Top 5 Meta™ Ad Problems for Course Creators

Running Meta™ ads (Facebook™ and Instagram™) for your course or digital product can feel like a total gamble.

One month, leads are flowing in. The next? Only a trickle of leads. Worse still, you’re watching your ad budget disappear without seeing sales or even engagement.

If you’ve ever thought, “Why isn’t this working for me?” you’re not alone.

Let’s break down five common Meta™ ad problems course creators face, and what to do instead so your ad spend starts to scale results, not just disappear.

1. You’re Getting Clicks, But No Leads or Sales Traffic is coming through, but it’s not turning into buyers or even subscribers.

Why this happens:

• The messaging in your ad doesn’t align with the messaging on your landing page.
• Your offer may not be clear or compelling enough.
• There’s a disconnect between the promise in your ad and what the funnel actually delivers.

What to try:

• Make sure the headline and main message on your landing page match your ad copy.
• Add testimonials or social proof.
• Revisit your lead magnet or offer. Is it solving a specific, urgent problem for your ideal client?
• Is every step of your funnel aligned with previous steps taking your lead on a natural journey progressing from one small step to the next?

2. Your Cost Per Lead Is Too High Paying $8, $12 or more per lead? It can feel like ads just don’t work for you. But in most cases, it’s either a problem with your campaign setup, a messaging or creative issue, not the platform itself.

Why this happens:

• You are using the wrong campaign objective for your goals or you are using outdated strategies when it comes to Meta™ ads
• Your creative isn’t stopping the scroll.
• Your lead magnet doesn’t feel valuable enough to justify the click.

What to try:

• Test a short, authentic video ad. These often outperform polished ones.
• Rework your hook to focus on the specific pain or desire your audience feels before they’re ready to buy.
• Ensure you are using the right campaign objective for your overall goal and that you are using current ad strategies that are working right now. Things are changing rapidly at the moment with Meta™ ads so you need to be vigilant in staying up to date.

3. You’re Confused About Targeting (Manual vs Advantage+) Meta is always evolving. What worked in 2020 definitely isn’t working in 2025. It’s no wonder course creators are asking:

“Should I use detailed interests? Go broad? Are lookalikes still relevant?”

What’s working now:

• Advantage+ targeting is performing strongly for many course creators.
• Interest-based targeting still works as a testing layer, especially if you understand your audience well, however this is changing fast. As a matter of fact only this week (August 1st 2025) Meta™  just removed more interest based targeting options and is forcing us to go broader with our targeting.

What to try:

• Set up one ad set with Advantage+ and another with manual interests. Compare performance.
• Monitor cost per lead and lead quality over 3 to 5 days.
• Let the data guide your next steps.

4. You’re Not Testing or You’re Testing the Wrong Thing Testing can feel like a time suck. But when done right, it brings clarity and better results.

Common mistake: Launching ads with different messaging, visuals, and audiences at once and not knowing what actually worked.

What to try:

• Start by testing one variable at a time, like different hooks or captions..
• Then, test different creative formats: static image, Reels-style video, carousel, face to camera video.
• At the moment, I am finding your messaging (the words you use) on all parts of the ad is the primary driver in improving performance.

5. Your Funnel Isn’t Doing Its Job Here’s something many business owners don’t want to admit. And I get it, you have set up your funnels and you know it can help so many of your ideal clients. But on many occasions, the ads are doing their job. But the funnel isn’t.

If you’re getting clicks and opt-ins, but no sales, the issue might be with the nurture process or the offer.

Warning signs:

• Low email open or click-through rates.
• No traffic moving from your emails to the sales page.
• A lack of trust or connection between opt-in and sale.

What to try:

• Add a value-driven email welcome sequence that builds trust and positions your course as the solution.
• Set up retargeting ads to stay visible.
• Audit your sales page. Is it clear, easy to skim, and focused on outcomes over features?

Final Thoughts Ads are just one piece of the puzzle.

Even the most optimised Meta™ campaign won’t fix a weak offer or disconnected funnel.

But when your messaging, targeting and funnel are working together? That’s when you start seeing $2 leads and consistent course sales.

Want more support? At Webonize, we help coaches, course creators and online service providers turn underperforming ads into high-converting machines. With smart strategy, ongoing support and data-led adjustments, we help you build ad campaigns that actually deliver results.

Prefer to have it done for you? We offer a full-service Meta™ ads management option for course creators who are ready to hand off the day-to-day and want expert support in scaling their campaigns.

Want to learn how to do it yourself with guidance? Our Abundant Ads Academy gives you the tools, strategies and support to confidently run your own Meta ads with better results. Perfect if you want to stay in control but have a proven system and expert help along the way.