The Ultimate Guide to Meta Ads in 2025
by Kirsty Wright - Co Thought Digital
Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram advertising) are one of the fastest ways to get your business in front of new customers. With over 4 billion people using Meta platforms every month, the opportunity is huge.
The challenge? Knowing how to create campaigns that actually deliver results.
This guide covers the essentials: what Meta Ads are, how they work, and the steps you can take to set up campaigns that generate leads and sales.
What Are Meta Ads?
Meta Ads are paid promotions that run across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and the Audience Network. They appear in feeds, Stories, Reels, Marketplace and more.
Unlike traditional ads, Meta Ads use audience data and behaviour to deliver your message to the people most likely to respond. This makes them ideal for small businesses and growing brands.
Why Use Meta Ads?
Huge reach – Over 4 billion people use Meta’s platforms monthly.
Targeted – Choose audiences by age, interests, behaviours, or location.
Budget control – Start with as little as £5 per day.
Creative formats – From Stories to videos, you can tell your story in the format that suits.
Real-time tracking – See clicks, conversions and much more data inside Ads Manager.
How Meta Ads Are Structured
Meta Ads Manager uses three layers:
Campaign – Where you set your objective (awareness, traffic, leads, sales).
Ad Set – Where you choose your audience, budget, schedule and placements.
Ad – The creative: your images, videos, headlines, and copy.
Choosing the Right Campaign Objective
Picking the right objective matters:
Awareness – Reach new audiences.
Traffic – Drive people to your website.
Engagement – Boost likes, shares, or video views.
Leads – Collect customer details via instant forms.
Sales/Conversions – Drives online purchases or enquiries.
Tip: Match your objective to your real goal. If you want sales, don’t just run a traffic campaign.
Audience Targeting Options
Meta gives you three powerful audience types:
Interest Based Audiences – Filter by demographics, location, and interests.
Custom Audiences – Retarget website visitors, email lists, or past customers.
Lookalike Audiences – Find new people similar to your best customers.
Don’t Skip the Tech Setup
Before you spend a penny on ads, make sure your tech is in place. The Meta Pixel (or the newer Conversions API) is what connects your website to Meta Ads Manager. It tracks important actions, like purchases, form submissions, or phone clicks, so you can see exactly what’s working. Without it, you’ll only see surface-level metrics like clicks and impressions, but you won’t know if those clicks turned into real leads or sales.
Best Practices for Creatives
Use high-quality photos or vertical videos.
Keep ad copy short, clear, and benefit-driven.
Add a strong call to action (e.g. Book your free quote today).
Test different creatives – headlines, images, and buttons.
Budgeting for Meta Ads
You don’t need a huge spend. Many businesses start with £300 - £500 per month. Meta Ads runs on an auction system, so results depend on:
How competitive your audience is.
The quality of your ad creative.
Relevance and click-through rates.
Measuring Success
Key metrics include:
CTR (Click-Through Rate) – Shows how engaging your ad is.
CPC (Cost Per Click) – Reveals cost efficiency.
Conversion Rate – Tracks how many people take action.
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) – Measures profitability.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Running the wrong campaign objective.
Targeting audiences too broad (or too narrow).
Ignoring the learning phase (ads take 7 days to stabilise).
Letting ads run for months without refreshing creative.
Meta Ads remain one of the most cost-effective ways for small businesses to grow. Start with clear goals, target the right audience, and invest time into testing your creative. Whether you want more leads, sales, or brand awareness, Meta Ads can be the engine that delivers them.
About Co Thought Digital
Co Thought Digital is a digital marketing agency in Cheshire, specialising in helping businesses generate more leads online. We combine expertise in Google Ads, Meta Ads, SEO, and local marketing to create strategies that drive real results.
Want to run Meta Ads with confidence? Download our free Meta Ads Starter Kit — packed with tech setup guides, budgeting tips, audience strategies, ad copy examples, and optimisation tricks.
Download your free Meta Ads Starter Kit here.
Found this post useful? You’ll also like:
◇ 450 Lead magnet Ideas for Service Providers
