Key Summary (for those who want the short version)
- If your ad shows a product, your landing page should show that product
- DPA-style ads sent to generic collections kill conversion intent
- “Up to 50% off” ads without visible discounts destroy trust instantly
- Facebook will happily take your money while this happens
- This is one of the most avoidable paid social mistakes we see
Now, let’s rant properly.
The Click That Goes Nowhere
Here is the exact scenario we see all the time.
You are scrolling Instagram.
You see a clean product ad.
Specific product. Clear image. Maybe even the price.
You think:
“Yep, that’s what I want.”
You click.
You land on:
- A generic “Shop All” page
- A collection with 40 unrelated products
- A homepage
- A sales page where the product you clicked on is nowhere to be seen
At that moment, the user does not think:
“Oh, I’ll just browse around and find it.”
They think:
“Did I click the wrong thing?”
or
“This brand is messy.”
And they leave.
Why This Is Extra Dumb With DPA Ads
Dynamic Product Ads exist for one reason: continuity.
Facebook is literally saying:
- “Here is a product this person has shown interest in”
- “Let’s reduce friction and get them back to it”
So when a DPA-looking ad sends someone to a generic collection, you have completely undone the point of the ad.
You have taken:
- High intent
- Personalised creative
- Algorithmic optimisation
…and followed it up with:
- Confusion
- Friction
- Work for the user
That is not a Meta problem. That is a setup problem.
The “Up to 50% Off” Lie (Yes, Lie)
Let’s talk about discount ads, because this one really gets me.
The ad says:
Up to 50% off
You click expecting:
- Sale badges
- Slashed prices
- A clear sale collection
Instead, you get:
- Full-price products
- No visible discounts
- No filters applied
- No explanation of where the sale actually is
Even if:
- Some products are technically 50% off
- The offer exists somewhere on the site
It does not matter.
If users cannot see it immediately, they assume the ad was misleading. Trust is gone. Sale is gone.
“But Facebook Says the Ad Is Performing”
Yes. Because Facebook measures clicks, not disappointment.
Facebook does not care if:
- The product is hard to find
- The discount is hidden
- The page feels broken
It did its job. It got the click. You paid for it.
When people say:
“Meta ads don’t work anymore”
What they often mean is:
“Our website and ads are not aligned.”
What Good Brands Actually Do
The brands we see winning with product ads do very boring, very sensible things.
Product Ads Go to Product Pages
If the ad shows one product, the click lands on that product. No scavenger hunt.
Collections Are Used Properly
If a collection page is used:
- The advertised product is visible immediately
- Filters are applied
- Sorting makes sense
- The page confirms “you are in the right place”
Sale Ads Land on Sale Pages
Sale pages:
- Only show discounted products
- Clearly show original vs sale price
- Match the language used in the ad
This is not advanced CRO. This is basic respect for user intent.
How to Tell If You Are Guilty
Do this right now.
- Open Ads Manager
- Click your own product ads
- Start a mental stopwatch
Ask yourself: “Would a stranger understand this page within 3 seconds?”
If the answer is no, that ad is leaking money.
Why This Hurts More Than You Think
When users click and bounce:
- Conversion rates drop
- Cost per purchase increases
- Facebook gets worse learning signals
- The algorithm blames your audience or creative
So you:
- Change targeting
- Change creative
- Increase spend
- Keep losing money
All because the landing page did not do its job.
The Fix Is Boring and Effective
Most of the time, the fix is:
- Better URLs
- Better filtering
- Better message match
Not a rebuild.
Not a new platform.
Not a bigger budget.
Just stop sending people to the wrong place.
Final Rant
If your ad shows a product, your landing page should honour that click.
If your ad promises a discount, your landing page should prove it instantly.
Before you touch budgets, audiences, or creatives, fix the journey. Right now, many brands are paying Meta substantial fees to annoy their customers.
If you want someone to call this stuff out bluntly in your account, book a paid Meta ads audit with Hedgehog. We will tell you exactly what is broken and what to fix first.
