7 Proven Filters to Spot Shopify Stores Already Running Facebook Ads (and Win them as Clients)

Here's the secret every successful agency knows but rarely shares: the best clients are already spending money on the exact service you offer.

Think about it. When you pitch a Shopify store that's never run Facebook ads, you're fighting an uphill battle. You're convincing them the channel works, educating them on creative testing, justifying the budget, explaining attribution models, and hoping they stick around long enough to see results.

But a Shopify store already running Facebook ads?

They've done the hard work. They know the channel works. They've committed budget. They understand the metrics. They're either looking to scale what's working or fix what's broken, both are perfect opportunities for your agency.

The only question is: how do you find them?

Most agencies waste hours manually browsing Facebook Ad Library, clicking through random stores, hoping to stumble on active advertisers in their niche. That's not prospecting, that's gambling.

I'm going to show you 7 proven filters that let you systematically identify Shopify stores running Facebook ads, understand their ad spend sophistication, and qualify them as ideal agency clients.

Let's get tactical.

Why Targeting Ad Spenders Changes Your Entire Sales Process

Before we dive into the filters, let's talk about why this targeting strategy is so powerful.

When you identify Shopify stores running Facebook ads, you gain three massive advantages:

Purchase intent is pre-qualified: They're not "thinking about" Facebook ads. They're actively investing in them right now. Your pitch isn't "should you run ads?" It's "how can we make your ads perform better?"

Budget is proven: A store running 20+ active ad variations is spending real money—likely $5K-50K+ monthly. You're not hoping they have budget; you know they do.

Conversation sophistication jumps: You can talk about ROAS, creative testing, audience segmentation, and attribution. They speak your language. No hand-holding required.

Plus, you can analyze their current campaigns before you even reach out. You know what products they're pushing, what creative angles they're testing, what offers they're running. Your outreach can reference their specific ads, making it instantly personalized and relevant.

This isn't cold outreach—it's warm, informed, strategic prospecting.

Now let's build your filtering system.

Filter 1: Facebook Pixel Installation Status

The foundation of your entire filtering strategy starts here: does the store have Facebook Pixel installed?

Facebook Pixel is the tracking code that enables Facebook ad campaigns, conversion tracking, and audience building. If a store has Pixel installed, they're either:

• Currently running Facebook ads
• Previously ran ads and might start again
• Planning to run ads and set up infrastructure

All three categories are valuable prospects.

How to filter for it:

Tools like StoreCensus track which Shopify stores have Facebook Pixel actively installed. You can filter their entire database by:

• Stores with Facebook Pixel: Yes
• Plus additional criteria like revenue, category, location

This immediately narrows your universe from millions of Shopify stores to only those who've committed to Facebook advertising infrastructure.

Why this filter matters: A store can have a great product and solid traffic but never touch paid ads. Pixel installation is the first signal they're serious about Facebook as a channel.

Pro tip: Look for stores with Pixel installed but low ad library presence. These are often sophisticated stores running retargeting-only campaigns or highly targeted prospecting to warm audiences. They're spending money, just not visibly.

Filter 2: Ad Volume and Variation Count

Not all Facebook advertisers are created equal. The number of active ads a store is running tells you everything about their sophistication and budget.

The ad volume hierarchy:

1-5 active ads: Testing or very small budget. Likely spending $500-2K/month. Could be good for smaller agencies, but limited growth potential.

5-20 active ads: Consistent advertiser with proven results. Spending $2K-10K/month. They understand the channel but might not be optimizing aggressively.

20-50 active ads: Serious about Facebook ads. Heavy creative testing, multiple campaigns, audience segmentation. Spending $10K-50K/month. Prime agency target.

50-100+ active ads: Either scaling aggressively or have an in-house team/current agency. Spending $50K-200K+/month. Great for larger agencies, but harder to crack.

How to use this filter:

Visit Facebook Ad Library and search for stores in your target niche. Click through to brands and count their active ads. The brands running 20-50 ads are your sweet spot—sophisticated enough to have budget, not so large they're untouchable.

For a more systematic approach, the guide on finding shops using Facebook ads breaks down how to filter by ad sophistication signals and export lists of stores by ad volume ranges.

