Ad delivery is the process Meta uses to decide which of your ads to show, to which people and at what cost. It starts once an ad passes review and runs for as long as the campaign has budget and a schedule that allows it.
What delivery depends on
Delivery is the working end of the ad auction. For each chance to show an ad, Meta weighs the ads competing for that person and picks one. What you control shapes the result:
- Budget and schedule. They set how much Meta can spend and when. See daily budget.
- Bid strategy. It tells Meta how to bid, from getting the most results to holding a cost or return. See bid strategy.
- Audience and placements. They decide who can see the ad and where.
- The ad itself. Creative and copy affect how people respond, which feeds back into delivery.
Delivery is also why two ads with the same budget can behave differently: each one is matched to its own audience and bid, so spend, reach and cost per result differ between them.
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Try for Free ($0 Trial)Reading delivery statuses
Meta's help page lists the status Ads Manager shows for a campaign, ad set or ad. Four come up most often:
| Status | What Meta says it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| In review | The ad is in review to make sure it complies with Meta Advertising Standards | Wait, most ads are reviewed within 24 hours |
| Preparing | The ad passed review and the delivery system is matching it to the right bid and audience | Wait; it moves on by itself |
| Learning | The ad set and all of its ads are still in the learning phase | Avoid unneeded edits, see Meta's learning phase |
| Active | The ad is running normally | Judge results against your goal |
Ad review and delivery
The review process starts automatically after you create or edit an ad, and Meta says most ads are reviewed within 24 hours, though some take longer. Changes to an ad's bid amount, budget or ad set schedule do not trigger review. That makes budget and bid tweaks safe from review delays, while a new image or new copy is not.
When delivery looks wrong
- Check the status first. An ad still in review or preparing is not under-delivering, it has not started yet.
- Look at the budget. A budget that buys only a handful of results a day slows learning and the whole delivery pattern.
- Check the bid strategy. A goal set below what the auction costs, such as a cost per result target that is too low, can leave an ad set with little spend.
- Look at the schedule. An ad set scheduled for certain hours only will not deliver outside them. The answer on how to schedule ads covers the setting.
Example. A yoga studio publishes a new-student offer at 9 a.m. and sees "In review" for the first few hours, which is normal. By the afternoon the ad shows "Learning" and begins to spend. The owner resists editing the headline that evening, because an edit would send the ad back through review. The next morning, with the ad "Active", the studio reads the first results and decides on changes.
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FAQ
What does ad delivery mean on Facebook?
It is how Meta decides which ads to show, to whom and when. The delivery status in Ads Manager tells you where an ad stands, from In review through Learning to Active.
Why is my ad not delivering?
Most often it is still in review or preparing. If it is active but spending little, look at the budget, bid strategy, audience size and schedule.
How long does ad review take?
Meta says most ads are reviewed within 24 hours, although in some cases it may take longer. The review starts automatically after you create or edit an ad.
Does changing my budget trigger a new review?
No. Meta says changes to an ad's bid amount, budget or ad set schedule will not trigger review. Edits to the ad itself will.
Can I speed up delivery?
You can give Meta more room: a larger budget, a wider audience or a less strict goal. Setting expectations also helps, because new ad sets need time before delivery settles.
Related
- Related terms: Meta's learning phase, Daily budget, Bid strategy
- In depth: Facebook ad in review explained
Sources
- View delivery status in Meta Ads Manager, Meta Business Help Center
- About ads in review, Meta Business Help Center
