How to Run Facebook Ads for Agencies

Over 3 million businesses actively advertise on Facebook, making it one of the most powerful platforms for client acquisition and brand growth (Hootsuite, 2024). For digital marketing agencies, that’s not just a stat, it’s a signal to sharpen your edge.

Whether your agency specializes in funnel design, content marketing, or PPC advertisement, mastering Facebook Ads is critical. Done right, it can drive serious results for both your clients and your agency’s own growth.

But success on Facebook requires more than just a good-looking post. You need a clear strategy, precise targeting, strong creative, and the ability to scale your campaigns quickly and effectively.

Here’s what we’ll walk you through:

• How to align your campaign objective with the right ad format

• How to leverage Facebook Ads Manager and Meta Business Manager for maximum efficiency

• How to improve ad creatives and conversion rates with smarter targeting options

• And how to use AI tools like Averi to scale smarter and launch faster

These are the building blocks that separate a good Facebook Ad Agency from a great one:

• Start with strategy
  Your campaign objective should shape everything, from ad formats to budget to messaging. Without it, you’re guessing.
  
  

• Creative is everything
  You have seconds to get someone to stop scrolling. Your ad creatives should deliver value fast and speak directly to your target audience.
  
  

• Measurement wins deals
  Clients want results. That means setting up tracking tools like Meta Pixel and Facebook Conversion API to get the full picture of what’s working.

In this article, we’ll walk through the 8 steps every Facebook Ad Agency needs to run smarter, better Facebook ads, for your own brand or your clients.

Why Agencies Need a Different Playbook for Facebook Ads

Running Facebook Ads for an agency, whether you're promoting your services or managing campaigns for clients- is not the same as running ads for a product or brand. You're not just pushing features or limited-time deals. You’re proving expertise, building credibility, and delivering measurable ROI.

That means your digital marketing strategy has to do more than get attention. It needs to earn trust, demonstrate value, and show precisely how your work drives business growth.

You’re not just running campaigns. You’re selling your process, your people, and your results.

Here’s what makes Facebook Ads for agencies unique:

You’re selling expertise, not a product.
Whether you're a Facebook Ad Agency, SEO specialist, or content marketing firm, your ads need to communicate trust and authority fast. Client testimonials, proof of results, and strong CTAs will consistently outperform vague marketing promises.

Your audience is more skeptical.
Other marketers are a tough crowd. They’ve seen all the tricks, and they’ve probably tried them. Clear messaging, clean design, and transparent offers are more effective than flashy tactics.

Your goal is to generate leads, not just clicks.
Running an ad that gets attention is easy. Running one that drives qualified leads into your funnel is harder. That means nailing your campaign objective, landing page experience, and conversion tracking setup from the start.

You’re working with performance expectations.
Clients expect data. If you're running ads for them, you need to back up every decision with insights from Facebook analytics, Ads Manager, or Meta Business Manager. Gut instincts aren’t enough.

You have to master the tools.
Power Editor, Meta Ads Manager, Meta Pixel, and Facebook Conversion API, agencies have to be fluent in all of them. Your ability to navigate the backend can significantly impact campaign performance and attribution accuracy.

Running Facebook ads for an agency means playing at a higher level. It’s about clarity, credibility, and control at every step, from targeting options to ad spend percentage.

Step 1: Set a Clear Campaign Objective

Know the Why Before You Touch Ads Manager

Before you open Meta Ads Manager, you need to define what success looks like. That starts with choosing the right campaign objective.

Are you running Facebook Ads to generate leads for your agency? Retarget past visitors? Promote a webinar for your content marketing team? Each objective unlocks different optimization paths in the platform, from brand awareness to conversions.

Facebook offers three broad campaign objective categories:

• Awareness: Great for reach or brand-building with a new audience

• Consideration: Best for driving traffic, engagement, video views, or app installs

• Conversion: The go-to for lead gen, purchases, and event signups

If you select the wrong objective, Facebook won’t optimize toward the results you care about. You’ll end up spending money on engagement when what you needed was leads, or impressions when you wanted clicks.

Agencies often jump ahead to creative, but objective selection is where ad performance is won or lost. It's also the moment where you define your ad spend percentage, how much budget you're putting toward top-of-funnel visibility versus bottom-funnel conversion.

