Ready to run ads on Instagram or Facebook? You’ll need a Meta Ads account first. The good news: setting it up only takes a few minutes.
Before you start (2 quick checks)
Make sure you have:
A Facebook account (Meta uses it to log you in)
A Facebook Page for your business, or admin access to one
Create a Facebook Business Page (if you don’t have one yet)
Before running ads, your brand needs a Facebook Business Page. This is the public face of your business on Meta. Your ads will run from this Page, and people may visit it to learn more about you.
If you already have a Page, you can skip this section.
Here’s how to create one:
Log in to your personal Facebook account.
Open the menu and select Pages.
Click Create Page.
Enter your business details:
Page Name: Use your business or brand name.
Category: Add one to three categories that describe what you do.
Bio: Write a short description of your business.
Click Create Page.
Complete your Page setup
Add the essential details:
Contact information: Website, phone number, email, and location (if applicable).
Business hours: Set your operating hours or mark as available 24/7.
Click Next.
Customize your Page
Now make it look like your brand:
Upload a profile picture (usually your logo).
Add a cover photo that represents your business.
Click Add Action button to choose a call-to-action such as Book Now, Call Now, or Send Message.
Click Next.
Optional steps
Meta may suggest a few additional actions. You can complete them now or skip them:
Connect WhatsApp to your Page
Invite friends to follow your Page
Turn on Page notifications (recommended so you don’t miss messages or updates)
Click Done when finished.
Here’s how to set up your ad account:
The easiest way to create an ad account is through Ads Manager.
Go to Facebook Ads Manager page at https://www.facebook.com/business/tools/ads-manager
Click Go to Ads Manager.
Log in with your Facebook account. If you don’t have one yet, click Create new account and follow the prompts.
If this is your first time using Ads Manager, Meta will ask you to review and accept the Non-discrimination Policy. Take a moment to read it, then click Accept.
You’ll see a short confirmation message: “Thanks for accepting our Non-discrimination Policy.” Click Done.
Your account is ready. Now there’s just one more thing to take care of before you launch ads — setting up your payment method.
Add a payment method (so your ads can run)
Head to left side bar, just point with an arrow to it. You’ll the see the panel open, select Billing & payments.
Scroll to Payment methods section and click Add payment method.
In the little Add payment information modal, choose the appropriate card type and click Next.
Add Card details and click Save.
Meta checks: the “something looks off” moment
Meta can get a bit cautious if something changes too fast. For example:
• jumping from a small budget to a much bigger one overnight
• launching a campaign immediately after creating a brand new ad account
Both of these options could trigger restrictions, as Meta might view them as unusual activity.
What helps here:
• give it a little time before launching (around 24 hours is usually enough)
• keep in mind the account’s “trust level”
That trust builds over time. The longer the account exists and the more stable its campaign history is, the less likely it is to get red-flagged. Think of reputation points as building up in the background without you even noticing.
There are also cases where certain ‘errors’ are not actually bugs, but security checks carried out by Meta. You could be asked for something like SMS verification. It’s pretty standard, even if it feels a bit unexpected.
This does not mean the account is blocked. It's just that Meta wants to make sure you're really you, and not some sort of bot or scammer.
Once verification is successful, you’re good to go.
You’re all set
Once your ad account is ready, your Page is connected, and billing is set up, you can start building campaigns and getting your product or service in front of the people who’ll love it.
Want to show off your ad or need a hand from our team? Just drop us a message at [email protected] — we love seeing what you create.