Meta has announced significant changes to how advertisers can use detailed targeting options across Ads Manager, Business Suite, and boosted posts. If your campaigns rely heavily on granular targeting strategies, here is what you need to know.
Consolidation of Targeting Interests
Meta began consolidating detailed targeting options on June 23, 2025 in Ads Manager, and on August 21, 2025 in Meta Business Suite and boosted posts.
“For example, we will combine certain interests that fall within the same sports category, film and music genre, car models or food and drink type.” - Meta
If you attempt to use targeting options that no longer exist, Meta will automatically suggest alternatives. Warning banners will appear in Ads Manager if you are still using unavailable options.
Note that existing campaigns created before June 23, 2025 can continue running until January 15, 2026. After that, if the outdated targeting options have not been updated, those campaigns will stop delivering.
What Advertisers Should Do Now
If you see a warning banner in Ads Manager, you will need to:
- Click “See affected ad sets” to review campaigns
- Edit or remove outdated exclusions
- Replace unavailable detailed targeting options with suggested alternatives
The earlier you update your campaigns, the less disruption you will face as these changes roll out.
Why Measurement Matters More Than Ever
With consolidated targeting options, advertisers cannot rely on hyper-specific segmentation. Instead, they will need to rely more on creative, messaging, and performance measurement.
That is where ThoughtMetric comes in. Instead of worrying about losing targeting controls, you can focus on what matters most: understanding how your ads actually drive revenue across channels. With multi-touch attribution and SKU-level product analytics, ThoughtMetric helps you see exactly what is working even when Meta changes the rules.
Final Takeaway
Meta’s targeting updates reflect a shift toward broader audience signals and algorithm-driven optimization. While it may feel like control is being reduced, this is also an opportunity to focus on better creative, cleaner data, and smarter measurement strategies.
Want to see how your ads are performing beyond what Meta reports? Book a demo with ThoughtMetric and get clarity in this changing advertising landscape.
FAQs About Meta’s Targeting Updates
When will Meta’s detailed targeting changes take effect?
Meta began consolidating interest targeting on June 23, 2025 in Ads Manager and August 21, 2025 in Business Suite and boosted posts. Existing campaigns can continue running until January 15, 2026, but they must be updated before then to avoid delivery issues.
What happens if my campaign uses an interest that Meta removes?
You will see a warning banner in Ads Manager. Meta will suggest alternative targeting options, and you will need to edit your ad sets or saved audiences to continue running ads after the January 2026 deadline.
Will these changes affect campaign performance?
Meta reports that advertisers in tests saw a 22.6 percent lower median cost per conversion when exclusions were not used. For most advertisers, especially those using Advantage+ detailed targeting, Meta does not anticipate major performance drops.
How can I make sure I am still measuring performance accurately?
With less granular targeting available, measurement becomes even more important. ThoughtMetric helps you see the true impact of your ads with multi-touch attribution, product-level insights, and channel performance analysis, giving you confidence even as Meta’s targeting rules evolve.
With less granular targeting available, measurement becomes even more important. ThoughtMetric helps you see the true impact of your ads with multi-touch attribution, product-level insights, and channel performance analysis, giving you confidence even as Meta’s targeting rules evolve.
