How to Master Instagram Ads Manager in 2022

By Cepy 9/16/2023 Post a Comment

Hi Online Friends,

If you're looking for a way to grow your business, reach new customers, and showcase your products or services, Instagram ads are a great option. Instagram is one of the most popular and engaging social media platforms, with over 1.4 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily Stories users. Instagram ads can help you tap into this huge audience and achieve your marketing goals.

But how do you create and manage Instagram ads effectively? That's where Instagram Ads Manager comes in. Instagram Ads Manager is the online portal businesses use to run advertising campaigns on Instagram. Since Instagram is owned by Facebook, the advertising portal is linked with Facebook Business Manager. This means you can use the same tools, features, and strategies to create ads on both platforms.

In this article, I'll show you how to use Instagram Ads Manager to create, buy, and manage Instagram campaigns. I have experience around "instagram ads manager" and I'll share with you some tips and best practices to optimize your ads for success. Whether you're new to Instagram advertising or want to improve your existing campaigns, this guide will help you master Instagram Ads Manager in 2022.

What is Instagram Ads Manager?

Instagram Ads Manager is the online portal businesses use to run advertising campaigns on Instagram. It's an all-in-one tool for creating ads across Instagram, Facebook, and more. You can access it from your Facebook Business Manager account or from the Instagram app.

With Instagram Ads Manager, you can:

Choose your objective. The objective you choose aligns with your overall business goals, such as brand awareness, reach, traffic, engagement, app installs, conversions, catalog sales, or store visits.
Define your audience. You can create a target audience based on specific criteria, such as location, age, gender, interests, behaviors, or connections. You can also use custom audiences or lookalike audiences to reach people who are similar to your existing customers or website visitors.
Choose your placements. You can decide where to show your ads on Instagram, such as feed, stories, reels, explore, or IGTV. You can also choose to show your ads on other platforms, such as Facebook, Messenger, Audience Network, or Instant Articles.
Set your budget and schedule. You can set how much you want to spend on your campaign and how long you want it to run. You can also choose between two bid strategies: lowest cost or target cost.
Choose your ad format. You can choose between different ad formats to showcase your products or services in the most engaging way. You can use photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, collection ads, or story ads.
Upload or browse for photos and videos. You can upload your own creative assets or browse for relevant content from Facebook's free stock image library or Shutterstock collection.
Track online conversions. You can add a pixel to track website conversions. The Facebook pixel is a piece of JavaScript code for your website that enables you to measure, optimize and build audiences for your ad campaigns. Using the Facebook pixel, you can leverage the actions people take on your website across devices to inform more effective Facebook advertising campaigns.
Track offline conversions. You can also track conversions that happen offline, such as in-store purchases or phone calls. You can upload offline event data manually or use a third-party app integration.
Place your order. Once you're happy with your ad settings, you can review and confirm your order. Your ad will then go through a review process before it goes live.
Analyze and optimize your performance. You can monitor and measure how well your ads are performing towards your marketing goals. You can use metrics such as impressions, reach, frequency, cost per result, return on ad spend (ROAS), and more. You can also use tools such as split testing or campaign budget optimization to improve your results over time.

Why use Instagram Ads Manager?

Instagram Ads Manager offers many benefits for businesses who want to advertise on Instagram. Here are some of the reasons why you should use it:

It's easy to use. Instagram Ads Manager has a user-friendly interface that guides you through the steps of creating and managing your campaigns. You don't need any technical skills or coding knowledge to use it.
It's flexible and customizable. You have full control over every aspect of your ads, from the objective and audience to the budget and format. You can create ads that suit your specific needs and goals.
It's integrated with Facebook. You can leverage the power of Facebook's advertising platform to reach more people and optimize your campaigns. You can use the same tools, features, and strategies to create ads on both platforms.
It's cost-effective. You can set your own budget and bid strategy to get the most out of your ad spend. You only pay when someone sees or interacts with your ads. You can also track your return on investment (ROI) and adjust your campaigns accordingly.
It's data-driven. You can access detailed insights and analytics to measure and improve your performance. You can see how your ads are performing towards your marketing goals and what actions people are taking after seeing your ads.

