Run Facebook & Instagram ads
Meta campaigns run across Facebook and Instagram simultaneously, reaching your audience on both platforms with a single setup. This article walks you through creating and launching a Meta campaign from start to finish.
Who this is for
All users (Agency and SMB). Available on all plans. If your campaign involves housing, employment, or credit, read Set up Special Ad Categories before you begin.
Before you begin
- Your Meta (Facebook) ad account is connected. If not, see Connect Meta (Facebook & Instagram).
- Brand context is set up for this workspace. The AI uses it to generate ad copy and creatives. See Set up brand context.
- Your Facebook pixel is connected if you want to run conversion or retargeting campaigns. See Create and connect a Facebook pixel.
- You have at least one image, video, or URL ready — or plan to generate creatives with AI.
Steps
- Open the Advertise tab from the top navigation and click Meta. Facebook and Instagram placements are included automatically.
- Select your campaign goal. The most common goals for Meta are:
- Leads — collect contact info via an instant lead form
- Messages — get people to message you on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp
- Traffic — send people to a website, landing page, or app
- Sales / Conversions — drive purchases or sign-ups (requires pixel)
- Add your ad creative. You have two options:
- Upload your own: Add images or video. Using both square and portrait formats is recommended to cover all Meta placements (Feed, Stories, Reels).
- Generate with AI: Click Generate creative and describe your ad. The platform uses your brand context to create on-brand visuals and copy.
- Set up your audience:
- Interests: Add relevant interest categories to reach people likely to care about your offer.
- Custom audiences: Use a saved audience, retargeting list, or lookalike audience if available.
- Location: Country, region, city, or radius around an address.
- Age and gender: Narrow if you have a clear demographic; leave broad for AI-driven delivery.
- Add your destination based on the goal you selected:
- Traffic / Sales: Enter your destination URL. Make sure the page loads correctly and matches the ad's promise.
- Leads: Select or create a lead form.
- Messages: Set up your message conversation flow.
- Set your budget:
- Enter a daily budget — the maximum amount spent per day.
- Meta recommends a minimum of $5–10/day to give the algorithm enough data to optimize delivery.
- Click Launch campaign. The campaign is submitted to Meta for review.
Expected result
After clicking Launch, your campaign status changes to In Review. Meta typically reviews ads within a few minutes to 24 hours. Once approved, the status changes to Active and the campaign begins spending. You'll start seeing impressions in your campaign dashboard once delivery begins.
Common issues
- Campaign stuck on "In Review" for over 24 hours: This is unusual. Check the campaign for any policy issues (restricted content, prohibited claims, missing disclosures). See Why your ad was blocked by Meta.
- Campaign is Active but not spending: Your budget may be too low for your audience size, or the audience is too narrow. See My ad isn't spending — what's wrong?
- Ad rejected: Meta will notify you of the reason. Common causes are prohibited claims, low-quality creative, or missing Special Ad Category settings. See Why your ad was blocked by Meta.
- Creative not generating: Make sure brand context is set up. Without it, the AI has no reference to generate from. See Set up brand context.
- Facebook and Instagram account not appearing: Your ad account may not be connected or may have a permission issue. See Why your page or account doesn't appear.
Related articles
- Choose the right campaign goal
- Edit a live campaign
- My ad isn't spending — what's wrong?
- How Optimize for Me works