Easily Duplicate Facebook Ads Between Campaigns (Smart Strategy)

As a digital marketer who’s been in the trenches of Facebook advertising for years, I know the feeling. You’ve finally crafted the perfect ad. The copy sings, the visuals pop, and the clicks are rolling in. It’s a winner! But then, you need that same magic for a different campaign, targeting a slightly different audience, or perhaps promoting a similar product. The thought of rebuilding that ad from scratch? It’s a soul-crushing waste of time and potential.

I’ve seen countless advertisers struggle with this inefficiency. They spend hours recreating ads that already exist, tweaking elements they know work, and essentially reinventing the wheel. This not only eats into valuable time that could be spent on strategy and optimization but also introduces the risk of diluting the original ad’s effectiveness.

That’s why the ability to easily duplicate Facebook ads between campaigns is such a game-changer. It’s not just about saving time; it’s about maximizing the impact of your best-performing creative, maintaining brand consistency, and scaling your advertising efforts with speed and precision.

Think of Sarah, a client of mine who runs an e-commerce business selling handcrafted jewelry. She had a wildly successful ad campaign targeting women aged 25-35 interested in minimalist designs. When she launched a new campaign targeting a slightly older demographic (35-45) with similar interests, she initially planned to create a brand new ad. But then I showed her how to duplicate her existing ad, make a few minor tweaks to the copy to resonate with the older audience, and launch it. The result? Almost identical performance to the original, saving her hours of work and ensuring a consistent brand message across both campaigns.

This article will dive deep into the world of ad duplication on Facebook, showing you exactly how to leverage this powerful strategy to streamline your processes, enhance your efficiency, and unlock better campaign performance. Let’s get started!

Understanding the Importance of Ad Duplication

Why is ad duplication such a big deal? It’s more than just a time-saver; it’s a strategic tool that can significantly impact your Facebook advertising success. Here’s why you should be making ad duplication a core part of your workflow:

• Maintaining Brand Consistency: In today’s crowded digital landscape, brand recognition is paramount. Duplicating ads ensures that your core messaging, visual style, and overall brand identity remain consistent across all your campaigns. This helps build trust and familiarity with your audience, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates. I always advise my clients to think of their brand as a person. Would that person drastically change their appearance and personality from one conversation to the next? Probably not. Consistency is key.

• Leveraging Proven Creative Assets: You’ve already invested time, effort, and resources into creating an ad that resonates with your target audience. Why let that effort go to waste? Duplicating successful ads allows you to leverage those proven creative assets across multiple campaigns, maximizing their reach and impact. It’s like having a star player on your team – you want to put them in the game as often as possible!

• Speeding Up the Testing Phase: Launching a new campaign often involves a period of testing different ad variations to identify the most effective approach. Duplicating existing ads provides a solid foundation for this testing process. You can start with ads that have already proven successful and then tweak specific elements, such as headlines, images, or call-to-actions, to optimize them for the new target audience or campaign objective. This significantly reduces the time and resources required to find winning ad combinations. Think of it as having a head start in a race – you’re already a few steps ahead of the competition.

• Scaling Your Efforts Quickly: When you find a winning ad formula, you want to scale it as quickly as possible to maximize your results. Duplicating ads allows you to do just that. You can easily replicate successful ads across multiple campaigns, targeting different audiences or regions, without having to recreate them from scratch. This enables you to expand your reach and drive more conversions in a fraction of the time.

• Responding to Market Changes: The market is constantly evolving, and your advertising strategies need to adapt accordingly. Duplicating ads allows you to quickly respond to market changes by adjusting your messaging, targeting, or creative to stay relevant and effective. This agility is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. I remember a client who sold seasonal products. By duplicating and slightly modifying their ads for each season, they were able to stay top-of-mind with their target audience and drive consistent sales throughout the year.

Maintaining Brand Consistency: In today’s crowded digital landscape, brand recognition is paramount. Duplicating ads ensures that your core messaging, visual style, and overall brand identity remain consistent across all your campaigns. This helps build trust and familiarity with your audience, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates. I always advise my clients to think of their brand as a person. Would that person drastically change their appearance and personality from one conversation to the next? Probably not. Consistency is key.