How to use Instagram Ads Manager?

Now that you know what Instagram Ads Manager is and why you should use it, let's see how to use it in practice. Here are the steps to create and manage your Instagram campaigns with Instagram Ads Manager:

Step 1: Sign in to Ads Manager

To access Instagram Ads Manager, you need to have a Facebook Business Manager account and a Facebook Page. If you don't have them yet, you can create them for free here.

Once you have them, you can sign in to Ads Manager from your Facebook Business Manager account or from the Instagram app.

From Facebook Business Manager, go to the menu in the top left corner and select Ads Manager.

From the Instagram app, go to your profile and tap the menu icon in the top right corner. Then tap Settings, Business, and Promotions.

Step 2: Choose your objective

The first thing you need to do is choose your objective. The objective you choose aligns with your overall business goals and determines how your ads are optimized and delivered.

You can choose from 11 objectives, grouped into three categories:

Awareness: These objectives help you generate interest in your product or service. You can choose between brand awareness or reach.
Consideration: These objectives help you get people to start thinking about your business and look for more information. You can choose between traffic, engagement, app installs, video views, lead generation, or messages.
Conversion: These objectives help you encourage people to take a specific action on your website, app, or store. You can choose between conversions, catalog sales, or store visits.

Choose the objective that best matches what you want people to do after seeing your ads. For example, if you want to drive more traffic to your website, choose the traffic objective. If you want to increase sales from your online catalog, choose the catalog sales objective.

Step 3: Define your audience

The next step is to define your audience. Your audience is the group of people who will see your ads on Instagram. You can create a target audience based on specific criteria, such as location, age, gender, interests, behaviors, or connections.

You can also use custom audiences or lookalike audiences to reach people who are similar to your existing customers or website visitors.

To create a target audience, go to the Audience section of ad set creation and fill in the fields as follows:

Audience Network: Choose whether you want to create a new audience or use a saved audience.
Locations: Choose the geographic areas where you want to show your ads. You can choose countries, regions, states, cities, zip codes, or addresses.
Age: Choose the age range of the people who will see your ads. You can choose from 13 to 65+ years old.
Gender: Choose whether you want to show your ads to all genders, men only, or women only.
Languages: Choose the languages spoken by the people who will see your ads. This is optional but recommended if your target audience speaks a different language than the default one for their location.
Detailed Targeting: Choose the interests, behaviors, or demographics of the people who will see your ads. You can browse or search for categories or enter specific keywords.
Connections: Choose whether you want to show your ads to people who have a specific kind of connection to your business. You can choose from people who like your Page, friends of people who like your Page, people who used your app, friends of people who used your app, people who responded to your event, or friends of people who responded to your event.

To create a custom audience, go to the Audiences section of Facebook Business Manager and click Create Audience. Then choose Custom Audience from the dropdown menu. You can create a custom audience from differentsources, such as your website, app, customer list, or Facebook engagement. Follow the instructions on the screen to upload or select your source and create your audience.To create a lookalike audience, go to the Audiences section of Facebook Business Manager and click Create Audience. Then choose Lookalike Audience from the dropdown menu. You can create a lookalike audience from a source audience, such as a custom audience, a Page, or an app. Choose the source audience, the location, and the audience size. The audience size ranges from 1% to 10% of the total population in your chosen location, with 1% being the most similar to your source audience and 10% being the least similar.

Step 4: Choose your placements

The next step is to choose your placements. Your placements are the locations where your ads will appear on Instagram and other platforms. You can choose between two options: automatic placements or manual placements.

Automatic placements let Facebook optimize your placements for you to get you the most results at the cheapest overall average cost. This is the recommended option for most advertisers, as it allows you to reach more people and achieve better performance.

Manual placements let you select the specific platforms and locations where you want to show your ads. This option gives you more control over your placements, but it may limit your reach and results.

To choose your placements, go to the Placements section of ad set creation and select one of the options. If you choose automatic placements, you don't need to do anything else. If you choose manual placements, you need to select the platforms and locations where you want to show your ads.

