October 2021: Facebook’s parent company renames itself Meta
Covers October 2021. Part of our search timeline: a month-by-month look at the changes that shaped SEO, AI search, paid ads and social media, written in November 2026 for local businesses with the benefit of hindsight.
Quick answer: In October 2021 the company behind Facebook changed its name to Meta, marking a long-term push into the metaverse and virtual reality. For businesses running ads, day-to-day life barely changed. Facebook and Instagram ads carried on as normal, and the bigger challenge was coping with weaker tracking after Apple’s privacy changes.
Plenty of tradespeople and salon owners wondered at the time whether they needed to do anything. The short answer was no, but the story behind the rebrand did shape how Facebook and Instagram advertising works today.
What was announced in October 2021
Mark Zuckerberg announced the name Meta during Facebook’s Connect event. Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp all kept their own names as apps, while the business tools moved over to Meta branding bit by bit.
What it meant for local advertisers
The name change grabbed headlines but did not change how UK businesses advertised. For a landscaper or a removals firm running local ads, what really counted was Meta’s spending on AI-driven targeting and automation, which went on to become Advantage+ campaigns.
What to focus on now
- Get the basics right: tidy conversion tracking, strong images and video, and a clear offer such as a free quote.
- Run Meta’s automated campaign types side by side with your manual campaigns and compare results.
- Watch out for new formats, but put your money where your local customers spend their time now.
Frequently asked questions
Did becoming Meta change how Facebook ads work?
Not directly. Ads Manager and the campaign types kept going, and the branding was updated over time.
What is Meta Advantage+?
It is Meta’s AI-led campaign system, which automates targeting, placements and how creative is delivered. It is now the default for many campaign objectives.
Sources and further reading
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