Why your Meta ads aren't working (and how to fix them in 2026)
You've set up your Meta ads. You've spent the budget. But the sales? They're not coming. Your ROAS is embarrassing, your cost per purchase is climbing, and you're starting to wonder if Facebook ads even work for e-commerce anymore.
I get it. As someone who scaled a 7-figure e-commerce business and now helps online store owners grow through strategic Meta ads, I've seen every version of "why aren't my ads working?" Here's the truth: your ads probably aren't the problem. The system around them is.
If your Meta ads aren't delivering results, you're not alone. I'm walking you through the most common reasons e-commerce brands struggle with Facebook and Instagram ads, and exactly what to do about each one.
The real reason your Meta ads fail
Before we dive in, let's address the biggest misconception: thinking that one perfect ad creative will solve everything.
Meta ads success isn't about finding the magic creative. It's about having your foundations right - your offer clarity, your tracking, your account structure, your creative strategy, and your funnel. When any of these are off, no amount of "testing" will save you.
Here are the six most common reasons your Meta ads aren't working.
1. Your pixel isn't tracking properly (or at all)
This is unsexy but critical. If Meta can't track conversions accurately, the algorithm is driving blindfolded.
What's happening: Your Conversion API isn't set up, events aren't firing correctly, or you're only relying on browser-based tracking (which iOS updates have made unreliable).
How to fix it: Go into Events Manager right now. Check your purchase events over the last week. Do the numbers match your Shopify sales? If not, your tracking is broken. Set up the Conversions API properly through your platform - this server-to-server connection gives Meta accurate data even when cookies fail.
If this feels technical, eComm Ads Academy walks you through the entire setup step-by-step.
2. You're targeting too small an audience
I see this constantly: targeting super narrow, hyper-specific audiences because it feels "strategic." But Meta's algorithm needs room to work.
What's happening: You're targeting "women aged 25-34 who like specific brands, live in one city, and are interested in sustainable fashion." Your audience is 10,000 people. Meta burns through this in days.
How to fix it: Go broader. With Meta's 2026 algorithm, your targeting should be wider than you think. Start with broad targeting and let the algorithm find your people based on who actually converts. Use your creative and messaging to filter for the right customer, not your audience settings.
Minimum audience size: 500k-1M+ for cold prospecting campaigns.
3. Your creative doesn't stop the scroll
Meta is highly competitive. If your creative looks like every other ad on Instagram, people will scroll right past it.
What's happening: You're using standard product photos on white backgrounds, stock-looking lifestyle shots, or the same creative you've run for months.
How to fix it: Your creative needs to be scroll-stopping and platform-native. Think user-generated content style, behind-the-scenes content, founder-led videos, or lifestyle content that shows the product in action.
Test different angles: problem/solution, social proof, lifestyle storytelling, or educational hooks. Your creative needs to refresh every 4-6 weeks minimum - creative fatigue is real.
Need help with high-converting ad angles? One Ad Wonder gives you my exact framework for creating ads that sell.
4. You're sending traffic to the wrong place
Your ad is great, your audience is right, but you're sending people to your homepage and they're bouncing immediately.
What's happening: There's a disconnect between what your ad promises and where you're sending people. The ad shows a specific product, but the landing page is your general homepage. Customers have to hunt for what they saw.
How to fix it: Send traffic to specific product pages or curated collection pages that match the ad creative. If you're advertising a specific product, link directly to that product page. Even better: create dedicated landing pages for ad campaigns with one clear call-to-action.
5. Your offer isn't compelling enough
Sometimes the hard truth is that people aren't motivated enough to buy. Your product might be great, but if there's no urgency or clear differentiation, people will keep scrolling.
What's happening: Your ad essentially says "Here's our product. It's nice. Buy it maybe?" No hook, no unique selling proposition, no reason to act now.
How to fix it: Create a compelling offer. This doesn't mean discounting (please don't become a discount brand), but you need to give people a reason to take action today:
- Limited stock urgency
- Seasonal positioning
- Unique value proposition
- Risk reversal (free returns, money-back guarantee)
- Bundle offers
Your e-commerce brand should compete on value and positioning, not price.