Leveraging Proven Creative Assets: You’ve already invested time, effort, and resources into creating an ad that resonates with your target audience. Why let that effort go to waste? Duplicating successful ads allows you to leverage those proven creative assets across multiple campaigns, maximizing their reach and impact. It’s like having a star player on your team – you want to put them in the game as often as possible!

Speeding Up the Testing Phase: Launching a new campaign often involves a period of testing different ad variations to identify the most effective approach. Duplicating existing ads provides a solid foundation for this testing process. You can start with ads that have already proven successful and then tweak specific elements, such as headlines, images, or call-to-actions, to optimize them for the new target audience or campaign objective. This significantly reduces the time and resources required to find winning ad combinations. Think of it as having a head start in a race – you’re already a few steps ahead of the competition.

Scaling Your Efforts Quickly: When you find a winning ad formula, you want to scale it as quickly as possible to maximize your results. Duplicating ads allows you to do just that. You can easily replicate successful ads across multiple campaigns, targeting different audiences or regions, without having to recreate them from scratch. This enables you to expand your reach and drive more conversions in a fraction of the time.

Responding to Market Changes: The market is constantly evolving, and your advertising strategies need to adapt accordingly. Duplicating ads allows you to quickly respond to market changes by adjusting your messaging, targeting, or creative to stay relevant and effective. This agility is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. I remember a client who sold seasonal products. By duplicating and slightly modifying their ads for each season, they were able to stay top-of-mind with their target audience and drive consistent sales throughout the year.

According to a recent study by HubSpot, businesses that actively manage and optimize their ad campaigns see a 50% higher ROI than those that don’t. Ad duplication is a key component of effective campaign management, allowing you to maximize your return on investment by leveraging your best-performing creative assets.

Takeaway: Ad duplication is a strategic necessity for Facebook advertisers. It’s not just about saving time; it’s about maximizing the impact of your best-performing creative, maintaining brand consistency, and scaling your advertising efforts with speed and precision.

Step-by-Step Guide to Duplicating Ads on Facebook

Now that you understand the importance of ad duplication, let’s dive into the practical steps of how to actually do it on Facebook. Here’s a comprehensive, step-by-step guide:

1. Accessing Ads Manager: The first step is to navigate to the Facebook Ads Manager. You can do this by:

   • Logging into your Facebook account.
   • Clicking on the “Ad Center” in the left-hand menu.
   • Clicking on “Ads Manager” at the bottom of the Ad Center screen.
   • Alternatively, you can simply type “Facebook Ads Manager” into Google and click on the first result.

   I always recommend bookmarking the Ads Manager URL for quick and easy access. It’s a tool you’ll be using frequently!

2. Selecting the Campaign: Once you’re in Ads Manager, you need to identify the campaign that contains the ad you want to duplicate.

   • In the Ads Manager interface, you’ll see a list of your campaigns. Use the search bar or the filter options to quickly locate the campaign you’re looking for.
   • Click on the campaign name to open it and view its ad sets and ads.

   Pro Tip: Use descriptive campaign names to make it easier to find the right campaign quickly. I like to include the campaign objective and target audience in the name (e.g., “Website Conversions – Women 25-35”).

3. Choosing the Ad to Duplicate: Now that you’re inside the campaign, you need to select the specific ad or ads that you want to duplicate.

   • In the Ads Manager interface, you’ll see a list of the ads within the campaign.
   • You can use the search bar or filter options to quickly locate the ad you’re looking for.
   • Once you’ve found the ad, click the checkbox next to its name to select it. You can select multiple ads if you want to duplicate them all at once.

   Important Note: Make sure you’re selecting the actual ad, not the ad set or the campaign. The duplication process works at the ad level.

4. Utilizing the Duplicate Function: With the ad(s) selected, it’s time to use the “Duplicate” feature.

   • Above the list of ads, you’ll see a “Duplicate” button. Click on it.

   • A pop-up window will appear, asking you where you want to duplicate the ad(s). You’ll have two options:

     • Original Campaign: This option duplicates the ad(s) within the same campaign. This is useful if you want to create variations of the ad for testing purposes.
     • Existing Campaign: This option allows you to duplicate the ad(s) into a different campaign. This is what we’re focusing on in this article.

   • If you choose “Existing Campaign,” you’ll need to select the target campaign from a dropdown menu.

