One-Click CAPI Activated, New Meta Ads Features, and More

Meta Advertiser Field Notes
Weekly observations from inside Meta ads

I spotted a whole bunch of new features and design changes during the past week. It’s not always clear whether what I’m seeing is part of a global rollout or a test. I’m also excited to have one feature activated while access to another remains in limbo.

1. One-Click CAPI Activated
2. Format Display Options Update
3. Video Generation Returns
4. AI Translations
5. Text Generation Update
6. Value Rules Updates
7. Live Video Ads
8. ChatGPT Ads: Still Waiting

Let’s get to it…

1. One-Click CAPI Activated

About a month ago, Meta announced a new no-cost, one-click Conversions API solution for web events. A few weeks ago, the option finally appeared in my Events Manager, but there was a problem.

I saw the option in my Events Manager settings…

And the option was available when I went the route of clicking “Connect Data” in Events Manager…

And I even was given a green verification message that it was active…

But it wasn’t actually active. The button and option to turn it on never disappeared, and the data never came through my Events Manager.

Or at least, it took a couple of days. My understanding was that there was a bug where requests were getting stuck in a queue. A few days later, I’m happy to report that all is now working.

The button to “Connect Now” in Events Manager has been replaced with a display indicating that Conversions API is, indeed, active.

And I now see server events coming through my Events Manager for all web events.

If you weren’t getting this to work before, your web CAPI may be active now. If not, try connecting again.

My main setup includes the pixel, Conversions API Gateway (web events), and Conversions API (CRM events).

2. Format Display Options Update

We’ve known for a while now that Format Display Options is the future of format selection when creating an ad in Ads Manager.

The message above was appearing under Format when creating an ad previously. In my Ads Manager, it’s been replaced with this…

The Format Display Options section looks a little different for me, indicating whether or not certain formats (Single Media, Carousel, and Collection) are turned on.

Single Media

If you uploaded individual images and videos, you can’t unselect the first option. You can also choose to create a video slideshow that combines one of your single media and site links or product links.

Carousel

Carousel will combine your single media with your site links or product links.

Collection

And Collection combines… Well, you get it now.

Everything other than single media is controlled within Creative Setup.

Make sure to customize your site links (thumbnails, URLs, and labels) if you haven’t already.

3. Video Generation Returns

Back in January, I wrote about Meta’s Advantage+ Creative Video Generation feature. It created videos out of up to five static images. Within days of writing that post, the feature disappeared from my Ads Manager.

Well, it’s back, and with a bit of a facelift. Video Generation is now part of the new creative workflow.

First, Meta will generate video concepts that you can choose from.

Meta will start with three concepts built around your single media and up to four other scenes, which can be auto-generated.

You can make edits to the scenes if you’d like. Otherwise, generate the videos.

Here’s a short example…

Personally, I find it pretty cool! A creative way to add variation.

4. AI Translations

I’m seeing a new Translation step during the creative workflow.

You may also see this under Essential Enhancements, and above Creative Testing.

You can select from up to 12 languages for translations (all selected by default).

You can choose to translate all ad creatives and text (including text on images) or only parts of your ads.

A preview of the translations is on the right. Here’s the Instagram version.

Interesting to note that the image is not translated here.

Should you turn this on? It’s experimental and requires some trust. Maybe not for sensitive clients. But this is the type of enhancement I’m willing to try out and take the risk when running ads to promote my own business.

5. Text Generation Update

AI text generation isn’t new. But how it’s displayed is changing.

I’m currently only seeing this during the Text step of the creative workflow, which is odd. I can’t find it after this process is completed.

Here’s an example of one block of AI-generated text.

You have to expand it to see what’s within it.

So in this case, there were three AI-generated headlines and two primary text options that were hidden under the main block. All are selected by default. You can’t individually remove one headline or one primary text block. Turn them all on or off.

There is some good and bad here. It looks nicer, but that’s not all that important. I also feel like the quality of the AI-generated text is better than it used to be.

But the way these are all on by default and you have to expand individual blocks to see what was generated is misleading. Not a fan.

6. Value Rules Updates

Meta made a couple of organizational changes to value rules.

The first update was to the creation of value rules. Here’s how this looked previously (or may look now for others). Select from a dropdown menu of the available criteria…

But mine is broken into three categories.

Conversion Location includes Website, App, and Instant Forms…

Audience includes most of the other criteria…

And Placements currently only consists of what was already available for placements criteria.

On one hand, this feels unnecessary. But it tells me that Meta has plans to create many more value rules criteria. Eventually, that single dropdown menu will otherwise get too long.

The other update is that you can now add and create value rules from the Placements section in the ad set.

I understand the thought process behind this. Meta wants to discourage advertisers from removing placements. Putting value rules here gives them a quicker alternative.

The execution, though, is messy. It would make sense if you could only select from value rules that utilize the placement criteria. But it’s instead just a new place to select any value rule.

Why doesn’t a similar section for value rules appear in the Audience section? I’m not saying it’s a good idea, necessarily. That’s messy, too. I’m just not so sure about the best way to do this.

7. Live Video Ads

I had heard rumblings about Live Video Ads during the past few months, but I finally have access.

From what I can tell, it’s available for most campaign objectives. If you have it, a Live Video Ad toggle appears above Campaign Details.

I only have Facebook as an option, but I assume others may have Instagram, too. It appears that a lifetime budget is required because it defaults to lifetime. When I switch to daily, it switches back when I move to the ad set.

Within Budget & Schedule at the ad set level, you can choose to promote either a “current live video” or an “upcoming live video.”

For a current live video, you’d be running ads for a video that’s happening right now. Meta says you’d need to select an existing post that features your live video for your ad under Ad Setup. It’s confusing since ad creation defaults to creating an ad from scratch, at least for me.

If you choose to promote an upcoming live video, you’ll need to schedule your ad at least three hours before your video starts. Meta says the start and end time of your ad should match that of your live video.

At the ad level, “Use Scheduled Live Video” is selected by default in Ad Setup.

Then provide a title and description of your live video.

This feels incomplete. But Meta says that after publishing your ad, go to Live Producer via computer or mobile device to complete the setup.

I haven’t hosted a live video from my Facebook page in years, so I can’t confirm much of this. But it could certainly be useful for those selling with live videos.

The most interesting part to me is that you can select a performance goal to maximize the number of purchase conversions, for example. You’re not forced to optimize for video views or engagement. So instead of getting random, quick views, you may actually get people likely to convert.

8. ChatGPT Ads: Still Waiting

Just last week, I wrote on these pages to tell you that ChatGPT ads are now self-serve and available to all advertisers in the US (I missed that country-specific detail). I walked you through how to create your account and submit your information for business verification.

Well, a week later, and I’m still waiting.

I get that there’s a high volume of signups, but this is ridiculous. The volume should have been expected. The problem with the delay is you’re bound to have a decent number of advertisers who were excited to get started who will just lose interest.

That won’t be me, but I’m still annoyed.

Your Turn

What do you think about these updates?

Let me know in the comments below!