had one goal: to help brands scale smarter and convert better using the most advanced advertising tools available. Working behind the scenes at one of the world's biggest ad platforms gave me insider knowledge on how to build campaigns that drive real results—not just clicks, but actual revenue.

🚀 Here’s What I Learned at Meta & How You Can Apply It Today:

1. Data is King – But Only If You Use It Right

Meta’s advertising system is fueled by AI-driven learning, but most brands don’t feed the machine properly. If your ads aren’t performing, it's likely because you’re:

✅ Not optimizing for the right events (e.g., purchases, leads, or app installs).

✅ Using too-small audiences that restrict learning.

✅ Not leveraging AI-powered broad targeting (Meta’s machine learning is smarter than ever!).

👉 Lesson: Instead of micromanaging audiences, focus on conversion-based objectives and let Meta's AI do the work.

2. The Creative Matters More Than Ever 🎨

When I was working at Meta, we saw that the best-performing ads weren’t just well-targeted—they were well-crafted.

✅ Video ads outperformed static images in most cases.

✅ Short-form, high-energy content (like UGC) increased engagement.

✅ Clear CTAs (Call-To-Actions) within the first 3 seconds boosted conversions.

👉 Lesson: Don’t just run ads—create compelling, scroll-stopping creatives. Test different formats, and let the data guide your decisions.

3. The Ad Auction Isn’t Rigged – It’s Just Misunderstood 🏆

Many advertisers think the ad auction is unfair, but Meta’s system rewards:

✅ High engagement rates (likes, comments, shares)

✅ Fast-loading landing pages & good customer experiences

✅ Ad relevance (quality score matters!)

👉 Lesson: If your ad costs are rising, check your ad engagement, landing page speed, and overall ad relevance—it could be hurting your performance.

4. First-Party Data Wins Every Time 📊

Since iOS14’s privacy updates, first-party data is more important than ever. Meta rewards brands that collect and use their own customer data effectively.

✅ Use Lead Ads to collect emails and phone numbers.

✅ Set up server-side tracking (CAPI) to improve conversion data.

✅ Retarget engaged users & past customers with tailored offers.

👉 Lesson: Own your audience—don’t just rely on third-party tracking.

Final Takeaway: Think Bigger, Test Smarter

Meta taught me that marketing isn’t about luck—it’s about testing, learning, and scaling. If you’re not seeing results, you’re either not testing enough or not learning fast enough.

💡 Need help scaling your brand with proven Meta ad strategies? Let’s talk. Book a Good Feel Session today! 🚀