7 steps to make a successful Instagram advertising campaign.

Instagram ads

Instagram advertising campaign

If you want to up your game when it comes to Instagram marketing, you may need to use Instagram advertising. Of course, every time you launch an ad campaign you're risking your budget, so it's best to know all the steps before you dive in.

All Instagram ads 

are set up through your Facebook ad portal, so you'll first need to set up Facebook Ads Manager or Facebook Business Manager. Facebook Ads Manager is used only if you run ads for one Facebook business page and one Instagram account. It is used if you run ads for more than one business page or account. Once you've set up your account, it's time to create some ad magic on Instagram.

Before jumping straight into Ads Manager, it's important to decide how you're going to tailor your message to the crowd that follows you on Instagram. Followers use each social media platform for different reasons, so identifying what appeals to your target audience is a key component in building your Instagram ad plan.

Make a list of what you see working well in your Facebook ads and what your Instagram followers love to see and start testing.

Ads Manager

Now that you have your accounts linked and an idea of what direction to take, it's time to start creating the actual ads. Facebook has updated the system so you can use the ad builder of your choice to create your Instagram ads.

To use Ads Manager, go to Facebook's Ads Manager and click Create Ad. Here, choose your marketing objective from the categories listed below:

Awareness

• Enhance your posts: expose your posts to as many people as possible, expanding your reach and increasing engagement on your page.

• Increase brand awareness: expose posts to specifically targeted audiences based on the likelihood that they will pay attention to your ads. Posts can be used to expose more people to your brand and ultimately increase follower count.

Consideration

• Send people to your website: this option is to increase the flow of traffic to your website or landing page. In the ad creation process, you have the options to make the consideration and conversion ads clickable so that someone can be redirected to the site where you want them to go by simply tapping on the photo. This option is recommended when sending traffic to a value-driven piece of content that does not require a subscription, such as a blog.

• Get app installs: send visitors to the app store to encourage them to download and install your app.

• Get video views: these videos can be based on testimonials, product how-tos, behind-the-scenes clips, product launches or simply promotional videos designed to generate traffic.

Conversion

• Increase conversions on your website: use this when you want your customer to take an action, such as entering their contact information or purchasing a product. Website conversions allows you to track the number of actions taken through Facebook through this option.

• Promote a product catalog: If your business has a store or product catalog, this ad will automatically pull from that catalog to promote your products to your target audience. Want to add a new pair of sneakers to your online selection? If you set it up ahead of time, ads for that product will automatically start showing in the Instagram feed to those you're targeting.

Setting up your ad

Once you've selected your target and named your campaign, you're ready to create an ad. Start by setting your ad's audience, location, budget, and publishing schedule.

Select your target audience

A) If you have a custom audience, such as an email contact list, website traffic, conversion pixel or similar, you can upload it here. The three categories are:

• Custom Audiences. Target your existing customers by securely uploading a contact list of people you'd like to reach.

• Like Audiences. Find people who are similar to your customers or prospects by building a lookalike audience from your Facebook page followers, customer lists or website visitors.

• Tailored audiences from your website. Use remarketing to people on Facebook who have already visited your website.

B) Set your location by entering an address or city and selecting how many miles away you will allow this ad to expand. The options are:

• Everyone in this location.

• Live in this location.

• Recently in this location.

• Traveling to this location (meaning they were recently at this location but their home is somewhere else).

C) Establish age range.

D) Select your target gender.

E) Enter any specific language.

Note: you do not have to configure all of these fields. They are optional and are based on who you specifically want to target.

Set your detailed targeting

Set your detailed targeting by including the interests, demographics and behaviors you would like to identify. To narrow a broad audience, try grouping interests. For example, if you're selling a gym membership that specializes in directed classes, you might target people who have an interest in yoga and pilates, in addition to the purchase behavior of buying fitness equipment. Then you'll know that these people are interested in your product and are willing to spend money on it.

Establish a connection to your page

Establishing a connection to your page will further narrow your audience to show your ad to people who already have a connection to your page or other related categories.

Set your ad placement

This is where you select that you want your ad to circulate in the Instagram feed. Note: You can select more than one option and edit the images to fit both categories later.

Set the budget

Select the daily or lifetime budget and how much you want to spend on ad distribution. The more money you choose to spend, the more impressions you will receive, increasing the likelihood of reaching your goal.

Delivery

Once you've set up the logistics, assign a name to your ad set and click Continue to set up the ad creative. There are four options for Instagram images, depending on the target you select.

Next, select the associated Facebook page and Instagram account option. If you have synced your Instagram account with your Facebook in Business Manager or your Facebook page, your account name will appear in the drop-down menu.

To add your Instagram account, click Add an account and enter your Instagram login information.

Ad creative.

Upload the ad images you've selected and, using the Edit Crop button, Facebook will allow you to modify the image to fit properly in the Instagram feed. If you choose to use the ad for Instagram and Facebook in the same campaign, it will give you options to edit the size of both individually.

Next, add text describing the action you want the viewer to take. This is an opportunity to use popular hashtags that you've had success with on your Instagram page. That way, your ad will be shown not only to people who belong to your target audience, but also to people who search for that hashtag.

And that's it. Review and click Place Order. Within 24 hours, Facebook will review your ad to make sure it meets all the guidelines and then it will start circulating through your target audience's feeds.

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