   Behind the Scenes: Facebook is essentially creating a copy of the ad, including all its settings, creative assets, and targeting parameters. This saves you the hassle of recreating everything from scratch.

5. Editing Duplicated Ads: After you’ve duplicated the ad(s), it’s crucial to review and edit them to ensure they’re optimized for the new campaign.

   • The duplicated ad(s) will appear in the target campaign with the status “Draft.”
   • Click on the ad name to open it and view its settings.

   • Pay close attention to the following:

     • Targeting: Adjust the targeting parameters to match the audience for the new campaign. This may include changing the demographics, interests, behaviors, or custom audiences.
     • Budget: Review the budget settings and make sure they’re appropriate for the new campaign. You may need to adjust the daily or lifetime budget based on the campaign’s objectives and target audience.
     • Placement: Check the ad placement settings and ensure they’re aligned with the new campaign’s goals. You may want to exclude certain placements that are not relevant to the target audience.
     • Scheduling: Review the ad schedule and make sure it aligns with the new campaign’s timeline. You may need to adjust the start and end dates, as well as the ad delivery schedule.
     • Copy: While maintaining the core message, tweak the ad copy to resonate with the specific nuances of the new target audience.
     • Creative: Depending on the audience and campaign goals, you might want to experiment with different visuals or ad formats.

   My Experience: I’ve seen many advertisers make the mistake of simply duplicating ads without making any adjustments. This can lead to poor performance and wasted ad spend. Always take the time to carefully review and edit the duplicated ads to ensure they’re optimized for the new campaign.

6. Publishing the Duplicated Ads: Once you’ve made all the necessary adjustments, it’s time to publish the duplicated ads.

   • In the Ads Manager interface, click the “Review and Publish” button in the top right corner.
   • Review all the changes you’ve made to the duplicated ads.
   • If everything looks correct, click the “Publish” button.

   The duplicated ads will now be live and running in the target campaign.

Accessing Ads Manager: The first step is to navigate to the Facebook Ads Manager. You can do this by:

• Logging into your Facebook account.
• Clicking on the “Ad Center” in the left-hand menu.
• Clicking on “Ads Manager” at the bottom of the Ad Center screen.
• Alternatively, you can simply type “Facebook Ads Manager” into Google and click on the first result.

I always recommend bookmarking the Ads Manager URL for quick and easy access. It’s a tool you’ll be using frequently!

Selecting the Campaign: Once you’re in Ads Manager, you need to identify the campaign that contains the ad you want to duplicate.

• In the Ads Manager interface, you’ll see a list of your campaigns. Use the search bar or the filter options to quickly locate the campaign you’re looking for.
• Click on the campaign name to open it and view its ad sets and ads.

Pro Tip: Use descriptive campaign names to make it easier to find the right campaign quickly. I like to include the campaign objective and target audience in the name (e.g., “Website Conversions – Women 25-35”).

Choosing the Ad to Duplicate: Now that you’re inside the campaign, you need to select the specific ad or ads that you want to duplicate.

• In the Ads Manager interface, you’ll see a list of the ads within the campaign.
• You can use the search bar or filter options to quickly locate the ad you’re looking for.
• Once you’ve found the ad, click the checkbox next to its name to select it. You can select multiple ads if you want to duplicate them all at once.

Important Note: Make sure you’re selecting the actual ad, not the ad set or the campaign. The duplication process works at the ad level.

Utilizing the Duplicate Function: With the ad(s) selected, it’s time to use the “Duplicate” feature.

• Above the list of ads, you’ll see a “Duplicate” button. Click on it.

• A pop-up window will appear, asking you where you want to duplicate the ad(s). You’ll have two options:

  • Original Campaign: This option duplicates the ad(s) within the same campaign. This is useful if you want to create variations of the ad for testing purposes.
  • Existing Campaign: This option allows you to duplicate the ad(s) into a different campaign. This is what we’re focusing on in this article.

• If you choose “Existing Campaign,” you’ll need to select the target campaign from a dropdown menu.

A pop-up window will appear, asking you where you want to duplicate the ad(s). You’ll have two options:

• Original Campaign: This option duplicates the ad(s) within the same campaign. This is useful if you want to create variations of the ad for testing purposes.
• Existing Campaign: This option allows you to duplicate the ad(s) into a different campaign. This is what we’re focusing on in this article.

