Set up before
you spend.
Most ad problems start here. Tick these off once and every campaign after this is easier. Your progress saves in this browser.
Pick the goal you
actually want.
Meta gives you exactly what you ask for. Ask for clicks and you get people who click. Ask for leads and you get people who fill in forms. Choose the objective that matches the result you want, not the one that looks cheapest.
Get seen by lots of people
Shows your ad to as many people as possible for the lowest cost.
Use it for a new account or a launch you want people to recognise.
Send people to a page
Finds people likely to click through to your website or profile.
Use it for content or blog posts, not for sales.
Grow likes, views and messages
Finds people likely to watch, comment, follow or send a DM.
Use it to boost a reel or start DM conversations.
Collect emails or sign ups
Finds people likely to fill in a form or sign up on your site.
Use it for a free download, taster or waitlist. You get more results to learn from on a small budget.
Get purchases
Finds people likely to buy, using your pixel to learn who converts.
Use it once your pixel tracks purchases and your offer is proven.
Get app installs
Finds people likely to install and use your app.
Only for app owners. Skip it otherwise.
Build your campaign
in three layers.
Every Meta ad has three levels. Get each one right and the rest takes care of itself.
Campaign
- Objective. The goal you chose in step 2.
- Name it clearly. For example, Leads, Free taster, Nov.
- Advantage+ campaign budget. Turn it on to let Meta share one budget across your ad sets.
- Special ad category. Only tick this for credit, jobs, housing or politics.
Ad set
- Conversion location. Usually Website. Pick your pixel and the event you want, like Lead.
- Budget and schedule. Your daily budget. Use the calculator in step 4.
- Audience. Start broad with Advantage+ audience. Set location and age, and let Meta find your people.
- Placements. Keep Advantage+ placements on so your ad can show across Facebook, Instagram, Reels and Stories.
Ad
- Format. Video or image. Upload 4:5 for feeds and 9:16 for Reels and Stories.
- Primary text. Lead with the result. Keep the first line short.
- Headline and button. Say what they get. Pick a clear button like Sign up or Learn more.
- Tracking. Add URL parameters so you can see ad traffic in your analytics.
utm_source=meta&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{ad.name}}Work out your
budget.
Meta learns who to show your ad to from the results it gets. It works best with around 50 results a week. Enter your budget and the most you'd pay for each result to see what you could get.
How do I choose this? +
Selling something? Never pay more for a sale than you make from it. If a sale earns you $20, keep your limit well under $20. Collecting sign ups? Pick an amount you'd happily pay for a new email or follower.
When you set up your ad set and enter a budget, Meta shows Estimated daily results on the right. Divide your daily budget by that number to see if your limit is realistic.
After 3 to 4 days, look at Cost per result in Ads Manager. If it's under your limit, great. If it's over, test new creative before raising your limit.
In your ad set, open Bid strategy and choose Cost per result goal, then enter your number. Meta aims to keep your average cost around it. Meta advises a daily budget of at least 5 times this goal, so $5 a sign up means at least $25 a day.
Test first.
Then scale.
The biggest difference between ads that work and ads that don't is usually the creative. Test a few ideas, keep the winner, then grow it slowly.
Launch 3 to 5 ads
One campaign, one ad set, several different hooks or videos. Change the idea, not just the colour.
Hands off
Don't edit anything. Big edits can restart the learning phase. Check it's spending, and leave it.
Turn off the losers
Pause ads with a high cost per result and few clicks. Keep the ones bringing results at a cost you're happy with.
Scale gently
Raise your budget a little at a time, every few days, rather than doubling it overnight. Keep adding new ads to test.
Read your
results.
You don't need to watch every number. These are the ones that tell you what to fix. Compare each ad against your other ads, rather than against someone else's results.
What you pay for each lead or sale. If it's too high, test new creative before changing anything else.
3 second video plays divided by impressions. Low? Your first frame and first line need work.
How many people click. Low? Make the offer clearer or the benefit stronger.
Results divided by link clicks. Lots of clicks but few sign ups? The page needs fixing, not the ad.
How many times each person has seen your ad. If it climbs and results drop, it's time for fresh creative.
What you pay for 1,000 views. It changes with season and competition, so don't panic over small swings.
Tips for AI
content creators.
Win the first 3 seconds
Open on the result, not the setup. Show the finished video, the transformation or the payoff straight away, with the words on screen.
Make it feel native
Ads that look like normal Reels usually beat polished ads. Talking to camera, UGC style and simple captions work well.
Be upfront about AI
Meta adds an AI info label to ads it detects as made or heavily changed with AI. Label your work "Made with AI" yourself too. It builds trust.
Add captions
Lots of people scroll with the sound off. Burn in captions so your message lands either way.
Keep text in the safe zone
Keep key words away from the top and bottom edges of 9:16 videos, where the profile name, caption and buttons sit.
Match the ad to the page
Use the same words, look and promise on your landing page as in your ad. People leave fast when it feels different.
Refresh your creative
Even great ads wear out. Plan to add a few new ads regularly, and reuse your best hooks with new visuals.
Never fake proof
Don't make up reviews, results or AI people pretending to be real customers. It breaks Meta's rules and costs you trust.