#128: When Two Ads Platforms Went Sideways

Read Time: 3 Minutes

Here's what happened when two of our three ad platforms went sideways at the same time—and why things are still fine...

The latter part of 2025 has been... rough, shall we say. Not just for us, but for many authors.

Meta Ads (Facebook Ads) rolled out their Andromeda algorithm update. Costs per click were haywire. Conversion rates were all over the place. Some days they'd tank. Other days they'd drive a ton of sales/page reads. But ultimately, there was zero consistency or reliability.

Then Amazon decided to throw a curveball with their A10 algorithm changes. Performance dipped across the board.

For years, Facebook Ads was our bread and butter. Amazon Ads played a supporting role, but still pulled in a solid number of sales/page reads each month.

Together, they worked well as a duo.

Now? Both platforms need serious attention.

So, I'm deep in testing mode at the moment.

But here's the thing...

We didn't panic when things went sideways with our 2 main ad platforms. 

Because we'd already built the third leg of our three-legged stool.

BookBub Ads

Earlier this year, we quietly started testing BookBub Ads. Learning the platform. Figuring out what worked. Building campaigns that converted.

And when Facebook Ads and Amazon Ads started acting up?

BookBub Ads stepped up to the challenge.

We're now spending $100 per day on BookBub Ads. It's become our biggest driver of sales. We're advertising a $4.99 book one with the BookBub Ads, and it's consistently driving strong readthrough to the rest of the series, too (Book 2 onwards are priced at $5.99 each).

Meanwhile, Facebook Ads and Amazon Ads are sitting at lower budgets while I figure out the new algorithm dance.

This isn't a Facebook-Ads-is-dead story. Or an Amazon-Ads-doesn't-work-anymore tale.

Both platforms are still viable. Still profitable for many authors.

But the game changed overnight for us.

And if we'd put all our eggs in one basket? We'd be scrambling right now.

The Diversification Advantage

Here's what most authors miss.

They find one platform that works. Facebook Ads or Amazon Ads. Maybe both.

They scale it. Optimize it. Build their entire business on top of it.

Then the algorithm changes.

Suddenly their $5,000/month ad spend stops being profitable. Their cost-per-sale doubles. Their ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) tanks.

And they're stuck.

Because learning a new platform from scratch while your income drops? That's doing business on hard mode.

We've been there. Years ago, we relied almost entirely on Facebook Ads. When performance started declining, we felt it immediately.

That's when we committed to diversification.

Not as a nice-to-have, but as a survival strategy.

BookBub Ads carries our author business right now because we tested it when things were good.

Want to learn the exact BookBub Ads system we're using? Join 1,000+ authors on the wait list for early access to BookBub Ads Mastery For Authors next week.

The Adaptation Mindset

Building a resilient author business isn't about finding the perfect platform.

It's about having options when things shift.

Facebook's Andromeda update forced everyone to rethink their creative strategy. More diversity. More formats. More angles.

Amazon's A10 algorithm favors external traffic now. Less internal ad reliance. More focus on driving sales from outside of Amazon.

These aren't problems. They're puzzles.

And while I'm figuring out the new rules on those platforms, BookBub Ads keeps the lights on.

That's the power of diversification.

Not three platforms running at full throttle all the time. But three platforms you understand well enough to shift budget when needed.

Right now, BookBub Ads gets the lion's share of our budget because it's performing best for us.

Six months from now?

BookBub Ads will likely be getting even more budget as we scale it further.

But here's the beauty of it.

While BookBub Ads carries the load right now, I'm also figuring out Facebook and Amazon's new algorithms. Testing. Learning. Adapting.

The goal isn't to replace one platform with another.

It's to have all three firing on all cylinders.

BookBub at $100+ per day and climbing. Facebook Ads dialed back in with the new Andromeda strategies. Amazon Ads optimized for the new A10 algorithm.

That's the vision. Multiple profit engines. Each platform contributing its share.

And when one platform stumbles? The others keep you afloat while you recalibrate.

The point is having the infrastructure in place before you need it.

That's the difference between being reactive versus strategic.

The Takeaway

You don't need to master every ad platform tomorrow.

But you do need a backup plan.

If your entire business runs on one algorithm, you're one update away from a crisis.

Start small. Test a second platform with $5-10 per day. Learn the fundamentals. Build some data.

Then when your main platform has a rough month, you've got somewhere to pivot.

That's not paranoia. That's smart business.

We're living proof right now.

Facebook Ads is unstable. Amazon Ads is shifting. BookBub Ads is crushing it.

And we're adapting in real time instead of panicking.

That's the game.

You've got this.

Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful weekend.

To Your Success,
– Matt