For Instagram, you can choose between four locations: feed, stories, reels, or explore. You can also choose to show your ads on other platforms, such as Facebook, Messenger, Audience Network, or Instant Articles.

Step 5: Set your budget and schedule

The next step is to set your budget and schedule. Your budget is the amount of money you're willing to spend on your campaign or ad set over a period of time. Your schedule is the duration of time that your ads will run.

You can choose between two types of budgets: daily budget or lifetime budget. A daily budget is the average amount of money you're willing to spend on your campaign or ad set per day. A lifetime budget is the amount of money you're willing to spend on your campaign or ad set over its lifetime.

You can also choose between two types of schedules: continuous or fixed. A continuous schedule means that your ads will run continuously until you stop them or reach your budget limit. A fixed schedule means that your ads will run only during a specific period of time that you set.

To set your budget and schedule, go to the Budget & Schedule section of ad set creation and enter the amount and duration that you want. You can also choose between two bid strategies: lowest cost or target cost. A bid strategy is how you control how much you pay for each result from your ads.

A lowest cost bid strategy means that Facebook will try to get you the lowest possible cost per result while spending your entire budget. This is the default option for most objectives and recommended for most advertisers.

A target cost bid strategy means that Facebook will try to get you a consistent average cost per result that's close to a target cost that you set. This option is only available for some objectives and requires a minimum daily budget.

Step 6: Choose your ad format

The next step is to choose your ad format. Your ad format is how your ad looks on Instagram and other platforms. You can choose between different ad formats to showcase your products or services in the most engaging way.

You can use photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, collection ads, or story ads.

Photo ads are simple but effective ads that feature a single image. You can use photo ads to showcase your product, service, brand, or offer in a visually appealing way.
Video ads are dynamic ads that feature a video up to 120 seconds long. You can use video ads to tell a story, demonstrate a product, or share a testimonial in an immersive way.
Carousel ads are interactive ads that feature up to 10 images or videos that people can swipe through. You can use carousel ads to showcase multiple products, features, benefits, or offers in one ad.
Collection ads are immersive ads that feature a cover image or video and a catalog of products that people can browse and buy without leaving Instagram. You can use collection ads to create a seamless shopping experience for your customers.
Story ads are full-screen vertical ads that appear between people's stories. You can use story ads to capture people's attention and inspire them to take action with stickers, filters, or effects.

To choose your ad format, go to the Format section of ad creation and select one of the options. Depending on the format you choose, you may have different options to customize your ad, such as adding text, headlines, call-to-action buttons, or stickers.

Step 7: Upload or browse for photos and videos

The next step is to upload or browse for photos and videos. You can upload your own creative assets or browse for relevant content from Facebook's free stock image library or Shutterstock collection.

To upload or browse for photos and videos, go to the Media section of ad creation and click Add Media. Then choose one of the options:

Upload Images: You can upload up to 10 images from your computer or device. You can also use the crop tool to adjust the aspect ratio of your images.
Browse Library: You can browse for free stock images from Facebook's library. You can search by keyword or category and preview how they look in your ad.
Shutterstock: You can browse for free stock images from Shutterstock's collection. You can search by keyword or category and preview how they look in your ad.
Upload Video: You can upload a video from your computer or device. You can also use the trim tool to adjust the length of your video.
Browse Library: You can browse for videos that you've previously uploaded to Facebook or Instagram. You can also use the trim tool to adjust the length of your videos.

Make sure your photos and videos meet the technical requirements and design recommendations for Instagram ads. You can find them here.

Step 8: Track online conversions

The next step is to track online conversions. You can add a pixel to track website conversions. The Facebook pixel is a piece of JavaScript code for your website that enables you to measure, optimize and build audiences for your ad campaigns. Using the Facebook pixel, you can leverage the actions people take on your website across devices to inform more effective Facebook advertising campaigns.

