Best Way to Advertise on Facebook (Not the Boost Button)

The best way to advertise on Facebook is to use Ads Manager, not the Boost button: pick the objective that matches the result you want, install the Meta pixel and Conversions API, keep targeting broad, and launch several different creatives so Meta can find the winner. Before you write a single ad, study the ads your competitors have kept running for weeks in the free Meta Ad Library.

That is the whole method. The rest of this guide explains each piece and why it works.

What is the best way to advertise on Facebook?

Effective Facebook advertising comes down to giving Meta's delivery system three things: a clear goal, good conversion data, and enough creative variety to test.

Ads Manager lets you control all three. The Boost button on a Page post controls almost none of them.

Here is the process we use when we set up an account from scratch:

1. 1
   Study competitorsLong-running ads in the Ad Library
2. 2
   Set up trackingMeta pixel plus Conversions API
3. 3
   Pick an objectiveSales or leads, not clicks
4. 4
   Launch several creativesDifferent angles, broad targeting
5. 5
   Read and cutKeep winners, kill losers on a rule

Each step builds on the one before it. Skip tracking and the objective has nothing to optimise for. Skip creative variety and there is nothing to learn from.

Boost post vs Ads Manager: which should you use?

Use Ads Manager for anything where you care about sales, leads or sign-ups. Boosting is a shortcut that promotes an existing post with a simplified set of options, and it is built for convenience rather than control.

The key difference in the boost post vs Ads Manager debate is the objective. A boosted post often ends up optimising for engagement, so Meta finds people who like and comment. People who like posts are not the same people who buy.

Our breakdown of Meta campaign objectives explains what each objective tells the algorithm to look for.

How do you advertise on Facebook for a small business?

How to advertise on Facebook for small business owners is mostly about doing fewer things properly. You do not need ten campaigns. You need one well-built campaign and a habit of checking it.

A sensible small business setup looks like this:

• One campaign with a sales or leads objective.
• One ad set with broad targeting in the countries you ship to or serve.
• Three to five ads built on different angles, not small variations of one ad.
• A daily budget you can hold steady for at least a week without panicking.

For setting that budget, our guide on how much to spend on Facebook ads gives a simple way to work it out from your target cost per purchase. The short version: too little spend per ad set and Meta never collects enough data to leave the learning phase.

Why do the pixel and Conversions API matter so much?

Without conversion data, Meta can only optimise for what it can see: clicks, views and engagement. With it, Meta can find people who look like your actual buyers.

The Meta pixel is a snippet of code on your site that reports events like page views, add to cart and purchases. The Conversions API sends the same events from your server, which catches events the browser misses.

Run both. The pixel alone now misses events, and missing purchases means Meta optimises on an incomplete picture. Our Meta pixel setup guide walks through installation, the standard events to add and how to verify them with Test Events.

Should you use broad targeting or detailed interests?

For most ecommerce and lead-gen accounts, start broad. Set the location, an age range if your product genuinely requires it, and let the creative do the targeting.

That sounds backwards if you learned Facebook ads years ago. But Meta's delivery has shifted toward finding buyers on its own, using your conversion data and the signals in your ad itself.

Your creative is now your targeting. An ad that speaks clearly to new mums will mostly be shown to, and clicked by, new mums. A vague ad gets shown to vague audiences.

Narrow targeting still has a place: exclusions for existing customers, retargeting site visitors, and genuinely local businesses that can only serve a small radius.

How many ads should you run, and how different should they be?

Run several ads at once, and make them genuinely different. Three to five ads per ad set is a sensible starting point for a small account.

"Different" means different angles, not different button colours. One ad might lead with a problem, one with a customer testimonial, one with a product demo, one with an offer.

Meta will push spend toward the ads that perform. Your job is to give it real options to choose from.

Why study competitors' ads before you write your own?

Because your competitors have already paid to test angles in your market, and the results are public. The Meta Ad Library at facebook.com/ads/library is free and shows every active ad from any advertiser on Facebook and Instagram.

Each ad card shows a "Started running on" date. Advertisers keep paying only for ads that work, so ads that have run for many weeks are usually winners. Those are the ones to study.

Look at what they share: the hook in the first seconds, the format, the offer, the claim, the call to action. Then write your own ads around the angles that keep repeating. Copy the angle, never the asset. Our guide on how to see competitors' Facebook ads shows the full method.

If you want to keep those ads after they are paused, our free extension adds a download button to the Ad Library and can save a whole search into one ZIP with a searchable swipe board.

What Facebook advertising tips matter most after launch?

Once the campaign is live, a few habits separate accounts that improve from accounts that drift.

1. Set a kill rule before launch. Decide in advance how much spend an ad gets without a result before you turn it off.
2. Judge on the business number. Watch cost per purchase or cost per lead, not likes or click-through rate alone.
3. Feed new creative regularly. Even winners fatigue. Add fresh angles every few weeks.
4. Scale slowly. Raise budget on winners in steady steps rather than big jumps.
5. Keep researching. Check the Ad Library each month for new angles in your category.

For a broader pre-launch checklist covering product fit, competitors and audience, see what to research before your first Meta campaign.

FAQ

What is the best way to advertise on Facebook?

Use Ads Manager with a sales or leads objective, install the Meta pixel and Conversions API, keep targeting broad, and launch several different creatives. Study competitors' long-running ads in the Meta Ad Library first so your angles start from what already works.

Is it better to boost a post or use Ads Manager?

Ads Manager is better for sales, leads and any measurable result, because it gives you the full set of objectives, multiple ads per ad set and full reporting. Boosting is a quick way to add reach to a post, but it offers far less control.

How do I advertise on Facebook as a small business?

Start with one campaign, one broadly targeted ad set and three to five genuinely different ads, with a daily budget you can hold for at least a week. Set up the pixel before launch and judge results on cost per sale or lead.

Do I need the Meta pixel to advertise on Facebook?

You can run ads without it, but Meta then cannot optimise for purchases or leads on your site. Install the pixel and pair it with the Conversions API so Meta sees as many real conversions as possible.

How many ads should I run at once on Facebook?

Three to five ads per ad set is a practical starting point for most small accounts. Make each one a different angle or format so the test actually tells you something.

Should I use broad targeting on Facebook ads?

For most ecommerce and lead-gen accounts, yes. Broad targeting lets Meta use your conversion data and creative to find buyers, while detailed interests often just shrink the audience and raise costs.