How to run ads on Instagram

What you need to launch advertising on Instagram

Before launching an ad, it is worth understanding the technical side of things. So, what do you need to launch an ad on Instagram?

1. Switch your profile to business mode, because a personal account will not allow you to set up targeting or launch a campaign through Ads Manager.

A business account gives you:

• access to Meta’s advertising tools;
• advanced statistics;
• the ability to run ads without third-party services.

2. Link Instagram to Facebook Business Manager (now called Meta Business Suite). Important details:

• Your Instagram account must be linked to your Facebook business page.
• The administrator must be given access to your account, page, and ad account.
• You must provide real contact information in Business Info. If Meta cannot identify your account, it may be restricted or blocked.

3. Add a payment method to activate your advertising account and confirm your account. A few things to know in advance:

• The currency of the card must match the country of the account.
• The system sometimes asks you to confirm your phone number. This is a standard SMS verification, but it only works for the account administrator. Confirmation must be done through Ads Manager → Account Overview → “Confirm phone.” Confirmation must be done through Ads Manager → Account Overview → “Confirm phone.”
• If you are promoting financial services (such as investment courses or lending services), prepare your documents. Since the beginning of 2025, Meta has implemented global requirements for advertising in the financial sector: now you need to confirm the official status of the company, provide ID and other documents.

Types of advertising on Instagram

Now let’s look at the types of advertising that are worth using in 2025.

1. Promoting posts through the app (Boost Post).

This is the easiest way to launch an ad. Instagram has a “Boost Post” button that allows you to quickly promote an already published post or story. No need to leave the app or open Ads Manager.

Advantages:

• Quick start: you can launch an ad in 3–5 minutes.
• Ads are launched directly from your profile.
• Suitable for small budgets and short-term tasks.

Disadvantages:

• Limited control: fewer audience, budget, and bid settings.
• Not suitable for full-fledged strategies or A/B testing.
• Cannot run complex campaigns (e.g., with multiple ads or retargeting).

When to use: if you need to quickly launch a promotion for a single post (e.g., a promotion, news, or announcement). Works well with visually strong content.

2. Setting up ads through Ads Manager

This is a professional tool for those who want to control every stage: from the campaign goal to a specific call-to-action.

What Ads Manager allows you to do:

• select goals: sales, traffic, reach, engagement, leads;
• create a clear structure: campaign → ad set → ad;
• use pixels, A/B testing, custom audiences, retargeting;
• manage budgets, display schedules, and ad formats in detail.

Statistics:

When to use: if you have a strategy, specific goals, a need for analytics, audience segmentation, and scaling.

3. Stories, Reels, Feed — what’s the difference between formats

Each advertising format on Instagram has its own specifics, and if you want to be effective, you should choose a format for a specific task.

Feed

• suitable for deep engagement and saves;
• engagement rate — up to 2.31%;
• high save rate — 2.5 times higher than Stories;
• works well with visually appealing content with text.

Stories

• format: vertical videos or photos, up to 90 seconds long;
• high view-through rate (≈ 79%).
• Performs better among Gen Z, especially if there are interactive elements (polls, swipes).
• CPM is 14% lower than in the feed.

Reels

• Fastest growing format.
• Lowest CPM of all ($4.29).
• Reels occupy 38.5% of users’ feeds;
• Reach rate ≈ 30.8%, and 35% of time spent on Instagram is spent on Reels;
• ideal for wide reach, viral content, and working with young audiences.

Покрокова інструкція з запуску реклами через Ads Manager

1. Define the campaign goal

Meta offers nine advertising goals. But the main thing is to choose the one that corresponds to the stage of the funnel:

• Reach — for maximum coverage and recognition. Works well for new audiences
• Traffic — when there is already interest, and you need to redirect to a website, blog, or landing page
• Leads/Conversions — only work when the audience is already “warm.”

Tip: launching directly on conversions is a mistake. If the audience does not know you, the result will be low, even with good creative.

2. Setting up the audience

Demographics:

• Age: 18-45 — optimal for education, self-development, digital products
• Geography: Ukraine or specific regions (Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, Odesa)
• Language: depending on content (Ukrainian/English)

Interests:

• Field: self-development, online education, IT, marketing, freelancing
• Behavior: interaction with similar topics

Audiences:

• Custom Audiences — those who have already visited your website, watched videos, or subscribed
• Lookalike — similar to your customers. The database must have at least 1,000 people
• Advantage+ Audience — AI selects the audience based on your goals

3. Selecting placements (automatically or manually)

Automatic (Advantage+ placements) is recommended in 80% of cases. Meta optimizes ad delivery on Facebook, Instagram, Reels, Stories, and Messenger.

