YouTube Video ry9Mzqvrapc 🔗 **Source:** [YouTube Video ry9Mzqvrapc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [meta-advertising, facebook-ads, digital-marketing] > author: John Loomer > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc > date created: 2024-12-19 14:30 > > # 🏷️ Title: Meta Advertising Solutions Are Found in the Grays - Not Black and White > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Reject easy templates and checklists — embrace messy reality of advertising #marketing - [H2] Focus on foundational understanding over hot strategies — build expertise #strategy - [H3] Make decisions on meaningful results, not small samples — improve analysis #data ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [John Loomer Digital](https://johnloomer.com) - [Meta Business Help Center](https://business.facebook.com/help) ## 📝 Summary - **What happened**: John Loomer explains why Meta advertising success requires nuanced thinking rather than universal solutions - **Why it matters**: Advertisers seeking quick fixes and checklists often fail because effective advertising requires understanding context and exceptions - **Key audience**: Meta/Facebook advertisers frustrated with poor results despite following "best practices" - **Risks**: Following rigid rules without understanding underlying principles leads to suboptimal performance - **Bottom line**: True advertising expertise comes from embracing uncertainty and finding solutions in the "grays" between absolutes ## 📖 Main Content Loomer addresses a fundamental frustration among Meta advertisers: the desire for clear, universal solutions in a field that requires nuanced decision-making. He argues that effective advertising exists in the "grays" - the space between black-and-white rules where context matters more than templates. The core argument centers on rejecting binary thinking about advertising tactics. While general best practices exist, successful advertisers must understand when and why to deviate from standard approaches based on their unique situation. Key examples include remarketing (usually unnecessary due to algorithmic targeting but sometimes valuable for specific scenarios) and audience segmentation (generally not recommended but useful for high-ticket offers or controlled campaigns). Loomer emphasizes that comfort with uncertainty and the phrase "it depends" indicates mature advertising knowledge. This approach requires understanding how Meta's systems work fundamentally rather than following the latest "guru strategies." ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=0) — [H1] Advertisers Want Clarity But Get Confusion - Key idea: Frustrated advertisers expect universal solutions and step-by-step clarity - Evidence: "They want clarity. They want universal solutions. They want a detailed step by step" #### ⏱️ [00:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=35) — [H2] Few Universal Truths in Meta Advertising - Key idea: Very few absolute rules exist in Meta advertising - Evidence: "There are very few universal truths when it comes to meta advertising. The truth is found in the grays" #### ⏱️ [00:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=48) — [H2] Remarketing Usually Unnecessary Now - Key idea: Algorithmic targeting automatically handles remarketing without separate campaigns - Evidence: "Typically remarketing is unnecessary now. It happens automatically when using algorithmic targeting" #### ⏱️ [01:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=75) — [H3] Exception: Controlling Frequency Issues - Key idea: Separate remarketing campaigns may be needed if reaching audiences too frequently - Evidence: "You might end up reaching them too much. And if that happens, you may want to control it" #### ⏱️ [01:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=105) — [H3] Exception: High-Ticket Offers with Constraints - Key idea: Targeted campaigns make sense for expensive products or specific audience restrictions - Evidence: "Maybe you have a high ticket offer with a lower budget. Maybe you only want your offer available to specific people" #### ⏱️ [02:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=135) — [H2] General Rules Have Deep Caveats - Key idea: All advertising recommendations come with significant exceptions and conditions - Evidence: "There are deep caveats in that advice. There's a yeah, but or I'll hesitate before starting with it depends" #### ⏱️ [02:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=165) — [H1] No Universal Approach for Everyone - Key idea: Every advertiser's situation is unique and requires customized approaches - Evidence: "There isn't a single universal approach that should be adopted by everyone" #### ⏱️ [03:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=180) — [H2] Uncertainty Creates Frustration But Enables Solutions - Key idea: While uncertainty is uncomfortable, it's where real advertising knowledge develops - Evidence: "While that can create confusion and frustration, it's also where real knowledge is found" #### ⏱️ [03:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=210) — [H1] Solutions Found in Understanding, Not Strategies - Key idea: Success comes from foundational knowledge rather than following trending tactics - Evidence: "You have a foundational understanding of how things work... It's not the hot new strategy that everyone is doing now" #### ⏱️ [04:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=240) — [H2] Your Situation is Unique - Key idea: Company, product, customer, and website combinations create unique advertising requirements - Evidence: "Your