Rising CPMs and falling click-through rates are almost always interpreted as a targeting or bidding problem first. In our experience, they are a creative problem far more often — the algorithm has simply seen your existing ads too many times and engagement is dropping.
The clearest signal is frequency: if the same audience is seeing your ad four, five, or more times without converting, fatigue has already set in. A second signal is a CTR that was healthy a few weeks ago and has steadily declined despite no major audience changes.
A third signal is rising CPMs across a stable account. This often means the algorithm is having to work harder to find engagement, which usually traces back to creative that is no longer resonating.
The fix is not just making one new ad — it is introducing genuinely new angles, hooks, and formats. Brands that maintain a steady testing cadence of fresh creative concepts every few weeks consistently avoid the fatigue cycles that quietly erode ROAS.