Who Actually Runs Meta Ads in DTC: 2,045 Shopify Advertisers and 1,000 Top Ads, Counted
By Cecelia Chen · Published November 2026 · Meta Ad Library public data, collected October 25–26, 2026 (brands) and August 13–19, 2026 (1,000-ad pool)
Key findings
- 1
In our first round, 79% of the stores behind product-keyword ads were on Shopify. Of 768 landing domains we traced from 15 product-phrase searches in Meta's Ad Library on October 25, 2026, 604 were Shopify stores.
- 2
The median small Shopify brand had 2 ads in our results, and 40% had just one. Across 604 Shopify domains, the middle brand showed up in 2 ads for its product phrase; 243 showed up in exactly one.
- 3
The top 10% of brands ran two-thirds of the ads. The 60 most-active Shopify domains (12 or more ads each) accounted for 67% of the 4,353 ads that linked to a Shopify store in our results.
- 4
Three in four advertisers we kept are micro or small businesses. Of 1,293 brands profiled, 975 (75%) were judged under $10M in annual revenue from public signals.
- 5
44% of the brands with a known founding year started in 2020 or later. Among 583 profiled brands with a public founding year, the median was 2019 and 120 (21%) were founded in 2023 or later.
- 6
One in ten "brands" behind product ads was a dropship, mirror or reseller store. Of 1,616 Shopify advertisers we checked one by one in round 2, 161 (10%) were set aside for that reason.
- 7
Static images were 54% of top DTC ads. In a mid-August 2026 pool of 1,000 ads (200 brands, each brand's top five by impressions), 544 were static images and 456 were videos.
- 8
Static ads had been running slightly longer than videos. In the same pool, static ads were a median 49 days into their run versus 44 for videos, and 29% of static ads versus 23% of videos had passed 90 days.
Most writing about “what’s working on Meta” looks at a handful of famous brands. We started from the other end. In October 2026 we searched Meta’s Ad Library for 143 everyday product phrases (“magnesium glycinate,” “scalp serum,” “dog chew”), followed every ad to the store it links to, and kept the small Shopify brands: 2,045 of them, each checked by hand, 1,293 kept for the full profile. Next to that brand sample we put the format and run-time counts from a separate pool of 1,000 top ads from 200 DTC brands (mid-August 2026). Every number below carries its sample size and method. Data: Meta Ad Library public data, collected October 25–26, 2026 (brands) and August 13–19, 2026 (1,000-ad pool).
How we found 2,045 small Shopify advertisers
Each round typed exact product phrases into Meta’s Ad Library (US, active ads), collected the link on every ad, reduced links to the store domain, and kept domains on Shopify with 100 or fewer products. Each was then checked one by one: a real brand with an identifiable founder, US-based, not a dropship or mirror store.
- Landing domains traced (round 1)768
- On Shopify (round 1)604 · 79%
- Shopify, ≤100 products, checked by hand2,045
- Kept for the full profile1,293 · 63%
Source: ViralMojo analysis of Meta Ad Library public data (US, active ads), brand sample collected Oct 25–26, 2026. n = 768 traced domains (round 1) and 2,045 hand-checked Shopify brands (both rounds). Round 2 enters at the hand-check step: its traced domains were not kept in the file.
| Step | Round 1 (Oct 25, 2026) | Round 2 (Oct 25–26, 2026) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product phrases searched | 15 | 129 (1 shared with round 1) | 143 |
| Landing domains traced | 768 | not kept in the file | — |
| On Shopify | 604 (79%) | — | — |
| Shopify, ≤100 products, checked by hand | 429 | 1,616 | 2,045 |
| Kept for the full profile | 429 | 864 | 1,293 (63%) |
Round 1 searched logged in (up to about 400 ads per phrase); round 2 logged out (fewer ads per phrase).
What it means for a small brand
The brands bidding next to you are mostly stores like yours: Shopify, a short catalog, found by the same product words your customers use. Benchmark against them, not against “best ads” roundups.
