How to Run Instagram Ads in 2025: A Step-by-Step Guide

To run Instagram ads in 2025, follow these key steps:

1. Create a Facebook Business Page to access Meta’s ad tools and link your Instagram campaigns to a broader marketing ecosystem.

2. Switch your Instagram account to a Business or Creator account in the Instagram app settings, then connect it to your Facebook Business Page for unified management.

3. Connect Instagram to Meta Business Suite, allowing you to manage content and ads from one platform.

4. Set up an Ad Account in Meta Ads Manager by creating a new ad account, setting your time zone and currency, and adding a payment method.

5. Choose your campaign objective in Ads Manager, such as Brand Awareness, Traffic, Engagement, or Conversions, depending on your marketing goals.

6. Define your target audience using detailed demographics, interests, and behaviors to reach the right users.

7. Select ad placements, either letting Meta optimize automatically or manually choosing Instagram-only placements if preferred.

8. Create your ad creative with properly sized images or videos (e.g., 1080×1920 pixels for Stories and Reels) and a clear call-to-action (CTA).

9. Set your budget, bidding strategy, and schedule your ads to run during your audience’s most active hours. Start with a daily budget of $10–$20 for testing and use bidding options like Lowest Cost or Cost Cap.

10. Publish your campaign via Meta Ads Manager. Your ad will undergo a review process (usually within 24 hours) before going live.

11. Monitor and optimize performance using Meta’s analytics tools or third-party dashboards like Hootsuite to track conversions and adjust targeting or creative as needed.

Additional tips include using immersive formats like Reels and Stories for brand awareness, and Carousel or Collection ads for retargeting and driving purchases. Ensuring your creatives meet Instagram’s exact size and format specifications is crucial to avoid cropping or rejection and to maximise engagement.