5 Steps to Optimising Your Meta Ads Strategy This Black Friday

As Black Friday 2025 draws near, eCommerce brands are ramping up their efforts to create high-impact ad campaigns. While eye-catching videos and product launches are crucial, the brands that come out on top this season will have a solid Meta Ads strategy in place. Facebook and Instagram are the most-visited websites on the internet, making Meta Ads one of the most important channels for Black Friday campaigns.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through five actionable steps to refine your Black Friday Meta Ads strategy to drive maximum results.

1) Audience Mapping: Build Retargeting Audiences Early

Creating a winning Meta Ads strategy for Black Friday starts well before the big day. Audience mapping is essential because retargeting ads perform better when your audience is already familiar with your brand. Black Friday is a high-intent shopping period, and most customers already have a rough idea of what they plan to buy.

Key tip: Start building high-quality retargeting audiences weeks in advance by targeting those who have already engaged with your ads, visited your website, or purchased from you before. Meta allows you to create custom audiences that last for up to 180 days, making early preparation crucial. Segment your audience based on their engagement levels and tailor your ads to resonate with their specific journey.

Pro Tip: A returning customer is far more likely to convert than a first-time visitor, so scale your spending accordingly. Expenditure should reflect the likelihood of each audience segment making a purchase.

2) Design Ads That Sell the Deal, Not Just the Product

It’s essential to focus on ad content and design, especially for Black Friday. During this period, customers are bombarded with deals from every direction, making it harder to stand out. While product offerings are important, what really grabs attention on Black Friday is the deal itself.

Last year, brands that highlighted their savings and offers saw significantly higher click-through rates (CTR) than those that didn’t. Create ad variations for different audience segments. For existing customers, your messaging should be all about the savings—they already know the quality of your product.

Pro Tip: Use bold, straightforward messaging and dynamic creatives to highlight the percentage savings upfront. During Black Friday, customers aren’t just looking for products; they’re hunting for the best deals.

3) Increase Your Budget to Compete in a Crowded Space

With brands across every industry fighting for attention, Black Friday sees a huge surge in ad spend. In 2022, retail brands increased their ad budgets by 188% during November. If you don’t follow suit, your ads risk being overshadowed by your competitors.

Higher budgets allow you to bid more competitively for prime ad space. During Black Friday, consumers are no longer passively scrolling—they are in buying mode, actively looking for deals. Your ads are more likely to convert during this time, so increasing your budget should be seen as an investment, not an expense.

Pro Tip: Increase your ad budget early enough to see how well your campaign is performing before Black Friday. This will give you time to adjust and ensure you’re bidding high enough to stand out.

4) Avoid Last-Minute Changes

It can be tempting to tweak your ad campaigns in the final hours before Black Friday, but this can often lead to disaster. Meta Ads undergo a learning phase when they first go live. During this period, the platform collects data on your campaign and optimises performance. If you make changes too soon, your ads will restart the learning phase, slowing down their ability to perform.

Ensure that everything is triple-checked before launching to avoid rushing any adjustments. Once your campaign is live, leave it alone. The learning phase typically requires around 50 conversions before Meta can stabilize performance.

Pro Tip: Plan early, ensure your ad creatives are polished, and avoid last-minute tweaks that could disrupt your campaign's effectiveness.

5) Keep the Big Picture in Mind: Black Friday Is Just One Weekend

While Black Friday is critical, it’s important to remember that it’s just one part of a broader strategy. Brands with high year-round awareness often outperform those that focus only on Q4. Use the heightened visibility of Black Friday to attract new customers, but don’t neglect your longer-term strategy.

Pro Tip: Think of Black Friday as a brand-building opportunity. Focus on creating ads that convert while building a loyal customer base that will return after the holiday season.

‍

Black Friday can be overwhelming, but with a well-optimised Meta Ads strategy, your brand can rise above the noise and deliver exceptional results. By focusing on audience mapping, targeted ad design, and increasing your budget strategically, you set yourself up for success during the most competitive time of the year. Avoid the temptation of last-minute changes and always keep the big picture in mind—Black Friday is just one piece of your larger media puzzle.

Need help crafting the perfect Meta Ads strategy for Black Friday 2025? Whether you want full campaign management or consultancy to optimise your existing ads, our team is ready to help you succeed. Contact us today to start building a data-driven, results-focused campaign that maximises your sales and brand impact this Q4.

‍

‍