Solving Custom Audience Issues: Tips and Tricks

Ever launched a retargeting campaign only to discover your custom audience sitting at zero or far below the minimum threshold? From overly stringent URL conditions and seven-day look-back windows that exclude valuable visitors, to misfiring pixels, Conversion API hiccups and neglected domain verification, there are countless misconfigurations that can derail your audience-building efforts. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through a systematic audit to get your segments back on track. When sheer audience numbers still lag, we’ll share creative workarounds, from engagement-based retargeting to CRM uploads and lookalike audiences, so you can maintain precision targeting even when data is scarce.

Investigate Why the Audience Isn’t Populating

Review Audience Rules

• Setup Narrowness: Ensure the setup isn’t too narrow, such as short time windows or incorrect URL conditions. For example, if your audience rule is set to capture visitors within a 7-day window, consider expanding it to 30 days to increase the audience size. Narrow setups can often exclude potential audience members who might still be valuable. Additionally, review the logic of your rules to ensure they are inclusive enough to capture a broad audience.
• URL Conditions: Double-check that the URLs specified in your audience rules are correct and match the actual URLs on your site. Incorrect URL conditions can lead to missed audience captures. For instance, a typo in the URL condition can prevent the audience from populating correctly. It’s also important to ensure that the URLs are case-sensitive and match exactly as they appear on your site.

Verify Pixel or Event Tag Implementation

• Correct Tags: Confirm that the correct tags are firing on all relevant pages. Use tools like Facebook Pixel Helper or Google Tag Assistant to verify that your tags are working properly. These tools can help you identify if any tags are missing or incorrectly implemented. Regularly auditing your tags can prevent issues from arising and ensure that all necessary data is being captured.
• Event Tags: Ensure that event tags such as ‘Add to Cart’ or ‘Purchase’ are correctly implemented and firing on the appropriate actions. Misfiring tags can lead to incomplete data capture, affecting your audience size. It’s also beneficial to test these events in a staging environment before deploying them live to ensure they work as expected.

Check Real-Time Tracking

• Tracking Tools: Use tools like Meta Events Manager, TikTok Events, or Google Tag Manager to confirm events are being captured properly. Real-time tracking can help you identify if there are any immediate issues with event capture. Regularly monitoring these tools can help you catch and fix issues as they arise. Setting up alerts for any anomalies in event tracking can also be helpful.
• Event Verification: Regularly check the event logs to ensure that all intended events are being tracked without errors. This can help you ensure that your audience data is accurate and up-to-date. Keeping a log of changes made to your tracking setup can also help in troubleshooting any issues that arise.

Inspect Conversions API (CAPI) Setup

• Server-Side Issues: Look out for server-side issues or duplicate events that may affect data accuracy. Ensure that your server is correctly configured to send events to the platform. Server-side issues can often be more complex to diagnose and fix, but they are crucial for accurate audience data. Regularly reviewing server logs can help identify any issues early.
• Duplicate Events: Check for and resolve any instances of duplicate events being sent, as this can skew your audience data. Duplicate events can inflate your audience size artificially, leading to inaccurate targeting. Implementing deduplication logic can help prevent this issue.

Confirm Domain Verification and Pixel Priority

• Domain Verification: Especially on Meta, check that the correct domain and pixel are prioritised. This is crucial for ensuring that your events are attributed correctly. Domain verification helps prevent data from being attributed to the wrong source. Regularly reviewing your domain verification settings can help maintain data accuracy.
• Pixel Priority: Make sure that the pixel with the highest priority is the one capturing the most critical events for your campaigns. Prioritising the correct pixel ensures that your most important data is captured accurately. This can be particularly important if you are running multiple pixels on your site.

Check Audience Retention Settings

• Time Window: Make sure the time window (e.g., 30 vs. 180 days) and minimum audience size are appropriate. Adjusting the retention period can help increase your audience size. For example, extending the retention period from 30 to 180 days can capture more users who have interacted with your site over a longer period. This can be particularly useful for seasonal businesses.
• Minimum Size: Ensure that your audience size meets the platform’s minimum requirements for running ads. If not, consider broadening your audience criteria. Platforms often have minimum audience size requirements to ensure effective ad delivery. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your audience criteria can help maintain a healthy audience size.

