Facebook Ads: A Guide for Comedians

A little bit about my background: Prior to starting Punchup, I worked at Meta/Facebook for 13 years, with the majority of that time spent in ads measurement.

Facebook ads are one of the most common things people ask me about. Here's the high-level summary of my take:

• ✅ They can be a powerful tool when used correctly.
• ❌ They’re also an easy way to waste money if used poorly. (Hint: If someone talks about targeting interests like "stand-up comedy" but doesn’t mention Pixel or CAPI, you're probably wasting your budget.)
• ⚠️ No comedian should be overly reliant on paid ads.

Free Reach Is Your Opportunity

At its core, advertising is a way to force people to see messaging they wouldn’t ordinarily seek out. Social media companies survive by being good at predicting and serving up the most engaging content for each individual user. Ads are, in essence, the tax you pay to interrupt that stream.

Now think about that from a comedian’s perspective: Unlike toothpaste brands or insurance companies, you have the ability to be the content that people genuinely want to see. If your clip hits, it spreads. Organically. For free.

A funny, well-crafted clip can be seen by millions of people without you spending a dime. Achieving that same reach through paid advertising could easily cost you $50,000 or more.

Use Insights to turn Free Reach into Ticket Sales

The real magic happens when you turn that free reach into ticket sales.  At Punchup, our insights tooling is designed specifically to help comedians understand which posts, from their organic reach, actually drive ticket sales.

It’s not just about views or likes. It’s about knowing which clip got people to buy tickets, and which ones just got likes.

This is why the primary thing we recommend to comedians isn’t to start with ads—it’s to start with measurement. Use our tools to identify what’s working before you spend a dime.

If you are on our platform- reach out, we would love to show you how to use these tools!

When Should You Advertise?

If you’ve already put in the work to grow an organic audience—and you’re promoting a show, content, or even merch—ads can play a smart supporting role. But here’s where most comedians go wrong:

They run an ad, select a few interests like "Stand-Up Comedy" or "Kevin Hart", and hope it works.

The ad then gets a ton of clicks but it doesn't translate into ticket sales.

It’s the equivalent of throwing a flyer into a crowd and hoping someone cares. You’re paying for clicks, not for results. And the real power of platforms like Facebook and Instagram comes from their optimization tools—specifically the Facebook Pixel and Conversions API (CAPI).

What Are Pixel and CAPI (and Why They Actually Matter)?

In simple terms:

• The Facebook Pixel is a snippet of code you put on your website. It tells Facebook when someone takes an action—like buying a ticket, visiting your tour page, or signing up for your newsletter.
• Conversions API (CAPI) is the more advanced, server-side version of the same thing—it's more reliable and works even with ad blockers or iOS tracking restrictions.

🎉 Good news: Punchup pages already have these tools built in.

Why do these matter?

Because tracking clicks means nothing.

Some people are just more likely to click on ads, regardless of what’s being advertised. That doesn’t mean they’re interested in your show—or that they’ll ever buy a ticket. In fact, based on Punchup’s own data, less than 10% of people who click on an ad end up purchasing a ticket.

These tools let Facebook track actual results instead of vanity metrics. With them in place, Facebook doesn’t just look for people who click—it looks for people who convert. That means:

• You stop optimizing for people who click ads but never show up.
• You start finding the audiences who actually buy tickets—even if they’re not following a stand-up comedy page.

Without Pixel or CAPI, Facebook doesn’t know what success looks like. You’re flying blind, they’re spraying and praying, and your budget disappears fast.

With them, you’re giving the algorithm the signal it needs to go find more of the right people. That’s when ads stop being a gamble and start becoming a real tool.

The Bottom Line

You’re a professional entertainer. That means your organic reach is your greatest asset. Use our free tooling to make the most of it. 

Once you’ve nailed that, you can layer in advertising—but only if you’re doing it right.

If you have questions or want to chat always feel free to reach out to hello@punchup.live.