I’ve been digging into the latest research. Meta’s Q3 gains are real, at least according to the data.

Cleveland Research just dropped their latest partner survey, and the signals are clear:

1.) eComm + retail spend rebounding
2.) ROI hitting near all-time highs
3.) Gen-AI tools gaining traction (especially for copy ideation)
4.) Early wins from Value-Based Optimization + Incremental Conversion models

One standout stat is that omnichannel ads are driving 10%+ ROI lift for retail brands in early testing.

Meta’s automation tools aren’t just saving time, they’re driving better outcomes. Partners are seeing it in Advantage+ lead gen and improved attribution clarity.

Even Gen-AI is getting smarter usage: teams using it upstream for concepts, then layering in human oversight and creative direction downstream.

We’ve learned that’s the right balance.

The catch?
This is partner data, not neutral analysis. And “all-time high ROI” means different things depending on your baseline.

But across the board, PortCos and their brands are reporting real traction. If it holds through Q4, Meta could regain share from platforms that haven’t evolved as quickly.

Your move is to double-check if your portfolio’s Meta playbook includes the new stuff… or if you’re still running last year’s strategy on this year’s CPMs.

Are you seeing similar performance shifts on Meta this quarter? Let’s compare notes.