Meta Ads — Platform Playbook
Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Messenger, Audience Network
Last updated: March 2026
Audit & Management Workflows
Step-by-step guides with Claude prompts for each campaign objective. Click through to the full workflow — every check, every cadence.
Awareness Campaigns
Reach, frequency, video metrics, creative fatigue, retargeting pool building. Full cadence from daily to quarterly.
Leads (Lead Forms)
Coming soon — lead quality, form optimization, audience testing.
Conversions (Website)
Coming soon — Pixel events, LP performance, attribution.
Advantage+ Shopping / Catalog
Coming soon — ROAS, product sets, DPA, CPAS.
Campaign Structure (2026)
| Element | Standard |
|---|---|
| Budget | CBO (Advantage Campaign Budget) in most cases. Ad set budgets only for very different audiences. |
| Ad sets/campaign | 2–5 max. Distinct audiences. Check overlap with Audience Overlap tool. |
| Ads/ad set | 3–6 ads. Mix formats (static, video, carousel). Never just 1 ad in a set. |
| Audience | Start broad (Advantage+). Layer interests only if poor performance. Lookalikes 1–3% for scaling. |
| Placements | Advantage+ Placements (auto). Restrict only if specific placement wastes budget. |
| Attribution | 7-day click, 1-day view. B2B: 7-day click only. |
| Catalog/DPA | Upload feed to Commerce Manager. Product sets for retargeting. Update feed daily. |
Creative Best Practices
| Format | Specs | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Single Image | 1080x1080 (1:1) or 1080x1350 (4:5). <20% text. | Testimonials, stats, clear offer. |
| Video | 9:16 (Reels/Stories) or 1:1 (Feed). 15–30 sec. Subtitles always. | UGC, case studies, BTS. |
| Carousel | 2–10 cards. 1080x1080 each. | Service breakdowns, portfolio. |
| Copy | Hook (line 1) > Pain/benefit > Social proof > CTA. Short headline. | All formats. |