What this tells you about the pitch:

• 5-20 ads: "I noticed you're running Facebook ads for [product]. Have you tested UGC creative against your studio shots? We're seeing 40% better performance with UGC in [niche]."
• 20-50 ads: "Impressive creative testing on your [product line] campaigns. Are you running creative fatigue analysis? We helped [similar brand] extend creative lifespan 3x with systematic rotation."

Filter 3: Ad Consistency and Longevity

Here's a filter most agencies completely miss: how long have their ads been running?

Facebook Ad Library shows when each ad started running. This simple data point reveals massive intelligence.

What to look for:

Ads running 1-2 weeks: New campaigns, testing phase. They might not know if it's working yet. Risky prospect.

Ads running 1-3 months: Proven winners. If an ad runs for months, it's profitable. These stores have found product-market fit on the channel.

Ads running 3-6+ months: Evergreen campaigns with consistent performance. Store has dialed in their Facebook strategy and is likely profitable.

Ad refresh patterns: Check if they launch new creative every 2-3 weeks. Regular creative refreshes indicate sophisticated optimization practices and healthy budgets.

How this changes your approach:

Stores with ads consistently running for 3+ months aren't experimenting—they're scaling. They know Facebook works. Your pitch is about optimization and scaling, not proving the channel.

Red flags to avoid:

• Ads that start and stop erratically (inconsistent budget/results)
• Only seasonal ads (no year-round commitment)
• No new creative in 6+ months (stagnant or limited team)

Filter 4: Creative Sophistication Level

The quality and variety of ad creative tells you about their team, budget, and optimization maturity.

The creative sophistication ladder:

Basic: Product photos on white background, simple text overlays, no video. These stores are just getting started. They need foundational help.

Intermediate: Mix of product shots and lifestyle images, some video content, carousel ads, simple UGC. They're investing but not maximizing creative potential.

Advanced: Heavy UGC content, testimonial videos, multiple video formats (Stories, Reels, Feed), carousel ads with compelling copy, dynamic product ads. They have a creative system and likely a team or agency already.

Why this matters for qualification:

If you're a premium agency charging $10K+/month, you want stores with intermediate-to-advanced creative. They have the budget and understand the value of production.

If you're a smaller agency or freelancer, basic creative stores are perfect—you can show immediate improvement with better creative strategy.

How to assess quickly:

Scan their Ad Library for:

• Video-to-static ratio (more video = more sophisticated)
• UGC presence (customer testimonials, unboxing, reviews)
• Variety of formats (Stories, Reels, Feed, Carousel)
• Copy quality and length
• Consistency in branding

Your outreach angle based on creative level:

• Basic creative: "I noticed you're running Facebook ads with product photos. Have you tested UGC creative? We're seeing 2-3x better performance for [niche] brands when we add customer testimonials."
• Advanced creative: "Love the UGC strategy in your [product] campaigns. Are you A/B testing hooks in the first 3 seconds? We found that shifting hooks increased our client's CTR by 47%."

Filter 5: Target Market and Geographic Signals

Where a store is advertising tells you about their growth stage and ambitions.

Check their ad targeting signals:

Single country (usually US): Focused, profitable in one market. Conservative growth approach.

Multiple English-speaking countries: Scaling internationally within comfort zone. Growing confidently.

Non-English markets: Aggressive expansion or testing new markets. Likely sophisticated with multi-market experience.

How to spot this:

Look at ad copy language and currency symbols in their ads. If you see ads in multiple languages or showing different currencies, they're running multi-market campaigns.

Check their website's shipping policies and currency options. Stores shipping to 20+ countries are already set up for international growth.

Why this matters:

Stores advertising in multiple markets have:

• Proven their business model works at scale
• Logistics and operations dialed in
• Bigger budgets (multi-market = multiplicative costs)
• Need for sophisticated campaign structure

Your pitch angle: "I saw you're running campaigns in [US/UK/Canada]. Are you struggling with creative localization? We helped [brand] enter [market] and found that small copy tweaks increased conversion rates 34%."

Filter 6: Product Pricing and Unit Economics Signals

The products featured in their Facebook ads reveal everything about their unit economics and acquisition budget.