If you choose “Existing Campaign,” you’ll need to select the target campaign from a dropdown menu.

Behind the Scenes: Facebook is essentially creating a copy of the ad, including all its settings, creative assets, and targeting parameters. This saves you the hassle of recreating everything from scratch.

Editing Duplicated Ads: After you’ve duplicated the ad(s), it’s crucial to review and edit them to ensure they’re optimized for the new campaign.

• The duplicated ad(s) will appear in the target campaign with the status “Draft.”
• Click on the ad name to open it and view its settings.

• Pay close attention to the following:

  • Targeting: Adjust the targeting parameters to match the audience for the new campaign. This may include changing the demographics, interests, behaviors, or custom audiences.
  • Budget: Review the budget settings and make sure they’re appropriate for the new campaign. You may need to adjust the daily or lifetime budget based on the campaign’s objectives and target audience.
  • Placement: Check the ad placement settings and ensure they’re aligned with the new campaign’s goals. You may want to exclude certain placements that are not relevant to the target audience.
  • Scheduling: Review the ad schedule and make sure it aligns with the new campaign’s timeline. You may need to adjust the start and end dates, as well as the ad delivery schedule.
  • Copy: While maintaining the core message, tweak the ad copy to resonate with the specific nuances of the new target audience.
  • Creative: Depending on the audience and campaign goals, you might want to experiment with different visuals or ad formats.

Pay close attention to the following:

• Targeting: Adjust the targeting parameters to match the audience for the new campaign. This may include changing the demographics, interests, behaviors, or custom audiences.
• Budget: Review the budget settings and make sure they’re appropriate for the new campaign. You may need to adjust the daily or lifetime budget based on the campaign’s objectives and target audience.
• Placement: Check the ad placement settings and ensure they’re aligned with the new campaign’s goals. You may want to exclude certain placements that are not relevant to the target audience.
• Scheduling: Review the ad schedule and make sure it aligns with the new campaign’s timeline. You may need to adjust the start and end dates, as well as the ad delivery schedule.
• Copy: While maintaining the core message, tweak the ad copy to resonate with the specific nuances of the new target audience.
• Creative: Depending on the audience and campaign goals, you might want to experiment with different visuals or ad formats.

My Experience: I’ve seen many advertisers make the mistake of simply duplicating ads without making any adjustments. This can lead to poor performance and wasted ad spend. Always take the time to carefully review and edit the duplicated ads to ensure they’re optimized for the new campaign.

Publishing the Duplicated Ads: Once you’ve made all the necessary adjustments, it’s time to publish the duplicated ads.

• In the Ads Manager interface, click the “Review and Publish” button in the top right corner.
• Review all the changes you’ve made to the duplicated ads.
• If everything looks correct, click the “Publish” button.

The duplicated ads will now be live and running in the target campaign.

Takeaway: Duplicating ads on Facebook is a straightforward process, but it’s essential to follow each step carefully to ensure the duplicated ads are properly configured and optimized for the new campaign. Don’t skip the editing step!

Best Practices for Ad Duplication

Duplicating ads is a powerful tool, but it’s not a magic bullet. To maximize its effectiveness, you need to follow these best practices:

• Maintaining Consistency: While it’s important to make adjustments to the duplicated ads to optimize them for the new campaign, it’s equally important to maintain consistency in the core messaging, visual style, and overall brand identity. Don’t completely reinvent the wheel. Keep the elements that made the original ad successful intact. I always tell my clients to think of it as adapting a recipe – you can tweak the ingredients to suit your taste, but you still want the end result to be recognizable as the same dish.

• A/B Testing Duplicated Ads: Just because an ad performed well in one campaign doesn’t guarantee it will perform equally well in another. That’s why it’s crucial to conduct A/B tests with duplicated ads to identify the most effective variations. Experiment with different headlines, images, call-to-actions, and targeting parameters to see what resonates best with the new audience. Facebook’s A/B testing feature makes this process easy and efficient.

• Monitoring Performance: Once the duplicated ads are live, it’s essential to monitor their performance closely. Track key metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost per acquisition (CPA), and return on ad spend (ROAS) to see how the ads are performing. Use this data to make data-driven decisions about how to optimize the ads further. If an ad is not performing well, don’t be afraid to pause it and try a different approach.