Pro-Tip: Not sure where to start? Use Meta’s guide to objectives to map the right goal to your ad type. Then build your content, targeting, and landing page around that single outcome.

Step 2: Build Your Custom Audiences

The Right Message Needs the Right People

The best ad in the world won’t work if it’s shown to the wrong audience. That’s where custom audience targeting comes in.

Instead of casting a wide net, you can use Facebook Ads Manager to reach people who already know you, like past website visitors, email subscribers, or people who engaged with your Facebook Business Page.

Here are three high-impact custom audiences every agency should build:

• Website visitors using your Meta Pixel

• Email list subscribers imported from your CRM

• Facebook or Instagram engagers from the last 30–90 days

Once you’ve built these audiences, you can layer in lookalike audiences to expand your reach while still staying relevant. This approach lowers your Customer Acquisition Cost by targeting people who are more likely to convert.

Want to keep things organized? Use Meta Business Manager to segment your audiences and assign them to specific ad accounts, campaigns, or clients.

Pro-Tip: Use Facebook’s custom audience tool to test different audience segments. Compare performance to see which ones bring the best conversion rates, and optimize accordingly.

Step 3: Design Scroll-Stopping Ad Creatives

Stand Out Before They Swipe Past

You’ve set your campaign objective and built your audience. Now comes the part that most agencies rush: the ad creatives.

Good creative gets attention. Great creative drives action.

To stop the scroll, your creative should:

• Match the intent of your campaign objective

• Visually highlight the core message or offer

• Be mobile-first (vertical ratio, bold text, punchy visuals)

• Use real agency work, testimonials, or behind-the-scenes content

• Fit the Facebook Feed aesthetic without looking like a hard sell

Don’t forget that ad formats matter. Test static images, short-form video, carousels, and even Stories to find what resonates with each segment of your target audience.

Polished isn’t always better. In many cases, authentic wins.

Pro-Tip: Use Meta’s Ad Creative Hub to mock up and preview multiple variations before launch. This helps you test layouts, messaging, and media side by side before spending a single dollar.

Step 4: Use the Right Tools to Track Performance

What Gets Measured Gets Optimized

Without proper tracking, you're flying blind. Whether you’re reporting to clients or running internal campaigns, setting up Facebook’s tracking tools is a non-negotiable.

Here’s how to do it right:

1. Install the Meta Pixel
   This is your foundation for tracking user behavior on your site. It tells you who clicked, who bounced, and who converted.
   
   

2. Set up Facebook Conversion API
   This gives you server-side tracking to capture data that Pixel might miss, especially with iOS privacy changes.
   
   

3. Connect Events in Meta Business Manager
   Use aggregated event measurement to prioritize the most critical actions (like lead forms or purchases).
   
   

4. Check performance in Ads Manager and Page Insights
   Don’t just look at reach. Monitor key metrics, including conversion rates, CPM (cost per thousand impressions), and frequency.

Tracking gives you the complete picture of your campaign’s effectiveness across ad spend, audience behavior, and funnel performance.

Pro-Tip: Not sure what’s working best? Try Facebook’s Event Manager to debug data flows, troubleshoot issues, and make sure every conversion is counted.

Step 5: Stop Writing Copy That Sounds Like Everyone Else

Your Ads Should Sell the Value, Not Just the Service

The problem:
Most digital marketing agencies write ads that feel like every other post in the Facebook Feed. Generic. Buzzwordy. Forgettable.

The solution:
Write copy that feels personal, specific, and benefit-driven. Your ad campaigns should speak directly to your audience segments, whether that’s eCommerce founders, SaaS teams, or small businesses.

Strong Facebook Ad copy includes:

• A hook that grabs attention in the first line

• A clear value prop (What’s in it for them?)

• Social proof or a case study result

• A call-to-action that feels like a no-brainer

Don’t forget to align your copy with your campaign objective. If the goal is conversions, lead with urgency or exclusivity. If it’s awareness, tell a quick story.

And remember: people don’t care how great your agency is, they care what you can do for them.