company, product, customer, and website are all unique to you" #### ⏱️ [04:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=255) — [H2] "It Depends" Represents the Grays - Key idea: The phrase "it depends" captures the nuanced nature of effective advertising decisions - Evidence: "That phrase it depends represents the grays. It represents your unique situation" #### ⏱️ [04:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=285) — [H1] Thriving in the Grays Requires Deep Knowledge - Key idea: Success in nuanced advertising requires understanding systems and your specific context - Evidence: "When you know how things work and you thoroughly understand your own company, product, and customer, you thrive in the grays" #### ⏱️ [05:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=315) — [H3] Meaningful Results Guide Decisions - Key idea: Good advertisers use statistically significant data and understand causation versus correlation - Evidence: "You make sure they are meaningful results. You don't make decisions based on small sample sizes" #### ⏱️ [05:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=345) — [H2] Comfort with Uncertainty Indicates Expertise - Key idea: Advanced advertisers feel comfortable without scripts or checklists - Evidence: "You're going to know that you're in a good place when you're comfortable in the grays" #### ⏱️ [06:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc&t=375) — [H1] Reject Easy Solutions, Embrace Complexity - Key idea: Consciously avoid templates and accept that effective advertising is inherently messy - Evidence: "Make a conscious effort to reject the easy, the templates, the checklists. Embrace the fact that this stuff is messy" ## 📚 References - [John Loomer Podcast](https://johnloomer.com/mpodcast) - [Meta Business Help Center](https://business.facebook.com/help) - [Facebook Ads Manager](https://business.facebook.com/adsmanager) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Meta advertising success requires embracing nuanced decision-making rather than following universal rules, as most effective strategies depend heavily on specific business context and circumstances. - While general best practices exist (like using algorithmic targeting instead of manual remarketing), experienced advertisers know when exceptions apply based on factors like budget constraints, offer type, and audience characteristics. - True advertising expertise develops when practitioners feel comfortable with uncertainty and can make data-driven decisions without relying on templates, checklists, or trending strategies from advertising "gurus." ## 📰 Newsletter Meta advertising frustrating you? You might be looking for the wrong kind of answers. John Loomer's latest insight explains why the most effective Facebook and Instagram advertising strategies aren't found in universal rules or step-by-step checklists. The key revelation: successful advertisers thrive in the "grays" - that uncertain space where context matters more than templates. While algorithmic targeting usually makes remarketing campaigns unnecessary, your high-ticket offer might be the exception. While Advantage Plus placements typically work best, your specific results might suggest otherwise. This mindset shift from seeking certainty to embracing "it depends" separates advanced advertisers from beginners. Instead of chasing the latest guru strategy, focus on understanding how Meta's systems actually work, then adapt based on your unique company, product, and customer situation. Ready to move beyond cookie-cutter approaches? Start by analyzing your current campaigns through the lens of meaningful data, not small sample sizes, and remember: if advertising were easy, everyone would be crushing it. Resources: [Meta Business Help Center](https://business.facebook.com/help), [John Loomer Digital](https://johnloomer.com), [Meta Blueprint Training](https://blueprint.fb.com) ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Developer advocacy: Create content explaining when to deviate from standard API implementations based on use case - Education: Develop workshops on contextual decision-making in advertising technology integration - Developer experience: Improve documentation to include exception scenarios and edge cases - Developer marketing: Position nuanced expertise over simplified solutions in technical content - Community management: Foster discussions about context-dependent best practices #### Community - Contributors: Share case studies of successful context-dependent advertising approaches - Sponsors: Fund research into advertising effectiveness across different business models - Ecosystem: Coordinate knowledge sharing between agencies and direct advertisers #### WordPress - Marketing: Apply "grays" thinking to WordPress advertising campaigns and audience segmentation - Community: Help meetup organizers understand when standard promotion tactics need customization - Training: Develop lesson plans that teach contextual marketing decision-making - Documentation: Include exception scenarios in marketing and advertising guidance ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Advertisers who embrace contextual decision-making over rigid rules achieve better long-term performance than those following universal templates - Meta's algorithmic improvements have reduced the effectiveness of traditional remarketing segmentation for most advertisers - Businesses with unique customer journeys or high-ticket offers still benefit from manual audience segmentation despite algorithmic advances - Advertiser expertise correlates more strongly with comfort