Are you struggling to reach new people who are likely to engage with your business?
Facebook Lookalike Audiences can help you do just that. They allow you to find users similar to your best existing customers—making your ad campaigns smarter and more effective.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- What Facebook Lookalike Audiences are
- Why they matter in your marketing strategy
- How to create and use them step by step
- Tips to get better results and avoid mistakes
Whether you’re running ads for an online store, an app, or a service-based business, this article will show you how to use Facebook Lookalike Audience to grow faster and spend your ad budget wisely.
Let’s get started!
What Are Facebook Lookalike Audiences?
Facebook Lookalike Audiences are a targeting option that helps you reach new people who are similar to your existing customers. These audiences are created based on a source audience—such as your website visitors, email subscribers, or people who have already interacted with your ads.
By analyzing behaviors, interests, and demographics, Facebook finds people who “look like” your best-performing audience. These new users are more likely to take actions like visiting your site, signing up, or making a purchase.
For example, if you upload a list of your loyal customers, Facebook can use that data to find new users with similar traits. This gives your campaign a higher chance of success because you’re not targeting random people—you’re targeting people similar to those who already love your brand.
Lookalike Audiences are especially useful for scaling your ads, finding quality leads, and improving return on ad spend (ROAS).
How to Use Facebook Lookalike Audience in Ad Campaigns
Once you’ve created your Lookalike Audience, the next step is to use it inside your Facebook Ads to get better reach and conversions. Here’s how you can apply them effectively in your campaigns.
Go to Ads Manager and Create a New Campaign
Open your Facebook Ads Manager and click on “Create” to start a new ad campaign. Choose your campaign objective based on your goal—such as conversions, traffic, or leads. Your Lookalike Audience works well with most objectives.
Set Up the Ad Set and Choose Audience
In the Ad Set level, you’ll see the “Audience” section. This is where you can apply your Lookalike Audience. Click on the “Custom Audiences” field, and you’ll find your Lookalike Audience listed there. Select it to target those users.
Define Location, Age, and Other Settings
Although your Lookalike Audience is based on the location you chose earlier, you can still narrow it further by selecting age ranges, gender, or detailed interests. However, avoid adding too many filters, as it can reduce the reach of your Lookalike Audience.
Set Budget and Schedule
Next, decide how much you want to spend and how long the ad should run. You can choose a daily budget or a lifetime budget. Set a start and end date or run it continuously, depending on your ad strategy.
Design Your Ad and Launch
Now move to the final step—designing your ad. Choose your format (image, video, carousel, etc.), add your text, links, and call-to-action. Once you’re happy with the preview, click “Publish.”
Your ad will now start delivering to people similar to your best audience, helping you find new customers who are more likely to engage or convert.
Why Are Lookalike Audiences Important in Facebook Ad Campaigns?
Lookalike Audiences play a powerful role in helping businesses grow on Facebook. Instead of guessing who might be interested in your brand, Facebook uses data to find people who closely match your best customers. This saves time, lowers costs, and increases the chance of better results.
By targeting users similar to those who have already purchased, subscribed, or interacted with your brand, you:
- Reduce ad waste by focusing on high-potential leads
- Reach people who are more likely to convert
- Improve campaign efficiency and return on ad spend (ROAS)
- Scale your advertising while maintaining quality targeting
In short, Lookalike Audiences help you grow your reach without sacrificing relevance, which is key to running successful Facebook ads.
How to Create Lookalike Audiences in Facebook (Step-by-Step)
Creating a Lookalike Audience on Facebook is simple, especially if you already have a Custom Audience. This step-by-step guide helps beginners set it up correctly from Business Manager.
Step 1: Go to Audiences in Business Manager
First, log in to your Facebook Business Manager account. From the menu, select “Audiences” under the “Assets” section. This is where all your Custom, Saved, and Lookalike Audiences are managed.
Step 2: Click the “Create Audience” Button
Once you’re in the Audiences section, click the blue “Create Audience” button and choose “Lookalike Audience” from the dropdown options. This will open a new setup window.
Step 3: Select Your Source Audience
Choose a source audience, also known as a seed audience. This can be a Custom Audience created from website visitors, a customer file, or people who interacted with your Facebook content. Make sure this audience has enough data—Facebook recommends at least 1,000 people for better results.
Step 4: Choose the Audience Location
Next, you’ll need to select the country or region where you want to find similar users. Facebook will only look for lookalikes in this specific area, so choose a location that aligns with your business goals or target market.
Step 5: Set Audience Size (1% to 10%)
Facebook lets you choose the size of the Lookalike Audience. A 1% size gives you people who are most similar to your source audience, while 10% gives you a broader, less exact match. Smaller percentages usually offer better ad performance, while larger ones give more reach.
Step 6: Click “Create Audience”
After selecting all the details, click “Create Audience.” Facebook will take some time to generate the Lookalike Audience. You can now use it in your ad sets to reach new users who are likely to be interested in your business.
How Do Facebook Lookalike Audiences Work?
