How to Run Instagram Ads: A Step-by-Step Guide for Businesses
You can promote a post in the Instagram app in a minute, or build a full campaign in Meta Ads Manager. Here's how to run Instagram ads that bring real results.
Table of contents
Short answer: you can run Instagram ads two ways. Boost a post in the Instagram app (quick, needs a professional account) or build a campaign in Meta Ads Manager (more objectives, targeting, placements, testing and reporting). For leads and sales, use Ads Manager, install the Meta Pixel and Conversions API, design vertical video for Reels and Stories, and judge results by cost per lead or sale, not likes.
This guide is part of our Facebook ads cost series. For hands-on help, see our Meta ads service.
Boost or Ads Manager?
| Boost in the Instagram app | Meta Ads Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | A minute | 15–30 minutes |
| Objectives | Profile visits, website visits, messages | Full range: awareness, traffic, engagement, leads, app, sales |
| Targeting | Automatic or simple audiences | Detailed, custom and lookalike audiences |
| Placements | Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, Threads and Audience Network | |
| Testing and reporting | Basic | A/B tests, breakdowns, conversion tracking |
Meta describes boosted posts as a quick way to promote existing content, while Ads Manager offers more advanced options. Boosting is fine for amplifying a strong post; for leads and sales, use Ads Manager. See boost post vs Ads Manager.
How do I boost a post in the Instagram app?
- Switch to a professional account (Business or Creator) if you haven't. See business vs creator account
- Open the post or Reel and tap Boost
- Choose a goal: more profile visits, website visits or messages
- Choose an audience: automatic or your own (location, interests, age)
- Set budget and duration
- Add payment and submit for review
How do I run Instagram ads in Ads Manager?
1. Set up the basics. Make sure your Instagram account is connected to your business portfolio in Meta Business Suite, and install the Meta Pixel and Conversions API on your website. See Conversions API setup.
2. Choose an objective. Pick the one that matches your goal: Leads for enquiries, Sales for purchases, Traffic for site visits, Awareness for reach. The objective tells Meta who to show ads to.
3. Set budget and schedule. Choose a daily or lifetime budget. Campaign budget (Advantage+ campaign budget) lets Meta spread spend across ad sets. See CBO vs ABO.
4. Define the audience. Set locations you serve, then decide between broad targeting (often effective once the pixel has data), interests, or custom audiences such as website visitors and video viewers.
5. Choose placements. Advantage+ placements show ads across Meta's apps; manual placements let you pick Instagram Feed, Stories, Reels and Explore only. Many businesses start with automatic placements, then check performance by placement.
6. Create the ad. Select your Instagram account as the identity, upload creative or use an existing post, write primary text and a headline, add a call-to-action button and destination.
7. Publish and review. Ads go through review, then enter a learning phase. See Facebook ads learning phase.
What creative works on Instagram?
Design for Reels and Stories first.
- Vertical video that fills the screen
- A strong first second: the result, the problem, or a person speaking to camera
- Captions for sound-off viewing
- Native style: content that looks like a good Instagram post, not a TV ad
- Clear call to action near the end and in the button
- Real people and real work: customers, team, products in use
Check Meta's current ad specifications for sizes and safe zones before producing creative. See Facebook ad creative.
How much should I spend?
Enough to give each test a fair chance. Run a campaign for at least a week or two before judging, and give ad sets enough budget to get conversions. Costs vary by industry, audience and season. See how much Instagram ads cost.
How do I measure results?
Use Ads Manager columns for cost per result, click-through rate, conversions and return on ad spend. Add UTM tags to links so GA4 shows Instagram ad traffic and conversions. Compare campaigns by cost per lead or sale and by what happens after the click.
What are common mistakes?
- Boosting posts for "engagement" when you need sales
- Horizontal or text-heavy creative
- No pixel or conversion tracking
- Changing ads daily during the learning phase
- Judging by likes instead of leads or sales
Why do Instagram ads work for some businesses and not others?
Instagram ads work best for products and services that look good on camera and can be explained quickly: food, beauty, fitness, fashion, home improvement, local experiences and many consumer products. They struggle when the offer is complex and needs explanation, or when the creative is a stock photo with text. The businesses that succeed usually produce a steady flow of simple, authentic videos and test them, rather than one polished ad they run for months.
A worked example
A small skincare brand boosts product photos for engagement and gets likes but few sales. It installs the pixel and Conversions API, creates a Sales campaign in Ads Manager, and tests three vertical videos: a founder talking about ingredients, a customer routine, and a before-and-after. The routine video wins, and the brand scales it while retargeting website visitors with a bundle offer. (Illustrative.)
The bottom line
Boost posts for quick reach, but use Meta Ads Manager for leads and sales: set up tracking, choose the right objective, design vertical video for Reels and Stories, and judge results by cost per result.
Want Instagram ads that bring customers? Request a free growth audit.
Frequently asked questions
How do I run ads on Instagram?
Either tap Boost on a post in the Instagram app (professional account required) or create a campaign in Meta Ads Manager, choose an objective, set budget and audience, select Instagram placements and add your creative.
Do I need a Facebook Page to run Instagram ads?
Ads Manager campaigns are set up through Meta's business tools. Connecting your Instagram professional account lets ads appear from your Instagram identity.
Should I boost or use Ads Manager for Instagram?
Boosting is quick for extra reach on a good post. Ads Manager is better for leads, sales, testing and detailed reporting.
What size should Instagram ads be?
Vertical video and images suit Reels and Stories best, while feed placements also accept square and portrait formats. Check Meta's current ad specs before producing creative.
How much should I spend on Instagram ads?
Start with a daily budget you can sustain for at least a week or two per test, then scale what produces leads or sales at a profitable cost.
Sources
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SEO, AI search, paid media and social specialists
Articles from the MangoGrow editorial team are researched and written by our specialists in SEO, AI search, paid advertising, content, and social media, and reviewed before publishing.
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