Why did Facebook Ads Manager campaign approval time increase to 12 hours?

Introduction

Facebook Ads Manager's campaign approval time increase to 12 hours is a critical issue that demands immediate attention. This prolonged approval process can significantly impact advertisers' ability to launch timely campaigns, potentially leading to missed opportunities and reduced ad revenue for Facebook. In this analysis, I'll systematically investigate the root cause, considering both technical and non-technical factors that could contribute to this delay.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Looking at the timing, I'm thinking this might be a recent change. When did you first notice the increase in approval time?

Why it matters: Helps pinpoint potential triggers or changes that coincided with the issue. Expected answer: Within the last week or two. Impact on approach: Recent changes would focus our investigation on recent updates or modifications.

• Considering the scale, I'm wondering if this affects all advertisers equally. Are there any specific advertiser segments or ad types experiencing longer delays than others?

Why it matters: Identifies if the issue is universal or isolated to certain groups or ad types. Expected answer: Possibly affecting new advertisers or certain ad categories more. Impact on approach: Segmented analysis of approval times across different advertiser groups and ad types.

• Given the complexity of ad approval, I'm curious about the normal approval time. What was the average approval time before this increase?

Why it matters: Establishes a baseline to understand the magnitude of the change. Expected answer: Previously around 2-4 hours on average. Impact on approach: Helps quantify the impact and set benchmarks for improvement.

• Thinking about potential system changes, have there been any recent updates to the ad review process or infrastructure?

Why it matters: Identifies potential technical causes related to recent changes. Expected answer: A recent update to the ad review algorithm or scaling of review infrastructure. Impact on approach: Focus on recent technical changes and their impact on the approval process.