No items found.

How to Run Facebook Ads in 2025

 min to read
How to Run Facebook Ads in 2025

In the modern digital landscape, stable business growth is impossible without the right promotion, particularly using ads on Facebook. While there are so many guidelines, strategies, and tips on improving lead generation and optimizing daily budget, every junior marketer or media buyer should understand that starting with the basics is the best approach.

As such, we’ll provide tips on how to use Facebook ads to improve your audience network, attract the right clients, and promote your business without overspending. It isn’t only about the right metrics analysis; it’s also about how and when you approach your target audience.

Account & Asset Setup: What You Need First to Run FB Ads

Let’s begin our step-by-step guide to advertising with the essentials you need in place before launching your first campaign. Here’s what you need to take into account first.

Create Business Manager

This might sound a bit too basic, but let’s briefly revise how to create a Facebook Ads Manager to run ads on Facebook and Instagram smoothly and easily.

  1. Create an account. Enter your business information and provide your business name, your name, and a work email address. Then, follow the prompts to verify your email and complete the setup.
  2. Add your assets. Add your existing Facebook page, create business ad accounts, and add team members connected to advertising on Facebook and Instagram.
  3. Assign roles. It’s super important to assign the levels of access and permissions so everyone can do their job on your business page.
  4. Ensure security. To run ads on Facebook without worries, set up two-factor authentication, choose strong passwords, and add only trusted email domains.

Ad Account & Payment Methods

Once you’ve registered, you need to link a payment method to your ad account. You can pay for Meta ads with a credit or debit card, PayPal, or local payment methods supported in some countries. 

Card verification matters

To run Facebook ads without interruptions, ensure your payment method passes Meta’s verification. Facebook often tests new cards with a small authorization charge. If the card fails, your ads may be paused or your account flagged.

Want to run ads smoothly and securely?

Try using a virtual business card (like Finup VCC). They are designed specifically for ad platforms to reduce the risk of blocks and help you manage spending across multiple ad accounts. You can create multiple cards, set spending limits, and pause cards instantly.

Pixels & Conversions API

If you want to generate website traffic, the best thing you can do when launching Facebook advertising is to set up the Meta Pixel right from the start. This is a small piece of JavaScript code that you install on your website. It tracks key visitor actions (page views, add-to-carts, or purchases) and sends that data back to Facebook. This helps you:

  • Measure ad performance
  • Build retargeting audiences
  • Optimize ads for the right events

However, Pixel data alone can sometimes be incomplete, especially with privacy updates and browser restrictions. That’s where the Conversions API (CAPI) comes in.

While the Pixel tracks events from the browser, CAPI collects event data directly from your server. It works alongside the Pixel to fill in data gaps and improve attribution. This means you get:

  • More reliable tracking (even with iOS limitations or ad blockers)
  • Better event matching
  • Stronger optimization based on your campaign objective

If you want to run Facebook campaigns that actually learn and improve, combining Pixel + CAPI gives Meta’s algorithm the data it needs to optimize ad delivery and drive results.

Catalog & Commerce Manager

If you’re working with an e-commerce format, creating Catalogs in Commerce Manager might be a great idea. It allows you to organize product information, maintain online sales, and provide users with a more holistic overview of the product. 

Why use it

A product catalog lets Facebook pull items from your store and show them to the right people at the right time to maximize your ad performance. It’s the base for ad formats like Dynamic Ads and Advantage+ Shopping, which show users products they’re most likely to buy.

Who should use it

If you have many products or update your stock often, a catalog saves time and improves accuracy. You can:

  • Show real-time prices and availability
  • Automatically update ads as your inventory changes
  • Run Facebook campaigns that feel more personal and relevant

When to set it up

Do it early, ideally before you run a Facebook campaign. This way, once you’re ready to run a promotion, your product info is already connected and ready to go.