handling uncertainty than with knowledge of specific tactics ### 📊 Methodology - A/B test algorithmic targeting versus manual remarketing segmentation across different business models and price points - Survey advertiser confidence levels and correlate with campaign performance metrics over 6-month periods - Analyze performance differences between template-based campaigns and contextually customized approaches ### ❓ Questions - How can advertisers systematically identify when they represent exceptions to general best practices? - What specific business characteristics most reliably predict when manual segmentation outperforms algorithmic targeting? - How do successful advertisers balance foundational knowledge with willingness to experiment outside best practices? ### 🔮 Future Research - Long-term performance analysis of context-dependent versus rule-based advertising strategies across industries - Development of frameworks for identifying when to deviate from algorithmic recommendations - Investigation into how Meta's machine learning evolution affects the relevance of traditional advertising tactics ### 💡 Implications - **Practice**: Advertisers should develop comfort with uncertainty and focus on understanding systems rather than memorizing tactics - **Policy**: Advertising education should emphasize critical thinking over step-by-step procedures - **Education**: Training programs need to include exception scenarios and contextual decision-making frameworks - **Funding**: Marketing budgets should allocate resources for testing context-specific approaches rather than only scaling proven templates ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 10th Grade (Flesch-Kincaid) #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Clear examples of remarketing scenarios with concrete business cases - Improve: Decision trees showing when to apply exceptions, visual frameworks for contextual analysis #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Podcast format with conversational explanation of concepts - Improve: Audio examples of successful exception cases, interview segments with successful advertisers #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Strong use of analogies like "grays," clear definitions of key concepts - Improve: More metaphors for algorithmic targeting, storytelling around specific business scenarios #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Specific actionable examples with remarketing setup decisions - Improve: Step-by-step diagnostic checklist for identifying exceptions, hands-on campaign audit framework #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Clear cause-and-effect reasoning about algorithmic targeting improvements - Improve: Statistical frameworks for meaningful results, logical decision trees for exception scenarios #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: References to community discussions and shared experiences - Improve: Discussion prompts for advertiser groups, collaborative case study analysis #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Reflection prompts about personal advertising approach and mindset - Improve: Self-assessment tools for advertising maturity, individual campaign analysis worksheets #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Organic metaphor of "grays" as natural state rather than black/white absolutes - Improve: Ecosystem analogies for advertising platform relationships, adaptation concepts from natural selection ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Clear heading structure, logical content flow - Improve: Better alt text for any visual examples, ARIA labels for complex concepts #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Standard podcast player controls accessible via keyboard - Improve: Transcript navigation shortcuts, chapter jumping functionality #### Contrast and readability - Present: Clear verbal delivery with good pacing - Improve: High-contrast transcript formatting, adjustable text sizing options #### Text resizing and reflow - Present: Responsive transcript layout - Improve: Ensure complex examples remain clear when text is enlarged #### Media and captions - Present: Full transcript provided - Improve: Timestamps for easier navigation, downloadable transcript option #### Forms and interactions - Present: Simple podcast subscription flow - Improve: Clear error messages for newsletter signup, accessible confirmation states ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: Business examples could apply across different markets - Improve: Include international advertising considerations, diverse business model examples #### Inclusive language - Present: Avoids advertising jargon, explains technical terms - Improve: More examples from different business sizes, avoid assumptions about marketing budgets #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Clear structure with repeated key concepts - Improve: More frequent summaries, consistent terminology throughout #### Representation - Present: Focus on universal business challenges - Improve: Include examples from various business owners, acknowledge different advertising access levels #### Psychological safety - Present: Validates advertiser frustrations, normalizes confusion - Improve: More explicit encouragement for experimentation, acknowledge learning curves ### ✅ <!