How long winning ads stay live, by niche and country
Published 13 Nov 2026. Data read ads' status read 2026-11-12 and 2026-11-13; figures computed 2026-11-13 01:34 UTC. Source: Meta's Ad Library (EU transparency data), read by Poseidon, unless the text names another source.
In short, as read on 12 and 13 November 2026. In 15 niche and country markets across the EU, the median winning e-commerce ad had run between 56 and 162 days. Bloating ads in Italy and Poland run among the longest, with medians of 160 and 161 days and more than 8 in 10 past 90 days. Weight-loss and menopause ads in France turn over fastest, with a median of 60 and 62 days.
A winning ad here is one still running after 21 days or more. "Days live" is how long each one has run so far, counted from Meta's start date to the last day Poseidon saw it active. Since they're still running, these aren't final run lengths.
Days live, market by market
Only markets with 30 winning ads or more, from 4 shops or more, are shown. A quarter of the ads had run less than the first figure, half less than the median, and three quarters less than the third.
| Niche (ads that talk about…) | Country | Winning ads | Shops | A quarter under | Median | Three quarters under | Live 90+ days | Live 180+ days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloating | Italy | 128 | 9 | 114 | 160 | 210 | 84.4% | 43.0% |
| Bloating | Poland | 43 | 5 | 113 | 161 | 243 | 86.0% | 41.9% |
| Bloating | France | 66 | 20 | 48 | 78 | 132 | 45.5% | 19.7% |
| Bloating | Germany | 72 | 10 | 35 | 56 | 204 | 36.1% | 27.8% |
| Cellulite | Italy | 58 | 11 | 39 | 162 | 210 | 69.0% | 41.4% |
| Cellulite | Poland | 65 | 6 | 29 | 70 | 157 | 44.6% | 16.9% |
| Cellulite | France | 46 | 7 | 59 | 60 | 115 | 39.1% | 6.5% |
| Menopause | Germany | 81 | 14 | 46 | 88 | 143 | 49.4% | 21.0% |
| Menopause | Spain | 43 | 11 | 39 | 79 | 182 | 48.8% | 27.9% |
| Menopause | France | 116 | 17 | 45 | 62 | 106 | 32.8% | 5.2% |
| Shapewear and leggings | France | 60 | 6 | 48 | 82 | 111 | 48.3% | 11.7% |
| Weight loss | Italy | 69 | 12 | 49 | 133 | 162 | 59.4% | 20.3% |
| Weight loss | Germany | 78 | 17 | 51 | 86 | 180 | 50.0% | 25.6% |
| Weight loss | the Netherlands | 31 | 8 | 45 | 66 | 140 | 32.3% | 9.7% |
| Weight loss | France | 178 | 19 | 46 | 60 | 156 | 37.6% | 12.4% |
Days are counted to 12 or 13 November 2026, the last day each ad was seen active.
What stands out
- Italy keeps its winners long in every niche it has a market for. Bloating 160 days (Poland 161), cellulite 162, weight loss 133, against 56 to 86 days in the same niches in France and Germany.
- France turns over fastest. In all five of its markets the median is between 60 and 82 days. In menopause, only 5.2% of winning ads have run past 180 days.
- The spread can be huge. In bloating ads in Germany, a quarter of winners had run under 35 days and a quarter over 204. Some brands there replace their ads fast while others keep the same ones for months.
- The same niche differs by country. Bloating ads have a median of 161 days in Poland and 56 in Germany.
Does a longer run mean more reach?
Across all 6,547 winning e-commerce ads in the EU with Meta's reach read (every niche, not only the markets above), figures computed on 13 November 2026 at 02:16 UTC:
| Days live | Winning ads | Share | Median EU reach | Top 10% reach at least | Share with 2+ versions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21–59 | 1,809 | 27.6% | 64,427 | 440,046 | 16.3% |
| 60–179 | 2,899 | 44.3% | 92,793 | 626,502 | 16.3% |
| 180–364 | 1,514 | 23.1% | 157,704 | 1,086,780 | 13.9% |
| 365 or more | 325 | 5.0% | 367,384 | 2,177,916 | 16.6% |
The median winner had run 114 days.
- Reach grows with time, as you'd expect, because Meta's reach counts everyone who saw the ad since it started. The median goes from 64,427 people (21 to 59 days) to 367,384 (a year or more).
- The spread inside each band is huge. In every band, the top 10% reached between 5.9 and 6.9 times the median. Two ads with the same start date can be a test and a scale.
- Versions don't follow age. The share of ads running in 2 or more versions stays between 13.9% and 16.6% in every band.
EU reach is Meta's count of people in the EU who saw the ad at least once. Versions are the copies Meta groups under the same ad in the Ad Library.
What this can't tell you
- How long ads will run in the end. These ads are still running, so the figures are a floor, not a final length.
- Ads cut before 21 days. They aren't winners here, so this page can't say how many tests fail.
- Formats and hooks. Poseidon's labels for them are not yet accurate enough (under 90%), so this page makes no claim about them.
- Markets not shown. A niche and country with fewer than 30 winning ads, or where a few shops make up most of the ads, is left out. See winning ads by niche for the live list.
How this was measured
- Source: Meta's start date for each ad, and its status read by Poseidon on 12 and 13 November 2026. Figures computed on 13 November 2026 at 01:34 UTC.
- Which ads: winners (still active, live 21 days or more) from e-commerce shops checked by hand, whose own text, title or landing link names the niche. Each ad counts in the country holding the largest part of Meta's breakdown for it. The rule is the same as the winning ads by niche pages.
- Quartiles: "a quarter under" is the 25th percentile, "three quarters under" the 75th.
- Minimum sample: 30 ads and 4 shops per market. No shop may make up more than 40% of a market's ads, and its three biggest shops no more than 90%.
FAQ
How long should I keep a winning ad running?
This page shows what brands do, not what's best for you. In 12 of the 15 markets here, the median winning ad had run more than 60 days.
Is 21 days the right line for a winner?
It's Poseidon's line between "still a test" and "kept by the brand". The table above shows most winners go far beyond it: the median had run 114 days.
Why does Italy run ads longer?
The data doesn't say. It shows that Italian winners in these niches are kept longer, not why.
Can I see the ads behind each line?
Yes. Each market has its own page with its top ads linked to Meta's Ad Library: winning ads by niche.
Ask Poseidon how long winners run in your niche. askposeidon.app