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Meta unveils a subtle yet significant update in the language of performance metrics, with the word “people” being replaced by “Accounts Center accounts” in Ads Manager, Ads Reporting, Ads Help Center, Commerce Insights, and Instagram Insights. This update may have a notable effect on your ad reporting.
In the end, the question of connection is key when considering Meta’s back-end. One could suppose that most user profiles are linked, yet Meta is staying pretty tight-lipped on the precise number of connected accounts. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to decipher the true extent of these statistics.
Meta’s Take on Accounts Center
Here’s what Meta had to say about the new update:
“Our calculation methodology for these metrics is not changing. The numbers you see in your reporting are the same as before; the only difference is the name. For example, if a person has one Facebook account and one Instagram account that are linked, they will be counted as one Accounts Center account. However, if those same accounts are not linked, they will be counted as two separate Accounts Center accounts for ads planning and measurement purposes.”
And we’re not the only ones who think so. Social Media expert Andrew Hutchinson ponders the same question, here’s what he has to say.
“The difference here is significant. Ideally, of course, you want to ensure that you understand the unique reach of your ads, and how many people, exactly, are seeing your promotions. But if a lot of the listed profiles are the same person, across the two platforms, that muddies the waters”, reports Hutchinson.
While this update may not alter the method of data collection, and any confusion surrounding it has already been present for a while, it does bring about a new layer of complexity with the updated terminology.
What About The Pages?
As you delve deeper into the Accounts Center, it’s worth taking a moment to consider if all of the Pages that you manage are included within your individual Accounts Center.
This update aligns with Meta’s broader effort to streamline the Accounts Center platform, granting users greater control over their preferences across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger all in one central location.
While the impacts of this update may be minimal, as the methodology behind data calculation remains unchanged, it does raise questions about the nuances of audience reach and the specifics of data counting. A detail worth keeping an eye on.
