You've done your reading and you're ready to jump into the world of Facebook ads, but how do you actually get started?
Let's dive straight in and cover the first step, how to create a Facebook business manager account.
Facebook Business Manager#
The first thing to know about setting up Facebook Ads is that you'll need a business manager. This is a sort of 'master account' which everything you own will sit within. For example, if you run multiple different Facebook pages, these will all sit within your one business manager.
It's quick and simple to create a business manager, all you need to do is go to business.facebook.com and click create account in the top right.
Once you've done this, you'll be met by the screen below:
Bare and empty, but it exists! This is the first step towards getting set up on Facebook Ads.
Within a business manager sit a number of different things. Most importantly you have:
- The Facebook pages you own.
- The ad accounts you'll be running your ads from.
- Your pixels (for tracking what people do on your site; I'll cover this shortly).
Facebook Pages#
In order to advertise on Facebook, you need a Facebook page to advertise from.If you haven't already created a Facebook page for your brand, you should go to Facebook's page creation tool to make one.
If you do already have a Facebook page, you can add it to your business manager by either clicking on the 'Add Page' button in the screenshot above, or by going to business settings in the top right, click pages, then 'Add'.
Now that you have your page linked to your business manager, you're ready to create an ad account to advertise from.
Ad Accounts#
To create your first ad account, you're best off by clicking on the gear icon in the top right to take you to business settings. Use the left hand column to navigate to ad accounts, and then click 'Add' followed by 'Create a New Ad Account':
You'll be prompted to assign yourself permissions. As you'll be the one in charge of this account, assign yourself all the available permissions:
Instagram Accounts#
While you're in business settings, you should take the time to add any Instagram accounts that you own. This will let you advertise from that account if you choose to run ads on Instagram.
To add your account, select Instagram accounts on the left hand side menu, and click 'Add'. Login using your regular Instagram details, and you should see that account appear in your business manager.
If you don't already have an Instagram account, this would be a good opportunity to create one and to link it to your business manager.
Pixels and Tracking#
If you're planning to make ads which send people to a website you own, then tracking is crucial. In order to track what people do on your site, you'll need to create and install a pixel. A pixel will let you:
- Measure exactly what people are doing once they reach your site.
- Optimise your ads' delivery towards people who are likely to complete certain actions on your site.
- Create audiences of people who've been on your site before.