Manual placements are used when there is a clear understanding of target audience behavior:

• Instagram Stories (for dynamic formats)
• Facebook Feed (for longer viewing)

Tip: if your budget is limited, automatic placements will give you a better price per click (lower CPM and CAC).

4. Budget and timing

Budget types:

• CBO (at the campaign level) — Meta distributes the budget among ad sets itself.
• Ad Set Budget — control over each set separately.

Recommendations:

• Start with $20-50 per day, then scale up to $100+.
• For short campaigns, enable Budget Scheduling: you can turn on ads only during peak hours.
• Ad Scheduling is available with a lifetime budget.

5. Creative: images, videos, text

Formats:

• Reels/Stories: vertical 9:16, up to 60 seconds, .mp4 or .mov.
• Feed: square 1:1 or vertical 4:5.

Text:

• Primary Text — up to 3 lines: key message + CTA
• Title — up to 25 characters
• Add social proof or specifics: “+10,000 users,” “Free guide.”

It is better to create 2-3 creative options at once, and Meta will test and select the most effective one.

6. Moderation and launch

After creating an ad, Meta checks it automatically. Important:

• Avoid manipulative phrases such as “guaranteed results,” “best,” etc.
• Photos should not be provocative or misleading.
• If rejected, review the requirements in the Ads Policy or file an appeal.

Tip: add 2–3 ads to your campaign. Even if one is blocked, the rest will continue to work.

So, here’s a quick launch guide:

1. Select your goal: Reach → Traffic → Leads
2. Set up your audience: manually or Advantage+
3. Select placements: automatically or manually
4. Set your budget and terms
5. Create creative + 2-3 options
6. Submit for moderation and launch. Done!

Поширені помилки при запуску реклами

One of the most underestimated mistakes is choosing a goal “just for the sake of it.” In short, Ads Manager works like GPS. Tell it where to go, and it will take you there. But if the goal is “Traffic” and you want sales, the system will find people who click on everything but don’t buy. This is a feature of the algorithm.

Therefore, if you are selling, set Conversions, and if you are collecting applications, set Leads. Even when the site is still in its raw form, it is better to set Conversion with the “Learn More” button than to chase traffic endlessly.

In RedPandas cases, changing the goal from Traffic to Conversions reduced the cost per lead by half.

The next mistake is targeting too broad or too narrow an audience. The most common question is, “Can I show my ad to everyone in Ukraine at once?” Yes, you can. But it’s like handing out flyers at a stadium — someone will take them, but who really needs them?

So:

• Start with the core: for example, your avatar — young people, self-development, blogging, IT, income
• Add Lookalike — Meta will find similar ones itself
• Don’t be lazy to test interests and narrow them down: “IT specialists,” “freelancers,” ‘courses’ work better than just “young people”
• Scale only after stable results.

Another mistake is weak creativity without a USP. If your ad doesn’t grab attention within 3 seconds, consider it non-existent. No one stops scrolling to look at yet another stock photo.

Therefore:

• The USP should be simple and honest
• Real faces are better than models
• Videos with case studies = more trust
• The CTA (call to action) should be specific, without fluff

And finally, there are errors in the budget or frequency of display. Often, Meta itself pours everything into one ad set, while others freeze. And too small a budget does not give the algorithm enough data for learning. The campaign freezes in learning mode or spins randomly without result and without meaning.

Tips:

• Divide the budget manually by ad sets at the start
• If the tests are successful, switch to CBO (Campaign Budget Optimization).
• Check the frequency: if it is >5-7, it means that the audience is tired. CTR drops, cost increases.
• Change creatives every 3-5 days. You should always have at least 2-3 options.

Чому варто довірити налаштування професіоналам

Setting up advertising on your own means endless attempts to understand why something isn’t working. At Cómon Agency, we eliminate this routine. We prepare creatives, select formats, and take care of bidding and optimization. The result is that your budget goes where it gives you the best return. If an ad isn’t working, we stop it. If there is an opportunity to strengthen the campaign, we take advantage of it.

Testing and optimization — the key to results

We don’t guess, we test. We have tools that allow us to respond to changes instantly: if we see a decline, we make changes. If we see a trend, we integrate it.

In-depth analysis and experience in various niches

We have worked with niches ranging from cosmetics to education and services. We understand how Instagram algorithms change, which formats are relevant, and how to target accurately (not just by interests, but by behavior, devices, look-alikes, etc.). We build strategies based on data. Our goal is growth: reach, conversions, ROAS.

What you get with us:

• Save time and nerves
• Don’t blow your budget
• Test and scale only what really works
• Have a team with experience in your or a similar niche
• Get more followers, applications, and sales

At internet marketing agency Cómon Agency, we take your advertising to a level where it ceases to be an expense and becomes an investment.

Want to attract more followers, customers, and sales through Instagram? Write to us — we’ll help!