Your First Facebook Ad:

Practical Playbook for DIY Sellers + Small Brands

Run your first ad without wasting your budget.

Simple steps to build your audience, set your budget smartly, and actually understand what’s working.

🚀 Step 1: Set Your Goal

Before you open Ads Manager, get clear on what you want from this ad.

Are you looking to:

✅ Grow your email list?

✅ Test a freebie offer?

✅ Warm up leads for future sales?

Starting with a clear goal helps you measure success beyond just "likes."

🧩 Step 2: Build the Right Audience (Without Wasting Budget)

Ads Manager can feel like a maze, but this part is simpler than you think.

Here’s how to build a smart audience:

First, start with your base:

• Think: Parents, small business owners, DIY sellers, makers.

Then, layer using "Narrow Audience":

• Add interests like: Self-help, Personal development, Emotional intelligence, Astrology (or your specific customer-aligned interests).

Optional Pro Move:

• Add behaviors like Health & Wellness Creators to capture those creating content in your space.

💡 This keeps your audience clean and specific, so every click is more likely to matter.

💸 Step 3: Set a Smart Budget

You don’t need to spend big to learn big. Save that for when you know your ad is working!

Start with:

✅ $3–$5 per day

✅ Run for 5–7 days minimum

This lets Meta’s algorithm learn and gives you enough data to see what’s working.

📊 Pro Tip: Expect to pay around $0.20–$0.50 per click at this stage for well-targeted ads.

📈 Step 4: Know Your Numbers

When your ad starts running, don’t just watch likes — watch these metrics:

• Reach: How many people saw your ad

• Impressions: How many times it was shown (reach vs. impressions helps you see if people are seeing your ad multiple times)

• Link Clicks: Actual clicks to your landing page

• Cost Per Click (CPC): Under $0.50 is considered good for cold traffic

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Aim for over 1% to know your message is resonating

📝 Bonus Tip: Track these numbers daily in a simple table for clear insights.

🔥 Step 5: Turn Clicks Into Customers With Retargeting

Once you have people clicking, you’ve built a warm audience!

This is where the real magic happens:

✅ You can retarget people who visited your landing page but didn’t download

✅ Upsell to people who grabbed your freebie but haven’t bought a paid offer yet

✅ Keep the conversation going at a lower cost than cold ads

Warm traffic ads are usually cheaper and more effective — because you’ve already built the relationship.

🧭 Step 6: Keep It Simple & Start Small

Your first ad is not about perfection. It’s about learning.

✅ Use clear, simple creative

✅ Test one audience at a time

✅ Track your numbers

✅ Let Meta’s algorithm learn

Start small, stay curious, and build from there.

🎉 You’re Ready!

You now have the essential steps to confidently run your first Facebook ad — without wasting time or money. 

Pro Tip: Bookmark this page and come back when you’re ready to build your next ad!

Your first ad will teach you a lot — especially when you know exactly what to look for. Even the best ads will inevitably need a little fine-tuning.

Keep going — you’re closer than you think.

Want a Little Extra Help?

If you’re anything like me when I ran my first ad, the real questions show up after you hit publish.

What if no one’s clicking?
What if they’re clicking, but not signing up?
Is it my ad? My audience? My page?

I’ve got you covered. ✌️

Grab my Ads Troubleshooting Toolkit — your quick-fix companion for when things don’t go as planned on that first try. And yes, that's totally normal! Expected even.

For just $11, you’ll get:

✅ Clear, step-by-step fixes for the most common ad problems

✅ Exactly what to check if you’re not getting clicks (or not getting conversions)

✅ Tips for improving your ad visuals + making sure your ads show up well across placements

✅ A "What to Do Next" guide so you’re never stuck wondering what to do

✅ PLUS: More pro tips on testing smartly, so you keep learning as you go

It’s like having me in your back pocket.

Instant access. Easy to follow.

Designed to save you time, money, and headaches.