Meta Ads Custom Audiences Guide: High-Value Lookalikes

"Lookalikes are dead." We hear this every week. It is false. Bad Lookalikes are dead. If you build a Lookalike based on "Website Visitors (30 Days)," you are telling Facebook: "Find me more window shoppers." To scale, you need to tell Facebook: "Find me more people who spend $100+."

The Hierarchy of Custom Audiences

Not all data is equal.

1. Platinum: Customer List with LTV (Lifetime Value).
2. Gold: Pixel Purchase Events (Last 180 Days).
3. Silver: Add to Cart / Initiate Checkout.
4. Bronze: Instagram Engagers / Video Viewers (3s).
5. Trash: Website Visitors (All).

Strategy 1: The LTV Lookalike

This is the most powerful audience you can build.

1. Export CSV from Shopify/WooCommerce: Include "Email", "Phone", and "Total Spent."
2. Format: Facebook requires a specific format. Use a "Value" column.
3. Upload: Go to Audiences → Create Custom Audience → Customer List.
4. Select "Customer Value": This tells Facebook who the whales are.
5. Create Lookalike: Start with 1%.
6. Logic: Facebook will look for users with similar spending habits and credit card activity.

Strategy 2: The "Frequency" Lookalike

You don't just want one-time buyers. You want loyalists.

1. Filter your CSV: Keep only customers who have bought 2+ times.
2. Upload: Create a "Repeat Purchasers" Custom Audience.
3. Create Lookalike: 1%, 3%, and 5%.
4. Why: This finds users who are prone to brand loyalty, not just deal seekers.

The Most Important Audience: Exclusions

You waste 20% of your budget retargeting people who just bought. Always exclude:

• Purchasers (30 Days).
• Purchasers (180 Days) - unless you sell consumable products (coffee, shampoo).
• Pro Tip: Exclude "Job Seekers" if you are hiring. (Create a custom audience of people who visited your /careers page).

Dynamic Syncing (Klaviyo/HubSpot)

Manual uploads are outdated. Use a connector (Klaviyo, HubSpot, Zapier) to sync your segments dynamically.

• Scenario: A user buys a product.
• Action: Klaviyo adds them to "VIP Customers" list.
• Sync: Meta automatically updates the Custom Audience.
• Result: The Lookalike gets smarter in real-time.

Summary

Broad targeting (no audiences) is great for account simplification. But Lookalikes are your Signal Booster. When you launch a new ad set, give the algorithm a hint. "Don't just find humans. Find lookalikes of these high-rollers."