How to Audit and Improve Your Meta Ad Creative (without any guesswork)

If your Meta ads aren’t performing, your creative is often the culprit. Eye-catching visuals and engaging videos are what make people stop scrolling, but how do you know if your ad creative is actually doing its job?

This guide is all about Meta ad creative best practices—what works, what doesn’t, and how to audit your creative properly so you’re making data-driven improvements (not just guessing!).

1. What Makes Strong Meta Ad Creative?

Great ad creative isn’t just about looking pretty, it’s about stopping the scroll and making people care.

Your Meta ads shouldn’t scream ‘I’m an ad!’—they should blend seamlessly into the feed as compelling content people actually want to engage with.

If your creative isn’t grabbing attention or driving action, here’s what you need to consider:

✅ Thumb-Stopping Power – Your creative needs to grab attention instantly. Aim for bold colours, eye-catching contrast, and dynamic movement. Unexpected or intriguing visuals make people pause and take notice.

✅ Looks Like Content, Not an Ad – Ads that feel like organic content often perform better because they make people pay attention. Think UGC-style videos, behind-the-scenes footage, or relatable lifestyle imagery that blends into the feed while still standing out.

✅ Clear Message (visually!) – People should grasp the key idea in seconds, even with the sound off. Avoid cluttered designs—simple, strong visuals always win.

✅ Mobile-First Design – Since most users will see your ad on their phone, test everything on mobile first. Ensure text is large enough to read easily, visuals pop on a small screen, and key details aren’t cut off in different placements.

✅ Ad Format Optimisation – Meta updates sizes for ad placements regularly, check this guide for the latest size requirements and design your creatives accordingly.

✅ Test Variations – Always test multiple versions of your ads (colours, formats, styles) to find what resonates best, then double down on what’s working and move onto your next test.

Remember you should NEVER be running one ad in Meta Ads Manager – always have 2 ads running as a minimum.

2. How to Audit Your Meta Ad Creative

If your ad isn’t performing, start with a creative audit to pinpoint what’s working and what needs improving.

Step 1: Check Your Metrics (Know What’s Underperforming)

Before making changes, dive into Meta Ads Manager and look at these key benchmarks to diagnose performance issues:

CTR (Click-Through Rate): Below 1%? Your creative isn’t compelling enough—test stronger visuals or a clearer message.
Thumb-Stop Ratio (For Videos): Under 25%? That means people aren’t stopping—adjust the first three seconds to be more eye-catching.
Engagement Rate: Are people liking, commenting, or sharing?
Cost Per Result (CPR): High CPR can indicate creative fatigue or weak engagement.

WTF is the Thumb-Stop Ratio? 🤔 Find out here

Step 2: Compare Against High-Performing Ads

Look at past ads that performed well—what’s different? Colour scheme? Visual elements? Format?

Step 3: Assess the Creative Elements

Use this checklist to evaluate your ad:

Does it stand out in the feed?
Is it visually clear, even in a quick glance?
Does it look professional and high quality?
Does it feel fresh, or have you used this visual before?
Are there any distractions or unnecessary elements?

3. How to Improve Your Meta Ad Creative

Once you’ve audited your creative, here’s how to improve it:

1. Test Different Visual Styles

Static images vs. videos vs. GIFs – If one format isn’t working, test another.
User-Generated Content (UGC) – Authentic, real-life content often outperforms polished designs.
Bold Colours & High Contrast – Helps your ad pop in a busy feed.

2. Optimise for Different Placements

Meta placements vary, so your ad needs to work everywhere:

Feed Ads: High-quality images, direct messaging.
Stories & Reels: Full-screen vertical formats with movement.
Carousel Ads: A sequence of engaging images that tell a story.

3. Refresh Creative Regularly

Avoid Ad Fatigue – If frequency is creeping up and engagement is dropping, swap in fresh visuals.
Create Variations – Slight tweaks (colour, background, framing) can extend the life of an ad.
Leverage Meta’s Advantage+ Creative – Meta automatically adjusts creative elements for better performance.

4. Next Steps: Keep Your Creative Performing

Creative isn’t a one-and-done thing—it needs constant testing and optimisation. The best ads managers:

✅ Track performance data and tweak creative accordingly.

✅ Test new ads to constantly try to improve performance

✅ Stay on top of trends (motion graphics, UGC, interactive elements).

✅ Adapt creative to placements for maximum impact.

Want to master Meta Ads to offer it as a service? Check out Ads Manager Academy, where we teach you everything you’ll need to know to be a paid Meta Ads Manager.