I'm not anti-automation. I'm anti-automation before understanding.
Meta's Advantage+ campaigns and broad targeting can work extremely well. But only after you've earned them.
Automation requires
- A clear best-customer definition
- Conversion density
- Proven angles
- Budget depth
If you're spending $10–25k a month and still figuring out who your audience is, turning on nationwide broad targeting is often just expensive exploration. If I know my product over-indexes in the Pacific Northwest and mountain states, why would I run nationwide campaigns and pay Meta to rediscover that?
When data is limited, control matters more than scale.
Early-stage growth requires
- Constrained geography, when relevant
- Intentional audience testing
- Structured creative rotation
- Clear offer experimentation
Once signal density exists, automation can scale what's already working. But sequencing matters.
Teach the algorithm before you trust it.