-- deep-read:sections end --> ## 📺 Video  --- # 📄 Full Transcript *Auto-generated from YouTube captions · timestamps roughly every 30 seconds · [watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry9Mzqvrapc)* **[00:00]** This is a Pub Shot. [snorts] I'm John Loomer. Confusion and solutions are found in the grays. Let's go. [music] So, I hear from a lot of advertisers who are frustrated with their results. And when I meet one of these advertisers for the first time, they often have the wrong expectations. They want clarity. They want universal solutions. They want **[00:32]** a detailed step by step that they can apply. And when they do, their problem will be solved. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. There are very few universal truths when it comes to meta advertising. The truth is found in the grays. Let me give you some examples. So, someone will ask whether they should use remarketing. Well, typically remarketing is unnecessary now. It happens automatically when using algorithmic targeting. Meta will prioritize your pixel activity and **[01:04]** conversion data and prior engagement with your ads. So, you don't need to separate these people to reach them. You're going to reach them. Of course, you might end up reaching them too much. And if that happens, you may want to control it. You do that with separate adsets, one for prospecting and one for remarketing. But I wouldn't do this by default, and I think that most advertisers who set it up this way probably don't need to. You also don't need to segment your targeting to only **[01:35]** focus on your warmest audience. Now, of course, maybe you have a high ticket offer with a lower budget. Maybe you only want your offer available to specific people on your list. And maybe you've emailed them and you also want these same people to see your ad. So, I think we should mostly abandon remarketing, but I'm not universally against it. I think we should mostly abandon creating multiple adsets, but there are always exceptions. I think we **[02:07]** should optimize for the action that we want, but there are always times to try something else. I think we should use Advantage Plus placements when optimizing for conversions, but maybe your results proved a reason to remove something. So, if you ask for my general opinion on approach, I'll give it to you. But there are deep caveats in that advice. There's a yeah, but or I'll hesitate before starting with it depends. You've heard me say it before. **[02:38]** There isn't a single universal approach that should be adopted by everyone. And that's when we venture into the grays. People want clarity and direction and a checklist that they can follow. But that uncertainty creates confusion. And I get it. We want certainty. And part of our life as a meta advertiser is embracing that we'll never have full certainty on anything. And while that can create confusion and frustration, it's also where real **[03:08]** knowledge is found. The grays are where solutions are found. You're not just doing something a specific way because I or someone else told you to do it that way. It's not the hot new strategy that everyone is doing now. Andromeda, anyone? You have a foundational understanding of how things work. You have a general approach based in best practices, but you know that your situation is unique. Your company, **[03:39]** product, customer, and website are all unique to you. One of my favorite phrases when talking about meta advertising best practices is it depends. I generally recommend doing it this way, but it depends on your specific situation. And that phrase it depends represents the grays. It represents your unique situation that could require an action that's slightly out of bounds from best practices. Maybe **[04:10]** I wouldn't do it this way with my own advertising, but it might work for you. When you know how things work and you thoroughly understand your own company, product, and customer, you thrive in the grays. You find solutions there. You not only let results be your guide, but you make sure they are meaningful results. You don't make decisions based on small sample sizes. and you know how to detect correlation versus causation. **[04:43]** A lot of themes we've heard here before. You're going to know that you're in a good place when you're comfortable in the grays. You're comfortable with it depends. When you don't feel like you need to follow a script or a checklist to get set up or solve a problem. When you don't need to search out the latest guru strategy is your last ditch hail mary. You know that nothing that is done well is easy. You know that the easy explanation doesn't necessarily apply to **[05:14]** your unique situation. So here's the bottom of the glass. Make a conscious effort to reject the easy, the templates, the checklists. Embrace the fact that this stuff is messy. True knowledge of how these things work is often found in the grays. And when your results are really turnurning, it's because you found a unique approach that works for you. >> Thanks again so much for joining me on the podcast. I really do appreciate it. **[05:46]** And if you're a regular or you want to become a regular, there are a couple things you can do. So, first up, no matter where you are, whether it's Apple Podcast, Spotify, on my website, somewhere else, make sure that you subscribe, rate, and review. This more than anything else will help me grow, and I'd truly appreciate it. Second, subscribe to podcast alerts. When you do, I will notify you every time I've published a new episode. It will include a brief explanation, a brief summary of **[06:19]** what was discussed and a link to my website where that podcast and transcript are embedded. To subscribe, go to johnloomer.com/mpodcast. Either way, I appreciate you. Thanks so much again for joining me. Until next time, do awesome things. I'm out. [music]