Meta’s new advertising restrictions and what that means for Health & Wellness brands

In January 2025, Meta updated its paid advertising restrictions, limiting the types and amount of data certain industries can track and use for ad optimisation. The health and wellness industry is among those most affected by this update.

Key changes and impacts

There are growing concerns amongst government agencies, as well as within the general public about user privacy and the misuse of personal data. Government agencies in particular are concerned that advertisers’ use of consumer data may violate federal and state data privacy laws.

These changes can impact how businesses optimise and measure their campaigns, how they target users with ads, and how they use data from tracking pixels on their websites.

Meta have changed some key aspects of their policies in response to this:

Restricted use of data

Meta has classified brands that fall within the health & wellness industry as a “sensitive category”. This means they are now subject to stricter data handling and ad targeting rules. In the interest of protecting user privacy, Meta is limiting the amount of personal or health related information that advertisers are able to feed into their algorithms. These restrictions are a response to instances where companies have collected and shared user data on their platforms without consent, for the purpose of advertising.

Restricted data tracking

As well as limiting the amount of data that health & wellness brands can use in their targeted advertising, they are also limiting the types of data that these brands can analyse and track. Brands that fall within their restricted industries are now prohibited from tracking key lower-funnel events that are in direct relation to consumer purchase behaviour. Tracking this behaviour is usually crucial for conversion-focused campaigns.

Decline in performance

The restrictions may lead to a decline in ROAS and overall conversion rates for many health and wellness brands.

What industries are impacted?

• Fitness and lifestyle apps: Workout and mental health apps may be restricted from tracking conversions.
• Medical organisations: Providers of online medicine and prescription sellers may lose access to high-intent event data.
• Legal firms: Personal injury law firms may be affected if their messaging focuses on health outcomes.
• Wellness brands: brands selling nutrition supplements and self-care products, are directly affected by these changes and must adapt their marketing strategies accordingly.

Adapting to the new landscape

Health & wellness brands need to take a proactive approach to these changes, to ensure minimal disruption to ad performance. Businesses can comply with the new regulations and avoid major impacts by shifting their focus away from restricted lower-funnel events and exploring alternative ad targeting options. This includes a necessary change in KPIs. As traditional conversion tracking becomes increasingly limited, brands need to identify new metrics for success, such as landing page views, engagement rates, or video views.

Given the limitations on paid advertising, it would be beneficial for health & wellness brands to start optimising organic strategies across Meta’s platforms. This involves developing engaging content that resonates with target audiences to maintain visibility and reach potential customers without relying solely on paid advertising.

Summary & final remarks

Meta’s new advertising restrictions signify a significant shift in the digital marketing landscape for health and wellness brands. While these changes present challenges, they also offer an opportunity for brands to prioritise user privacy and build trust with their audience. Adapting to the new landscape and focusing on compliant strategies allows health and wellness brands to continue achieving their marketing goals while respecting user privacy.