We've discovered some fascinating insights and data shifts while running an ad campaign for a free seminar on optimizing Instagram grids. If you're managing Meta ads, you must read this!
🔹 Campaign Overview
📅 Ad Run Period: February 3 – February 6
📌 Campaign Name: 250130_Traffic_Instagram-optimize-feed
Ad Set Details:
🔹 EN_Instagram-optimize-feed (English)
*Target Location: Dubai (UAE)
*Dynamic Creative: ON
*Ad Format: 2 Video Ads
🔹 KR_Instagram-optimize-feed (Korean)
*Target Location: South Korea
*Dynamic Creative: ON
*Ad Format: 2 Video Ads
🎯 Ad Goal: Recruiting participants for a free Instagram feed optimization seminar.
🚨 Landing Page Issue:
The landing page was not indexed on Google, making it difficult to access through organic search.
🔹 Ad Performance Analysis
1️⃣ Performance Differences by Country
Despite using the same budget and setup, there was a significant performance gap between countries.
📊 Meta (Facebook & Instagram) Ad Results:
Ad Set Name | Country | Conversions |
|---|---|---|
KR_Instagram-optimize-feed | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 18 |
EN_Instagram-optimize-feed | 🇦🇪 Dubai | 73 |
📌 Analysis:
4x higher conversion rate in Dubai compared to South Korea. (The gap continues to widen over time.)
Differences in competition, ad optimization algorithms, and target market(Country) characteristics affect campaign performance.
Budget allocation must consider country-specific performance differences in Meta ads.
2️⃣ GA4 Data Discrepancies for Meta Ads
📉 Issue: Traffic from Meta ads was not accurately recorded in GA4(Google Analytics 4)
📌Meta landing page visits: 91 but GA4 UTM-tracked visits: 9 (90% discrepancy!)
📌 Possible Cause:
Since most users access Meta ads via mobile, browser and device tracking limitations may cause data loss.
3️⃣ Meta Ads Showing Incorrect Country Data
Although the ad was only targeting Dubai (UAE), GA4 showed a surge of traffic from the USA.
*Traffic only occurs to US users until February 4th, then traffic occurs from the United Arab Emirates from February 5th
📌 Double-Checking the Issue:
✅ Ad settings confirmed the target location was correctly set to Dubai.
✅ Facebook Ads Manager reported UAE as the traffic source.
✅ GA4 real-time data was tested by deliberately generating traffic from Korea and Dubai.
✅ UTM tag analysis found that 3 out of 9 tracked users were from the USA.
🔹 Key Takeaways for Running Meta Ads
1️⃣ Consider Performance Differences by Country
Even with the same budget and settings, ad effectiveness varies by country. For global campaigns, adjust budget and targeting based on each region’s characteristics.
Regular monitoring & real-time adjustments are crucial for optimization.
2️⃣ GA4 Alone is Not Reliable for Meta Ad Tracking
GA4 may miss or misrecord Facebook ad traffic. To get accurate data, use Facebook Events Manager and Ads Manager in addition to GA4.
3️⃣ Meta Ads May Display Incorrect Country Data
The ad target location and actual traffic source may not match. Regularly track ad performance using multiple platforms,
UTM tags are essential for real-time data tracking.
✅ What’s Your Experience?
Have you noticed discrepancies between Meta ads and GA4 data? Or have you encountered country-specific performance differences?
💬 Share your thoughts in the comments! 😊