Imagine your ad as a seasoned performer. Every time it steps onto the stage, it learns a little more about how to captivate the audience. The more it performs, the sharper its act becomes. This is exactly how the ad delivery system works—it gets smarter with every impression, fine-tuning its delivery for maximum impact.

But here’s the catch: when you first launch an ad (or make a significant tweak), it enters what’s called the “learning phase.” This is the warm-up act, where the system is still figuring out the best way to deliver your ad set. During this phase, you might notice that performance is a bit wobbly, and your costs per result can spike. This happens because the system hasn’t yet hit its stride.

You’ll see the word “Learning” in the Delivery column as your ad set goes through this process. While the system never stops learning, your ad set graduates from this phase once it has stabilized—usually after about 50 optimization events since the last major change.

How to Keep Your Ads in the Spotlight

The learning phase isn’t always pretty—ad sets can be unpredictable, and costs can run high. But with a few smart moves, you can help your ads shine:

1. Hold the Edits: While your ad set is in the learning phase, resist the temptation to tinker. Performance isn’t locked in yet, so what you see now isn’t necessarily what you’ll get later. Editing during this phase resets the learning clock, delaying that sweet spot of optimization.
2. Be Strategic About Changes: Not all edits are created equal. Major changes can throw your ad set back into the learning phase. Make adjustments only when you’re confident they’ll boost performance—this keeps your ad sets moving forward, not backward.
3. Keep It Simple: Bombarding the system with too many ads or ad sets dilutes its learning power. Fewer, more focused ad sets allow the system to gather stronger insights and optimize more effectively. Think of it as quality over quantity.
4. Set a Smart Budget: Your budget is like a signal to the delivery system. If it’s too small or too big, the system can get confused about who to target. Aim for a budget that allows for at least 50 optimization events and stick with it—frequent changes can push your ad set back into the learning phase.

Don’t Fear the Learning Phase

The learning phase isn’t a hurdle to avoid—it’s a necessary step to getting your ads to perform at their best. Embrace this time to experiment with new creative ideas and strategies. If your ad set gets stuck in “Learning Limited,” it’s a cue to tweak your approach and unlock its full potential.