If you're running an Instagram-only campaign, but Facebook Feed is still receiving impressions or spend, it's likely not a platform glitch—but rather a misconfiguration in your placement settings.
Here’s what could be happening and how to fix it:
Why Facebook Is Still Getting Spend
Automatic Placements May Still Be Active
Even if your ad looks like it's Instagram-focused, if Advantage+ Placements (formerly "Automatic Placements") is selected, Meta will serve ads across both Facebook and Instagram wherever it sees the best performance opportunity.
Ad Set Targeting Includes Both Platforms
Check your ad set’s “Placements” section in Ads Manager. If Facebook Feed is not manually deselected, Meta can include it—even if the campaign creative is designed for Instagram.
Custom Audience or Lookalike Pool Includes Facebook Users
If your audience source includes users active on Facebook, Meta might optimize delivery there—especially if you haven’t constrained placements tightly.
How to Fix It
Go to Ad Set > Placements, and select Manual Placements.
Uncheck all Facebook options, including:
Leave only Instagram placements checked (Feed, Explore, Stories, Reels).
Also, make sure you're not using Advantage+ Audience or Advantage+ Placements—both give Meta more delivery freedom, including cross-platform.
No, platform targeting isn’t unreliable—but Meta prioritizes performance unless you set strict manual controls. Double-check placement settings and deselect all Facebook-related options to ensure your Instagram-only intent is enforced.
