Hi and welcome back to another edition of The Keyword.

Zuckerberg announced last year that Meta would build advertisers' ads for them. This summer, Meta is taking its first real step towards that by using product feeds images and data.

I just did a deepdive into how the Meta ads algorithm works based on the docs Meta has released publicy. I wrapped what I learned in a 9 minute video on YouTube.

— Kole
_{editing The Keyword // building Wilow (for meta ads)}

Meta is pushing toward a version of advertising where you no longer create all your ads.

This summer it takes the first real step.

Advertisers will soon be able to supply product data and creative assets, and Meta's AI will assemble "the best-performing ad for each viewer in real time".

To enable this, Meta emphasised that product data will be a "foundational input" that advertisers provide.

Meta will also rely on product feeds to place advertisers in its new surfaces, like:

Zuckerberg has said where this is heading. Last year he described how Meta's end goal is that a business supplies only a product image and a budget and Meta's AI builds and targets the whole ad by the end of 2026. He called it "a redefinition of the category of advertising."

However quickly brands give up control, the input these coming AI systems rely on is the product feed.

You have more tools than ever. So why does it feel like critical context is still
missing? HubSpot's 2026 Essential Apps for Marketers collection brings together 14 apps across creative, ads, events, and more — so the context you need travels with every campaign, decision, and handoff.

Advertisers will be able to run Uber campaigns on outside channels like Meta and Google Shopping, with results measured against actual Uber Eats orders and store visits.

Instagram is moving beyond short-form Reels into longer-form, episodic, and live video designed for the TV screen, opening “lean-back” inventory that advertisers have largely found on YouTube and the streamers.

Small merchants can now hand multichannel ad management to an AI tool inside the Shopify admin, which lowers the barrier for brands that cannot justify an agency. Merchants set a monthly budget and guardrails while the system allocates spend across Meta, Shop, and email, with ChatGPT Ads, Microsoft Advertising, and Snapchat planned.

The new Alexa+ Agentic Ads let brands turn ads into completed sales without sending shoppers to a website or app. Shoppers can discover products, ask questions, and complete purchases without leaving the Alexa+ conversation on supported Echo Show devices.

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You’re caught up
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