Do I need the Conversions API as well as the pixel?

Meta recommends using both. The Conversions API sends events from your server, so you still record enquiries and sales when a browser blocks the pixel.

Which objective should I choose?

Leads or Sales if you want enquiries or purchases. Traffic and Engagement find people who click and like, which isn't the same thing.

How many ads should I launch with?

Enough distinct ideas to learn which angle works. A few genuinely different concepts teach you more than many small variations of one.

Should I target interests?

Start broad and let strong creative find the audience. Narrow interests can make sense for very specialist products.

What size should my ads be?

Vertical 9:16 for Stories and Reels, and 4:5 or 1:1 for Feed. Supply each shape rather than letting one crop badly.

Can you check my setup before I launch?

Yes. Give us access and we'll go through this list with you. We'll reply within the hour (working hours).

Free checklist

Meta ads launch checklist

Tracking first. Then the fun bit.

This Meta ads launch checklist covers what to set up before you spend on Facebook and Instagram: business ownership and security, the Meta Pixel and Conversions API, campaign settings, audiences, creative, the landing page and the first week. On Meta, the tracking and the creative do most of the work.

Get the events right and give the system several strong ideas, and targeting matters far less than most people think.

Melton Pilates Co.

At a glance

What: A plain-text Meta ads launch checklist in seven sections, free to copy.
For: Businesses launching Facebook and Instagram ads, or taking an account back in-house.
Speed: Our Meta Ads setup takes 4 hours on average.
Next: Want it set up for you? Book a call. We'll reply within the hour (working hours).

Ready when you are.

Get moving

We'll reply within the hour (working hours).

What should you set up before Meta ads go live?

Ownership and tracking come first. If the pixel or the business portfolio is wrong, every campaign built on top of it inherits the problem.

1
Ownership and security
The business owns the business portfolio, every admin has two-factor authentication, and the Page, Instagram and ad account are connected.
2
Domain and categories
Verify your domain, and check whether your ads fall under a Special Ad Category such as credit, jobs or housing. Those limit targeting.
3
Pixel and Conversions API
Install the pixel, add the Conversions API so events still arrive when browsers block the pixel, and deduplicate the two. Test with Test Events.
4
Campaign
Pick the Leads or Sales objective for enquiries and optimise for the real conversion event, not clicks.
5
Audiences
Start broad for prospecting, and save website visitors and engaged followers for retargeting.
6
Creative
Several genuinely different ideas, each with a hook in the first seconds, subtitles, and the right shape for each placement.
7
First week
Check events fire on real enquiries, answer comments and replace weak creative instead of changing budgets every day.

Copy the Meta ads launch checklist

The full checklist in plain text, with tick boxes. Paste it into a doc or task list and work through it before you launch.

meta-ads-launch-checklist.txt

META ADS LAUNCH CHECKLIST
Business: [name]    Campaign: [name]    Launch date: [date]

BUSINESS SET-UP
[ ] Business portfolio owned by the business, not a freelancer's personal account
[ ] Two-factor authentication on for every admin
[ ] Facebook Page and Instagram account connected
[ ] Ad account billing and payment method confirmed
[ ] Domain verified
[ ] Special Ad Category checked (credit and finance, jobs, housing, social issues, elections or politics)

TRACKING
[ ] Meta Pixel installed on every page
[ ] Conversions API set up, with events deduplicated
[ ] Standard events for real actions: Lead, Purchase, Schedule, Contact
[ ] Events checked in Events Manager with Test Events
[ ] Cookie banner records consent before the pixel fires where consent is needed
[ ] UTM tags on every ad link

CAMPAIGN
[ ] Objective matches the goal (Leads or Sales, not Traffic, for enquiries)
[ ] Optimising for the real conversion event
[ ] Budget set at campaign or ad set level, on purpose
[ ] Locations, age and language checked
[ ] Placements reviewed

AUDIENCES
[ ] A broad prospecting audience to start
[ ] Website visitors and engaged followers saved for retargeting
[ ] Customer list uploaded only where you have permission
[ ] Existing customers excluded from prospecting where it makes sense

CREATIVE
[ ] Several different ideas, not one idea in five colours
[ ] The hook in the first seconds of every video
[ ] Vertical 9:16 for Stories and Reels, 4:5 or 1:1 for Feed
[ ] Subtitles on every video
[ ] Primary text, headline and call to action on every ad

LANDING PAGE
[ ] Matches the ad's offer and wording
[ ] Fast on mobile
[ ] Form short and tested end to end

FIRST WEEK
[ ] Ads approved, rejections fixed
[ ] Events firing on real enquiries
[ ] Comments on ads read and answered
[ ] Weak creative swapped, not budgets changed every day

Which Meta ads launch mistakes cost the most?

Most problems we find in new accounts come from ownership, tracking and creative, not from targeting.

A freelancer owns the account.If they leave, you can lose the pixel history and the ad account. The business should own both.
Optimising for clicks.Meta finds people who click. Optimise for leads or purchases if that's what you want.
Pixel only, no Conversions API.Browsers and ad blockers stop some pixel events. The Conversions API sends them from your server too.
One idea, many versions.Five colours of the same ad is one test, not five.
Changing things daily.Give each change a few days of data before judging it.

How does Foundry launch Meta ads?

We sort ownership, the pixel and the Conversions API first, then launch with several distinct creative ideas and a broad audience. Setup takes 4 hours on average.

Robert edits the video ads in-house, so new creative is ready when the first set tires. You get a report on the 1st of every month and updates on WhatsApp or Slack in between.

Our averages. Not our best days.

Our averages

4hours
Meta Ads setupthis service
20mins
Average reply time