The Sales objective in Meta Ads is designed to drive conversions on both your website and messaging apps. This lets you optimise your ad campaigns by choosing the most effective conversion location on your website or via Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct, or WhatsApp. This guide walks you through setting up a Sales objective campaign, answers common questions, and covers troubleshooting tips to help your campaigns deliver results.

Best Practices for Maximising Sales

Before we start, here are a few tips to help you get the most from your campaigns:

  • Use high-quality creatives to boost engagement.
  • Retarget visitors or engaged users to drive conversions.
  • Optimise your campaign for mobile, as most Meta Ads traffic comes from mobile devices.
  • Test and iterate to continuously improve campaign performance.

How to Set Up a Sales Objective Campaign

Head to Marketing > Ad Manager in your account and click the "+ Create Campaign" button to get started.

Next, select the Meta Campaign option.

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

Campaign Level Setup

Name

Give your campaign a unique, descriptive name.

Select the Ad Objective

Next, choose "Sales" as your campaign objective.

Add categories if applicable.

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

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 easily identify the ad set.

Choose a Facebook Page & Instagram Account

Select your business's Facebook page and associated Instagram account (if applicable).

You'll then be asked to select a Conversion Location.

Choosing "Website" lets you track purchases, sign-ups, or other actions, while the "Messaging Apps" option (Messenger, Instagram Direct, or WhatsApp) encourages direct interactions.

Set Up Conversion Tracking

If you have chosen the website option, ensure the Meta Pixel is installed, and select your conversion event (e.g., Purchase, Add to Cart).

Otherwise, choose your app(s) and set up automated responses to guide users to conversion.

📌Note: Instagram messaging won't be eligible for direct ads without a connected Instagram account.

Placements

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

Budget

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

Geography

Tailor your campaign to specific locations, or exclude certain areas within a country or state. Targeting a broader area can improve campaign performance; for instance, targeting an entire country rather than several 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 within 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.

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

Give your ad a descriptive name in the Ad Name field.

If you chose the Website conversion location in the Ad set level, enter the destination URL in the field provided.

Otherwise, select a conversation form to be used with your messaging apps.

After completing the steps above, select an ad format (Single Image/Video or Carousel) and upload creative assets, including a compelling Call-to-Action (CTA).

Review & Publish

Once you've completed each section, head to the Review and Publish section to check your settings. Make sure everything lines up with your goals, then click Publish to launch your campaign.

Once your campaign is live, monitor conversions through Meta Pixel and check performance in Ad Manager. Use what you learn to refine and optimise your campaign by adjusting your budget, creatives, or audience targeting as needed.

Follow these steps and use the Sales objective well, and you'll be set up to drive conversions and grow your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I track conversions on my website?

  • Install Meta Pixel to track events like purchases or add-to-cart actions.

Q: Can I use both Website and Messaging Apps in one campaign?

  • No, you must choose one conversion location per campaign.

Q: Do I need extra code for Messaging Apps?

  • No, but ensure messaging apps are set up correctly to track interactions.

Troubleshooting Tips

Website Conversions Not Tracking

  • Ensure Meta Pixel is installed correctly and firing on the right pages. Use the Pixel Helper tool to verify.

Messaging App Conversions Not Tracking

  • Confirm messaging apps are set up and linked to your business account.

Campaign Not Delivering

  • Adjust your budget, refine your audience targeting, or test new creatives.

Low Conversion Rates

  • Optimise your landing page, refine your targeting, and refresh ad creatives.