Why Creative Diversification Matters More Than Ever in Meta Ads
If you have been running Meta ads for a while, you have probably experienced this.
One ad performs exceptionally well, while another barely gets any spend, even though they look almost identical.
Advertisers have been trying to figure this out for years. Why does Meta sometimes ignore seemingly strong creatives?
We finally have the answer, and it’s called the Entity ID.
The Hidden Layer Behind Your Ads: Entity ID
There are three main types of IDs at the ad level.
Ad ID: This is the most basic identifier. Every time you create a new ad in Ads Manager, Meta assigns it a unique Ad ID.
Creative ID: Every ad creative you upload to Meta is assigned a Creative ID, which identifies that specific combination of creative assets
Entity ID: The Entity ID is the newest and least visible identifier. It groups together creatives that Meta’s system considers visually similar, even if they have different Creative IDs.
In other words, if Meta thinks any 2 or more of your ads look similar, it treats them as one creative. All of their performance learnings are shared, which impacts delivery and costs.
How Meta Considers Ads the Same (Shared Entity ID)
Meta groups creatives under the same Entity ID when they appear visually or structurally similar, even if small details differ.
1. Identical Visuals
- Ads use the exact same image or video.
- Example:
- Ad A: “Back in Stock” headline
- Ad B: “20% Off” headline
Both use the same product photo → Meta treats them as one creative.
2. Visually Similar Imagery
- Images that look similar in layout, lighting, or subject matter are grouped together.
- Example: Two product photos taken from slightly different angles or with the same backdrop may share the same Entity ID.
3. Same Brand Photography Style
- A consistent visual aesthetic across all ads, same lighting, model, and background, can make distinct assets look identical to Meta.
- Example: A clothing brand that always shoots product flat lay images on a white background with identical lighting may have all creatives merged under one Entity ID.
4. Slight Product Variations in Similar Contexts
- Different products photographed with the same setup or color palette can still appear identical.
- Example: Two ads featuring different shoe colors photographed in the same lighting setup → Meta may group them together.
5. Same Creator Across Multiple Ads
- When the same UGC creator appears in several ads filmed in similar settings or styles, Meta’s system often treats them as visually identical.
- Example:
- A creator films two videos with the same background, wearing similar clothes and lighting, even with different scripts or offers.
- Brief A: “Why I love this product.”
- Brief B: “Limited-time discount.”
How Meta Considers Ads Unique (New Entity ID)
Meta assigns a new Entity ID when the creative looks, feels, or functions differently from others.
1. Different Format Type
- Changing the creative format automatically generates a new Entity ID.
- Example:
- Static image → Video ad
- Carousel ad → Collection ad
2. Different Context or Composition
- The environment or structure of the creative changes significantly.
- Example:
- Product-only flat lay vs. model wearing the product
- Close-up shot vs. lifestyle scene
3. New Talent or Creator
- Featuring a new face, voice, or personality increases variation and prevents similarity grouping.
- Example: Using a new UGC creator triggers a new Entity ID.
4. Substantial Visual Differences
- Major changes to camera angle, lighting, framing, or background can signal uniqueness.
- Example:
- Dark background vs. light background
- Product shot indoors vs. outdoors
Why Creative Diversification Matters
The buzz words/phrases for 2025 have been “creative volume” and “creative is the new targeting.” Entity IDs shift how we think about both of these.
Creative Volume
You may have 200 ads running in the account, but if Meta groups most of them together, you may only have 20 unique Entity IDs actually running. In this case, the algorithm is not evaluating 200 different ads; it’s evaluating 20.
Creative is the new targeting
When Meta assigns a new Entity ID, that creative starts completely fresh, with its own learning phase, delivery path, and audience distribution. In other words, Meta doesn’t just test new visuals; it tests them with new audience cohorts. Each distinct creative becomes its own micro-targeting lever because the algorithm decides who is most likely to respond based on how that creative looks and performs in its early learning phase.
The easiest way to visualize this is to run ads for two different UGC creators: one may be a Caucasian female age 25, the other a Hispanic female age 35. They will likely target separate audiences.
This is what “creative is the new targeting” really means. The creative itself now drives audience selection. The more visually distinct your creative, the more new audiences Meta will allow it to explore.
So the answer is not just more creative, it’s more diverse, well-thought-out creative that looks unique enough for Meta to treat it as new, giving each piece its own learning phase, its own audience, and its own opportunity to scale.
Meta’s New Creative Metrics
Right now, Meta does not provide direct visibility into Entity IDs.
According to a Meta representative, “For the Entity ID, I checked on this as well, and this is actually an internal-only metric, so we don’t have any external-facing resources at this time.”
That means advertisers cannot yet see or export Entity ID data through Ads Manager or the API.
However, Meta has begun rolling out three new creative-level metrics designed to give us indirect visibility into creative diversity and performance:
1. Creative Fatigue
Shows when your audience has seen a specific creative too many times. A high fatigue score means the ad is losing efficiency and likely needs a refresh or a more distinct creative variation.
2. Creative Similarity
Indicates when your ads look too visually alike in Meta’s system. This metric acts as a useful proxy for Entity ID overlap. If the similarity score is high, your creatives are probably being grouped together and not reaching new audiences.
3. Top Creative Themes
Groups your ads by visual or thematic categories, such as “lifestyle,” “product-focused,” or “testimonial.” These themes show how Meta perceives creative differences and help you identify where your mix lacks variety.
These metrics are still being rolled out across ad accounts, but they represent Meta’s first step toward making creative diversity measurable.
Until Entity IDs become visible, tracking Creative Similarity and Creative Fatigue will give the best insight into whether Meta sees your ads as truly distinct or simply variations of the same creative.
The idea of creative diversification makes sense. When people keep seeing the same creative style, they may subconsciously think they have already seen it and scroll past. Fresh visuals help reset attention and create new opportunities for engagement.
This shift will likely create challenges for brands that stick to their brand guide completely and are not open to testing platform-native creative. It will also raise the cost of ad production, making the ability to scale more costly for brands.
Agencies will need to reassess their creative deliverables to ensure clients aren't getting packages built around concepts with copy variations.
To me, it feels like Meta is positioning itself for the long game. I think this is setting the stage for Meta to shill its creative AI tools.
Do I think AI creative could be helpful for this in the future? Yes.
Do I think Meta will be the one to solve it? No.
It will be interesting to see where the creative strategy service goes in 2026, but based on this update, I have a strong feeling creative diversification will be the buzz word of 2026.