Pro-Tip: Swipe winning ideas from Facebook Ad Library by filtering for your niche. Study which creatives and copy styles are used by top-performing Facebook Ad Agencies, and then raise the bar.

Step 6: Optimize Your Placements, Don’t Just Let Facebook Choose

Automatic Doesn’t Always Mean Efficient

Facebook recommends automatic placements, and in some cases, they work. But agencies managing multiple ad campaigns should always double-check where their ads are showing up.

Here’s your optimization checklist:

✅ Audit your placement report after 48–72 hours
✅ Check how your ads perform in Facebook Feed vs. Stories vs. Messenger
✅ Exclude low-performing placements with high CPM or low conversion rates
✅ Match your ad creatives to the placement (vertical for Stories, horizontal for in-feed)
✅ Make sure your destination is mobile-optimized (90%+ of users browse on mobile)

If you’re running ads for small businesses or niche verticals, customization can make or break performance. For example, a carousel ad may excel on the Instagram Feed but struggle in Audience Network.

Pro-Tip: Use Meta’s Placement Asset Customization tool to tailor visuals and copy per placement without duplicating your ad set. It saves time and boosts efficiency, especially when testing new formats.

Step 7: Set a Smart Ad Budget Backed by Performance

Don’t Burn Budget, Back It with Data

Running effective Facebook Ads isn’t about how much you spend. It’s about how well you spend it.

According to WordStream, the average CPM on Facebook ranges from $5 to $12, depending on the industry. But agencies that optimize early see dramatically better conversion rates and lower Customer Acquisition Cost, even on tighter budgets.

Here’s how to approach your ad budget like a pro:

• Start small (e.g., $20–$50/day) during testing

• Scale only once you hit your goal cost per conversion

• Factor in audience size, campaign length, and funnel stage

• Avoid pumping spend into weak creatives or underperforming placements

• Use Facebook analytics and Page Insights to monitor spend vs. performance

If you're managing a client account, be transparent about where the budget is going and why. Clients appreciate when their ad spend percentage is tied directly to results, not just impressions.

Pro-Tip: Use this Facebook Ads budget calculator to reverse-engineer how much you need to spend based on your target leads or sales. It’s beneficial for setting realistic expectations with new clients.

Step 8: Use AI to Launch, Learn, and Scale Faster

The Smartest Agencies Don’t Work Harder, They Work Smarter

Managing Facebook Ads across multiple clients, objectives, and audience segments can eat up your team’s time and energy. That’s why top digital marketing agencies use AI and automation tools to streamline their workflows and scale what’s working.

From copywriting to targeting to performance analysis, these tools make it easier to test, iterate, and win more often.

Here are a few worth exploring:

• AdCreative.ai - Quickly generate scroll-stopping creative tailored to your audience

• Revealbot - Automate campaign rules, budget scaling, and A/B testing

• Madgicx -Full-funnel ad automation with predictive targeting and smart budget allocation
  
  

But if you want a platform built specifically for fast-growing marketing teams? Use Averi.

Averi combines AI-powered tools with expert support to help your agency go from concept to execution in days, not months. Whether you're launching a campaign, testing copy, or scaling a new funnel, Averi delivers unmatched speed and results.

Pro-Tip: Don’t just automate to save time, automate to learn faster. Tools like Averi help you ship smarter campaigns, identify what’s working, and move 10x faster than teams still stuck in spreadsheets and guesswork.

Common Facebook Ad Mistakes Agencies Make

Even with the right tools, experience, and intention, it’s surprisingly easy for agencies to misstep, especially when juggling multiple ad campaigns across different clients and goals. Here are five common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

• Prioritizing vanity metrics over business outcomes
  It’s tempting to celebrate high impressions or click-through rates, but those don’t always translate to leads or revenue. Focus on tangible results, such as conversion rates, cost per lead, and lifetime value.

• Relying too heavily on automatic placements
  Auto-placement can be helpful, but it’s not always the most efficient. Review your placement performance and manually optimize for where your ads perform best, especially across mobile, Feed, and Messenger.

• Neglecting audience exclusions
  Overlapping custom audience segments can lead to wasted spend and ad fatigue. Exclude past converters, irrelevant lookalike audiences, or low-quality traffic sources to maintain clean and effective targeting.

