Are you concerned because your Facebook Ads campaign is ineffective, costs are rising, or your ads ”disappear” for no clear reason? According to DPS.MEDIA's internal statistics, up to 70% of SMEs in Vietnam have encountered errors when running Facebook ads, directly affecting revenue and business performance. Understanding common errors and how to fix them not only helps you save costs but also significantly increases conversion rates.
The most important point: Most errors arise from small issues that seem simple but actually determine the success or failure of the entire ad campaign. Many businesses “burn money” simply because they make common mistakes that could have been completely prevented or quickly resolved.
For example, ads not being approved, low reach rates, or ad accounts being disabled all leave serious consequences. These incidents not only disrupt marketing activities but also affect reputation and the number of potential customers. DPS.MEDIA have repeatedly helped SMEs “rescue” campaigns and optimize performance simply by identifying and correctly handling errors.
If you understand this “pain point,” you will proactively control and optimize every advertising dollar, creating a sustainable competitive advantage in the volatile digital market.
Restricted advertising accounts and crisis communication handling secrets
Advertising restrictions: Causes and effective media response
Many SMEs, when cooperating with DPS.MEDIA, are often surprised when their ad accounts are restricted suddenly without specific notification. According to research from Harvard Business Review (2023), the causes usually stem from the following factors:
- Violating content policies (for example: using words like “commitment”, “guarantee”, or sensitive images).
- Duplicate ads or non-transparent payment accounts.
- Sudden increases in budget and activity, causing Facebook's system to flag unusual activity.
For instance, a typical case from a DPS.MEDIA F&B client: after launching a “Flash Sale” campaign, the account was locked due to using strong discount images and urgent wording, violating promotional guidelines.
How to fix errors and control media crises
We recommend a recovery process for the account while skillfully interacting on media channels to ensure transparency and increase credibility of the brand. Some detailed solutions:
- Review ad content, remove risky elements, and update according to Meta Policy Review.
- Contact Facebook support via the Business Help Center as soon as a warning appears.
- Multi-channel communication – update the situation on the fanpage, homepage, proactively respond to customers with a professional attitude.
As stated by media expert Phan Minh Tan: “A crisis is a touchpoint to build trust if the business controls the resolution process transparently and proactively.”
| Limiting causes | Severity level | Processing time |
|---|---|---|
| Content violation | Average | 2-3 days |
| Unusual payment account | High | 5-7 days |
| Spam or automation | High | 7 days or more |
Ads not delivering or low reach: causes and effective solutions
Reasons why Facebook ads don't run or have low reach
Based on DPS.MEDIA's consulting experience for SMEs, most errors causing ads not to deliver or “low reach” stem from very basic issues, but are overlooked due to a lack of strict process control. According to internal surveys and recent Meta studies, most campaigns encounter problems because:
- Target audience segment is too narrow or repetitive, especially for SMEs running multiple ad groups simultaneously.
- Content violates Facebook policies (images containing text, prohibited product advertisements, sensitive keywords, etc.).
- Budget too low or misallocation of the target customer's active time slots.
- Advertising account is restricted, low quality score or Facebook's automated system “flags” due to unusual activity.
Remedial solutions to optimize delivery capability
From the perspective of DPS.MEDIA, the main advice for SMEs:
| Cause | Effective solutions |
|---|---|
| targeting is too narrow or overlapping | Broaden the audience, check for duplicate audiences, try lookalike audience |
| Content or images do not meet standards | Check text/image ratio, avoid prohibited words; use new and creative visuals |
| Insufficient budget or incorrect ad scheduling | Gradually increase budget, A/B test different time slots, prioritize suitable conversion windows |
| Account is restricted or under “review” | Create a standard BM account, verify identity, contact Facebook Support if needed |
Real-life case study: A fashion industry client of DPS.MEDIA once experienced zero reach for 7 days despite increasing the budget. Upon review, it was found that they reused old creatives (too much text on images) and had overlapping targeting. After changing the images and adjusting the lookalike audience, within 48 hours reach increased by 320%, and orders came in steadily each day. This shows that with Facebook Ads, sometimes the solution lies in the smallest optimization steps, which determine the success or failure of the entire campaign.
We agree with the viewpoint of expert Brad Geddes (Advanced Google AdWords): “It's not about a big budget or complex technology. The effectiveness of advertising lies in the level of control and optimization of the smallest data.”
Products violating Facebook advertising policies: signs and handling instructions
Signs of products violating Facebook policies
- Misleading language: Advertisements promise quick results, emphasizing “100% commitment” or “money back if not effective”.
- Inappropriate images: Before/after images are overly edited, body skin is scantily clad, or use of fake icons/doctors.
