Skip to content
Andromeda Update: What Really Changes for Your Meta Ads
Advertising on Meta (Facebook, Instagram) is entering a new era. With the Andromeda update, Meta is transforming its ad‑delivery engine to rely entirely on AI, automation and real‑time analytics. This shift is not only for Silicon Valley engineers: it directly affects campaign performance, structure and creative strategies.
In this comprehensive article, discover what Andromeda is, how it works, what it concretely changes for your campaigns and how you can adapt effectively.
1. What is Andromeda?
Andromeda is the new ad retrieval engine developed by Meta. It replaces the old ad‑selection system by introducing ultra‑scalable AI logic capable of processing billions of creative and signal combinations in real time.
The main objective: deliver the most relevant ad to each user by taking into account their recent behaviors, history, device used and numerous other factors. This approach is based on next‑generation infrastructure and a 3‑step operation: retrieval, ranking and delivery.
The "retrieval engine" is a system that selects, among millions of ad combinations, the few hundred most likely to be relevant for a given user. It is an intelligent filter that precedes the final ranking. Source
2. How the engine works (technically)
Andromeda relies on a three‑layer architecture:
- Retrieval: massive ad filtering via AI
- Ranking: ordering the best combinations
- Delivery: real‑time ad delivery to the user
This pipeline allows highly personalized ads while maintaining very low latency, even at a global scale.
Advanced hardware infrastructure
Andromeda runs on Meta’s MTIA chips combined with NVIDIA Grace Hopper super‑processors. This combination offers latency reduction and exponential processing capacity—essential for real‑time analysis of millions of signals.
The MTIA (Meta Training and Inference Accelerator) chips are in‑house processors designed by Meta to accelerate large‑scale AI tasks, especially in ad‑recommendation systems. They consume less power than traditional GPUs for similar performance. Read full article
A dynamic ranking with continuous learning
Once the best combinations are filtered, Andromeda ranks them based on dozens of user signals: click history, recent interactions, time spent on similar content, etc. This model continuously improves via machine learning.
3. Data and signals: the real keys
With Andromeda, the data you provide to Meta becomes the heart of the system. We’re talking about first‑party signals: Pixel events, Conversions API (CAPI), catalog data quality, etc.
Internal studies have shown that a good signal can increase ROAS by up to +22 % compared with a basic configuration. Source
- Use Conversions API in addition to the Pixel
- Configure value‑based events (e.g.: Purchase with amount)
- Check parameter validity (e.g.: content_id, currency)
- Avoid duplicate events
4. Before vs After Andromeda: what changes
| Before Andromeda | After Andromeda |
|---|---|
| Granular targeting: interests, lookalikes, exclusions | Broad targeting: algorithm learns and optimises in real time |
| Complex structure with 5 to 10 ad sets | Simplified structure: 1 campaign per objective, few sets |
| 3 to 5 creatives per set | 10 to 100 creatives tested simultaneously (videos, images, hooks) |
| Manual tests (A/B), CPC/CPM analysis | Full automation with focus on ROAS, MER, CAC |
| Ad delivery latency | 30 % reduction in ad‑processing time (source: Meta Engineering) |
5. Best practices and mistakes to avoid
| Best practices | Mistakes to avoid |
|---|---|
| Broad audiences | Over‑specific micro‑targeting |
| Varied creatives (formats, messages, visuals) | Few creative variations |
| Weekly ad refresh | Letting the same ads run for weeks |
| Business‑oriented analysis (ROAS, CAC, MER) | Tracking only CPM or CPC |
| Smart negative exclusions | No exclusions or poorly configured exclusions |
6. Roadmap to adapt to Andromeda
Here is a 6‑week roadmap to effectively adapt your advertising campaigns to the Andromeda logic:
| Week | Recommended actions |
|---|---|
| 1 | Complete audit of Pixel and CAPI configuration |
| 2 | Simplify campaign structure (1 objective = 1 campaign) |
| 3 | Create a portfolio of 10 to 20 varied visuals/videos |
| 4 | Implement relevant exclusions and clean up audiences |
| 5 | Monitor signals (value‑based events, match rate) |
| 6 | Analyse initial results: ROAS, MER, creative refresh rate |
7. Statistics and observed results
Meta has shared several data points from its internal tests and early Andromeda implementations:
- +6% increase in ad recall rate in test campaigns
- +8% improvement in perceived ad quality (better message‑user fit)
- +22% average ROAS for campaigns with optimized signals (Pixel + CAPI)
- 30% reduction in ad‑processing time thanks to the Andromeda architecture
Sources : Meta Engineering, Social Media Examiner
8. Risks and limitations to know
While Andromeda offers many advantages, there are some limitations and points of vigilance:
| Potential risks | How to anticipate them |
|---|---|
| Loss of granular control over targeting and budget | Track overall results (ROAS, CAC) not just audience parameters |
| Rapid creative fatigue if volume is insufficient | Plan a weekly creative refresh system |
| Dependence on signal quality (Pixel/CAPI) | Regularly audit your data sent to Meta |
| Ad placement sometimes imprecise | Check exclusions and test Advantage+ cautiously |
9. Glossary of key terms
- Andromeda : Meta’s new AI‑based ad engine for dynamic ad delivery
- Retrieval engine : system for pre‑selecting relevant ads before ranking
- Ranking : phase of organising selected ads by performance probability
- Delivery : phase of delivering the ad to the user
- MTIA : Meta’s proprietary chips for accelerating large‑scale AI computations
- Advantage+ : Meta’s automated system to manage placement, budget and targeting
- MER : Marketing Efficiency Ratio (total revenue / marketing spend)
- CAC : Customer Acquisition Cost
10. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
What is Andromeda at Meta?
Andromeda is an update to Meta’s ad engine based on artificial intelligence. It enables delivering the most relevant ads to each user in real time.
Do I need to rethink my campaign structure?
Yes—it is strongly recommended to simplify your campaigns: fewer ad sets, more creatives and adoption of Advantage+ if applicable.
How many creatives should I plan?
Meta recommends launching campaigns with at least 10 to 20 variations, and adding more each week based on results.
Does precise targeting still work?
It is becoming less effective. Broad audiences allow the algorithm to learn and optimise automatically.
11. Conclusion
Andromeda is much more than a technical update—it’s a change of paradigm in advertising on Meta. Brands that can adapt quickly will gain a major competitive advantage.
The challenge today is clear: automate what can be automated, optimise your signals, simplify structure and invest in creative diversity.
12. Need for support?
Our digital marketing agency, Falia, supports companies in their transition to effective, modern Meta advertising.
Need an audit or a tailored strategy for your business? Contact us to discuss.