To track online conversions, go to the Conversion section of ad set creation and select one of the options:

Website: You can track conversions that happen on your website, such as purchases, sign-ups, or leads. You need to have the Facebook pixel installed on your website and set up conversion events.
App: You can track conversions that happen on your app, such as installs, launches, or purchases. You need to have the Facebook SDK installed on your app and set up app events.
Messenger: You can track conversions that happen on Messenger, such as messages sent or received. You need to have a Messenger bot set up and linked to your Facebook Page.
WhatsApp: You can track conversions that happen on WhatsApp, such as messages sent or received. You need to have a WhatsApp business account set up and linked to your Facebook Page.

Choose the option that matches where you want people to take action after seeing your ads. Then select the conversion event that you want to optimize for. For example, if you want people to buy something on your website, choose Website and Purchase.

Step 9: Track offline conversions

The next step is to track offline conversions. You can also track conversions that happen offline, such as in-store purchases or phone calls. You can upload offline event data manually or use a third-party app integration.

To track offline conversions, go to the Offline Conversions section of Facebook Business Manager and click Create Offline Event Set. Then follow the instructions on the screen to upload or select your data source and create your event set.

Once you have an offline event set, you can go back to the Conversion section of ad set creation and select Offline as the option. Then select the offline event set that you want to optimize for.

Step 10: Place your order

The final step is to place your order. Once you're happy with your ad settings, you can review and confirm your order. Your ad will then go through a review process before it goes live.

To place your order, go to the Review section of ad creation and check if everything is correct. Then click Confirm to submit your order.

You will receive a notification when your ad is approved and starts running. You can also check the status of your ad in Ads Manager at any time.

A detailed table breakdown related to Instagram Ads Manager

Description

Feature	Benefit
Objective	The goal of your campaign or ad set	Aligns your ads with your business goals and optimizes them for the best results
Audience	The group of people who will see your ads	Helps you reach the right people who are interested in your product or service
Placements	The locations where your ads will appear	Helps you maximize your reach and performance across different platforms and locations
Budget and Schedule	The amount of money and time you're willing to spend on your ads	Helps you control your ad spend and duration
Ad Format	The way your ad looks on Instagram and other platforms	Helps you showcase your product or service in the most engaging way
Media	The photos or videos that you use for your ads	Helps you capture your audience's attention and convey your message
Conversion	The action that you want people to take after seeing your ads	Helps you measure and improve your return on investment (ROI)
Order	The confirmation of your ad settings and submission of your order	Helps you finalize and launch your ads
Performance	The metrics and insights that show how well your ads are performing towards your marketing goals	Helps you monitor and optimize your results over time

FAQ about Instagram Ads Manager

How do I access Instagram Ads Manager?

You can access Instagram Ads Manager from your Facebook Business Manager account or from the Instagram app. From Facebook Business Manager, go to the menu in the top left corner and select Ads Manager. From the Instagram app, go to your profile and tap the menu icon in the top right corner. Then tap Settings, Business, and Promotions.

How much does it cost to advertise on Instagram?

The cost of advertising on Instagram depends on many factors, such as your objective, audience, placements, budget, schedule, bid strategy, and ad quality. You can set your own budget and bid strategy to control how much you pay for each result from your ads. You only pay when someone sees or interacts with your ads. The average cost per result for Instagram ads is between $0.20 and $2.00, depending on the objective.

What are the best practices for Instagram ads?

Some of the best practices for Instagram ads are:

Choose an objective that matches your business goal and what you want people to do after seeing your ads.
Create a target audience that is relevant, specific, and large enough to reach enough people who are interested in your product or service.
Use automatic placements to let Facebook optimize your placements for you to get you the most results at the cheapest overall average cost.
Set a realistic budget and schedule that reflects how much you're willing to spend and how long you want to run your ads.
Choose an ad format that suits your product or service and showcases it in the most engaging way.
Use high-quality photos or videos that capture your audience's attention and convey your message clearly.
Add a clear and compelling call-to-action button that tells people what to do next.
Track online and offline conversions to measure and improve your ROI.
Analyze and optimize your performance using metrics and tools such as split testing or campaign budget optimization.
Test different variations of your ads to see what works best for your audience and goal.

How do I create an Instagram account for my business?

