Why I’m Still Buying Ads on Meta (Even If I Don’t Want To)

Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about Meta advertising—especially with the release of a new book that’s once again put the company in the spotlight.

The truth is, I’ve had a complicated relationship with Meta for a long time.

Not solely because of their business practices (though I have thoughts there, too), but because of what social media—Meta, TikTok, and others—has done to the way we communicate and connect.

As a mom, I’m deeply concerned about the impact these platforms are having on young people.

And, as someone who worked in local television news for years, I’m disheartened by the erosion of public trust in journalism and the devastation social platforms have brought to local media ecosystems.

Professionally, as a media buyer, I experience a constant tension. Meta remains a high-performing platform for many direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands. The targeting is powerful, the cost-efficiency (CPMs) is hard to ignore, and the audiences are active.

But personally, I wish we could all just log off.

What frustrates me most is the nature of communication on Meta. It fosters shallow, polarized dialogue.

Social media has largely replaced real conversation with algorithmic echo chambers. Even when we disagree in person, there’s at least a chance for empathy.

On Meta, there’s mostly noise—people talking past each other, not listening.

So I’ve stepped back.

Personally, I visit Facebook maybe once a week. Instagram? Perhaps once a month.

Professionally, though, I still buy media there and here's why:

Meta remains in the mix because:

• It still drives strong performance for many DTC brands.

• The cost per thousand impressions (CPMs) can be quite efficient.

• Clients are active there, and so are their customers.

But here’s the reality:

• The audience attention span is low.

• Most ads aren’t scroll-stopping, and many are immediately forgotten.

• Ad clutter is high, making it hard to build brand equity or long-term memory.

• You might earn a conversion, but without a retention plan, you’ll lose them just as quickly.

Here’s a quick example: I purchased a product through a Meta ad several months ago—something I actually liked enough to consider buying again.

And yet, I couldn’t remember the brand name without going to my drawer and checking the label. That perfectly illustrates the core challenge: Meta can drive conversions, but it rarely builds lasting recall.

To be fair, the brand likely did everything right—used remarketing, gated a discount behind email and SMS signups, all the standard playbook moves. But like many people, I unsubscribed shortly after purchasing. I didn’t want to be pulled into another cycle of impulse buys.

And I’m not alone.

A 2024 survey from GetApp found that 40% of consumers regularly unsubscribe from brand emails and texts. While email and SMS can still be effective for some, I predict those unsubscribe rates will continue to rise as consumers become more overwhelmed by brand noise.

When that happens, the ability to generate brand recall will become even more important. And in that regard, Meta just doesn’t stack up the same way channels like OTT or premium video do.

To be clear, performance marketing still has a role to play on Meta. But if you’re building for long-term growth or emotional resonance, Meta alone won’t take you there.

So yes, I remain conflicted. I don’t love supporting a platform that gives me so much pause.

But clients rely on us to put their dollars where they’ll be most effective—and for many brands, Meta remains a critical part of that mix.

The nuance I hold onto is this: when we run awareness campaigns designed for long-term brand growth, I treat Meta as a supplement to higher-quality media channels—not the centerpiece.

And that distinction gives me just enough peace of mind to keep doing the work with integrity.