Facebook Ads: Everything you Need to Know to Start your First Campaign

Facebook is the most popular social channel for ads because it’s relatively cheap (avg CPC of £0.98 v £3.87 for Google) and it’s effective (avg CTR of 2.05%). A great social advertising agency leverages Meta not only to help build brand salience within consumers scrolling through social as well as maximising on performance marketing in a high-engagement channel.

So whether you’re keen to get stuck into your first Facebook Ads campaign but no idea where to start, or whether you just want a refresher on the basics from A to Z, this article’s for you (you can also read our case study here on the great Facebook Ads results we achieved for Company Shop).

Beginner/Intermediate

Take a look at the full guide over on the Wordstream blog

OK, but how about a summary?

No problemo. Here you go…

Why Advertise on Facebook?

• Massive reach: Nearly 90% of businesses are already using it. Your audience is there.
• Low cost, high control: CPCs from $0.77 to $1.88 depending on your goal — way cheaper than Google Ads.
• Versatile formats: From videos and images to carousels and collections.
• Detailed targeting: Demographics, behaviours, interests — the lot.
• Customer insights: Ads = data = smarter decisions elsewhere in your strategy.

Facebook Ad Setup in 8 Steps

1. Create a Business Suite Account
   • Head to business.facebook.com, hit “Create account” and fill in your details.
2. Connect or Create Your Facebook Page
   • You need a Facebook Page to run ads. Add or create one from the Meta Business Suite settings.
3. Create Your Ad Account
   • Set up your ad account in Business Suite. Choose your timezone, currency, and who’s got access.
4. Install the Pixel (and Conversions API if you’re serious)
   • Track what happens after someone clicks your ad. Install manually or use integrations like Shopify, WordPress, etc.
   • Set up domain verification and web events while you’re at it.
5. Create Your Campaign
   • Choose an objective (awareness, traffic, leads, sales…).
   • Decide between manual setup or Meta Advantage+ automation.
6. Build Your Ad Set
   • Set budget, schedule, and audience (age, location, interests, etc.).
   • Choose placements (auto, manual, or Advantage+).
   • Try Dynamic Creative to let Meta mix and match your assets.
7. Create the Ad
   • Design: Pick image, video, carousel, or collection.
   • Copy: Nail your primary text, headline, and description.
   • CTA: Choose the right call to action for your offer.
   • Double-check your tracking settings.
8. Hit Publish
   • The ad goes through review, then enters a learning phase where Meta fine-tunes delivery based on early performance.

Bonus Tips & Need-to-Knows

• Start with $5–10 daily budgets for testing.
• Use Advantage+ placements when starting — optimise later.
• Test headlines with emotional triggers (positive and negative).
• Structure your account like a funnel:
  • Upper: awareness/prospecting
  • Mid: engagement/lookalikes
  • Lower: conversions/retargeting
• Don’t skip your pixel setup — even if it’s annoying. It’s your retargeting goldmine.
• Why ads fail: Misaligned objectives, vague targeting, bad creative, poor message match.

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