Mastering the Learning Phase – Why they are so important in an Automated world
In today's advertising ecosystem, where machine learning and automation dominate and it’s common across most paid media platforms, planning for the Learning Phase is more critical than ever. To unlock the algorithm’s potential, brands must guide automated systems with robust initial signals. Here's why the Learning Phase matters and how to avoid mistakes that can derail your campaign’s performance from the outset.
1. What Is the Learning Phase and Why It Matters
The Learning Phase is the initial period in platforms like Google, LinkedIn, Meta and TikTok when the algorithm experiments and calibrates your ads to find what delivers best. During this time, performance tends to fluctuate - think higher CPAs, low ROAS, fluctuating reach and inconsistent results. This is perfectly normal and essential to let automation optimise pace and value over time. Think about the platform finding its ground to best performance, delivering a combo of assets, finding the right audience and mix of creatives to meet your goals.
The length depends on the platform, and some are not as explicit as others, but it’s key that at least for the initial 7-15 days no changes are made unless business critical to avoid the learnings to restart.
- Meta and TikTok: Algorithms explore audience segments, creative formats, and placements combinations. Once ~50 conversions happen within a 7‑day window, the ad set typically exits into a more stable Active Phase.
- Google Ads and LinkedIn: Also benefit from a Learning Phase period where its Smart Bidding algorithms gather conversion data to refine targeting and bids. Although it’s less formally defined, it’s recommended to avoid changes during the initial 7 to 15 days.
3. Why Planning Is More Important Than Ever
With advanced automation, your campaign’s success depends on giving ad platforms enough high-quality data to learn. Without a robust plan (e.g. insufficient budget or too many ad sets), your automation enters a sort of paralysis, called “Learning Limited”, where it cannot optimise effectively.
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid During the Learning Phase
Avoid making significant edits within the first 7 - 15 days of campaign launch - this keeps your ads from settling into efficient delivery.
- Don't optimise too early: Every time you make minor changes the learning phase resets, delaying optimisation.
- Avoid frequent changes: Budget adjustments, targeting tweaks, or creative swaps can cause your campaign to re-enter a learning-like state.
- Too many ad sets: Spreading your budget too thin can deprive any single set of enough data. If CPA is £100 but you're only spending £50 daily, you'll never hit the ~50‑conversion threshold. Consolidating ad sets and budgets can help.
- Be patient, but not passive: If something is critically flawed or performing way outside expectations (e.g. ad disapproval or budget mistakes), you should address it - but otherwise, let the platform optimise for at least the learning window.
5. Best Practices to Navigate the Learning Phase
- Batch your edits: Only make changes when absolutely necessary and in one go to minimise reset impact.
- Consolidate ad sets: Fewer, broader ad sets ensure each gets enough interactions and conversions to learn.
- Ensure sufficient budget and conversion volume: Aiming for ~50 conversions/week helps platforms transition out of learning more effectively. If purchases are too hard to get, consider changing your objective to an upper funnel goal such as add to basket to help gather your learnings quicker.
- Monitor “Learning Limited” indicators: If ad sets remain stuck, reassess whether budget, targeting, or creative volume is too restrictive.
Conclusion
The Learning Phase isn’t a flaw—it’s by design. It’s a brief period where your campaign's foundation is being built. To ensure long-term effectiveness:
- Plan upfront: budget, creative, and targeting must be robust from day one.
- Avoid disruption: limit edits and consolidate where possible.
- Be patient: let the algorithm learn - your PERFORMANCE depends on it.
By treating the Learning Phase as a structured runway rather than noise, brands can unlock smarter, more efficient campaign growth in today’s automated paid media world.
