meta-ads
kostja94/marketing-skills
Set up and optimize Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads campaigns with structured targeting, creative testing, and conversion tracking.
What is meta-ads?
Guides Meta Ads campaign structure, audience targeting, creative optimization, and tracking setup. Use when creating demand-generation campaigns or managing Facebook/Instagram ads for leads, sales, or engagement.
- Structure campaigns by objective (Awareness, Traffic, Conversions, Engagement) with proper hierarchy and naming conventions
- Configure Advantage+ automation, dynamic ads, and automatic placements to let Meta's algorithm optimize audience and creative
- Build and manage audience segments including lookalikes, retargeting, interest-based, and Advantage+ audiences with proper exclusions
- Design and test 3–5 ad creative variants per ad set (images, video, copy) following best practices for hooks, problem/solution framing, and CTAs
- Set up Meta Pixel and Conversions API for server-side tracking and accurate conversion attribution
- Monitor learning phase, frequency, and creative fatigue to optimize performance and refresh underperforming creatives
How to install meta-ads
npx skills add https://github.com/kostja94/marketing-skills --skill meta-ads- Meta Business Account with ad account access
- Meta Pixel installed on website or app
- Conversions API configured for server-side tracking (recommended)
- 3+ ad creative assets (images or videos) ready for testing
- Landing page or destination URL optimized for mobile
How to use meta-ads
- 1.Define your campaign objective (Awareness, Traffic, Conversions, or Engagement) and create a single campaign per objective
- 2.Set up your ad set with audience targeting (lookalike, retargeting, or Advantage+) and budget allocation
- 3.Create 3–5 ad creative variants following best practices (clear product visuals, 15–30s video hooks, text <20%)
- 4.Configure Meta Pixel and Conversions API to track conversion events accurately
- 5.Launch campaign, monitor learning phase (50+ conversions/week to exit), and avoid frequent changes during optimization
- 6.Refresh creatives when performance drops due to fatigue; test new variants continuously
Use cases
- Launch a prospecting campaign targeting lookalike audiences based on high-LTV customers with Advantage+ automation
- Set up retargeting campaigns for website visitors and past engagers with exclusions for recent converters
- Test multiple ad creatives (15–30s videos with 0–3s hooks) across Feed, Stories, and Reels placements
- Configure Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns for e-commerce with dynamic product ads and automatic audience discovery
- Diagnose and fix tracking issues by validating Pixel installation, Conversions API configuration, and conversion event firing
- E-commerce and SaaS marketers running demand-generation campaigns
- Performance marketers optimizing for conversions, leads, or sales
- Product teams testing creative variations and audience segments
- Marketing ops professionals setting up tracking and campaign infrastructure
meta-ads FAQ
Use CBO when scaling; it consolidates spend across ad sets and lets Meta optimize budget allocation. Use ABO for tighter control during testing or small budgets.
Create one campaign per objective, exclude existing customers and recent converters (7–14 days), and use lookalikes based on best customers by LTV, not all customers.
The learning phase is when Meta's algorithm optimizes your campaign. Avoid frequent changes until you hit 50+ conversions per ad set per week. Changes during learning reset progress and slow optimization.
Plan continuous testing with 3–5 variants per ad set. Refresh when performance drops due to creative fatigue, which is a main performance lever. Monitor frequency <3 to avoid ad fatigue.
Meta Pixel is client-side (browser) tracking. Conversions API is server-side, providing better attribution and reliability. Use both together for accurate conversion tracking.
Full instructions (SKILL.md)
Source of truth, from kostja94/marketing-skills.
name: meta-ads description: When the user wants to set up, optimize, or manage Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads. Also use when the user mentions "Meta Ads," "Facebook Ads," "Instagram Ads," "Meta Pixel," "Conversions API," "Advantage+," "lookalike audience," or "Meta retargeting." For landing pages, use landing-page-generator. metadata: version: 1.1.1
Paid Ads: Meta Ads
Guides Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads setup, campaign structure, audience targeting, and creative optimization. Meta excels at demand generation and visual products; use when creating demand or when creative assets are strong.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Campaign Structure
Hierarchy: Campaign → Ad Set → Ad (3 levels)
Principle: One objective per campaign. Multiple campaigns for the same objective split budget and data, slowing the algorithm's learning phase. Consolidate by objective; focus on clean structure and data-led decisions.
Account
├── Campaign: Prospecting
│ ├── Ad Set: Lookalike 1%
│ └── Ad Set: Broad (Advantage+)
├── Campaign: Retargeting
└── Campaign: Testing
Naming: META_[Objective]_[Audience]_[Offer]_[Date] (e.g., META_Conv_Lookalike-Customers_FreeTrial_2024Q1)
Advantage+ & Automation
| Feature | Use |
|---|---|
| Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns | E-commerce; automatic audience discovery |
| Dynamic Ads | Product catalog; auto-generated creative |
| Automatic Placements | Let Meta optimize across Feed, Stories, Reels |
| Advantage+ Audience | Broad targeting; algorithm finds converters |
Provide diverse creative assets to enable multiple ad formats; algorithm performs better with variety.
Campaign Objectives
| Objective | Use when |
|---|---|
| Awareness | Reach; brand recall |
| Traffic | Clicks to site |
| Conversions | Leads; sales; app installs |
| Engagement | Video views; post engagement |
Audience Targeting
| Type | Best for |
|---|---|
| Lookalikes | Base on best customers (by LTV), not all customers |
| Interest/behavior | Broad; let algorithm optimize |
| Advantage+ | Automated; fewer manual controls |
| Retargeting | Website visitors; engagers; custom audiences |
Exclusions: Existing customers; recent converters (7–14d).
Creative Best Practices
- Image: Clear product; before/after; human faces; text <20%
- Video (15–30s): Hook 0–3s; problem 3–8s; solution 8–20s; CTA 20–30s
- Placements: Feed (FB/IG); Stories/Reels; vertical for Stories
- Volume: 3–5 ad variants per ad set for testing
Optimization
- Learning phase: 50+ conversions per ad set per week to exit; avoid frequent changes during learning
- CBO vs ABO: Campaign Budget Optimization consolidates spend; use when scaling
- Frequency: <3 to avoid fatigue
- Creative refresh: Plan continuous testing; creative fatigue is a main lever—refresh when performance drops
Tracking
- Meta Pixel + Conversions API: Server-side for better attribution
- Events API: App events; server-to-server
Pre-Launch Checklist
- Pixel installed; Conversions API configured
- Conversion events firing correctly
- Landing page mobile-friendly; fast load
- 3+ ad creatives per ad set
- Audience exclusions set
Related Skills
- paid-ads-strategy: Channel selection; creative frameworks; budget allocation
- landing-page-generator: LP for paid traffic
- analytics-tracking: Conversion tracking; ROAS
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