To create an Instagram account for your business, you need to have a Facebook Page. If you don't have one yet, you can create one for free here. Once you have a Facebook Page, you can create an Instagram account for your business by following these steps:

Download the Instagram app from the App Store or Google Play Store.
Open the app and tap Sign Up With Email or Phone Number (Android) or Create New Account (iPhone).
Enter your email address or phone number and tap Next.
Create a username and password and fill in your profile information.
Tap Done.
Go to your profile and tap the menu icon in the top right corner.
Tap Settings, Account, and Switch to Professional Account.
Choose Business as your account type and tap Next.
Connect your Facebook Page to your Instagram account and tap Next.
Select a category for your business and tap Next.
Review your contact information and tap Next.
Tap Done.

Congratulations, you've created an Instagram account for your business!

How do I link my Instagram account to my Facebook Page?

To link your Instagram account to your Facebook Page, you need to have both accounts. If you don't have them yet, you can create them for free here. Once you have both accounts, you can link them by following these steps:

Go to your Facebook Page and click Settings in the top right corner.
Click Instagram in the left menu.
Click Connect Account and enter your Instagram username and password.
Click Log In.

Congratulations, you've linked your Instagram account to your Facebook Page!

How do I create a Facebook pixel for my website?

To create a Facebook pixel for your website, you need to have a Facebook Business Manager account and a website. If you don't have them yet, you can create them for free here. Once you have them, you can create a Facebook pixel by following these steps:

Go to Facebook Business Manager and click the menu icon in the top left corner.
Select Events Manager from the dropdown menu.
Click Connect Data Sources and select Web from the options.
Select Facebook Pixel and click Connect.
Name your pixel and enter your website URL.
Click Continue.
Select how you want to install the pixel code on your website. You can choose between manually adding the code yourself, using a partner integration, or emailing instructions to a developer.
Follow the instructions on the screen to install the pixel code on your website.

Congratulations, you've created a Facebook pixel for your website!

How do I set up conversion events for my website?

To set up conversion events for your website, you need to have a Facebook pixel installed on your website. If you don't have one yet, you can create one for free here. Once you have a Facebook pixel, you can set up conversion events by following these steps:

Go to Facebook Business Manager and click the menu icon in the top left corner.
Select Events Manager from the dropdown menu.
Select your pixel from the data sources list.
Click Create Event in the top right corner.
Select how you want to create your event. You can choose between using Event Setup Tool, manually adding event code, or using custom conversions.
Follow the instructions on the screen to create your event.

Congratulations, you've set up conversion events for your website!

How do I monitor and measure my Instagram ads performance?

To monitor and measure your Instagram ads performance, you can use Ads Manager or the Instagram app. You can access detailed insights and analytics to see how well your ads are performing towards your marketing goals and what actions people are taking after seeing your ads.

To use Ads Manager, go to Facebook Business Manager and click the menu icon in the top left corner. Select Ads Manager from the dropdown menu. You can see an overview of your campaigns, ad sets, and ads performance. You can also customize your columns, filters, breakdowns, charts, and reports to see the metrics that matter most to you. You can also use tools such as split testing or campaign budget optimization to improve your results over time.

To use the Instagram app, go to your profile and tap the menu icon in the top right corner. Tap Settings, Business, and Promotions. You can see an overview of your active promotions performance. You can also tap View Insights on any of your posts or stories to see how they are performing organically or with paid reach.

Conclusion

Instagram Ads Manager is a powerful tool for creating and managing Instagram campaigns. It helps you define your objective, audience, placements, budget, schedule, format, media, conversion, order, and performance. It also helps you optimize your ads for success with data-driven insights and tools. Whether you're new to Instagram advertising or want to improveyour existing campaigns, this guide will help you master Instagram Ads Manager in 2022.

I hope you found this article helpful and informative. If you want to learn more about Instagram advertising, check out my other articles on topics such as:

How to Add Music to Instagram Post
How to Advertise on Instagram
How to Add a Link to Instagram Story
How to Find Add Yours on Instagram
How to Add Location on Instagram

Thank you for reading and happy advertising!

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