Short answer: Advantage+ placements let Meta show your ads in any placement where it expects the best results, such as Facebook Feed, Instagram Feed, Reels, Stories, Messenger and the Audience Network. For most campaigns this lowers costs, because Meta can find cheaper results across more inventory. The key is to supply creative for each format, especially vertical 9:16 for Reels and Stories, and to check placement results before excluding anything.
How it works
With Advantage+ placements, Meta spreads your budget across placements in real time. It does not split it evenly; it shifts spend to where results are cheapest. With manual placements, you choose exactly where ads may appear. Narrowing placements usually raises CPMs, because your ads compete for less inventory.
When to use Advantage+ placements
- Most sales and lead campaigns
- Accounts with varied creative formats
- When you want lower costs and more reach
- New campaigns where you do not yet know which placements work
When manual placements make sense
| Situation | Why |
|---|---|
| Your creative only fits one format | Avoid poor crops in other placements |
| Audience Network brings low quality leads | Exclude it and compare |
| Brand safety needs | Limit where ads appear |
| Testing a specific placement | For example Reels only |
Prepare creative for each placement
- Square 1:1 or 4:5 for Feeds
- Vertical 9:16 for Reels and Stories
- Keep text and logos in safe zones for Reels and Stories
- Use placement asset customisation to choose which image or video appears where
Without a vertical version, Meta may crop your feed creative, which often looks poor in Reels and Stories.
Read placement results
Use the Breakdown by placement in Ads Manager. Look at cost per result and, for leads, lead quality by placement. A placement with cheap clicks but no sales may need better creative, not removal. Remove a placement only when it is clearly poor over a meaningful amount of spend.
Audience Network and lead quality
Some advertisers find that the Audience Network brings more accidental clicks or low quality leads for lead forms. If your CRM data shows this, test excluding it and compare cost per qualified lead, not cost per lead.
Frequently asked questions
What are Advantage+ placements?
Are automatic placements better than manual?
Should I exclude the Audience Network?
What creative sizes do I need?
How do I see results by placement?
Who can set up placements and creative for my Meta Ads?
Want creative that fits every placement?
I can plan formats and placements for your campaigns. See my Meta Ads management service or request a free ads audit. Also read Instagram and Facebook Reels Ads and Meta Advantage+ audience.