Update: This particular bug seems to have been fixed as of June 7, 2024.
Have you been experiencing Facebook Ad issues where your Facebook audience size is below 1,000 and no matter what you do you can’t get your ad to be submitted? You’re not alone. Here is the situation.
As a seasoned Facebook Ads manager with years of experience, I’ve navigated countless challenges and changes within the platform. However, what I encountered recently is perplexing. All of my custom audiences, across every ad account I manage, have suddenly dropped to under 1,000. This isn’t an isolated incident but a widespread issue affecting over ad accounts across multiple Business Managers.
The Issue at Hand
This morning I noticed that every custom audience in my Audience Manager shows as either “Unavailable” or “Under 1,000.” This includes lookalike audiences which are not being created due to the seed audience size falling below the 1,000 threshold.
This phenomenon raises several critical questions:
- Why has this happened?
- Are ad sets targeting these audiences still functional?
- Is this a glitch, or has Facebook implemented a significant change?
The Impact
For those unfamiliar, custom audiences are a cornerstone of effective Facebook ad campaigns. They allow advertisers to target specific user segments based on various data points, ensuring higher relevance and engagement. A sudden drop in audience size disrupts ongoing campaigns, potentially leading to reduced reach, engagement, and ROI.
Community Insights
It appears I’m not alone in experiencing this issue. Here are some other users facing the same problem on Reddit.
- One user was able to get on the phone with Facebook. They gave an estimate of 48-72 hours for the issue to be resolved. Also mentioned they had multiple other people reporting the same issue. Claimed it was from ‘updates and enhancements to the server.’
Possible Explanations
Given the scale and suddenness of this issue, a few theories come to mind:
- System Glitch: It’s possible that Facebook’s system is experiencing a temporary glitch affecting audience size reporting.
- Bug: Some code somewhere got input wrong and they have to find the culprit.
- Data Processing Delays: There could be delays in data processing or syncing within Facebook’s systems, temporarily affecting audience sizes.
Immediate Steps to Take
While awaiting clarity or a fix from Facebook, here are some steps to mitigate the impact:
- Monitor Performance: Keep a close eye on ad performance metrics to identify any immediate drops in engagement or reach.
- Report the Issue: Submit a detailed report to Facebook’s support team. The more reports they receive, the quicker they might address the issue.
Seeking Community Insights
Has anyone else experienced this on their end? Sharing insights and solutions within our community can help us navigate this issue more effectively. If you’ve found a workaround or have more information, please share your experience.
Conclusion
This issue highlights the challenges of relying heavily on platform-specific tools and data. As we navigate this situation, staying informed and adaptable is crucial. I’ll continue to monitor the situation and share updates as they become available.
Have you experienced similar issues with your custom audiences?