Fix the Misconfigurations

Fix or Reinstall the Pixel

• Correct Placement: Ensure its placed correctly and that standard events like ViewContent or PageView are firing. Misplaced pixels can lead to incomplete data capture. Double-check the placement of your pixel code on your website to ensure it’s in the correct location. It’s also beneficial to test the pixel in a staging environment before deploying it live.
• Reinstallation: If issues persist, consider reinstalling the pixel to ensure its correctly implemented. Reinstalling the pixel can help resolve any underlying issues with the initial setup. Keeping a backup of your pixel settings can help in quickly restoring them if needed.

Troubleshoot Conversions API (CAPI)

• Key Parameters: Check that it’s passing key parameters (like email or phone) for proper audience matching. Accurate parameter passing is essential for effective audience creation. Ensure that all necessary parameters are included in your API calls. Regularly reviewing and updating your API settings can help maintain data accuracy.
• API Logs: Review API logs to identify and resolve any errors or issues in the data transmission. API logs can provide valuable insights into any issues with your data transmission. Implementing logging and monitoring tools can help in quickly identifying and resolving issues.

Broaden Audience Definitions

• Include More Visitors: Include more visitors, such as all site traffic instead of just specific pages. This can help increase your audience size and improve campaign reach. Broadening your audience definitions can help capture a wider range of users. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your audience definitions can help maintain a healthy audience size.
• General Criteria: Broaden your audience criteria to capture a wider range of visitors, which can help in building a more substantial audience pool. For example, instead of targeting only users who visited a specific product page, target all users who visited your site. This can help in capturing a larger audience and improving campaign performance.

Fix Event Tracking Issues

• Broken Tags: Resolve broken or misconfigured tags in Google Tag Manager or platform-specific dashboards. Regular audits can help identify and fix these issues. Broken tags can lead to incomplete data capture, affecting your audience size. Regularly reviewing and updating your tag configurations can help maintain data accuracy.
• Tag Configuration: Ensure that all tags are correctly configured and firing as intended. Misconfigured tags can lead to incomplete audience data. Double-check your tag configurations to ensure they are set up correctly. Implementing a tagging plan can help in maintaining a consistent and accurate tagging setup.

Reconfirm Domain Verification

• Double-Check Setup: Double-check domain setup and prioritisation, especially after Apple’s privacy updates. Ensuring proper domain verification is crucial for accurate event tracking. Apple’s privacy updates have made domain verification more important than ever. Regularly reviewing and updating your domain verification settings can help maintain data accuracy.
• Privacy Updates: Stay updated with platform-specific privacy changes and adjust your setup accordingly to maintain data accuracy. Privacy updates can affect how your data is captured and processed. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your privacy settings can help maintain data accuracy.

Creative Retargeting Alternatives for Small or Inactive Audiences

Use Engagement-Based Audiences

• Build Audiences: Build audiences from actions like video views, profile visits, or lead form opens:
• Meta: Video views, Instagram engagement, lead form interactions
• TikTok: Content engagement, profile clicks, full video views
• LinkedIn: Page visits, event sign-ups, video interactions
• Engagement Metrics: Use engagement metrics to create audiences that are more likely to convert, even if your custom audience size is small. Engagement-based audiences can help you reach users who have shown interest in your content. Regularly reviewing and updating your engagement metrics can help maintain a healthy audience size.

Leverage CRM or Email Lists

• Customer Data: Upload customer data to create custom or lookalike audiences. This can help you reach a broader audience based on your existing customer base. CRM data can provide valuable insights into your audience. Regularly reviewing and updating your CRM data can help maintain data accuracy.
• Lookalike Audiences: Use lookalike audiences to find new potential customers who share characteristics with your existing audience. Lookalike audiences can help you expand your reach. Regularly reviewing and updating your lookalike audience settings can help maintain a healthy audience size.

Run Lead Generation Campaigns

• Audience Growth: Use quizzes, gated content, or forms to grow your audience lists. Lead generation campaigns can help you build a more substantial audience over time. Interactive content can encourage users

If troubleshooting pixel or API issues feels overwhelming, consider consulting specialists like Sonnet Digital to ensure your tracking and audience setups are flawless.