How to Skip the Learning Phase on Facebook Ads: Budget Scaling Tips for 2025
The learning phase on Facebook ads is an essential part of the campaign process, but it can be frustrating for advertisers who want faster results. It's the stage where Facebook's algorithm tests your ad's performance and optimizes for the best possible outcome. During this phase, your ads may not perform as efficiently, and it can take time to gather enough data to scale your budget.

Luckily, there are strategies you can use to skip or minimize the impact of the learning phase, allowing you to scale your Facebook Ads budget in 2025 without compromising performance. Here's how:

1. Start with a Large Enough Initial Budget
One of the most effective ways to speed up the learning phase is to allocate a larger budget from the start. Facebook needs sufficient data to make smart decisions about who to target and what ads perform best.

Tip: Instead of starting with a low budget like $5 or $10 per day, aim for a higher daily budget (e.g., $50–$100). This allows Facebook to gather data more quickly and move out of the learning phase faster.

Why it works: Facebook's algorithm needs to see about 50 conversions per week per ad set to exit the learning phase. A larger budget increases the likelihood of hitting that target sooner.

2. Consolidate Your Ad Sets
Instead of creating multiple ad sets with small budgets for different audiences or interests, consolidate them into fewer ad sets with larger budgets. This helps Facebook's algorithm optimize more effectively and reduces the time spent in the learning phase.

Tip: Combine audiences that are similar and target them with a single ad set. This gives the algorithm more opportunities to find the right audience and move out of the learning phase faster.

Why it works: When you have fewer ad sets with more budget, the algorithm has more data to work with and can optimize better. You're also reducing the risk of competing ad sets cannibalizing each other.

3. Use Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO)
Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO) automatically distributes your budget across different ad sets based on which ones perform best. Facebook optimizes the ad spend at the campaign level, meaning it can allocate your budget where it's most likely to perform well, minimizing the time spent in the learning phase.

Tip: Enable CBO to allow Facebook to determine the best performing ad set within a campaign, and adjust the budget in real time.

Why it works: By allowing Facebook to optimize at the campaign level, you minimize inefficiencies and avoid spreading your budget too thin across too many ad sets, which can slow down the learning phase.

4. Use Lookalike Audiences for Faster Results
Using Lookalike Audiences based on existing high-performing customers or website visitors can significantly shorten the learning phase. Facebook already has data about the audience you want to target, so it's more likely to find similar users that convert quickly.

Tip: Start with a 1% Lookalike Audience based on your highest-value customers or website visitors. This audience will be more refined and likely to convert faster, accelerating the learning phase.

Why it works: Lookalike audiences are designed to target people who are similar to your best customers, so Facebook has a higher chance of finding the right audience immediately.

5. Avoid Major Changes During the Learning Phase
If possible, avoid making major changes to your ads, targeting, or budgets during the learning phase. Every time you change something significant, Facebook essentially starts the learning phase over, which can delay optimization.

Tip: Once your campaign is live, make small adjustments instead of completely changing the direction of your ads. This minimizes disruption and allows Facebook to continue learning efficiently.

Why it works: Major changes reset the learning phase, preventing the algorithm from gathering enough data to optimize effectively. Small tweaks are less disruptive and allow the campaign to continue progressing.

6. Use Automatic Placement
Let Facebook's algorithm handle the placement of your ads across different platforms (e.g., Instagram, Audience Network, etc.). Automatic Placement ensures your ads are shown to the right people in the right locations, allowing Facebook to optimize for the best-performing placements.

Tip: Instead of manually selecting placements (e.g., Facebook News Feed, Instagram Stories), choose Automatic Placement to give Facebook the flexibility to place ads where they'll perform best.

Why it works: Facebook's algorithm knows where your ads will get the best results, so giving it the freedom to decide maximizes performance and helps exit the learning phase faster.

7. Focus on High-Intent Conversion Events
Optimizing for high-intent events like purchases or sign-ups will help Facebook gather better data faster. If you're trying to optimize for a goal with lower-intent events (like video views or add-to-carts), it can take longer for Facebook to optimize your ads and move through the learning phase.

Tip: Focus on key conversion events like Add to Cart, Purchase, or Lead Submission rather than lower-funnel events like page views or clicks.

Why it works: When Facebook's algorithm targets users who are more likely to convert, it can gather the necessary data more quickly, which helps it exit the learning phase faster.

8. Avoid Over-Scaling Too Quickly
While it might be tempting to scale your budget quickly once you start seeing positive results, doing so too fast can send your ads back into the learning phase. Gradual scaling is more effective in maintaining your ad performance.

Tip: Increase your budget in increments of 20-30% at a time. This allows the algorithm to adjust to the increased budget without disrupting its optimization process.

Why it works: Scaling too aggressively can disrupt the algorithm's ability to find the best performing audience, leading to inefficiencies and potential dips in performance.

9. Use A/B Testing for Better Data Insights
Run A/B tests to find the best performing ads before scaling your budget. A/B testing allows you to understand which creatives, copy, or audience segments are most effective, ensuring you're investing in the best-performing options.

Tip: Split test your ad creatives, targeting, and placements, then use the results to optimize your campaign before increasing your budget.

Why it works: With clear insights into what works, you can confidently scale your budget and improve ad performance without wasting money on ineffective ad sets.

10. Set Realistic Expectations for Scaling
Scaling isn't just about increasing your budget—it's about maintaining profitability. As you scale, ensure that your cost per conversion remains within a profitable range. High-budget campaigns can sometimes result in diminishing returns, so monitor your cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-conversion (CPC) metrics closely.

Tip: Continuously monitor your campaign's ROI and ensure that your customer acquisition cost (CAC) stays within acceptable limits as you scale your budget.

Why it works: Ensuring profitability while scaling helps maintain performance without overspending or going back into the learning phase due to poorly optimized ads.