A Strategic Guide to Creating and Running Meta Ads

For marketing managers seeking clarity and efficiency in their campaigns, this guide simplifies the process of creating and managing Meta ads using Facebook Ads Manager. From setting up accounts to optimising performance, this guide ensures you can confidently execute campaigns that align with your business goals.

1. Setting Up Your Ad Account

To begin, log in to Facebook Ads Manager and prepare your ad account. Navigate to Business Settings and select Accounts > Ad Accounts, where you can:

• Add an existing account by entering the Ad Account ID.
• Request access to another organisation’s ad account.
• Create a new account specifically for your business needs.

Proper account setup ensures smooth collaboration and billing, providing a solid foundation for all campaigns.

2. Choosing Buying Types

Meta offers two buying methods, each suited to distinct strategies:

• Auction Buying:
  • Ideal for dynamic, scalable campaigns.
  • Ads compete in real-time auctions, offering flexibility.
  • Available placements: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network.
• Reservation Buying:
  • Perfect for campaigns requiring fixed schedules and predictable reach.
  • Placements are limited to Facebook and Instagram.

Understanding these options helps ensure your buying method aligns with your campaign goals and budget requirements.

3. Setting a Campaign Objective

Meta provides six campaign objectives to match various marketing goals:

• Awareness: Increase brand visibility.
• Traffic: Drive users to a website or app.
• Engagement: Boost interactions like likes or comments.
• Leads: Collect customer information through forms or calls.
• App Promotion: Increase app instals or engagement.
• Sales: Drive purchases or conversions.

Choose the objective that aligns with your desired outcome to ensure optimal performance.

4. Defining Campaign Structure and Naming

After selecting your objective, create a clear and consistent naming convention to improve campaign organisation and collaboration.

• Example: Objective_Audience_Platform_Date (e.g., Traffic_UK_Instagram_1224).
  Well-structured campaigns simplify reporting and enable team members to track performance effectively.

5. Ad Category Compliance

Declare your ad category when creating campaigns in regulated sectors, such as:

• Housing
• Employment
• Credit
• Social Issues

Compliance with Meta’s policies ensures your ads adhere to regional regulations, reducing the risk of rejection or penalties.

6. Customising Audiences

Targeting the right audience is key to campaign success. Meta’s options include:

• Manual Settings: Refine by location, age, and language.
• Advantage+ Audience: Leverages AI and past campaign data to dynamically target high-potential users.

By aligning your audience strategy with campaign goals, you improve relevance and ROI.

7. Establishing a Budget and Schedule

Meta allows for two budgeting methods:

• Daily Budget: Sets a maximum spend per day for consistent pacing.
• Lifetime Budget: Establishes total spend over the campaign’s duration, allowing for flexible pacing.

Pair your budget with a schedule that targets peak activity times for your audience, maximising visibility and engagement.

8. Ad Placements and Platforms

Select where your ads will appear:

• Manual Placements: Choose specific locations such as Feeds, Stories, or Reels.
• Advantage+ Placements: Enable Meta’s AI to optimise placements dynamically across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network.

Additionally, select the Meta platforms (e.g., Facebook or Instagram) most relevant to your audience and campaign objective.

9. Designing Creatives and Formats

Meta supports diverse ad formats tailored to specific goals:

• Single Image/Video: Best for straightforward messages or product highlights.
• Carousel: Showcase multiple products or tell a story.
• Collection: Mobile-first, full-screen shopping experiences.

Use Meta’s Creative Hub to test and optimise visuals and copy before launching. Ensure creatives align with both your audience’s preferences and platform standards.

10. Adding Media, Copy, and Destinations

Upload high-quality creative assets and tailor your ad copy to each platform. Choose your ad’s destination based on your campaign goals:

• Instant Experience: Interactive, full-screen mobile content.
• Website Links: Include UTM parameters for tracking.
• Direct Messaging: Engage users via Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp.

This step ensures a seamless user journey and strengthens campaign performance.

11. Enabling Advanced Features

Meta offers tools to optimise your campaign performance:

• A/B Testing: Compare variables such as creative elements, audiences, or placements to determine what works best.
• Advantage+ Campaign Budget: Automate budget distribution across ad sets, maximising results by focusing on high-performing ads.

Both features leverage AI and insights to refine campaign strategies and improve ROI.

12. Publishing and Monitoring Performance

Once your campaign is ready, click “Publish” to submit it for review. Meta typically approves ads within 24 hours, ensuring compliance with guidelines.
After launch, use Ads Manager to track key performance indicators such as:

• CTR (Click-Through Rate)
• CPC (Cost Per Click)
• ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)

Regular monitoring allows for data-driven adjustments, ensuring your campaign meets its objectives and delivers measurable results.

By following these 12 steps, marketing managers can confidently execute Meta ad campaigns, maximising reach, engagement, and conversions while maintaining full control over their strategy and budget.

If you need assistance with meta ads get in touch with us today for a chat!