Who advertises: categories and what we set aside
Round 2 only (1,616 brands with a category). Supplements, skincare and pets make up 47%. To see the ads themselves, the category walls collect live Meta ads for supplements, skincare and hair care.
- Supplements275 · 17.0%
- Skincare265 · 16.4%
- Pets221 · 13.7%
- Other179 · 11.1%
- Home163 · 10.1%
- Food & drink161 · 10.0%
- Apparel144 · 8.9%
- Fitness91 · 5.6%
- Baby & kids63 · 3.9%
- Haircare54 · 3.3%
Source: ViralMojo analysis of Meta Ad Library public data (US, active ads), brand sample collected Oct 25–26, 2026. Round 2 only, n = 1,616 Shopify brands. Category assigned per brand by a reviewer; the mix follows the phrases we searched.
| Category | Brands | Share | Kept after hand check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplements | 275 | 17.0% | 152 (55%) |
| Skincare | 265 | 16.4% | 155 (59%) |
| Pets | 221 | 13.7% | 114 (52%) |
| Other | 179 | 11.1% | 47 (26%) |
| Home | 163 | 10.1% | 87 (53%) |
| Food & drink | 161 | 10.0% | 127 (79%) |
| Apparel | 144 | 8.9% | 78 (54%) |
| Fitness | 91 | 5.6% | 50 (55%) |
| Baby & kids | 63 | 3.9% | 30 (48%) |
| Haircare | 54 | 3.3% | 24 (44%) |
| All | 1,616 | 100% | 864 (53%) |
Set aside (752, grouped from reviewer notes): not US-based 263; no identifiable founder or origin 186; dropship, mirror or reseller store 161; large, acquired or celebrity brand 91; other 51. The category mix follows the phrases we chose, so it describes this sample, not Meta overall.
What it means for a small brand
Supplements, skincare and pets are the most crowded part of this sample, and about one advertiser in ten for a product phrase may be a reseller rather than a brand. The ads that stand out there are ones only a real brand can make: your founder, your customers, your product in use.
How big they are: revenue band, age and catalog
Source: ViralMojo analysis of Meta Ad Library public data (US, active ads), brand sample collected Oct 25–26, 2026. n = 583 of 1,293 kept brands with a public founding year (reviewer-recorded). Median founding year 2019.
| Signal | Value | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Micro (under $1M, judged) | 419 (32%) | 1,293 |
| Small ($1–10M, judged) | 556 (43%) | 1,293 |
| Mid ($10–50M, judged) | 125 (10%) | 1,293 |
| Large, acquired or celebrity | 71 (5%) | 1,293 |
| Unknown | 122 (9%) | 1,293 |
| Median founding year | 2019 | 583 with a public year |
| Founded 2020 or later | 255 (44%) | 583 |
| Founded 2023 or later | 120 (21%) | 583 |
| Median products in store | 23 (middle half 10–45) | 1,293 |
| 25 products or fewer | 708 (55%) | 1,293 |
Revenue bands are a reviewer’s judgment from public signals. The sample only kept stores with ≤100 products, so catalog size describes small-catalog brands by design.
What it means for a small brand
A 2023 brand with 20 products is a normal Meta advertiser. You don’t need a big catalog or a long history to be in the auction; you need enough creative to keep a few ads fresh.
How many ads each brand runs
Round 1 (logged in, deeper search): per Shopify domain, the ads in the results that linked to it. This is per product phrase, not the whole account.
Source: ViralMojo analysis of Meta Ad Library public data (US, active ads), brand sample collected Oct 25–26, 2026. Round 1 (Oct 25, 2026), n = 604 Shopify domains; ads counted per product phrase, a lower bound of each account. Median 2, 90th percentile 11.
