Welcome to the “Online Advertising – Facebook & Instagram Ads” micro-course. This course provides comprehensive guidance on creating, managing, and optimizing advertising campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. Gain practical skills required to effectively target your audience, maximize engagement, and achieve your marketing goals.

Key Learning Points

• Understanding the benefits and capabilities of Facebook and Instagram Ads.
• Setting up your advertising account on Meta Ads Manager.
• Creating targeted advertising campaigns.
• Developing compelling ad creatives and copy.
• Budgeting strategically and managing ad spend effectively.
• Monitoring ad performance and optimizing campaigns.

Welcome to the first lesson on Facebook and Instagram Ads! This lesson will introduce you to the powerful advertising platforms offered by Facebook and Instagram, providing you with the foundational knowledge required to set up and manage effective ad campaigns.

Overview of Facebook and Instagram Advertising Platforms

Facebook and Instagram offer robust platforms for businesses of all sizes to connect with their target audiences. These platforms allow precise targeting, varied ad formats, and measurable results, making them highly effective tools for achieving your business objectives.

Advantages of Using Facebook & Instagram Ads

• Massive Reach: Access a large, diverse audience across both platforms.
• Precise Targeting: Utilize extensive demographic, behavioral, and interest-based targeting to reach specific audience segments.
• Cost Efficiency: Manage your budget effectively with cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) pricing models.
• Detailed Analytics: Access real-time data to analyze ad performance and optimize your strategy continuously.

Distinct Ad Formats Available

• Photo Ads: Simple yet impactful, suitable for showcasing products or services visually.
• Video Ads: Engaging format ideal for demonstrating product features or storytelling.
• Carousel Ads: Interactive ads allowing users to swipe through multiple images or videos in a single ad, highlighting various products or features.
• Story Ads: Full-screen immersive ads that create a personalized experience, ideal for promotions and flash sales.
• Reels Ads: Short-form videos designed for higher engagement and organic discovery.

Overview of Targeting Options

• Demographic Targeting: Specify audience based on age, gender, education, job title, and more.
• Interest-Based Targeting: Reach users based on their interests, hobbies, or the pages they like.
• Behavioral Targeting: Target users based on specific actions such as purchase history, device usage, or travel patterns.
• Retargeting: Re-engage visitors who previously interacted with your website, social media pages, or previous ads.

Preparing for Your First Campaign

• Clearly define your campaign goals (e.g., brand awareness, lead generation, sales).
• Research and outline your target audience based on your ideal customer profile.
• Choose the most effective ad formats aligned with your campaign objectives and audience preferences.
• Set an initial advertising budget and determine your bidding strategy based on your goals.

With this comprehensive understanding of Facebook and Instagram Ads, you’re now prepared to confidently create your first advertising campaigns and achieve measurable results.

Welcome to Lesson 2! In this lesson, you’ll learn how to create and configure your Meta Ad Account within your Meta Business Portfolio—a vital step for managing effective Facebook and Instagram advertising campaigns.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• A personal Facebook profile (for administrative access).
• A Facebook Business Page stored in your Meta Business Portfolio.

If you haven’t created your Meta Business Portfolio and Business Page, pause here and complete Module 6 – Create & Manage a Facebook Business Page for Your Business before continuing.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Access or Create Your Meta Business Portfolio

1. Go to business.facebook.com.
2. Click “Create Business Portfolio” (or log in if you already have one).
3. Enter your business details, including the business name, your name, and your work email address.
4. Click Create.

Step 2: Link Your Facebook Business Page (and Instagram Business Profile)

1. Navigate to Accounts → Pages in your Business Portfolio.
2. Click Add → Add existing Page (or Create Page if you don’t have one yet).
3. (Optional but recommended) Navigate to Accounts → Instagram accounts and click Add to link your Instagram Business Profile.

Step 3: Create a Dedicated Ad Account

1. Select Accounts → Ad accounts from the left sidebar.
2. Click Add → Create a new ad account.
3. Enter an ad account name that clearly identifies your business or region (e.g., “Acme CA Ad Account”).
4. Set your preferred time zone and currency carefully—these cannot be changed later.
5. Assign the account to My business and click Create.

Important: The selected currency and time zone settings cannot be edited after account creation. Double-check these settings before proceeding.

Step 4: Assign Users and Permissions

1. Immediately after creating your ad account, select Add people.
2. Assign user roles (Admin, Advertiser, Analyst) based on each person’s responsibilities.
3. Adding at least one additional admin can help prevent account access issues in the future.

Step 5: Add a Payment Method

1. In the left sidebar, navigate to Billing & Payments → Payment settings.
2. Click Add payment method.
3. Enter details for your chosen payment method (credit card, PayPal, or direct debit).

Step 6: Secure and Verify Your Business (Recommended)

1. Navigate to Security Center → Start verification in your Business Portfolio.
2. Upload the required legal documents for business verification.
3. Activate Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for all admins to enhance account security and reduce potential lockouts.

Step 7: Final Review

1. Open Ads Manager (facebook.com/adsmanager).
2. Confirm that your new Ad Account ID appears in the top-left corner.
3. Ensure your Facebook Page and Instagram accounts are displayed as connected.
4. Optionally, run a Test Campaign with a minimal budget to confirm that billing and connections function correctly.

Best Practices Checklist

• Clearly name your ad account to avoid confusion as your business scales.
• Maintain one ad account per legal entity for simplified financial and reporting purposes.
• Regularly update your business information and assigned user permissions.
• Regularly review your linked Facebook and Instagram accounts for accuracy.
• Periodically confirm that your payment methods are up to date to prevent campaign interruptions.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up your Meta Ad Account in your Business Portfolio and are now prepared to launch effective advertising campaigns on Facebook and Instagram.