Analyze what they're advertising:

Low AOV ($20-50): High volume needed to be profitable. Tight margins. Limited agency budget unless they're crushing scale.

Medium AOV ($50-150): Sweet spot for most Facebook advertisers. Healthy margins, reasonable CAC tolerance, good agency prospects.

High AOV ($150-500+): Excellent margins, can afford premium CPAs, likely need sophisticated full-funnel approach.

Multiple product types in ads: Testing what converts best, or have a broad catalog. Indicates optimization mindset.

Bundles and upsells featured: Sophisticated AOV optimization. They understand LTV and are likely great clients.

How to assess:

Look at the products featured most prominently in their ads. Visit their store and check if those products are their hero products or loss leaders.

Check for:

• Subscription options (increases LTV dramatically)
• Bundle offers in ads (shows AOV optimization)
• Upsell funnels on product pages
• Price positioning vs competitors

Why unit economics matter for your agency:

A store advertising $200 skincare sets can afford $80-120 CAC. A store advertising $25 jewelry pieces can maybe afford $15-25 CAC. Your ability to deliver results (and your fees) must align with their economics.

Red flags:

• Advertising only their cheapest products (desperation or poor strategy)
• No clear hero product focus (lack of strategic clarity)
• Price positioning far below competitors (margin pressure)

Filter 7: Tech Stack Integration Signals

The final filter combines Facebook advertising with broader tech sophistication to qualify true growth-stage prospects.

Look for stores running Facebook ads PLUS:

Klaviyo or advanced ESP: They're serious about email marketing and understand multi-channel attribution. They'll appreciate your Facebook strategy feeding their email flows.

Recharge or subscription platform: Recurring revenue model means higher LTV, which means bigger acquisition budgets. Premium prospects.

Yotpo or review platform: They're leveraging social proof and likely using reviews in their ads. Indicates sophistication.

Google Analytics or Segment: They're tracking everything properly. They'll actually measure your agency's impact correctly.

Attentive or SMS platform: Multi-channel marketers with proven playbooks. They want experts, not experimenters.

How to find tech stack data:

Use browser extensions like Wappalyzer or BuiltWith to quickly scan a store's technology. Or use StoreCensus filters to search for stores with Facebook Pixel + specific app combinations.

The power combo for agency prospects:

Shopify store with:

• Facebook Pixel installed ✓
• Klaviyo for email ✓
• 20+ active Facebook ads ✓
• $2M-$10M revenue ✓
• Subscription or consumable products ✓

This is a store that's scaling, sophisticated, profitable, and ready to invest in expert help.

Your outreach: "I noticed you're running Facebook ads for [product] and using Klaviyo for email. Are you syncing your Facebook audiences with your email segments? We helped [brand] increase ROAS 28% by better aligning ad campaigns with email journeys."

Putting All 7 Filters Together: The Qualification Framework

Now let's combine these filters into a systematic qualification process.

Tier 1 Prospects (Your A-List):

• Facebook Pixel installed ✓
• 20-50 active ads with consistent creative refresh
• Ads running continuously for 3+ months
• Advanced creative (UGC, video, variety)
• $2M-$10M revenue range
• $75+ average order value
• Sophisticated tech stack (Klaviyo, subscriptions, analytics)
• Multi-market or scaling signals

Tier 2 Prospects (Your B-List):

• Facebook Pixel installed ✓
• 10-20 active ads
• Some ad consistency (2+ months)
• Intermediate creative quality
• $500K-$2M revenue
• $50-75 average order value
• Basic tech stack with 1-2 advanced apps

Tier 3 Prospects (Maybe List):

• Facebook Pixel installed ✓
• 5-10 active ads
• Sporadic ad presence
• Basic creative
• Under $500K revenue or unclear
• Lower price points
• Minimal tech sophistication

Focus 80% of your outreach energy on Tier 1, 15% on Tier 2, and 5% on Tier 3 (only if you're building case studies or targeting smaller clients intentionally).