Share of brands (n = 604)
10%90% · 544 brandsShare of ads (n = 4,353)
67% · 2,928 ads33%
Source: ViralMojo analysis of Meta Ad Library public data (US, active ads), brand sample collected Oct 25–26, 2026. Round 1, n = 604 Shopify domains and the 4,353 ads in our results that linked to them.
| Ads in our results | Shopify brands | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 243 | 40% |
| 2–4 | 214 | 35% |
| 5–9 | 79 | 13% |
| 10–19 | 34 | 6% |
| 20+ | 34 | 6% |
| All | 604 | median 2, 90th percentile 11 |
The 60 most-active domains (top 10%, 12+ ads each) account for 2,928 of the 4,353ads linking to a Shopify store, 67%. Round 2’s 864 kept brands (logged out) show the same shape: median 2, 48% with one ad, 90th percentile 10. Only 65 of 768 domains (8.5%) appeared under more than one of the 15 phrases.
What it means for a small brand
Most of your peers run one to four ads for a product, and a minority running 12+ take most of the slots. Three or four variations of your best idea already puts you above the median.
Static vs video: what top DTC ads are made of
Separate pool: 1,000 ads from 200mostly US DTC brands, each brand’s first five in the Ad Library’s impressions order, live on the snapshot day (Aug 13/14/19, 2026). These are larger brands than the 2,045 above. The same pool is behind our static ad examples.
All 1,000 ads
Static · 544 (54%)Video · 456 (46%)
Source: ViralMojo analysis of Meta Ad Library public data, 1,000-ad pool (200 DTC brands, each brand's top five by impressions), snapshot Aug 13–19, 2026. n = 1,000 ads. The pool labels static or video only; how carousels and multi-asset ads were classed is not recorded.
| Format | Ads | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Static image | 544 | 54% |
| Video | 456 | 46% |
| All | 1,000 | 100% |
What it means for a small brand
Among the ads brands push hardest, still images are slightly more common than video. A well-made static ad is a full part of a Meta account, not a placeholder.
How long ads keep running, by format
Days running = snapshot day minus start date, for ads still live that day.
Median days running
- Static49 days
- Video44 days
Share past 90 days
- Static29%
- Video23%
Source: ViralMojo analysis of Meta Ad Library public data, 1,000-ad pool (200 DTC brands, each brand's top five by impressions), snapshot Aug 13–19, 2026. n = 544 static and 456 video ads, live on the snapshot day. Day bars run from 0 to 60 days; share bars from 0 to 100%.
| Signal | Static | Video |
|---|---|---|
| Ads | 544 | 456 |
| Median days running | 49 | 44 |
| Middle half | 24–100 days | — |
| Passed 90 days | 29% | 23% |
| Passed 180 days | 6.6% | — |
| Passed a year | 9 ads | — |
Ads switched off before the snapshot are not counted; a long run means the brand kept paying, not that the ad was profitable.
What it means for a small brand
Nearly a third of top static ads were past 90 days, so one strong image is worth more effort than a weekly stream of new ones.
Format by category
- Eyewear (n = 10)100%
- Health & Telehealth (n = 20)85%
- Apparel (n = 85)75%
- Sleep, Fitness & Recovery (n = 50)66%
- Baby & Kids (n = 35)63%
- Home & Kitchen (n = 85)60%
- Footwear & Bags (n = 35)57%
- Drinks (n = 25)56%
- Haircare (n = 45)51%
- Pets (n = 45)51%
- Media & Other (n = 10)50%
- Supplements & Wellness (n = 280)48%
- Food & Snacks (n = 60)48%
- Beauty & Skincare (n = 150)47%
- Oral & Personal Care (n = 65)43%
All 1,000 ads: 54% static
Source: ViralMojo analysis of Meta Ad Library public data, 1,000-ad pool (200 DTC brands, each brand's top five by impressions), snapshot Aug 13–19, 2026. n = 1,000 ads across 15 categories (n per bar in brackets). Each brand contributes five ads, so small categories can swing on one or two brands.