Fund Your First Facebook Campaign and Create Ads to Drive Real Results

If you want to create Facebook ads without payment issues, Finup is the smart way to start. You get cards instantly, no hidden fees, and the ability to make as many virtual cards as you need. 

This is perfect if you test different audiences or run multiple ad accounts. Finup helps you control the maximum amount of money each ad can spend so you never go over budget. It’s easy to track your costs, pause or delete cards anytime, and stay in full control.

How To Set up a Facebook Ad Campaign

Once you have a Facebook Business Page and want to create a campaign, you’re ready to jump into Meta Ads Manager. This is how you can do it smoothly and launch a new campaign with maximum efficiency.

Choose the Right Objective

Think about what fits you most. Whether you want to improve brand awareness, acquire more traffic, generate leads, or improve sales, all of these require separate objectives. Here’s a quick breakdown:

  • Awareness — best if you want to get your name out there.
  • Traffic — perfect if you're driving users to a website, blog, or landing page.
  • Leads — great for collecting emails, sign-ups, or contact info through forms or Messenger.
  • Sales — choose this if you’ve set up a Facebook business account and are ready to move products or services.

Tip: Don’t just pick what sounds good; choose what matches your end goal. Each objective leads to a different ad flow and tracking method.

CBO vs. ABO vs. Advantage+

CBO (Campaign Budget Optimization) means that you set a single budget on the campaign level, and Facebook decides how to distribute it across different ad creatives.

ABO (Ad Set Budget Optimization) is the feature that allows businesses to set the maximum amount of money for each individual campaign. 

Advantage+ is an AI-based feature that allows you run your ad fully automatically. The only thing you need to do is to set your budget and then Meta delivers your ads to people who are most likely to convert.

Feature CBO ABO Advantage+
Budget level Set at the campaign level Set at an ad set level Set at the campaign level
Who controls the budget split Meta distributes the budget automatically across ad sets You manually set the budget per ad set Meta optimizes its budget automatically using machine learning
Best for Performance-focused campaigns with flexible delivery Testing multiple audiences or creatives separately E-commerce campaigns with product catalogs
Learning phase Shared across ad sets Separate per ad set Fully automated
Performance optimization High. Meta shifts spend toward the best ad sets Medium. Each ad set is optimized separately Very high. AI maximizes conversions across signals
Manual control Moderate High Low

Ad Set Fundamentals

Once you’ve picked the strategy, you need to identify the details of the ad set. Clarify your budget, choose a placement keeping the campaign objective in mind, and define who exactly you want to reach. Here’s what to focus on:

  • Audience targeting. Choose between custom audiences (like website visitors or email lists) and interest-based targeting.
  • Budget and schedule. Set a daily or lifetime budget. Make sure it aligns with your goal and the cost per click you're comfortable with, as this helps control how much you pay to reach and engage your audience.
  • Placements. You can let Meta decide with Advantage+ placements or manually choose where to show your ad.

Creative Variations

Then, add image or video ads and the ad copy you’d like to promote. Keep in mind the placement you’re focusing on, as if you’re setting up Facebook campaign on Stories, it’s best to use 9:16 format, while the feed better supports 3:4 format. You can test a few versions with different visuals or messages to see what performs best. This helps Meta learn faster and optimize delivery based on user engagement.

Targeting & Audience Building

When learning how to run Facebook ads it’s impossible to scip the audience part. Reaching out to the right people at the right time is crucial to avoid overspending.

Core, Custom & Lookalike Audiences

Facebook allows you to reach an audience in three main ways: Core, Custom, and Lookalike Audiences.

  • Core Audiences are built using Facebook’s data. You can target people by location, age, gender, interests, or behaviors.
  • Custom Audiences are based on your own data (like website visitors, app users, or email lists).
  • Lookalike Audiences help you find new users similar to your best existing customers.

