Updated: August 28, 20251 min read

How to set up ads on Facebook

This comprehensive guide will walk you through setting up ads on Facebook from start to finish. Whether you're new to Facebook advertising or looking to enhance your existing knowledge, you'll learn the exact steps needed to create effective campaigns that reach your target audience.

What Is set up ads on Facebook?

Facebook Advertising is a powerful platform that allows businesses to reach over 2.8 billion monthly active users with highly targeted messaging. It involves creating campaigns within Facebook Ads Manager, defining objectives, audiences, placements, and creative elements to achieve specific business goals.

Why It Matters

Effective Facebook ad setup is critical for digital marketing success in 2025. With organic reach continuing to decline, paid advertising is often the most reliable way to reach your audience on the platform. Proper setup ensures your budget is spent efficiently and your ads reach the right people at the right time.

Step-by-Step Guide to set up ads on Facebook

1. Create a Facebook Business Manager Account

Start by setting up Business Manager at business.facebook.com. This centralized dashboard will house your Pages, ad accounts, and assets. Complete your business information and verify your account for full functionality.

2. Set Up Your Ad Account

Within Business Manager, create a new ad account or add an existing one. Configure your payment method, business details, and assign appropriate user roles and permissions to team members.

3. Install the Facebook Pixel

Implement the Facebook Pixel on your website for conversion tracking and audience building. This small piece of code lets you measure cross-device conversions and create optimized audiences based on website behavior.

4. Create Your First Campaign

In Ads Manager, click 'Create' and select your campaign objective (awareness, consideration, or conversion). Name your campaign, set your budget (daily or lifetime), and choose optional features like A/B testing or campaign budget optimization.

5. Define Your Target Audience

Build your audience using demographics, interests, behaviors, and connections. Consider using Custom Audiences (from your customer data) or Lookalike Audiences based on your best customers. The narrower your targeting, the higher your costs may be, so find the right balance.

6. Set Placements and Budget

Choose where your ads will appear: Facebook News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc. For beginners, 'Automatic Placements' is recommended. Set your budget and scheduling parameters, then adjust your bid strategy based on your goals.

7. Create Your Ad Creative

Design your ad with compelling images/videos, attention-grabbing headlines, concise primary text, and clear calls-to-action. Follow Facebook's guidelines for image sizes, text ratio, and content policies to avoid rejections.

8. Review and Launch

Carefully review all campaign elements before launching. Check for spelling errors, broken links, and tracking setup. Submit your ads for Facebook's review process, which typically takes a few hours but can sometimes take up to 24 hours.

Pro Tips for set up ads on Facebook

Expert Recommendations

Based on industry best practices and our team's experience

• Use high-quality square videos (1:1 ratio) for maximum feed real estate • Include captions on videos as 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound • Test multiple ad variations within the same campaign to identify winners • Keep your primary text under 125 characters for optimal mobile display • Use Facebook's Creative Hub to preview how your ads will look before launching • Always include a clear call-to-action button that aligns with your campaign objective • Avoid making frequent edits to active ads as this resets the learning phase • Set up automated rules to pause underperforming ads and increase budget for winners

Frequently Asked Questions About set up ads on Facebook

What's the minimum budget needed for Facebook ads?

While you can technically start with as little as $1/day, a practical minimum is $10-20 daily per ad set to gather meaningful data. For competitive industries, $20-50 daily per ad set is recommended to achieve sufficient delivery and conversion data.

How long does Facebook's ad approval process take?

Most ads are reviewed within 24 hours, with many approved in just a few hours. Complex industries like health, finance, or political content may take longer. Plan ahead by submitting ads at least a day before you want them to run.

Should I use Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO)?

CBO works well when you have multiple ad sets with similar conversion costs. It automatically distributes budget to the best-performing ad sets. For new campaigns or when testing very different audiences, it's often better to control budgets manually at the ad set level initially.

What image sizes work best for Facebook ads?

The recommended image size is 1080 × 1080 pixels (1:1 square ratio) for feed placements. For image quality, use PNG files for graphics and high-resolution JPGs for photographs. Keep the file size under 30MB and ensure text occupies less than 20% of the image.

How can I reduce my Facebook ad costs?

Improve your ad relevance score by creating highly targeted ads for specific audiences. Use engaging creative that prompts interactions, optimize for the right objective, schedule ads during high-engagement times, and regularly refresh creative to prevent ad fatigue.

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