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How to setup lift test on Meta Ads (Automatic & Manual Holdout)

Updated over 3 weeks ago

This guide walks you through setting up a geo-based incrementality lift test for Meta Ads using the WorkMagic platform with Automatic and manually configuring exclusions on Meta Ads.

Step 1: Create a New Lift Test in WorkMagic

Navigate to the Lift Test in the WorkMagic platform.

  • Select "Create new lift test".

  • Choose your primary metric (e.g. Orders or New Customers).

  • Select test country (currently we supported US, UK and Canada)

  • Under Test channel, select Meta Ads.

  • Click Continue.

Step 2: Select a Geo Pairing

  • Choose a recommended Geo-Pairing of control vs. test DMAs.

  • You will see projected percentages of total orders and sales per group.

  • Select one pairing that best matches your campaign scale or performance distribution.

  • Click Continue.

Step 3: Holdout Setup

3.1 Automatic Holdout Setup for Meta Ads

You can apply the holdout automatically via API integrations in two ways:

  • Dynamically apply holdout to all campaigns (including newly-created campaigns) during the test period

  • Or manually select specific campaigns to include (newly-created campaigns won't be applied)

Holdout API Limitations:

For Meta Ads:

  • WorkMagic will alert you if any ad creatives use deprecated sizes (e.g., 191x100), which may cause delivery issues during the holdout. You must correct these on Meta Ads before proceeding.

  • When you choose to apply holdout on specific campaigns, WorkMagic can't implement holdout to Advantage+ Shopping Campaign due to API limitation of Meta Ads. You can still apply holdout to ASC if you choose dynamic apply holdout, since it applies on account-level setting.

3.2 Manual Holdout Setup for Meta Ads

WorkMagic will provide the following setup steps:

  1. Go to the Meta Ads Manager and locate all campaigns included in the test.

  2. At the Ad Set level, click Edit.

  3. In the Audience controls section, go to the "Locations" field. Choose "exclude". Then click "Add locations in bulk".

  4. Click Copy Geo List from the WorkMagic setup window or export list.

    (The exported geo list is based on recent platform data; minor updates may have occurred since then on the ad platform.)

  5. In the new window,

    • If your test country is "United States", choose location type as "DMA". Then, export or copy the Geo list and paste it into the location field. Click "Match locations".

    • If your test country is "United Kingdom" or "Canada", choose location type as "Postal codes" and default country as your test country. Then, export or copy the Geo list and paste it into the location field. Click "Match locations".

  6. In the review step, click "Add locations"

  7. Confirm the excluded regions appear under the location list.

  8. Click Publish.

  9. Go back to WorkMagic interface and click Finish and continue.

Step 4: Define Your Test Schedule

  1. Set the start and end dates of your lift test.

  2. Testing period and Cooling period are automatically defined.

  3. Click Continue.

Step 5: Review and Finalize

  1. The Test Name is automatically defined (e.g., 20250416 - Meta - 7% Shopify Orders), you can edit the name if needed.

  2. Review all configurations:

    1. Purpose

    2. Primary Metric

    3. Geo Pairing

    4. Holdout setup reminder

    5. Scheduling

  3. If all looks correct, click Schedule now.

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