- Restricted/illegal products: Includes unregistered supplements, floating cosmetics, unlicensed financial services.
- Lack of origin – provenance: Unable to prove inspection documents, or using fake papers, blurry scanned photos.
How to identify and handle products in violation
- Proactive review: Always check for updated policies from Facebook at official page.
- Use a quick checklist: Evaluate each factor: content, images, claims, origin.
- Verify with experts: Connect with DPS.MEDIA or reputable agencies to validate risks and get guidance for proper adjustments.
- Proactively edit: Immediately remove trigger keywords (such as ”rapid weight loss”, “100% commitment”) and replace original images if needed.
- Add legal documents: Be ready to upload inspection documents/product information when Facebook requests verification.
| Product/Industry | Typical violation signs | Handling direction from DPS.MEDIA |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetics | Before/after photos, claiming complete acne and melasma removal | Replace with neutral images, introduce product announcement license |
| Functional foods | Promise effectiveness, use doctor images, lack of license | Add disclaimer, use real testimonials |
| Financial services | List low interest rates, commit to easy loans | Quote regulations, only use compliant content |
Rising cost index: how to optimize budgets for SMEs
Optimizing advertising budgets when costs rise sharply
Facing the storm of rising Facebook advertising costs, SMEs need to prioritize smart and flexible budget optimization strategies. According to recommendations in Harvard Business Review (2023) studies, some approaches to help businesses overcome periods of soaring ad prices are:
- Change campaign objectives: Focus on channels/audience groups with the highest conversions, reduce budget for less effective groups.
- Leverage AI-optimized advertising – Facebook now strongly supports ads using artificial intelligence; this helps SMEs allocate budget to the most potential customer groups.
- Continuous A/B Testing: Frequently testing small ad variations helps increase performance without raising the overall budget.
- Create content that “hits the right insight”High-quality content that reflects a deep understanding of customer psychology always reduces cost per conversion compared to boring ads.
| Solutions | Main benefits | Practical application |
|---|---|---|
| Choose peak hours to run Ads | Increase engagement, reduce competition | Case study: Gzup watches increased leads by 151%, budget decreased by 10% |
| Narrow down target audience | Reduce waste, increase conversions | Applicable for SMEs in the clean food sector |
| Check CR & ROAS metrics daily | Quick optimization, detect anomalies | DPS.MEDIA supports partners by updating reports every 48 hours |
A McKinsey (2022) study emphasized: “Flexible budget management – meaning continuously relying on data and boldly making adjustments – is a vital factor that helps small businesses proactively control risks when the Ads market is unstable.” At DPS.MEDIA, we regularly conduct in-depth analysis of metrics (such as CPM, CTR, CPA) to advise SME clients to proactively prepare and avoid wasting costs when Facebook updates its algorithm.
Ad image content rejected: moderation secrets and how to overcome
Image moderation secrets and signs of rejected ads
Many Vietnamese SMEs are quite confused when their Facebook ad images are repeatedly rejected despite following Meta's recommendations. According to DPS.MEDIA's observations from recent campaigns, Facebook uses AI technology and manual review processes to check criteria such as: text-to-image ratio, overly suggestive images, products related to health (weight loss, height increase), or currency symbols and phone numbers. However, there are still many ”hidden” reasons that Facebook does not disclose, leading to unpredictable situations for businesses and causing rejection rates to spike.
- Images containing signs of manipulation affecting emotions: Before-and-after transformation faces, body comparison images, or unusually prominent appearances.
- Sensitive context/content: Titles containing sensitive keywords such as ”pain relief”, “treatment”, or party scenes, overly vibrant colors that increase AI alert levels.
- Text coverage exceeds the threshold: Even if it exceeds the 20% limit, if the text covers the face, body, or has sensational meaning, it will still be flagged.
How to overcome moderation: optimize creativity according to new principles
To thoroughly resolve and proactively increase approval rates, DPS.MEDIA recommends SMEs apply a pre-posting matrix check based on the 2023 guideline from research by Facebook & Digital Marketing For Dummies. Below is a quick assessment table (using the standard table .wp-list-table of WordPress):
| Moderation factors | Adjustment suggestions |
|---|---|
| Contains body shape, bare skin | Replace the image with an icon or simple static image |
| Large text on image | Reduce font size, place in a corner, or move the slogan to the caption |
| Before–After images | Avoid splitting in half, tell the story through a series of images |
| Currency symbols, revenue commitments | Replace with general data statistics or insert brand icons |
Based on practical experience from DPS.MEDIA's project with a gym chain, when all “before-after” images were removed, storytelling was enhanced with real workout photos, and the smallest possible font was used, the ad approval rate increased from 63% to 97% in just three weeks.
