Blog.

campaign consolidation facebook ads

Cover Image for campaign consolidation facebook ads
SDX VISION
SDX VISION

Campaign consolidation is a powerful strategy to improve Facebook ad performance by reducing fragmentation and allowing Meta's AI to optimize more effectively. This guide will teach you when and how to consolidate campaigns properly.

What is Campaign Consolidation?

Campaign consolidation means combining multiple ad sets or campaigns into fewer, larger campaigns to:

  • Give Meta's AI more data to optimize
  • Reduce management complexity
  • Improve overall performance
  • Lower costs through better optimization

Benefits:

  • Better AI Optimization: More data = better learning
  • Lower Costs: Improved efficiency
  • Simpler Management: Fewer campaigns to manage
  • Higher Performance: Better budget allocation
  • Faster Learning: More conversions for learning phase

When to Consolidate Campaigns

Good Candidates for Consolidation:

1. Similar Objectives

  • Same conversion goal
  • Similar target audiences
  • Compatible products/services
  • Same optimization event

2. Low Volume Campaigns

  • Not enough conversions for learning
  • Struggling to exit learning phase
  • High costs due to fragmentation
  • Poor performance from lack of data

3. Over-Fragmented Structure

  • Too many small campaigns
  • Similar ad sets performing differently
  • Budget spread too thin
  • Management overhead

4. Advantage+ Compatible

  • Can use Advantage+ features
  • Similar targeting approaches
  • Compatible creative types
  • Same bidding strategies

When NOT to Consolidate:

  • Different business objectives
  • Incompatible audiences
  • Different products/services
  • Regulatory requirements
  • Testing different strategies
  • Brand safety concerns

Pre-Consolidation Analysis

Step 1: Audit Current Structure

What to Review:

  • Number of campaigns
  • Ad sets per campaign
  • Budget distribution
  • Performance by campaign
  • Learning phase status
  • Audience overlap

Tools:

  • Ads Manager reports
  • Excel/Google Sheets
  • Third-party tools
  • Custom dashboards

Step 2: Identify Consolidation Opportunities

Look For:

  • Campaigns with same objective
  • Similar audiences
  • Low-performing campaigns
  • Fragmented budgets
  • Learning phase issues

Document:

  • Current structure
  • Performance metrics
  • Consolidation plan
  • Expected outcomes

Step 3: Performance Baseline

Metrics to Capture:

  • Current CPA/ROAS
  • Conversion volume
  • Budget allocation
  • Performance trends
  • Learning phase status

Why Important:

  • Compare before/after
  • Measure improvement
  • Identify issues
  • Track success

Consolidation Strategies

Strategy 1: Objective-Based Consolidation

Approach: Combine campaigns with same objective.

Example:

Before:
- Campaign 1: Purchase Objective - Product A
- Campaign 2: Purchase Objective - Product B
- Campaign 3: Purchase Objective - Product C

After:
- Campaign: Purchase Objective - All Products
  ├── Ad Set: Product A
  ├── Ad Set: Product B
  └── Ad Set: Product C

Benefits:

  • More data for optimization
  • Better budget allocation
  • Simpler structure
  • Improved performance

Strategy 2: Audience Consolidation

Approach: Combine similar audiences into one campaign.

Example:

Before:
- Campaign: Lookalike 1%
- Campaign: Lookalike 2%
- Campaign: Lookalike 3%

After:
- Campaign: Lookalike Audiences
  ├── Ad Set: 1% Lookalike
  ├── Ad Set: 2% Lookalike
  └── Ad Set: 3% Lookalike

Benefits:

  • AI optimizes between audiences
  • Better audience insights
  • Reduced competition
  • Lower costs

Strategy 3: Product Consolidation

Approach: Combine related products into catalog campaigns.

Example:

Before:
- Campaign: Product Category A
- Campaign: Product Category B
- Campaign: Product Category C

After:
- Campaign: All Products
  └── Ad Set: Dynamic Product Ads
      (All products in catalog)

Benefits:

  • More products to show
  • Better product matching
  • Improved performance
  • Simpler management

Strategy 4: Creative Consolidation

Approach: Combine similar creatives into one campaign.

Example:

Before:
- Campaign: Image Ads
- Campaign: Video Ads
- Campaign: Carousel Ads

After:
- Campaign: All Formats
  └── Ad Set: Multiple Creatives
      (Images, Videos, Carousels)

Benefits:

  • AI selects best format
  • Better creative optimization
  • More testing data
  • Improved performance

Step-by-Step Consolidation Process

Step 1: Plan Consolidation

Create Consolidation Plan:

  • List campaigns to consolidate
  • Identify target structure
  • Plan budget allocation
  • Set performance goals
  • Define success metrics

Document:

  • Current state
  • Target state
  • Migration steps
  • Rollback plan

Step 2: Prepare New Structure

Create New Campaigns:

  • Set up consolidated campaign
  • Configure settings
  • Set budgets
  • Enable Advantage+ features
  • Set up tracking

Best Practices:

  • Use Advantage Campaign Budget
  • Enable Advantage+ Audience
  • Use Advantage+ Placements
  • Set appropriate bidding

Step 3: Migrate Ad Sets

Migration Process:

  1. Create ad sets in new campaign
  2. Copy ad set settings
  3. Upload creatives
  4. Set budgets
  5. Configure targeting
  6. Set up tracking

Important:

  • Maintain ad set structure
  • Keep targeting settings
  • Preserve creative assets
  • Maintain budgets initially

Step 4: Run Parallel Test

Dual Running:

  • Keep old campaigns running
  • Start new consolidated campaign
  • Run both simultaneously
  • Compare performance

Duration:

  • 3-7 days minimum
  • Until new campaign exits learning
  • When performance stabilizes
  • Based on conversion volume

Step 5: Monitor Performance

Key Metrics:

  • Cost per acquisition
  • Return on ad spend
  • Conversion volume
  • Learning phase status
  • Budget utilization

Monitoring:

  • Daily checks initially
  • Compare to baseline
  • Watch for issues
  • Document observations

Step 6: Scale and Optimize

After Learning Phase:

  • Increase budget gradually
  • Optimize based on data
  • Pause underperformers
  • Scale winners

Optimization:

  • Adjust budgets
  • Refine targeting
  • Update creatives
  • Improve structure

Step 7: Sunset Old Campaigns

When to Pause:

  • New campaign performing better
  • Learning phase complete
  • Performance stabilized
  • Confident in new structure

Process:

  • Pause old campaigns
  • Monitor for issues
  • Keep as backup initially
  • Delete after confirmation

Advantage+ Features for Consolidation

Advantage Campaign Budget

What It Does:

  • Automatically allocates budget
  • Shifts to best performers
  • Optimizes across ad sets
  • Improves efficiency

How to Use:

  • Enable at campaign level
  • Set campaign budget
  • Let AI allocate
  • Monitor distribution

Advantage+ Audience

What It Does:

  • Expands targeting automatically
  • Finds best audiences
  • Optimizes in real-time
  • Improves performance

How to Use:

  • Enable in ad set
  • Start with broad targeting
  • Let AI optimize
  • Add exclusions if needed

Advantage+ Placements

What It Does:

  • Selects best placements
  • Optimizes automatically
  • Tests all placements
  • Improves performance

How to Use:

  • Enable in ad set
  • Let Meta choose
  • Exclude if necessary
  • Monitor performance

Common Consolidation Mistakes

1. Consolidating Too Aggressively

Problem: Combining incompatible campaigns hurts performance.

Solution: Only consolidate similar campaigns with same objectives.

2. Not Running Parallel Test

Problem: Risk of performance drop during transition.

Solution: Run old and new campaigns simultaneously.

3. Changing Too Much at Once

Problem: Can't identify what caused changes.

Solution: Consolidate gradually, test changes.

4. Ignoring Learning Phase

Problem: Expecting immediate results.

Solution: Allow 3-7 days for learning phase.

5. Not Monitoring Closely

Problem: Missing performance issues.

Solution: Monitor daily during transition.

6. Insufficient Budget

Problem: Not enough budget for learning.

Solution: Ensure adequate budget allocation.

Best Practices

  1. Plan Thoroughly: Document everything
  2. Test First: Run parallel campaigns
  3. Monitor Closely: Watch performance daily
  4. Be Patient: Allow learning phase
  5. Optimize Gradually: Make changes slowly
  6. Document Results: Learn from process
  7. Use Advantage+: Enable all features
  8. Scale Winners: Increase budget on performers

Consolidation Checklist

  • [ ] Current structure audited
  • [ ] Consolidation opportunities identified
  • [ ] Performance baseline established
  • [ ] Consolidation plan created
  • [ ] New structure prepared
  • [ ] Ad sets migrated
  • [ ] Parallel test running
  • [ ] Performance monitored
  • [ ] Results compared
  • [ ] Optimization completed
  • [ ] Old campaigns paused
  • [ ] Success documented

Measuring Success

Key Metrics:

Performance:

  • CPA improvement
  • ROAS increase
  • Conversion volume
  • Cost efficiency

Operational:

  • Management time saved
  • Campaign count reduction
  • Budget efficiency
  • Learning phase completion

Success Criteria:

  • Lower CPA (10-20% improvement)
  • Higher ROAS (15-25% increase)
  • More conversions
  • Faster learning
  • Simpler management

Next Steps

  1. Audit Current Structure: Identify opportunities
  2. Create Consolidation Plan: Document approach
  3. Set Up New Campaigns: Prepare structure
  4. Run Parallel Test: Compare performance
  5. Monitor and Optimize: Improve results
  6. Scale Winners: Increase budget

Thanks for reading the blog. If you want more help, do contact us at https://sdx.vision