Meta Ads: Complete Facebook & Instagram Ads Guide

With over 3 billion monthly active users, Meta (Facebook and Instagram) offers unmatched reach.

Unlike Google Ads which responds to intent, Meta Ads creates demand. You reach people who aren't looking for you yet, but who match your target.

This guide gives you all the keys to create effective Meta Ads campaigns, from targeting to optimization.

Understand where your ads appear.

Facebook

- News Feed

- Stories

- Reels

- Marketplace

- Right column

- Search results

Instagram

- Feed

- Stories

- Reels

- Explore

Audience Network

Partner apps and sites

Messenger

- Inbox

- Stories

Account Structure

Campaign > Ad Set > Ads

Business Manager

Use Business Manager to:

- Manage multiple accounts

- Collaborate with agencies

- Access advanced tools

Choose the objective that matches your business goal.

Awareness

- Reach: maximum people reached

- Brand awareness: people likely to remember

For: brand launch, event

Consideration

- Traffic: visits to your site

- Engagement: likes, comments, shares

- App installs

- Video views

- Lead generation (native forms)

- Messages

For: engagement, consideration, leads

Conversion

- Conversions: actions on your site

- Catalog sales: dynamic e-commerce

- Store visits

For: direct sales, qualified leads

Tip

Start with the objective closest to your end goal. If you want sales, choose Conversions, not Traffic.

Targeting is Meta Ads' strength.

Core Audiences

- Demographics: age, gender, location

- Interests: hobbies, pages followed, behaviors

- Behaviors: purchases, travel, devices

Custom Audiences

Based on your data:

- Site visitors (pixel)

- Customer list (emails)

- Engagement (videos watched, interactions)

- App users

Lookalike Audiences

Meta finds people similar to:

- Your existing customers

- Your best converters

- Your engaged users

Vary size: 1% (precise) to 10% (broad)

Targeting Strategy

- Broad for volume

- Precise for quality

- Lookalikes for balance

- Retargeting for conversion

Exclusions

Exclude:

- Existing customers (except upsell)

- Competitors

- Irrelevant people

On Meta, visuals do 80% of the work.

Fundamental Principles

- Capture attention in 1-2 seconds

- Clear message immediately understandable

- Native format (don't look like "ads")

- Mobile-first (90% of traffic)

Types of Creatives

- Static images: simple, clear

- Carousels: show multiple products/benefits

- Videos: maximum engagement

- Stories/Reels: vertical format, native

- UGC: authentic testimonials

Visual Best Practices

- Little text on image

- Colors that stand out from feed

- Human faces (engagement +)

- Product in action

- Before/after if relevant

Copywriting

- Hook in first line

- Benefits before features

- Social proof if possible

- Clear CTA

- Emojis in moderation

Creative Testing

Continuously test:

- Different angles

- Images vs videos

- UGC vs product

- Different CTAs

Choose the format suited to your message.

Single Image

Simple and effective for:

- Clear offers

- Single products

- Direct messages

Format: 1080×1080 (feed) or 1080×1920 (stories)

Video

Maximum engagement for:

- Product demos

- Testimonials

- Storytelling

Duration: 15-30s optimal (stories: 15s max)

Carousel

Up to 10 cards for:

- Multiple products

- Process steps

- Different benefits

- Sequential storytelling

Collection

Immersive experience for:

- E-commerce

- Product catalog

- Native shopping

Lead Ads

Native forms for:

- Lead generation

- Sign-ups

- Quote requests

Advantage: no landing page needed

Stories/Reels Ads

Full-screen vertical format for:

- Strong visual impact

- Young targeting

- Short messages

Without tracking, you're flying blind.

The Meta Pixel

Script to install on your site for:

- Tracking conversions

- Creating retargeting audiences

- Optimizing campaigns

Events to Track

- PageView: page visit

- ViewContent: product page viewed

- AddToCart: cart addition

- InitiateCheckout: checkout start

- Purchase: purchase (with value)

- Lead: form submitted

Conversions API

In addition to pixel (server-side):

- More reliable (iOS 14+)

- Better attribution

- More complete data

iOS 14 and Privacy

Apple restrictions limit tracking. Solutions:

- Conversions API mandatory

- Verified domain

- Priority events configured (8 max)

UTM Parameters

Add UTMs to track in Google Analytics:

?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=name

Continuous optimization makes the difference.

Learning Phase

- 50 conversions/week per ad set

- Don't modify during this phase

- Patience needed

Key Metrics

- CTR: > 1% in feed (good)

- CPC: varies by industry

- CPM: cost per 1000 impressions

- ROAS: return on ad spend

- Frequency: < 3 ideally

Budget Optimization

- CBO (Campaign Budget Optimization)

- Let Meta distribute budget

- Minimum $5/day per ad set

Scaling

To increase results:

- Horizontal: duplicate winning ad sets

- Vertical: increase budget (20%/day max)

- New creatives regularly

Ad Fatigue

When frequency rises and results drop:

- New visuals

- New audiences

- New hooks

A/B Testing

- One element per test

- Sufficient budget

- Minimum 7 days duration

Meta Ads can generate excellent results with the right approach.

Launch Checklist

- [ ] Business Manager configured

- [ ] Pixel installed and tested

- [ ] Conversions API if possible

- [ ] Appropriate campaign objective

- [ ] Audiences defined (core + custom + lookalike)

- [ ] 3-5 varied creatives

- [ ] Texts with different hooks

- [ ] Budget and bidding defined

- [ ] UTMs configured

Mistakes to Avoid

- Targeting too broad or too precise

- Only one creative

- Budget too low

- Changes during learning

- No tracking

- Ignoring mobile

Going Further

- Meta Blueprint (free training)

- Specialized communities

- Trend monitoring

Meta advertising requires creativity and analysis. Our team can create and manage campaigns optimized for your specific goals.