Test the audience or the creative first? The answer by phase
Camila Souza · 2026-10-07
Meta
Phase 1: creative with a broad audience
In the first phase, the focus should be on the creative. Use a broad audience and let the platform algorithm find the best combinations. The goal here is to test different formats and messages.
- Test 3 to 5 different creatives: Vary elements like the image, video, text, and call to action.
- Budget: Set a daily budget of 10% to 20% of your total available budget. That should be enough to collect meaningful data over 5 to 7 days.
PHASE 2: TEST THE AUDIENCE ONLY IF THE PRODUCT IS IN A NARROW NICHE
If your product is in a narrow niche, like personalized items or products that meet a specific need, you need to test audiences. The creative is still important here, but targeting becomes crucial.
- Define 2 to 3 specific audiences: Use demographics, interests, and behaviors that align with your product.
- Test 1 to 2 creatives for each audience: This helps you understand which combination resonates most.
- Budget: Increase it to 20% to 30% of your total available budget, since targeting will require more spend to make sure the algorithm has enough data to optimize.
THE ALGORITHM FINDS THE AUDIENCE; THE CREATIVE IS THE TARGETING
It’s worth noting that platform algorithms (Meta, Google, etc.) are designed to identify the ideal audience, as long as you have a strong creative. If the creative fails to grab attention, even the best audience won’t get you results.
Exceptions: B2B, local, minority language
In B2B cases, or when your product is intended for a specific location or a group that speaks a minority language, it’s more effective to test audiences right from the initial phase. That’s because the pool of potential buyers is smaller, so targeting becomes essential.
- Budget: In these cases, the budget should be adjusted to reflect lower competition. A daily amount of R$50 to R$100 may be appropriate, depending on the region and product.
Budget for each phase
- Phase 1 (Creative with a Broad Audience): 10% to 20% of the total available budget.
- Phase 2 (Audience for a Narrow Niche): 20% to 30% of the total available budget.
Use FreeSpy to monitor the creatives that are standing out in your niche and adjust your content based on trends.
What’s your daily budget for testing creatives and audiences?