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Meta keeps moving the goalposts—and if you’re still running ads like it’s last season, you’re wasting money. In this episode of Sports Marketing Machine, Jeremy Neisser breaks down the three biggest changes Meta has rolled out—weaker targeting, new placements, and the launch of its AI engine Andromeda—and shows you how to stay ahead so your ads actually sell tickets instead of just burning budget.

Sports marketers who adapt will get cheaper ads and more conversions while their competitors are left scratching their heads.

Key Topics Covered

• Why Meta stripped out many interest categories (and how to replace them with custom audiences)
• The power of local radius targeting paired with AI expansion
• How to use new ad placements on Threads and WhatsApp to follow fans across platforms
• Why Meta’s endgame is no longer being the “biggest social network” but the world’s most powerful AI ad engine
• How creative—not targeting—is now the #1 driver of ad performance
• What the “fishbone effect” means for testing and scaling multiple ad formats
• Tactical tips for building the right funnel with top, middle, and bottom audiences
• Practical examples of creative that sells (e.g., reels of fireworks night vs. static graphics)

Timestamps

00:00 – Why Meta keeps changing the rules
01:30 – Change #1: Targeting got weaker (and what to do about it)
05:40 – Building custom audiences and giving AI guardrails
08:15 – Change #2: New ad placements on Threads & WhatsApp
10:30 – Meta’s real endgame: AI-first ad engine
15:20 – Change #3: Creative is king thanks to Andromeda
17:45 – How Advantage+ campaigns scale the right creative
20:00 – Main takeaways & what to adjust first

Relevant episodes:

• Episode 111 - Building Your Marketing Budget Like A Funnel
• Episode 80 - First Party Data vs Third Party Data
• Episode 37 - Cold Audiences & Warm Audience - The Differences for Your Marketing
• Episode 21 - 3 Audiences You Should Have in Your Meta Business Suite

Call to Action

If your ads feel more expensive or less effective than last year, it’s not you—it’s Meta. Adjust your funnel, upload fresh creative, and let AI work for you.

Share this episode with a teammate running ads, and leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts if you found it helpful.

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