Facebook Lookalike Audiences use data-driven technology to help advertisers reach new people who are likely to engage with their business. These audiences are built by finding users similar to your existing customers or high-value audience groups. The process is simple but powerful and can greatly improve the reach and effectiveness of your ad campaigns.
Facebook Uses a Source Audience
To create a Lookalike Audience, you first need to provide Facebook with a source audience. This can be a list of your existing customers, people who visited your website, users who installed your app, or followers who engaged with your Facebook or Instagram profile. Facebook studies this audience to understand who your ideal customers are.
Facebook Analyzes Shared Traits
Once your source audience is uploaded, Facebook begins to analyze the data. It looks for common patterns among your audience, such as demographics, interests, online behavior, and past actions like purchases or clicks. This analysis allows Facebook to build a profile of what your typical or best-performing customers look like.
Facebook Finds Similar People
After identifying shared traits, Facebook uses its algorithm to find new people who closely match your source audience. These people haven’t interacted with your business yet, but they are likely to be interested based on their similar characteristics. You can choose how similar you want the new audience to be by adjusting the size—1% means the closest match, while increasing the size gives you a broader reach with slightly less precision.
Real-Time Updates and Optimization
Facebook’s system doesn’t stop once your Lookalike Audience is created. As your ads run, Facebook continues to monitor and adjust who sees your content. This real-time optimization helps improve targeting and results over time, making Lookalike Audiences a dynamic tool for scaling your campaigns effectively.
What Do You Need Before Creating a Lookalike Audience?
Before you can build a Facebook Lookalike Audience, you need to have a few things in place. These tools and assets help Facebook find the right people similar to your existing audience. Getting these basics ready ensures better results from your ad campaigns.
A Source Audience or Custom Audience
The most important requirement is a source audience. Facebook uses this group to find new people who “look like” them. Your source can be a Custom Audience created from website visitors, customer email lists, app users, or people who engaged with your content on Facebook or Instagram. Ideally, this audience should have at least 100 people from the same country for better accuracy.
Facebook Pixel Installed (for Website Visitors)
If you want to create a Lookalike Audience based on website activity, you need to have the Facebook Pixel installed on your website. The Pixel tracks user actions like visits, purchases, or sign-ups, which you can then use to build your source audience. Without this tracking tool, Facebook can’t collect the needed data.
A Facebook Business Manager Account
To create and manage Lookalike Audiences, you must be using Facebook Business Manager. This platform gives you access to audience tools, ad accounts, Pixels, and other business assets. If you don’t have one, you can set it up for free by visiting business.facebook.com.
Admin Access to the Source Audience
You need to have the right permissions to use the Custom Audience you select. If someone else created it (for example, a team member or agency), make sure they’ve shared access with you. Without proper permissions, you won’t be able to create a Lookalike Audience from it.
Enough Data for Facebook to Analyze
While the minimum requirement is 100 people, Facebook recommends using a larger, high-quality source audience for better performance. The more accurate and engaged your source is, the more powerful your Lookalike Audience will be.
Benefits of Facebook Lookalike Audiences
Facebook Lookalike Audiences are powerful tools for advertisers who want to grow their reach while maintaining targeting accuracy. Here are the major benefits you can expect when using them in your campaigns:
Increases Reach Without Losing Relevance
Lookalike Audiences help you find new people who are similar to your existing customers. This means you can expand your audience while still reaching users who are likely to be interested in your product or service. It’s a smart way to scale your ads without wasting your budget.
Improves Ad Targeting Efficiency
Since Facebook uses advanced algorithms to match similar user behavior and interests, Lookalike Audiences often perform better than broad or cold targeting. Your ads are shown to people who are more likely to click, engage, or convert—improving the overall efficiency of your targeting strategy.
Lowers Cost Per Conversion
When your ads are shown to a high-quality audience, you usually get more results at a lower cost. Because Lookalike Audiences are more likely to take action, you may experience lower cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-acquisition (CPA), which helps you save money while getting better returns.
Boosts Conversion Rates
Lookalike targeting can significantly increase your conversion rate because you’re reaching people who act like your best customers. Whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a service, or watching a video, these users are more likely to take the desired action.
Easy to Set Up and Scale
Creating a Lookalike Audience is simple and doesn’t require advanced skills. You just need a source audience, such as a Custom Audience or Pixel data. Once set up, you can easily adjust the size of the audience to focus on either higher similarity or broader reach depending on your goals.
Best Practices for Using Lookalike Audiences on Facebook
Using Lookalike Audiences the right way can give you better targeting, higher engagement, and stronger results. Below are key best practices to help you make the most of this feature:
Use a High-Quality Source Audience
The performance of your Lookalike Audience depends on the quality of your source audience. Always use a Custom Audience made up of your most valuable users—such as recent buyers, loyal customers, or high spenders. The more relevant and engaged your source, the better Facebook can match similar people.
Start with a 1% Lookalike for Precision
Facebook allows you to choose the size of your Lookalike Audience. Starting with 1% (which means the top 1% of people most similar to your source) gives you a very precise audience that’s more likely to convert. You can scale up later if needed.