| Category | Ads | Static | Video | Static % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supplements & Wellness | 280 | 135 | 145 | 48% |
| Beauty & Skincare | 150 | 70 | 80 | 47% |
| Apparel | 85 | 64 | 21 | 75% |
| Home & Kitchen | 85 | 51 | 34 | 60% |
| Oral & Personal Care | 65 | 28 | 37 | 43% |
| Food & Snacks | 60 | 29 | 31 | 48% |
| Sleep, Fitness & Recovery | 50 | 33 | 17 | 66% |
| Haircare | 45 | 23 | 22 | 51% |
| Pets | 45 | 23 | 22 | 51% |
| Footwear & Bags | 35 | 20 | 15 | 57% |
| Baby & Kids | 35 | 22 | 13 | 63% |
| Drinks | 25 | 14 | 11 | 56% |
| Health & Telehealth | 20 | 17 | 3 | 85% |
| Eyewear | 10 | 10 | 0 | 100% |
| Media & Other | 10 | 5 | 5 | 50% |
| All categories | 1,000 | 544 | 456 | 54% |
Each brand contributes five ads, so small categories can swing on one or two brands.
What it means for a small brand
Apparel (75% static) and Home (60%) lean on images that show the product; supplements and skincare split about evenly, since explaining a result often takes a person on camera. Start from your category’s mix, then test.
Methodology and limitations
- Two datasets, two kinds of brand. Sections 1–4: 2,045 small Shopify advertisers from product-phrase searches, collected October 25–26, 2026. Sections 5–7: 1,000 top ads from 200 mostly US DTC brands (list compiled from public sources), snapshot August 13–19, 2026. The two are not combined.
- How brands were found. Exact-phrase searches, US, active ads; each link reduced to a store domain; marketplaces, shorteners, social profiles and hosted landing tools removed; Shopify and product count from public store data.
- Sample bias. Brands advertising that day, on Shopify, with 100 or fewer products, matching our phrases. The sample over-represents supplements and skincare and leaves out other platforms and large catalogs.
- Ads per brand is per search, not per account — a lower bound.
- Judged fields. Category, revenue band, founding year (583 of 1,293) and set-aside reasons were recorded per brand by a reviewer from public sources.
- No performance data. The Ad Library shows no spend, clicks or sales for commercial ads; impressions order is not a results ranking.
- Not measured here: run time for the 2,045-brand sample, hooks and copy, landing page types, Facebook vs Instagram, carousel share, duplicate-creative rates.
Cite this report
Free to use with a link. Quote any number or reuse any chart on this page; please link back to this page as the source.
ViralMojo, "Who Actually Runs Meta Ads in DTC", Nov 2026, https://viralmojo.ai/teardowns/dtc-meta-ads-2026-study
Common questions.
In our October 2026 sample of 604 Shopify stores found through product-phrase searches in Meta's Ad Library, the median brand had 2 ads for its product phrase and 40% had exactly one. The top 10% of brands, with 12 or more ads each, ran 67% of all the ads. These are counts per search, so a full account can be larger.
Static, slightly. In a mid-August 2026 pool of 1,000 ads from 200 DTC brands (each brand's top five by impressions), 544 were static (54%) and 456 video (46%). Apparel was 75% static; Beauty & Skincare (47%) and Supplements & Wellness (48%) were close to even.
In the same pool, static ads had been running a median of 49 days and videos 44 on the snapshot day; 29% of static ads and 23% of videos had passed 90 days, and 9 static ads had passed a year. Only live ads are counted, and run time shows the brand kept paying, not profit.
Mostly small Shopify stores: 79% of 768 store domains traced from product-phrase ads were on Shopify. Of 1,293 brands profiled, 75% were judged under $10M revenue, the median founding year was 2019 (583 with a known year), and the median store had 23 products.
Most of them. Of 1,616 Shopify advertisers we checked one by one in October 2026, 161 (10%) were dropship, mirror or reseller stores; in all, 864 (53%) passed our hand check as US-based brands with an identifiable founder. The rest were set aside mainly for being outside the US (263) or having no identifiable founder or origin (186).
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Data dates: Meta Ad Library public data; brand sample October 25–26, 2026; 1,000-ad pool August 13–19, 2026.