How can I tell which ad image or text performs best?

You might wonder which image or text headline gets the best results in your campaigns. That’s a good question — but today, platforms like Google and Meta work differently than they used to.

Both now use advanced AI systems (like Performance Max on Google and Advantage+ on Meta) that automatically mix and match your images, texts, and videos to find the best combinations for each user. Because of this, it’s no longer possible to see exact performance for every single ad variation — and there’s a good reason for that.

Why you don’t see every ad’s performance separately

Each campaign can use multiple images, headlines, and descriptions. The platforms then test different combinations automatically.

If you tried to see results for every possible combination — imagine 5 images × 5 headlines × 3 descriptions × 3 placements × 5 devices × 10 days — you’d end up with thousands of different ads. That would make reports extremely long and nearly impossible to use.

Instead, Google and Meta summarize performance at a higher level:

• Google Ads (Performance Max) shows which assets perform well (for example, “Best,” “Good,” or “Low”).
• Meta (Facebook & Instagram) groups ads into creative sets and focuses on overall performance — clicks, conversions, or engagement — instead of each specific image or text.

This approach makes reports clear and helps their AI systems quickly optimize what’s working best for your audience.

What Ctrl+A shows you

Ctrl+A follows the same principle.

You can see performance on the campaign and channel level — for example, how your Google, Facebook, and Instagram ads perform overall.

Google and Meta handle optimization inside their own systems, automatically showing the ads that perform best more often.

That means you get the benefit of their AI optimization without having to manage each image or text manually.

How to make the most of this

Here’s how to get the best results:

• Upload several good images and headlines — give the AI enough options to test.
• Use clear, simple messages that describe your product or service.
• Check performance at the channel level in Ctrl+A Analytics to see which platforms work best for your business.

The more variety you provide, the smarter the system becomes at learning what works.

Summary

You won’t see detailed results for every individual ad image or text — because Google and Meta combine them automatically to find what works best.

Instead, Ctrl+A and the ad platforms show you clear performance data on a campaign and channel level, so you can easily understand what drives your business results.

Updated on: 26/10/2025