6. You're expecting instant results from cold traffic
Meta ads aren't Amazon ads. People scrolling Instagram aren't actively shopping - they're being interrupted. Cold traffic needs warming up before they'll buy.
What's happening: You're running conversion campaigns to cold audiences and expecting immediate purchases. Your cost per purchase is high because cold traffic isn't ready to buy yet.
How to fix it: Build a proper funnel:
- Top of funnel: Video views, engagement campaigns (build awareness)
- Middle of funnel: Retarget engaged viewers with product-focused content
- Bottom of funnel: Conversion campaigns to warm audiences
Use video content for cold audiences to tell your brand story, then retarget video viewers (especially those who watched 50%+) with conversion ads.
Most successful brands use a 60/30/10 budget split: 60% prospecting, 30% retargeting engaged users, 10% retargeting cart abandoners.
7. Your account structure is a mess
If you have 15 ad sets all targeting the same objective with tiny budgets, Meta's algorithm doesn't have enough data to optimise.
What's happening: Too many campaigns, too many ad sets, splitting budgets too thin. Or constantly turning things on and off, resetting the learning phase.
How to fix it: Simplify your structure. In 2026, Meta works best with simplified campaigns:
Campaign 1: Cold prospecting (broad)
- Broad audience, age 25-54, target countries
- Budget: $50-100/day minimum
- Let it learn for 7-14 days without changes
Campaign 2: Retargeting warm audiences
- Website visitors + engaged with content (last 30 days)
- Budget: 30-40% of prospecting budget
Campaign 3: Retargeting hot audiences
- Add to cart, initiate checkout (last 14 days)
- Budget: Small but consistent
Let campaigns run for at least 7 days before making changes (14 days is even better). If you're overwhelmed by Meta ads structure, Facebook Ads SOS helps you diagnose what's broken and gives you the exact roadmap to fix it.
8. You're not spending enough
Sometimes the reality is that your budget is too small for Meta's algorithm to exit the learning phase. Meta needs roughly 50 conversions per week per ad set to optimise effectively.
What's happening: You're spending $10/day and expecting ROAS like brands spending $1,000/day. Your budget is so small that it takes weeks to exit learning phase.
How to fix it: Be realistic about your budget. For most e-commerce brands, I recommend starting at minimum $30-50/day per campaign. If you can't afford that right now, focus on organic marketing and email until you can invest properly in paid ads.
A small budget done right will always outperform a large budget done poorly, but you do need enough for the algorithm to learn.
What to do next
If you've read this far, you're already ahead of most online store owners. You're taking time to understand why your ads aren't working instead of just throwing money at the problem.
Here's my recommendation based on where you're at:
If you're brand new to Meta ads or totally overwhelmed:
Start with One Ad Wonder. This is my starter framework for creating your first profitable Meta ad campaign without the overwhelm.
If you're running ads but they're not profitable:
Check out Facebook Ads SOS. This diagnostic workshop identifies exactly what's broken in your ads and creates your custom fix-it plan.
If you're ready to master Meta ads completely:
eComm Ads Academy is my signature program where I teach you my entire Meta ads system from tracking setup to scaling profitably.
If you want personalised support:
Let's work together 1:1. Book a coaching call and we'll create your custom Meta ads strategy based on your products, audience, and goals.
Your ads can work - you just need the right strategy
I've worked with hundreds of e-commerce brands, and I can tell you with certainty: Meta ads work when they're set up correctly.
The difference between struggling with ads and scaling profitably often comes down to fixing 2-3 key things. Maybe it's your tracking. Maybe it's your creative strategy. Maybe it's your account structure or your funnel approach.
You don't need to be a Meta ads expert. You just need someone who's been there, scaled an e-commerce brand with ads, and can show you the path forward.
That's what I'm here for. Check out any of the resources above, grab my free trainings on the freebies page, or send me a DM on Instagram and let's chat about what's not working.
Your dream of scaling your e-commerce brand with profitable Meta ads? It's completely possible. Let's make it happen.
About Jodie Minto
Jodie Minto is an e-commerce coach and Meta ads specialist who helps online store owners scale with strategic, profitable advertising. As the founder of a 7-figure e-commerce business, Jodie knows firsthand what it takes to grow - and she's on a mission to help other founders do the same without the burnout.