• Running ads without creative variation
  Even agencies fall into the trap of using the same image or CTA for too long. Rotate your ad creatives regularly to avoid audience burnout and improve performance over time.

• Skipping post-click optimization
  You nailed the ad, but where does it send people? If your landing page is slow, confusing, or not aligned with the ad message, you're losing conversions. Agencies should own the full funnel, not just the ad.

How Averi Helps Agencies Run Smarter Facebook Ads

A great campaign idea is just the start. Turning it into results your clients can measure? That’s where Averi takes over.

Averi combines AI-powered tools with expert support to help agencies streamline every part of the Facebook Ads process, without sacrificing strategy, creativity, or performance.

Whether you’re managing multiple client accounts or running your own lead gen campaigns, Averi makes it easier to scale what works:

• Automated workflows that reduce time spent in Ads Manager

• Ad copy and creative tailored to each audience segment

• Real-time performance insights that help you optimize faster

You don’t need to hire another media buyer or spend hours tweaking campaigns. You need a platform built to help agencies move quickly, stay lean, and deliver results that win more business.

With Averi, you get the power of an in-house digital team, minus the overhead, guesswork, or bottlenecks. Scale your ad operations, sharpen your strategy, and grow smarter with every campaign.

FAQ: Running Facebook Ads for Agencies

What’s the best campaign objective for agencies running lead gen?

For lead generation, select the "Conversions" or "Leads" objective in Facebook Ads Manager. Pair it with a landing page or form that captures interest without friction.

How much should an agency spend on Facebook Ads?

Start with a test ad budget of $20–$50/day. Let the data guide your ad spend percentage as you scale. Focus on conversion rate over reach to maximize your budget's effectiveness.

Is Facebook Ads Manager better than Boost Post?

Yes. Facebook Ads Manager and Meta Business Manager offer more control, better targeting options, and access to key features like custom audiences and performance tracking.

How can agencies lower their CPM and improve ROAS?

Focus on tightening your target audience, refreshing your ad creatives, and excluding low-performing placements. Utilize lookalike audiences to scale your reach efficiently.

Can I automate parts of my ad campaigns?

Absolutely. Tools like Meta Ads Manager, Power Editor, and platforms like Averi help you automate workflows, test faster, and track smarter without adding headcount.

How important is it to install the Meta Pixel?

It’s essential. Without Meta Pixel and Facebook Conversion API, you won’t get accurate data on performance or attribution, especially with privacy updates and iOS changes.

What ad formats work best for agencies?

Test a mix of ad formats, video, carousel, and single image. Tailor your creatives to your audience and Facebook Feed placement for best results.

How often should I rotate my ad creatives?

Every 1–2 weeks, depending on frequency and engagement. Rotating content helps reduce fatigue and maintain high conversion rates.

Can Facebook Ads help grow my agency’s email list?

Yes. Use a lead magnet or offer to drive traffic to an opt-in form. Then build a custom audience from that email list to retarget or upsell later.

How do I track what happens after someone clicks my ad?

Use Page Insights, Facebook analytics, and platform-specific tracking tools to monitor behavior post-click. This helps refine your funnel and improve results.

Why use Averi instead of doing everything manually?

Because it saves time, reduces guesswork, and helps you launch smarter campaigns faster. Averi gives agencies AI-driven support and tools that feel like an in-house team, without the extra payroll.

Ready to Stop Planning and Start Executing?

Most agencies don’t fail because of bad strategy. They fall behind because of slow execution.

While other teams are still writing briefs and fiddling with audience settings, you could be launching high-converting ad campaigns, testing creative, optimizing spend, and driving real results in days, not months.

Get Started in 3 Steps:
Book a 15-Minute Demo - See how Averi’s AI-powered platform fits into your workflow
Connect with Expert Talent - Get matched with marketers who’ve scaled campaigns like yours
Ship Your First Campaign - Go from idea to launch in under a week

Don’t waste another week tweaking decks or chasing client approvals.
Launch Faster with Averi →

“We went from concept to campaign in days. Averi gave our team the speed, structure, and support we didn’t even know we were missing.” — James Rivera, Director of Performance Marketing