The Systematic Discovery Process: Your Weekly Routine

Here's how to turn these filters into a repeatable weekly prospecting system:

Monday: Niche Research (1 hour)

• Pick your target niche for the week
• Search Facebook Ad Library for major brands in that niche
• Document 10-15 category leaders running active ads
• Note their creative approaches, offers, and messaging

Tuesday: Database Filtering (1 hour)

• Use StoreCensus to filter stores in your niche with:
  • Facebook Pixel installed
  • Your target revenue range
  • Active tech stack sophistication signals
• Export list of 50-100 qualifying stores
• Prioritize by ad volume and creative sophistication

Wednesday: Deep Research (2 hours)

• Visit top 25 prospects' Ad Libraries individually
• Count active ads, check creative quality, note ad longevity
• Analyze their current campaigns and identify gaps
• Find decision-makers on LinkedIn
• Score each prospect as Tier 1, 2, or 3

Thursday: Outreach Prep (1 hour)

• Write personalized outreach for top 10 Tier 1 prospects
• Reference specific ads, products, or campaigns
• Identify clear value opportunities
• Prepare custom loom videos for top 5 prospects

Friday: Outreach & Follow-up (1 hour)

• Send personalized outreach
• Follow up on previous week's outreach
• Track responses and book strategy calls
• Update CRM with engagement data

5 hours per week = 40 qualified prospects researched monthly = 10-15 meaningful conversations = 2-4 closed deals

That's the power of systematic filtering.

Advanced: Combining Filters for Laser Targeting

Once you've mastered individual filters, combine them for incredibly specific targeting.

Example scenarios:

Scenario: You're a Facebook ads agency specializing in supplement brands:

• Filter for: Health & Beauty category
• Facebook Pixel installed
• 20-50 active ads
• $2M-$10M revenue
• Klaviyo installed (email sophistication)
• Ads running 3+ months consistently
• Result: 30-40 prime prospects ready for expert optimization

Scenario: You're a creative agency that produces UGC content:

• Filter for: Any niche
• Facebook Pixel installed
• 10+ active ads
• Basic creative quality (opportunity to improve)
• $1M-$5M revenue (can afford production)
• No recent creative refresh (need your help)
• Result: 50-75 stores needing better creative

Scenario: You help brands scale internationally:

• Filter for: US-based stores
• Facebook Pixel installed
• 30+ active ads in US market
• $3M+ revenue (proven model)
• Advanced tech stack (can handle complexity)
• Single-market ads only (ready for expansion)
• Result: 20-30 stores primed for international growth

The more specific your filters, the more relevant your outreach becomes.

Why This Approach Wins Clients Consistently

Let me be honest: most agencies never build a systematic prospecting process.

They rely on referrals, occasional networking, maybe some LinkedIn outreach. When the pipeline dries up, they panic and start spray-and-pray cold emailing.

This filtering approach is different because it's:

Repeatable: Run the same process every week and generate consistent qualified leads

Data-driven: You're making decisions based on observable signals, not gut feel

Qualification-focused: You're only spending time on prospects who can actually afford you and need what you offer

Personalization-enabled: Because you can analyze their current ads, your outreach is genuinely customized

Scalable: Start with 10 prospects per week, scale to 50, then 100 as you refine your process

Most importantly: you're targeting purchase intent, not educating cold prospects. Every store on your list has already committed to Facebook advertising. You're just showing them how to do it better.

Ready to Build Your Active Ad Spender Pipeline?

You now have all 7 filters: Pixel installation, ad volume, ad consistency, creative sophistication, geographic signals, unit economics, and tech stack integration.

But filters are just the foundation. The real power comes from combining them systematically, layering in deep research, and crafting outreach that references their actual campaigns.

→ Want the complete systematic process for finding and qualifying Shopify stores running Facebook ads?

Check out the comprehensive guide on finding shops using Facebook ads. You'll get:

• Advanced filtering techniques for every agency type
• Ad spend sophistication scoring frameworks
• Ready-made outreach templates that reference specific ads
• CRM tracking systems for managing your pipeline
• Real examples of winning pitches to active advertisers

Stop wasting time on stores that have never run ads. Start systematically targeting proven ad spenders who are ready to invest in optimization.

Your next 10 clients are already running Facebook ads. Now you know exactly how to find them.