Do I Make the Other Two Campaigns a Duplicate of the First One?

Short Answer: No, you should not duplicate the entire campaign. Instead, focus on duplicating and adjusting the ad sets within the campaign, since campaigns operate at a higher structural level while ad sets control the targeting details. This allows you to create variations without replicating campaigns entirely.

Full Explanation

Campaigns are the top-level containers for your ads, while ad sets are where you define targeting, placements, budgets, and schedules. Because campaigns sit above ad sets in the advertising hierarchy, duplicating the whole campaign means copying everything including settings that may not need repetition. It is more effective to duplicate and modify the ad sets within a campaign rather than the campaign itself.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

Create your initial campaign with one or more ad sets defining your target audiences and other key parameters.
After you have your first ad set configured, duplicate this ad set to create variations.
Modify the duplicated ad sets to adjust targeting or other specifics as needed.
Keep your campaign structure intact without duplicating it to maintain control and organization.

Real Examples

Imagine setting up a campaign with a general ad set targeting a broad audience. Once this ad set is established, you can duplicate it and adjust the targeting—for example, change demographics or interests—rather than creating a whole new campaign. This ensures that your overarching campaign goals remain consistent while you test different audience strategies through varied ad sets.

Common Mistakes

Duplicating entire campaigns instead of just ad sets, which can lead to unnecessary complexity and management overhead.
Failing to adjust duplicated ad sets, resulting in redundant targeting and inefficient ad spend.
Confusing the roles of campaigns and ad sets, leading to disorganized ad structure.

FAQs

Why shouldn’t I duplicate entire campaigns?: Because campaigns are higher-level containers, duplicating them copies everything, including settings that might not need changing. It’s more efficient to duplicate and modify ad sets for targeted adjustments.
What part of the campaign structure controls targeting?: Ad sets control targeting, placements, and budgets within a campaign.
Can I create multiple ad sets within one campaign?: Yes, you can create and customize multiple ad sets under the same campaign to target different audience segments.

Key Takeaways

Campaigns are the overarching structure, while ad sets handle targeting specifics.
Duplicate ad sets, not campaigns, to create variations in targeting.
Adjust duplicated ad sets to refine and test different targeting strategies effectively.
Maintaining a clear campaign and ad set structure improves ad management and performance tracking.