A Game-Changer for UAE Advertisers
Published by Digix Planet | April 2025
Meta Ad-Level Scheduling is transforming the way advertisers manage Facebook and Instagram campaigns. Meta has just introduced this powerful new feature that is already changing how digital marketers approach campaign management.
What Just Happened?
In a quiet but significant rollout, Meta (Facebook & Instagram Ads) now allows advertisers to schedule individual ads within a single ad set. Previously, scheduling was only possible at the ad set level, forcing marketers to create duplicate ad sets for different run times.
This change is live (as of Q2 2025) and available under very specific conditions:
- Only for the Sales campaign objective
- Requires a Lifetime Budget
- Currently in phased rollout globally
For advertisers in fast-moving markets like the UAE, where cultural nuances, business hours, and user behavior change rapidly this is a feature that will immediately enhance performance and cut down inefficiencies.
With Meta Ad-Level Scheduling, brands can now align ad delivery with user behavior in a more efficient way.
Why UAE Marketers Should Care
In the United Arab Emirates, timing is everything:
- Different weekend schedules (Friday–Saturday)
- Diverse expat populations with mixed browsing habits
- High concentration of retail, hospitality, and real estate businesses that rely on time-sensitive promotions
With Ad-Level Scheduling, brands can now align ad delivery with audience behavior, without overcomplicating their campaign structure.
“This update eliminates the need to duplicate ad sets just to test different ad timings. It’s cleaner, faster, and way more efficient,” says a senior campaign strategist at Digix Planet.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Use Ad-Level Scheduling
This guide helps you activate Meta Ad-Level Scheduling in your Sales campaigns using lifetime budgets.
Step 1: Start a New Campaign Using the ‘Sales’ Objective
Go to Meta Ads Manager and click “Create”.
Choose the Sales campaign objective, this is the only objective where ad-level scheduling is currently available.
Step 2: Set Your Budget Type to “Lifetime”
You must use a lifetime budget for this to work. Daily budgets won’t unlock the ad-level scheduling option.
Pro Tip: Set realistic lifetime budgets that match your time frame e.g., AED 2,000 for a 10-day run.
Step 3: Configure the Ad Set (But Skip the Schedule Here)
Define your:
- Target audience (e.g., UAE-based buyers)
- Placements (Facebook Feed, Instagram Stories, etc.)
- Optimization goals (conversions, landing page views)
Do not set ad scheduling at the ad set level. That’s the old method.
Step 4: Move to the Ad Level and Look for “Schedule Ad”
Now comes the new option.
Under the Ad tab, scroll down and locate the “Ad Scheduling” section. You’ll now see a toggle or field where you can set:
- A specific start date/time
For example:
- Ad 1: 8 AM to 2 PM (targeting morning buyers)
- Ad 2: 5 PM to 11 PM (after-work shoppers)
Both can live inside the same ad set, reducing clutter and improving reporting accuracy.
Step 5: Launch & Monitor
Once your ads are scheduled:
- Use Meta’s reporting tools to analyze engagement by time slots.
- Run A/B tests to compare ad timing impact.
- Adjust creative delivery windows based on performance data.
Strategic Use Cases for UAE Businesses
Here’s how different industries in the UAE can benefit from this update:
Retail (Online & Offline)
Use ad-level scheduling to promote limited-time offers:
- “Lunchtime Flash Sales” from 12 PM to 2 PM
- “Evening Rush Deals” after 6 PM for working professionals
Hospitality & Tourism
Schedule ads promoting:
- Early check-in offers in the morning
- Nightlife events in the evening
- Weekend getaways starting Thursday night (ahead of UAE weekends)
Real Estate
Run evening-only ads targeting homebuyers who browse listings after work, or weekend-specific open house promotions.
How This Improves Campaign Efficiency
| Benefit | Before | Now |
| Time-specific delivery | Only at ad set level (duplicates needed) | Directly within each ad |
| Budget control | Spread thin across many ad sets | Centralized and efficient |
| Campaign clarity | Hard to track performance across ad sets | Single ad set = cleaner data |
| Test ad timing | Cumbersome | Streamlined A/B testing possible |
This dramatically simplifies campaign architecture, especially for media teams managing multiple creatives and localized audiences.
How to Optimize with Ad-Level Scheduling
To get the most from this feature:
- Use local time zones strategically
Set schedules based on UAE time (GMT+4) and consider expat demographics that browse at different hours. - Group ads by creative intent
- Educational/awareness ads in the morning
- Sales conversion ads in the evening
- Weekend-only campaigns for time-bound deals
- Avoid ad fatigue
Spread out delivery times to keep the same audience from seeing the same ad repeatedly. - Measure time-slot performance
Use breakdown reports by time of day in Ads Manager to see what hours generate the highest ROAS.
Meta’s Ad-Level Scheduling is not just a convenience, it’s a tactical upgrade that aligns with the needs of modern marketers. For brands operating in fast-moving markets like the UAE, this means:
- Lower waste
- Higher performance
- Simpler management
At Digix Planet, we specialize in real-time campaign optimization, paid media strategy, and scaling global advertising campaigns with a regional edge. Whether you need help setting up Meta Ads or fully managing your multi-market campaigns, we’re here to partner with you.
Looking for more ideas and updates? Check out our full collection of blog articles here.