Interest Layering & Exclusions

To make your promotion more precise (and effective!), it makes sense to include their potential interests using interest layering and remove some unnecessary interests using exclusions. Here are some best practices you need to note to improve the performance of your Facebook ads:

  • Start broad, then layer down
  • Test different combinations
  • Refresh interests regularly
  • Use audience insights

Retargeting Windows

Facebook allows you to reach an audience you’ve tried to convert before and retarget them with other products or specific offers. For instance, if a user added your product to their cart but didn’t buy it, you can show ads reminding them of that product, offering a discount, or promoting a similar item.

To do this effectively, choose the right retargeting window. Keep in mind that Facebook paces your spending based on audience size and time frame, so picking the right window helps maximize your ad reach. Here are some common retargeting windows and when to use them:

  • 1–3 days. For hot leads who just visited or abandoned their cart
  • 7 days. For recent visitors
  • 14–30 days. For warm audiences who showed interest but need a push
  • 60–90 days. For re-engaging users who dropped off but might return
  • 180 days. For long sales cycles or repeat-purchase reminders

Geo & Language Filters

Last but not least. To improve your Facebook or Instagram campaign, it’s essential to set up ads across the right locations and languages. Inside the Ads Manager account, you can choose to show ads only to people in specific countries or even cities.

Similarly, setting the right language filter ensures your message finds its audience. Whether you run one or many social media advertising campaigns, smart settings help you improve ad performance.

Financial Side: Controlling Spend & Avoiding Surprises

If you place ads through your Facebook Ads Manager account, it's important to stay in control of your budget. Facebook charges automatically, and if your card fails, you can’t run Facebook ads until it's fixed.

Why Cards Decline

Traditional bank cards often come with low limits, unexpected declines, and slow approval cycles. If Facebook increases your billing threshold and your card can’t handle it, your campaign can stop without warning.

Why Finup VCC Works Better for Ads

Finup virtual cards let you set per-campaign limits, avoid hidden fees, and track spending easily. You can create as many cards as you need, pause or delete them instantly, and keep full control over your ad budget. It’s the safer, smarter way to pay, especially if you're running many Facebook ad campaigns.

Aspect Bank card Finup VCC
Setup speed Slower, as it requires physical issuance Super-fast, as you can create cards in seconds
Limits Bank pre-set limits Limits are so high that you won’t notice them
Tracking Hard to separate spending on a specific campaign Easy tracking per campaign or card

Scale Faster with Unlimited Virtual Cards

  • Separate budgets
  • Stop overspend
  • Enjoy quick scaling
  • Take advantage of the API integration 

Launch & Optimization Workflow

The next step in the guide to advertising on Facebook is to understand how to launch promotional campaigns and what steps each ad goes through.

Learning Phase 

Once you’ve only launched the ad, it proceeds through the learning phase. This means that the platform only learns to show it to the right audience at the right time, and it can take a few days. During this period, performance might fluctuate, and results might be pretty unstable. Don’t hurry up to turn off the ad or make major edits right on the spot; let Facebook’s system do its work so your ad can fully optimize and deliver consistent, cost-effective results.

A/B & Incremental Testing

Facebook allows you to compare different versions of your ads, whether it’s images, headlines, formats like carousel ads, or call-to-actions. We suggest following the 90/10 rule: keep 90% of your budget on what’s working, and use 10% to test new ideas.

Make sure to name your campaign clearly, so it’s easy to track results across versions. And don’t forget to check the latest updates from Meta for Business because Facebook often adds new A/B tools to help advertisers scale faster.

Automated Rules & Alerts

Facebook lets you use automated rules and alerts to manage your ads without checking them all the time. You can set rules to pause ads, increase the budget, or send alerts when something changes. This way, ads can be placed and controlled automatically, which helps you save time and avoid wasting money.

Reading Results

How to run Facebook ads efficiently and without overspending? Always keep track of the metrics and optimize your campaigns if something goes wrong. Here’s what you should pay attention to most.

