Going, going, gone — the ads block is coming and it’s time to act

There are still a few weeks remaining to use advertising to grow your contact lists. But beyond that, campaigners will need to look to alternative strategies. Campaigner Lorenzo Azzolini explains what the ban is about and how to act immediately before the ad block comes into force, as well as what to do once it’s here. 

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In the first weeks of October, Meta and Alphabet, in response to the new European Union regulation on online advertising, will block users from placing political ads. This forces many organizations to set up an "urgent plan" to spend their existing ad budget and to concentrate on achieving their advertising goals within a few weeks.

We suggest focusing on contact acquisition rather than other available advertising objectives. This is because contacts will remain available to the organization and therefore represent the best investment.

Meta email acquisition campaign (lead ads or conversion ads)

This campaign targets users most likely to support your campaign and sign up to your email list by submitting information on a form. Meta supports two types of forms: it can be hosted on a website (website-based form) or open directly from your lead ad within Meta (instant form). 

Remember that to function well, in addition to good creativity, this type of campaign also requires a well-made landing page and the installation of the Meta pixel, the tracking tool to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of this type of advertisement.

A guide, created by Meta, can be found here.

YouTube subscriptions and engagement campaign (subscription ads)

This campaign targets users most likely to sign up to your channel. YouTube will show your video ads to people who are likely to subscribe to your Youtube channel. Ads link to your YouTube channel or URL Playlist in the final URL. This method works best if you have multiple well-performing videos already uploaded to your channel or playlist.

It is increasingly important for progressive movements to build databases independent from platforms that can change the rules of the game overnight.

The back story

The decision by Meta and Alphabet is just the latest blow in the ongoing battle between the European Union and big tech.

On one side, the EU is approving a series of regulations to control the digital market and impose a set of rules, while on the other, large American companies are striving to maintain control of their sector.

This fight has gone so far that Facebook and Instagram are currently being investigated by the European Commission over their suspected failure to tackle disinformation and deceptive advertising in the run-up to the 2024 European Parliament elections.

According to the Digital Service Act, Meta risks fines of up to 6% of their global annual turnover. We are talking about billions of dollars. 

The EU didn't stop there; it promoted the adoption of a regulation on the transparency and targeting of political advertising (known as the TTPA). "Digital technologies make citizens more vulnerable to disinformation and foreign interference," said Sandro Gozi, Liberal MEP and rapporteur on the proposals. "Now more than ever, it is crucial to safeguard our democratic and electoral processes."

According to the European Parliament “the new rules enhance the integrity of election campaigns and help fight disinformation and foreign interference. The regulation requires political advertising to be clearly labelled, allowing citizens to see why they were targeted, who sponsored the ad, how much they paid and to which elections or referendum it pertains.”

You can read more about the legislation on the European Commission website.

On 27 February 2024, the European Parliament adopted the regulation proposal and established that it would come into force on 10 October, to give companies time to adapt to the new measures.

A few months before the regulation came into force, Alphabet and then Meta announced the cessation of political, electoral, and social Issue advertising within the EU, from October 2025. According to the Associated Press, Meta said the rules introduce “significant operational challenges and legal uncertainties” and the new regulations are “unworkable”.

What seemed like a move to put pressure on European politicians is instead destined to become reality and change the way political campaigns are conducted in Europe.

A lesson to be learned

The real takeaway is that it is increasingly important for progressive movements to build databases independent from platforms that can change the rules of the game overnight. This means finding long-term strategies  to acquire and manage contacts, which is the fundamental infrastructure for caring for your community. 

In the short term, however, immediate response strategies can be implemented, aimed at using existing advertising budgets in the weeks ahead to acquire new contacts and expand existing lists.

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Need advice about setting up last-minute ads or shifting towards more organic forms of outreach? Get in touch with us: info@centerfordigitalaction.eu