How to Create Instagram Ads Using Facebook Ads Manager

Want to run Instagram ads?

Would you rather use Facebook Ads Manager instead of Power Editor?

Now that Instagram ads are available to most advertisers through the Facebook Ads Manager, they’re easier than ever to create.

In this post I’ll share how to create an Instagram ad in Facebook Ads Manager, step–by–step.

Discover how to create Instagram ads with Facebook Ads Manager.

Already Using Business Manager?

If you already linked your Facebook page, Instagram account and Facebook advertising account through Business Manager, as outlined in my previous post on creating Instagram Ads using Power Editor, then you’re ready to create Instagram ads through the Ads Manager.

Go to Business Manager and use the Business Settings menu to navigate to Ad Accounts. Then click on the link to View Ad Account in Ads Manager.

Select the ad account linked to your Instagram account in Business Manager to get started.

On the next screen, click the green Create Ad button on the top right. This will take you to the standard Ads Manager interface within your Business Manager to create a new ad. There, you can hover over the ad objectives to see which ones will allow you to create Instagram ads.

Choose an ad objective that works with Instagram.

From here, you can move on to step #1.

Not Using Business Manager?

Even if you haven’t set up your Facebook page, Instagram account and Facebook advertising account with Business Manager, you can still create Instagram ads using the Ads Manager.

Go to the Ads Manager and click on the green Create Ad button at the top right.

This will take you to the standard Ads Manager interface to create a new ad. Once there, hover over the ad objectives to see which ones will allow you to create Instagram ads, just as shown above.

From here, you can move on to step #1.

#1: Select Your Objective

First off, select an objective that works with Instagram. Currently, you can choose from “Send people to your website,” “Increase conversions on your website,” “Get installs of your app” and “Get video views.”

Once you selected your objective, tell Ads Manager what you want to advertise and click Continue.

After you choose an objective, specify what you want to promote in your ad.

#2: Choose Your Audience

Next, tell Ads Manager about the audience for your ad. If you have saved or custom audiences, you can include or exclude them in the Custom Audiences field at the top. Otherwise, configure your ad audience using the demographics shown below.

Configure the target audience for your ad.

Click on the More Demographics button to reveal even more targeting options.

#3: Set Your Ad Budget and Scheduling

After you select your ad audience, set your ad budget and schedule when you want it to run.

Facebook offers recommendations for bidding strategies with specific ad objectives. The ad objectives available for Instagram ads are as follows, and apply to the areas bordered by red in the image below.

• Send people to your website: Optimize for link clicks, get charged for link clicks (CPC).
• Increase conversions on your website: Optimize for conversions, get charged for impressions.
• Get installs of your app: Optimize for app installs, get charged for impressions.
• Get video views: Optimize for video views, get charged for impressions.

Configure budgeting for your Instagram ad and choose your scheduling.

You may want to experiment to see what optimization and pricing strategy works best for your ad campaign goals.

#4: Create Your Ad

Depending on your ad objective, you first need to designate whether you want to use a single image or video or multiples. Make these selections, and then look below to see if Instagram is enabled as a placement. If it isn’t, you need to change your selections.

Select your ad configuration.

If you see the following, then the selection you made will work with Instagram. If not, then you need to change your selection.

See if Instagram is active as a placement option for your ad.

Now, select your ad creative (images or video). After you do, remember to scroll down and test what it will look like with each of your placements. You want to ensure they are properly optimized to look good.

Select your ad images or video.

Next, configure your ad display. If you connected your Facebook page, Instagram account and Facebook advertising account in Business Manager, your page and Instagram account will automatically be selected, as shown below.

Your Facebook page and Instagram account are selected through Business Manager if they’re connected.

With the above settings, the ad shown will be displayed on Instagram and in the Facebook news feed (desktop and mobile), Facebook right column (desktop only) and in Facebook’s Audience Network (mobile banners on third-party apps outside of Facebook). However, you can also run an Instagram-only campaign. Just remove placements outside of Instagram.

If you’re using Ads Manager without the Business Manager connections, you will have the option to select your Facebook page and add your Instagram account.

When creating an ad with Ads Manager without Business Manager, you have the option to use your Facebook page or add an Instagram account.

Alternatively, you can also use your Facebook page to represent your business in your Instagram ad without connecting an Instagram account.

Note: When you connect your Instagram account to your ad, you’ll get notifications about likes and comments on your Instagram ad in your mobile Instagram app. You may not get those notifications without the connection.

#5: Run Your Ad and Review Insights

Once you configure your Instagram ad, click the green Place Order button at the bottom right of the page to submit it for review. Once approved by the Facebook advertising team, it will start to run, based on the schedule you specified.

Visit your Ads Manager directly or via Business Manager to see the performance of your ad.

Remember to click through your campaign to see the breakdown of results by placement, if your ad is running on both Facebook and Instagram. Use the drop-down next to All Placement.

If you run your ad on multiple placements, view details in ad analytics.

Thanks to Ads Manager, placing Instagram ads is easier than ever.

What do you think? Have you tried creating an Instagram ad in Business Manager or through Ads Manager? How was the experience? Let us know in the comments.

Discover how to create Instagram ads with Facebook Ads Manager.