Creating effective ad campaigns that generate leads and increase website traffic is important for business growth. With Ad Manager, you can create, manage, and optimise Facebook and Instagram Ads to reach your target audience. The tool provides a simple three-step setup, so you can launch campaigns that align with your business objectives. This article walks you through the prerequisites, setup process, and optimisation strategies for Ad Manager.

Connecting Facebook Pages

To get started with Ad Manager, connect your Facebook pages within the Marketing > Ad Manager section. Ad Manager supports connecting several Facebook pages, giving you centralised campaign management.

Once your Facebook page is connected, create a new ad campaign by selecting the 'Get Started' button.

If you've already integrated your account, click the Create Campaign button on the Ad Manager home page to begin.

Next, select the Meta Campaign option.

Choose whether to create the campaign from scratch or use an existing template, then click "Next".

Ad content creation follows a three-tier structure:

  • Campaign Level
  • Ad Set Level
  • Ad Level

Each level has its own configuration process, allowing for more organised and targeted ad management.

Campaign Level Setup

Name

Start by giving your campaign a unique, descriptive name.

Objective

The first step in building a Facebook and Instagram Ads campaign is selecting a goal that aligns with your business or brand objectives. Whether your goal is lead generation, website traffic, engagement, or sales, Ad Manager has the tools to achieve it. For lead generation, you can integrate Facebook forms; either create new ones or use existing forms. If your objective is website traffic, you can drive visitors directly to your landing page. You can also create and run Meta Ads that drive engagement or sales through messaging apps.

📌 Note: Special considerations apply for campaigns related to employment, housing, credit, politics, and online gaming or gambling.

Special Ad Category

If your ad falls under special categories, select the appropriate category from the list to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations, which helps the campaign review process go smoothly.

Click the "+New ad set" button to create up to 10 ad sets.

📌Note: The system generates one by default.

Ad Set Level Setup

Ad Set Name

Enter a unique name to identify the ad set easily.

Pages

Choose a Facebook and Instagram account for your ad. If an Instagram account isn't connected, the ad will use your Facebook Page name, profile picture, description, and follower count.

Conversion Location

Select where you'd like users to submit their information: on your website, through an instant form on Facebook or Instagram, or both. This setting determines how and where your leads are collected, so you can align the process with your campaign strategy.

Dataset (Pixel) selection is required for Website and Hybrid setups, so you can track user activity and measure performance. The Conversion Event dropdown lets you define the specific action to be tracked for both Website and Hybrid options. The Destination URL field is also required for these setups and determines where users are directed after interacting with your ad.

Placements

Placements determine where your ads will appear. You can opt for automatic placements, which maximise results across default placements based on your budget, or manual placements, where you select specific locations for your ads to ensure brand safety and optimisation. In the manual placement section, you'll see all available placements.

Budget

Specify the average amount you want to spend on this ad campaign by choosing either a daily or lifetime budget. Charges are billed to the card associated with your Meta Ad account.

Geography

Tailor your campaign to specific locations or exclude certain areas within a country or state. Choosing a broader geographic area for your ads can improve campaign performance. For instance, targeting an entire country rather than multiple specific cities can help optimise your reach and results.

📌Note: Ads targeting restricted regions (Australia–Financial Services, Taiwan–Universal, Singapore–Universal, or Worldwide, including these regions) are blocked by Meta.

Optional Settings

Further refine your campaign with specific options for interest, gender, language, and age group in the Target Interests section.

You can also select up to 15 lookalike audiences from the dropdown to use as your target audience.

Alternatively, select up to 15 retargeting audiences from the Retargeting dropdown to use as your target audience.

If you selected the Sales or Engagement Objective, choose a conversion location from Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct, or WhatsApp.

Click the three dots associated with the ad set to create up to 10 ads.

📌Note: The system generates one by default.

Ad Level Setup

Ad Name

Give your ad a descriptive name in this field.

The steps will depend on your campaign objective.

  • Lead Generation: Select an existing Facebook lead form or create a new one from the dropdown menu, then choose a Call-to-Action (CTA) button from the Select Button dropdown.

  • Website Traffic: Enter the landing page for users who click your ad, then select a CTA Button from the Select Button dropdown.

  • Engagement and Sales: You may either create a new conversation form or use an existing one, then configure the CTA button.

Ad Text & Media

Craft compelling ads by adding primary text (recommended 125 characters) and rich media such as images (up to 30MB) or videos (up to 1GB). You can also enable Multi-Advertiser Ads, an advertising format that lets multiple advertisers display their products or services within a single ad space.

Upload a single image or video by selecting the "Single" option, or multiple media by selecting the "Carousel" option, within the Media Type section. The carousel option lets you upload a combination of images or videos to create a more dynamic experience for your audience.

A headline for each image is required; you'll be alerted if one is missing. Each piece of media will have its own headline and description.

You can also add a description for the media in the provided field. The recommended length is up to 30 characters, keeping it concise and readable while giving additional context for the image or video.

If you're using the carousel option, you can reorder uploaded images to match the display sequence you want. This gives you flexibility to arrange the images in the intended order for the best viewer experience.

The details of each image are visible on the preview screen. As you select an image on the left, it's reflected in the preview screen on the right, so you can review and adjust your selections before finalising the ad.

Review and Publish

After configuring your campaign, review all details, including aesthetics, media, content, budget, and other options.

Use Advanced Preview to see how your ad will appear across multiple placements, including Feed, Stories, Reels, and more.

When you're happy with everything, click publish to launch your campaign.

Once published, you can return to the Ad Level, where you'll find the option to generate a shareable preview link. Clicking it copies the link to your clipboard, so you can share it with others. Opening the link displays a Meta-hosted preview interface showing how your ad appears across the selected placements.

Analysing Performance

Once your campaign is live, you can monitor its performance in the Statistics section. Key metrics such as Cost per Click (CPC), impressions, and ad spend are displayed.

Ad Campaign Optimisation

Ad Manager also offers tools for optimising your campaigns. For example, you can create new conversion pixels through Ad Manager > Settings > Conversions. This lets you track and optimise conversions based on funnel or lead events. You can also set up workflow automation to enhance conversions for form submissions, chat widgets, and other activities. To ensure data is sent successfully to Meta for conversion tracking, include the fbclid parameter in your URL.

By following the steps in this article, you can set up, monitor, and optimise your ad campaigns to drive better results and higher conversions. Whether you want to generate leads or increase website traffic, Ad Manager has the tools you need.

✍️Important Notes

The conversion location cannot be changed after publication due to platform limitations. Instant Forms is retained as the default for backward compatibility, and reporting automatically adjusts based on the selected conversion location.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are "regional regulated categories" under Meta?

  • These are categories or regions where Meta enforces stricter ad policy rules (for example, certain countries or categories require verification, disclosure, or may be outright disallowed through certain platforms). Because of limitations in Meta's API, these regions/categories are not supported through the platform for now.

Q: Which regions are currently restricted due to Meta's rules?

  • Australia (Financial Services): "AUSTRALIA\_FINSERV"
  • Taiwan (universal ads): "TAIWAN\_UNIVERSAL"
  • Singapore (universal ads): "SINGAPORE\_UNIVERSAL"

Also, when "Worldwide" targeting is selected, it may trigger the restriction logic.

Q: What happens if I try to set up an ad targeting those restricted regions?

  • You'll see a clear error message letting you know the region isn't supported under the current integration due to Meta's restrictions. This prevents you from proceeding with a campaign setup that would ultimately be rejected.