How to Create Meta Ads (Facebook / Instagram Ads): The Complete Practical Guide
Table of Contents (ToC)
Catalog Campaigns: The Most Powerful Meta Format
Creating the Catalog
Catalog via Shopify / WordPress Sync
The Andromeda Update
Landing Page Optimization
Tracking Setup
Building the Campaign Structure
Multi-Advertiser Ads Setting
Ad Set Structure
Ad Level Settings
Meta Native Lead Gen (For Service Businesses)
How Lead Forms Should Actually Be Built
Lead Centre Audit (Critical Step)
CRM → Meta Feedback Loop
Meta Brand Recall Campaigns (Optional)
Creative Strategy (Post-Andromeda)
Conclusion
This guide covers the most optimal structure for Meta Ads, how to create Meta campaigns from scratch, how Meta Ads help you achieve business objectives, how they support client retention (for freelancers), and how they complement Google Ads.
Although we briefly touch upon Google Ads, the focus is Meta Ads because—in 18+ years of experience—Meta consistently outperforms Google for:
Low AOV products
Average ticket services
Digital products
Tangible ecommerce
Even many high-ticket premium services (when set up correctly)
Meta’s lower CPMs, strong algorithmic targeting, and ability to convert cold audiences make it ideal for selling anything that isn’t ultra-high-ticket.
1. Catalog Campaigns: The Most Powerful Meta Format
What Is Meta Catalog Ads?
Catalog Ads require a product catalog inside Commerce Manager, similar to Google Shopping.
The catalog can include:
Tangible ecommerce products
Digital products
Services
Catalog Formats
You can upload your catalog in two primary formats:
Manual Excel/CSV Upload
Automatic Sync from Shopify/WordPress
2. Creating the Catalog (Manual CSV Method)
Mandatory Columns
Your CSV must contain:
Product Title – Targets your main product keywords
Product Description – Reinforces the title and keywords
Image Link – Hosted on your own domain/server
Landing Page URL – Crucial for Meta’s learning
Original Price (Anchor Price)
Sale/Offer Price
Optional Columns (Ecommerce Focused)
Offer start & end dates
Additional images
Availability
Category tags
Key Point
Product images must be hosted on your server and referenced via URLs inside the catalog.
3. Catalog via Shopify / WordPress Sync
Avoid manual uploads if you’re on Shopify or WordPress.
Use official plugins that automatically sync your catalog with Commerce Manager.
Set the refresh frequency depending on how often your products update.
4. Why Catalog Ads Perform Extremely Well
Meta uses your images, titles, pricing, and landing page content to find:
Engaged users
Product viewers
Likely buyers
This works for both ecommerce and digital products.
5. The Andromeda Update (Dec 2024 → Full Impact 2025)
The rule is simple:
Show What You Sell Before You Sell It.
Meta now penalizes any mismatch or lack of transparency between:
Creative
Landing page
Catalog
Product info
Accounts with low landing page transparency see decreased performance, days without conversions, and inefficient spend.
If your catalog + landing page are aligned, you are already prepared for this update.
6. Landing Page Optimization (Before Running Ads)
Landing pages determine ~70% of Meta Ads success.
Meta’s algorithm reads your landing page to understand:
What you sell
Who will convert
What personas to target
Good Landing Page ≠ Pretty
Good means:
Clear value proposition
Clear call-to-action
Minimal distractions
One flow
No conflicting CTAs
High CRO structure
Strong LPO (Landing Page Optimisation)
Templates included in the 5-in-1 Performance Marketing System follow this structure.
7. Tracking Setup (Non-Negotiable)
Two Types of Tracking
Web Tracking (Cookie-based)
Server Tracking
Using Meta CAPI, Stape.io, or GTM Server
Server tracking is far more accurate.
Never Use Google Analytics for Tracking
GA is an analytics tool, not a tracking tool.
It misses 30–40% of conversions.
Correct Tool for Tracking:
Google Tag Manager (GTM)
Inside Meta, you configure:
Dataset
Events
The bundle course covers full GTM + CAPI setup + Stape.io Server tracking setup.