  • ROAS (Return on Ad Spend). Shows how much you earn for every dollar spent on ads. A ROAS of 3 means you made $3 for every $1 spent.
  • MER (Marketing Efficiency Ratio). Total revenue divided by total ad spend across all channels. Helps you see the big picture beyond Facebook.
  • Incrementality. Measures how many results your ads truly brought.

Advanced Scaling Tactics

Want more results from your ads?  It’s time to try more professional yet simple scaling techniques that can bring more results to your business.

Horizontal vs. Vertical Scaling

Aspect Horizontal scaling Vertical scaling
What it means Add new ad sets with different audiences Increase the budget on the same best-performing ad
Pros Lower risk, more testing options Quick growth, simple strategy
Cons Takes more time and requires more management Can reset the learning phase, and results may be unstable

Country & Language Duplication

You can copy your existing ad by just translating it into another language to reach a lower CPM. Let’s say your ad in the US costs $20 CPM. You duplicate it and run it in Mexico or India (with Spanish or Hindi copy). The CPM drops to $2–$5, giving you more reach for the same budget.

Please note that it works only if your product is international and is helpful to people from new markets.

Creative Refresh Cadence

Maybe your settings are good, and the audience is right, but these people are already tired of your creatives. When the same image or video keeps showing, users stop paying attention. That’s called ad fatigue.

To avoid this, refresh your creatives every 10–14 days. It can be as simple as changing the image, headline, or ad format. Regular updates help keep your ads engaging and your cost per result low. 

Leveraging Reels & Advantage+ Shopping

Reels and Advantage+ Shopping are powerful tools, but knowing when to use them is key.

  • Create Reel campaigns when your product is visual, trendy, or suitable for impulse buying. Reels are great for grabbing attention fast, especially with younger audiences.
  • Use Advantage+ Shopping when you have a well-set-up product catalog and strong tracking (Pixel or Conversions API). Meta’s AI will handle placements, audiences, and delivery — ideal for eCommerce brands ready to scale without micromanagement.

Conclusion

To run successful Facebook ads, follow a clear, step-by-step process — from setting up your business account to launching and optimizing campaigns. Staying disciplined with your budget is key to avoiding surprises and getting the best results. 

For smoother payments and better control, consider using Finup virtual cards. These cards are designed specifically for media buyers to manage multiple campaigns easily, set precise spending limits, and avoid payment issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum budget to run ads?

While the budget can greatly vary depending on the niche, audience, location, and competition, it’s better to begin with at least $10-$20 per day. With this amount of money and the right settings, you’ll be able to start generating leads, views, conversions, or whatever you want to achieve.

How long before I see results?

You may notice the first results in a few days after launching the campaign, but most campaigns need at least 7–10 days to gather enough data. Don’t jump to conclusions before a week has passed. Yet, if after 10 days of launching, the ad doesn’t work, it’s better to turn it off.

Why are my ads not delivering?

There can be dozens of reasons why your ads on Meta apps, Google ads, or other platforms don’t deliver the desired results. Among the following are:

  • Too narrow or wrong audience
  • Payment issues
  • Low budget
  • Conflicting ad sets
  • Poor experience further in the purchase path
  • Low relevance
  • Low-quality images, videos, or copy

Can I pay with crypto?

Facebook doesn’t allow you to pay directly with crypto for your ads. Yet, there’s always a way out. Finup lets you top up your VCCs with the most popular cryptocurrencies (including USDT, TRX, LTC, ETH, MATIC, SOL, DOGE, USDC, and BTC). Afterward, you can use this card as a regular payment method to pay for your promotional campaigns (including Facebook ads).

Is Advantage+ right for small budgets?

It can work for small budgets if you have a well-optimized website and product catalog. Yet, it might not be the best idea for really tiny budgets or businesses that don’t understand the clear purchase paths of their clients. Testing this variant is better, but don’t dwell on it if things don’t work out.

Link Copied !