Test Multiple Audience Sizes
Once you’ve tested the 1% group, try expanding to 2%, 5%, or even 10% to see how a broader audience performs. While wider audiences give you more reach, the relevance may slightly drop—so always test and compare results to find the right balance.
Layer with Interests or Demographics
For even better targeting, combine your Lookalike Audience with detailed targeting options like interests, age, or location. This layering helps you refine your reach and ensure your ad is seen by the right kind of people.
Refresh Your Source Data Regularly
Your audience data changes over time. Update your source Custom Audience every few weeks or months to make sure Facebook builds your Lookalike based on the latest and most active users.
Use Event-Based Lookalikes
If you use the Facebook Pixel, create Lookalikes based on specific actions like “Add to Cart,” “Purchase,” or “Lead.” These behavior-based source audiences tend to produce better Lookalikes than general website visits.
Monitor Performance and Split Test
Always measure how your Lookalike Audiences are performing. Use A/B testing (split testing) to compare different audiences, ad creatives, and messaging. This helps you find what works best and optimize your campaigns continuously.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Lookalike Audiences
Even though Lookalike Audiences are powerful, using them the wrong way can waste your ad budget and hurt results. Let’s look at common mistakes and how you can avoid them:
Using a Poor-Quality Source Audience
If your source audience is too broad or not very engaged, your Lookalike will also be weak. Don’t use random website visitors or inactive email lists. Instead, use a Custom Audience of people who recently purchased, subscribed, or interacted meaningfully with your brand.
Making the Lookalike Too Broad Too Soon
Many marketers start with a large Lookalike size (like 10%) to get more reach, but this often lowers relevance. Always begin with 1%—this gives Facebook the best match. Once it performs well, slowly test wider sizes.
Ignoring Audience Overlap
If you use multiple Lookalike Audiences in your campaigns without checking for overlap, you may end up targeting the same people more than once. This leads to higher costs and poor data insights. Use Facebook’s Audience Overlap tool to avoid this.
Not Updating the Source Audience
Your Lookalike is only as fresh as your source. If you created a Custom Audience months ago and never updated it, Facebook may be using outdated user behavior. Refresh your source audience regularly to keep your Lookalike effective.
Skipping A/B Testing
Relying on a single Lookalike Audience without testing limits your potential. Always split test different audience sizes, creatives, and ad formats to learn what actually works. You may find that a 2% Lookalike or a video ad performs better for your goals.
Not Layering with Other Targeting Options
Using Lookalikes alone might not be enough for precise targeting. Combine your Lookalike Audience with additional filters like location, age, or interests to get the best of both reach and relevance.
When Should You Use Lookalike Audiences?
Lookalike Audiences work best when you already have some data and want to scale your results. Below are the ideal times to use them in your Facebook ad campaigns:
When You Want to Reach New But Similar People
Lookalike Audiences are perfect when you want to go beyond your existing followers and customers. Facebook finds new users who behave like your best audience—helping you attract high-potential leads.
When You Have a High-Quality Custom Audience
If you’ve built a strong Custom Audience (like recent buyers, frequent visitors, or engaged app users), it’s the right time to create a Lookalike. The better your source, the better your results.
When Your Ads Are Already Performing Well
Once you’ve found winning ad creatives and messages, using Lookalikes helps scale those results. You can reach more people like your current converters without changing your strategy.
When You’re Expanding to New Markets
Lookalike Audiences are useful when launching in new regions or countries. Instead of starting from scratch, Facebook helps you target users similar to your home market audience in new locations.
When Your Retargeting Pool Is Too Small
If your website or app traffic is low and you can’t run a retargeting campaign effectively, Lookalikes give you a broader audience that still shares traits with your current users.
When You’re Launching a Product Similar to Previous Offers
Have a new product that aligns with something you’ve already sold? Use a Lookalike of people who bought your earlier product to promote the new one. This increases your chances of conversions.
Final Words: Mastering Facebook Lookalike Audiences
Facebook Lookalike Audiences are a powerful way to reach new people who are most likely to take action. By using your best-performing audiences as a base, you can expand your reach while keeping your targeting smart and focused. Whether you’re trying to grow your brand, increase conversions, or lower ad costs, Lookalike Audiences help you scale without guesswork.
Just remember: success depends on the quality of your source audience, regular testing, and staying updated with what works. With the right strategy, Lookalike Audiences can turn cold traffic into loyal customers—faster and more efficiently.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a Facebook Lookalike Audience?
A Facebook Lookalike Audience is a group of people who share similar traits and behaviors with your existing customers or audience. Facebook uses your source audience data to find new people who are likely to be interested in your business.
Do I need a Custom Audience before creating a Lookalike Audience?
Yes, a Custom Audience is required. Facebook uses it as the source to find users with similar interests, demographics, and behaviors.
How long does it take for Lookalike Audiences to become active?
Once your Lookalike Audience is created, it usually becomes active within minutes. However, performance data may take a few days to develop after you launch your ad.
Can I use multiple Lookalike Audiences in one campaign?
Yes, you can target different Lookalike Audiences in the same ad set or across multiple ad sets to test which group performs better.