8. Building the Campaign Structure
Always Use:
Objective: Sales/Purchase (even for new accounts)
Do not start with micro-conversions like Add to Cart or View Content.
Purchase goal tells Meta to find buyers—not clickers.
Even new accounts with zero purchase history can get purchases within 48 hours if:
Catalog is correct
Tracking works
Landing page is strong
Daily Budget Rule
Start with daily budget ≈ product price.
Do not set cost per purchase initially.
9. Multi-Advertiser Ads Setting
Keep Multi-Advertiser Ads = ON.
Reason:
Your product appears alongside competitors → easy buyer acquisition.
10. Ad Set Structure
Start with:
Basic demographics
Age group
Locations
A few relevant interests
Do Not Use Advantage+ Audience Initially
It goes too broad and wastes early budget.
Switch to it only after some conversions.
11. Ad Level Settings
Switch ON:
All optimizations
Flexible formats
All placements (Advantage+)
Automated enhancements
Meta knows:
Who responds to video
Who responds to static
Who needs multiple clicks
Who converts on first view
Give Meta full freedom.
Publish the campaign and wait 48 hours.
12. Meta Native Lead Gen (For Service Businesses)
Meta Lead Forms are powerful because they work like sales flowcharts using conditional logic.
Two ways to generate leads:
Website traffic → land on page → form
Native Lead Forms inside Meta (most efficient)
Common complaint:
“Leads are bad.”
Reason: no qualification logic.
12. Meta Native Lead Gen (For Service Businesses)
Meta Lead Forms are powerful because they work like sales flowcharts using conditional logic.
Two ways to generate leads:
Website traffic → land on page → form
Native Lead Forms inside Meta (most efficient)
Common complaint:
“Leads are bad.”
Reason: no qualification logic.
13. How Lead Forms Should Actually Be Built
Your Goal Is to Reject First, Accept Later.
Include 3–5 intent-based questions with multiple-choice answers.
Example Questions
Question 1: When do you want to start?
Options:
This week
This month
Next month
3 months
6 months
Don’t know / Not sure
Anyone choosing 3 months / 6 months / not sure should be auto-rejected.
Question 2: What is your budget / who is the decision maker?
Reject “don’t know”.
Question 3: When can we call you?
Reject “anytime” / “not sure”.
Result:
Lead volume drops, quality increases drastically.
14. Lead Centre Audit (Critical Step)
Go to:
All Tools → Lead Centre
Switch to Funnel View:
Intake
Qualified
Converted
Actions:
Mark trash leads as Not Qualified
Move good leads to Qualified
Meta learns quickly from this signalling.
Quality improves within 7 days.
15. CRM → Meta Feedback Loop
Use automation (Zapier/Make etc.) to send only qualified/warm/conversation leads back to Meta.
Meta then learns:
Who becomes a paying customer
Who engages in sales calls
Who should be avoided
Over months, lead quality compounds.
16. Meta Brand Recall Campaigns (Optional)
Brand Recall objective is a performance campaign for brand visibility:
Shows ads to users likely to remember your brand within 48 hours
Increases Google brand search volume by up to 60%
If you run Google Brand Search with this setup, CPC decreases over time.
17. Creative Strategy (Post-Andromeda)
Meta now rewards creative angles, not:
Color changes
CTA changes
Small tweaks
Use different angles:
Social proof
Urgency
Demonstration
Pain point
Lifestyle
Landing page screenshot videos
Templates with clear logo placement and product name
Free Canva templates are included as bonus.
Conclusion
This article covered:
Catalog setup
Tracking
Landing page optimisation
Campaign structure
Ad settings
Lead forms
Conditional logic
Lead Centre audit
CRM feedback
Brand recall
Creative angles
For complete SOPs, templates, and full walkthroughs, the 5-in-1 Performance Marketing System includes:
GTM tracking course
Meta catalog setup
Meta lead form mastery
Canva static + video creative templates
Google Ads structures
Everything required to run a full Meta + Google performance marketing stack.