• Understanding Audience Overlap: Be mindful of audience overlap when duplicating ads across multiple campaigns. If you’re targeting the same audience with multiple campaigns, you may be competing against yourself, driving up your ad costs and diluting your results. Use Facebook’s Audience Overlap tool to identify potential overlaps and adjust your targeting accordingly.

• Updating Ads Regularly: Even the best-performing ads can become stale over time. That’s why it’s important to update your ads regularly to keep them fresh and engaging. This may involve changing the visuals, updating the copy, or experimenting with new ad formats. I recommend setting a reminder in your calendar to review and update your ads at least once a month.

• Using Dynamic Creative: Facebook’s Dynamic Creative feature allows you to upload multiple images, videos, headlines, and descriptions, and then let Facebook automatically create different combinations of these elements to see which ones perform best. This can be a great way to optimize your duplicated ads for the new campaign.

Maintaining Consistency: While it’s important to make adjustments to the duplicated ads to optimize them for the new campaign, it’s equally important to maintain consistency in the core messaging, visual style, and overall brand identity. Don’t completely reinvent the wheel. Keep the elements that made the original ad successful intact. I always tell my clients to think of it as adapting a recipe – you can tweak the ingredients to suit your taste, but you still want the end result to be recognizable as the same dish.

A/B Testing Duplicated Ads: Just because an ad performed well in one campaign doesn’t guarantee it will perform equally well in another. That’s why it’s crucial to conduct A/B tests with duplicated ads to identify the most effective variations. Experiment with different headlines, images, call-to-actions, and targeting parameters to see what resonates best with the new audience. Facebook’s A/B testing feature makes this process easy and efficient.

Monitoring Performance: Once the duplicated ads are live, it’s essential to monitor their performance closely. Track key metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost per acquisition (CPA), and return on ad spend (ROAS) to see how the ads are performing. Use this data to make data-driven decisions about how to optimize the ads further. If an ad is not performing well, don’t be afraid to pause it and try a different approach.

Understanding Audience Overlap: Be mindful of audience overlap when duplicating ads across multiple campaigns. If you’re targeting the same audience with multiple campaigns, you may be competing against yourself, driving up your ad costs and diluting your results. Use Facebook’s Audience Overlap tool to identify potential overlaps and adjust your targeting accordingly.

Updating Ads Regularly: Even the best-performing ads can become stale over time. That’s why it’s important to update your ads regularly to keep them fresh and engaging. This may involve changing the visuals, updating the copy, or experimenting with new ad formats. I recommend setting a reminder in your calendar to review and update your ads at least once a month.

Using Dynamic Creative: Facebook’s Dynamic Creative feature allows you to upload multiple images, videos, headlines, and descriptions, and then let Facebook automatically create different combinations of these elements to see which ones perform best. This can be a great way to optimize your duplicated ads for the new campaign.

Takeaway: Ad duplication is a powerful tool, but it requires a strategic approach. By following these best practices, you can maximize the effectiveness of your duplicated ads and drive better results for your Facebook advertising campaigns.

Conclusion

The ability to easily duplicate Facebook ads between campaigns is a game-changer for marketers. It’s a simple yet powerful strategy that can save you time, enhance your efficiency, and unlock better campaign performance. By leveraging your best-performing creative assets, maintaining brand consistency, and scaling your advertising efforts with speed and precision, you can achieve better results with less effort.

I’ve seen firsthand the transformative impact that ad duplication can have on businesses of all sizes. From small e-commerce stores to large multinational corporations, the ability to quickly and easily replicate successful ads across multiple campaigns is a key ingredient for success in today’s competitive digital landscape.

So, what are you waiting for? Start implementing this strategy in your Facebook advertising efforts today! Take advantage of the “Duplicate” feature in Ads Manager to replicate your best-performing ads across multiple campaigns. Remember to review and edit the duplicated ads to ensure they’re optimized for the new target audience and campaign objectives. And don’t forget to monitor their performance closely and make data-driven decisions about how to optimize them further.

By following the steps and best practices outlined in this article, you can unlock the full potential of ad duplication and take your Facebook advertising campaigns to the next level. It’s time to stop reinventing the wheel and start leveraging the power of your existing creative assets to drive better results for your business.

Now go forth and duplicate! Your Facebook ad performance will thank you for it.

Learn more