Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns (ASC) have become the default campaign type for most e-commerce advertisers on Meta. But many brands are leaving money on the table by not configuring them correctly. Here is exactly how we set them up across our 40+ managed accounts.
The Core Principle
ASC works by giving Meta’s algorithm maximum flexibility to find buyers. Unlike traditional campaigns where you define audiences, ASC targets broadly and lets the machine learning optimize toward purchases. Your job shifts from audience selection to creative strategy and budget allocation.
Campaign Structure
We recommend running 2-3 ASC campaigns simultaneously: one for your core catalog (best-sellers and proven products), one for new launches/testing, and optionally one for seasonal or promotional pushes. This keeps your main campaign’s learning data clean while allowing you to test without disruption.
Creative Strategy
In ASC, creative IS your targeting. The algorithm shows different creatives to different audience segments based on predicted response. We load each campaign with 8-15 creative variants including: static product images, lifestyle photos, UGC-style content, short-form video (under 15 seconds), and carousel formats. The algorithm will spend on what works and suppress what does not.
Budget and Bidding
Start with a daily budget of at least $100 per campaign (ideally $200+). ASC needs volume to learn. Use cost cap bidding set at your target CPA — this prevents overspending during the learning phase while giving the algorithm a clear optimization target. Expect 3-7 days of learning phase before performance stabilizes.
Existing Customer Cap
The most overlooked setting in ASC is the existing customer budget cap. By default, ASC will heavily retarget existing customers because they convert easily. Set this cap to 10-20% to force the algorithm to prospect for new customers, which is where real growth comes from.
Results We See
Across our managed accounts, well-optimized ASC campaigns typically deliver 2.5-4x ROAS at scale. The key differentiator is creative quality and volume — accounts that refresh creative bi-weekly consistently outperform those running stale ads.