This is a guest post by Anthony Ugo.
Every year, it’s the same story: brands jump into Black Friday and Cyber Monday, hoping for record-breaking sales.
But many of them lose money before the sale even starts.
Why? Because they wait too long to plan.
If you’re still thinking about how to set up your Meta campaigns for BFCM, you’re not alone. But the truth is, the brands that win are usually the ones that start early testing creatives, organizing audiences, and warming up their ad accounts before the chaos begins.
Let’s break down what’s working this season and how to set yourself up for a profitable Black Friday.
My Black Friday Campaign Setup
After testing different setups over the years, I’ve found that simple beats complicated every single time.
Here’s what I use: One CBO campaign with two ad sets.
Ad Set 1: Broad Top of Funnel (TOF)
Broad targeting (no interests).
Exclude existing customers using your Pixel + email list.
This finds new buyers, the ones you want to reach before everyone else floods the auction.
Ad Set 2: Existing Customers
Target your Pixel + email list directly.
Add a max spend limit so Meta doesn’t push all your budget here.
This is where you’ll make a lot of easy wins. Your best buyers are already on this list; they just need a reminder and a good reason to purchase again.
The Creative Setup That Works
For BFCM, I don’t reinvent the wheel.
Instead, I take what’s already worked well throughout the year and refresh it for the season.
Use your best-performing creatives and simply add a Black Friday banner or offer overlay.
Create a few promo statics like “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” or “Limited Black Friday Offer.”
Why I Separate Audiences
Some advertisers like to throw everything into one broad ad set and hope Meta sorts it out.
The problem? Meta doesn’t always spend evenly, and your loyal customers might get ignored.
By separating new audiences from existing ones, you ensure two things:
Your current customers see the sale.
Meta still hunts for new buyers without cannibalizing your retargeting spend.
It’s a small tweak, but it makes a big difference in return on ad spend.
Keep the same creative mix across ad sets to get cleaner data and faster learning.
The goal here isn’t to overwhelm Meta with too many variables; it’s to guide it clearly.
What’s Working Right Now (and Why)
Based on what I’m seeing across different ad accounts this year, here are the things that actually move the needle heading into BFCM:
Keep evergreen ads running.
Your usual campaigns can still perform really well, sometimes better than sales ads, because they’ve already gone through Meta’s learning phase.
Don’t shout “SALE” in every ad.
People tune that out. Use social proof, testimonials, or UGC instead. Authenticity converts better than desperation.
Expect higher CPMs.
Ad costs usually jump 20–40% around this time. The earlier you start, the cheaper your impressions.
Test Meta’s new generative tools.
Early results have shown small but consistent increases in CTR when testing your main creatives.
Skip traffic-only campaigns.
Focus on conversion objectives. Meta’s AI performs better when it knows what result you want.
Keep your setup clean.
Too many campaigns slow down learning. Unless you’re spending big, one ASC or CBO setup is more efficient.
Black Friday Offers That Don’t Depend on Discounts
Everyone expects a discount, but that doesn’t mean you have to cut prices aggressively. Here are a few creative offer ideas that protect your margins and still drive urgency:
- Buy 2, get the 3rd free
- Spend $100, get a $10 gift card
- Free gift for orders over $75
- Buy now, get 30% off your next order in January
- VIP early access before the sale goes public
- Mystery box for the first 100 buyers
- Lifetime warranty added for free
- “Buy one, donate one” charity campaign
These types of offers increase average order value and build long-term loyalty — not just one-time sales.
Only split when it truly matters.
Different offers or drastically different creative angles? Sure. Otherwise, keep it consolidated.
What To Do On the Day Itself
Even if you’ve set everything up perfectly a week in advance, double-check everything on the morning of Black Friday.
Check your:
- Targeting
- Ad copy
- Creatives
- Links
- Landing pages
One broken link can waste half your day’s spend.
Also, don’t turn off your evergreen campaigns. They’re often your quiet moneymakers. In some cases, they even outperform your “SALE” campaigns because Meta has more data on them.
If your campaigns are performing well, scale gradually throughout the day. Please note that Meta may take 30–120 minutes to apply budget changes.
Real Questions I Get About BFCM Campaigns
Q: How do you split the budget?
A: I use CBO. Meta decides the split, but I set a max spend limit on existing customers.
Q: Do all ads spend evenly?
A: Not really. Meta will push the winners harder — that’s okay. The goal is to give it good options.
Q: When do most brands start their sales?
A: Usually the Monday before Black Friday. Starting early helps reduce CPMs.
Q: Should I use lookalike audiences?
A: Honestly, not needed. Broad targeting has been working great this year.
Q: What objective do you optimize for at TOF?
A: Purchase — even at the top of the funnel.
Q: Advantage+ for retargeting?
A: Yes, but still apply exclusions. Meta respects them.
Final Thoughts
Keep it simple. Launch early. Test smart.
Don’t overcomplicate things, trying to be clever. Meta’s algorithm rewards clarity.
Black Friday can be hectic, but it’s also a huge opportunity if you plan your campaigns the right way.
And if you want to go deeper into creative testing, audience scaling, or campaign structure heading into the holidays, I’m happy to help.
About the Author
Anthony Ugo is an experienced Meta Ads strategist with over five years of hands-on work helping businesses achieve profitable growth across diverse industries. He has managed more than $300K in ad spend, consistently delivering results that exceed expectations, from lowering acquisition costs to improving ROAS and long-term campaign performance.
Anthony’s strength lies in creating ad strategies grounded in real audience behavior and clear marketing logic, helping brands scale sustainably while keeping performance steady, even during high-demand periods like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
When he’s not optimizing campaigns, he’s often sharing practical Meta insights, testing new creative angles, or refining ad systems that make marketing teams more effective.
Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn to learn more about his work or explore collaboration opportunities.