- Expert opinion: According to Professor John S. Brown, Stanford University, “A creative message accompanied by visual minimalism will help overcome moderation barriers while still optimizing conversion performance.”.
Ads that don't convert: insight analysis and strategy improvement
Analyzing reasons for ads not converting
You run Facebook Ads, see good reach and clicks, but conversions are poor? At DPS.MEDIA, we notice many SMEs face this issue because they do not fully leverage insight customers. According to Professor Philip Kotler (Marketing 4.0), deeply understanding the motivations and barriers to purchase will make a big difference. Some common reasons:
- The ad message does not truly meet the real expectations of the target customers
- Images and videos lack personalization or are repetitive with market trends
- The conversion process on the landing page/sales funnel is confusing or too complicated
- No regrouping and optimization of ads based on user behavior data
Strategy improvement from data and practical experience
Based on implementation experience for a local cosmetics brand, DPS.MEDIA conducted A/B testing with messaging focused on pain point specifically drawn from surveys – “worrying when not seeing results after 7 days of use”. When the ad message was changed and the call-to-action was adjusted right in the first content, the conversion rate increased by 311% in just 2 weeks.
To get closer to customers, we recommend the following steps:
- Always recheck the customer journey on mobile devices.
- Analyze old data to segment potential insights for the next creatives.
- Regularly update retargeting tactics and experiment with different time frames.
| Issues | DPS.MEDIA's solution | Expected results |
|---|---|---|
| Content does not “activate” action | Switch to a CTA that hits the pain point | Increase click-through rate by 251%+ |
| Low conversion rate ads | Segment customers based on behavior | Save 20% of the budget |
Measurement data deviation or missing: choosing and integrating smart tracking solutions
Data deviation due to suboptimal tracking channel selection
DPS.MEDIA It is observed that many SMEs in Vietnam still rely too much on the default metrics provided by Facebook Ads. According to research by Harvard Business Review, measurement data from advertising platforms is often “inflated” due to missing off-platform conversions or not accurately capturing the actual customer journey. For example, without integrating Google Analytics or additional tracking solutions—the recorded results mostly reflect what customers do on Facebook, while neglecting the conversion stage on the website or call center.
- Third-party cookies is limited, causing inaccuracy for conversion data.
- Bias due to attribution window: Facebook applies a different conversion attribution window compared to other tools.
- Incomplete pixel code implementation: Unable to track all important behaviors.
| Main issue | Impact | DPS.MEDIA recommended solution |
|---|---|---|
| Only use Facebook Ads data | Data is not comprehensive, conversions are easily missed |
Integrate multi-channel analytics, use Google Analytics 4; set up UTM tracking |
| Error when installing Facebook pixel | Loss of conversion data, poor ad optimization |
Check pixel with Facebook Events Manager, add important events |
| ‘Pending’ status when sending events to Facebook | Data is delayed or not updated in real-time |
Invest in server-side tracking solutions, reduce dependence on client-side pixel |
Integrating smart tracking solutions for SMEs
Real-life case study at a fashion industry client: DPS.MEDIA proposed integrating additional Facebook CAPI (Conversions API) combined with Google Tag Manager to track both website actions and offline data (for example: orders placed via hotline). After implementation, recorded conversions increased by 171% compared to using only Facebook Pixel previously—helping to reduce CPA effectiveness by 25%.
In addition, we recommend SMEs to:
- Regularly use a tracking testing process—apply a periodic checklist from the document “Marketing Attribution and Analytics” (C.Taylor, 2023).
- Add centralized reporting on a single dashboard: aggregating data from multiple sources helps make decisions faster and more accurately.
- Prioritize server-side tracking solutions instead of relying solely on traditional cookies, especially as browsers and platforms increasingly tighten privacy controls.
Preparation for the next journey
Thus, understanding and addressing common errors when running Facebook Ads not only helps your campaigns operate efficiently, but also saves significant time and marketing budget. From optimizing targeting, improving ad content, to managing budgets and analyzing data, each adjustment step contributes to increasing conversion rates and driving sustainable growth.
Running Facebook ads is not just about “pressing the run button”, but a continuous process of testing, analyzing, and optimizing. DPS.MEDIA encourages you to proactively apply the shared knowledge, while staying ready to flexibly adjust according to real feedback from the market.
At the same time, don’t hesitate to delve deeper into related topics such as A/B Testing, online consumer behavior, or the multi-channel advertising ecosystem to enhance the overall effectiveness of your marketing campaigns..By keeping up with the right trends and new tools, SMEs can fully leverage the power of digital to break through in today’s fiercely competitive digitalization era.
Are you facing any “tough problems” with Facebook Ads? Or do you have opinions or real-world experiences to share with the community? Leave a comment below or join the discussion with DPS.MEDIA!
