With over 2 billion active users on Facebook and over 1 billion active users on Instagram, these platforms offer enormous potential to reach target audiences. Many businesses advertise on both Facebook and Instagram to maximize their exposure, but is it possible to run coordinated ad campaigns across both platforms? The short answer is yes, you can run Facebook and Instagram ads together by utilizing Facebook’s ad platform.
Why run Facebook and Instagram ads together?
There are several key reasons why running coordinated ad campaigns on Facebook and Instagram can be beneficial:
- Reach a broader audience – With their combined 3+ billion users, running ads on both platforms allows you to reach a much larger portion of your target demographic.
- Amplify campaign impact – Coordinated messaging and creative across platforms creates synergy and helps reinforce your campaign.
- Shared data and optimization – Facebook’s ad platform allows you to see combined data on campaign performance and optimize delivery across both Facebook and Instagram.
- Streamline management – Managing one campaign through Facebook’s platform is simpler than managing separate campaigns on each platform.
- Unified reporting – You can generate consolidated reports on campaign metrics and KPIs across Facebook and Instagram, rather than reviewing separate reports.
In short, running coordinated campaigns allows you to maximize reach, reinforce messaging, optimize delivery, simplify logistics, and unify reporting. This makes cross-platform advertising an impactful strategy for brands, especially when trying to connect with younger demographics who use Instagram extensively.
Key capabilities of Facebook’s ad platform
Facebook’s robust advertising platform provides several capabilities that enable running coordinated ad campaigns across Facebook and Instagram:
Cross-platform campaign creation and management
Facebook’s Ads Manager allows you to set up and manage campaigns that target users on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network. You can customize the campaign for each platform while controlling it through one centralized interface.
Unified targeting options
Use the same targeting parameters like location, age, interests, behaviors, and detailed demographics to target your ideal users on both Facebook and Instagram with one campaign.
Shared creative and ad formats
Seamlessly develop ad creative such as images, video, and carousel ads and use them across both platforms. Instagram also supports many of Facebook’s advanced ad formats like canvas, collection, and lead ads.
Combined reporting and analytics
Access campaign data like reach, engagement, conversions, and costs for Facebook and Instagram together. Drill into cross-platform metrics to optimize for performance.
Automated optimization
Use Facebook’s AI tools to automatically optimize ad delivery towards better performing platforms, placements, creatives, audiences, and more to boost campaign results.
Streamlined workflows
Efficiently manage ad accounts, billing methods, collaboration tools, and asset libraries across Facebook and Instagram in one place to simplify workflows.
Best practices for cross-platform campaigns
Here are some top tips to run effective ads across Facebook and Instagram:
Create consistent messaging
Ensure your value proposition, branding, and messaging align across both platforms. This repetition in messaging strengthens your campaign. But also adapt tone of voice for each platform if needed.
Design platform-specific creatives
Develop visual assets tailored to the look and feel of Facebook and Instagram for better resonance with users. You can still maintain a consistent style.
Follow best practices for creatives
Adhere to recommended image sizes, aspect ratios, text overlay limitations, video lengths, and other specifications provided in Facebook’s ad policies for both platforms.
Optimize calls-to-action
Align your CTAs across platforms, but adjust wording to what motivates each audience. For Instagram, focus on aspirational or experiential messaging.
Analyze performance differences
Check platform-specific metrics to see how ads are performing on Facebook vs Instagram. Optimize based on differences in CTR, CPC, CPM, reach, frequency, and conversions.
Set platform-specific targeting
Beyond shared targeting parameters, utilize Instagram/Facebook-only targeting features like interests, behaviors, placements, exclusions, and more that are unique to each platform.
Customize ad schedules
Consider optimal ad delivery times for when your target users are most active on Facebook vs Instagram. Schedule ads to align with usage habits on each platform.
Allocate budget appropriately
Divide campaign budget between Facebook and Instagram based on where you’re seeing better performance and ROI. Change budget splits as you optimize the campaign.
Platform differences to consider
While Facebook and Instagram are both owned by Meta and can be managed through the same ad platform, there are some inherent differences between the two platforms that are important to factor into your cross-platform advertising:
User mindsets and intentions
People tend to use Facebook more for utilitarian purposes like connecting with others or finding information. Instagram is more about entertainment, escapism, and visual self-expression.
Demographics
Facebook has an older user base, while Instagram skews toward a younger audience typically under 35. Gender distribution also varies slightly across the platforms.
Content types
Instagram is exclusively visual content while Facebook also has text, links, videos, and live streams. This impacts creative and format choices for ads.
Feed behaviors
Instagram users tend to scroll quickly through feeds and focus on catching their eye. On Facebook, there’s slightly more patience for text and information consumption.
Ad placements
While there is overlap, some ad placements like Instagram Stories or Facebook Right Column are unique to each platform.
Measurement
Platform-specific metrics like swipe ups, saved posts, shares, or reactions can shape optimization decisions for Facebook vs. Instagram.
Keeping these nuanced differences in mind will help craft relevant messaging and creatives tailored to each platform’s audience and environment. Testing and optimization is key to determining the right strategy for each platform.
Step-by-step guide to setting up cross-platform campaigns
Here is a step-by-step guide to running coordinated ad campaigns across Facebook and Instagram using Facebook’s ad platform:
Step 1: Create a Facebook Ad Account
If you don’t already have one, set up an ad account in Facebook’s Business Manager. This will allow you to access Ads Manager.
Step 2: Add Instagram to Your Ad Account
In your Facebook ad account under “Assigned Assets”, assign yourself as the Instagram advertiser. This connects your ad account to Instagram.
Step 3: Set Up Your Campaign
In Ads Manager, create a new campaign. Select the campaign objective that aligns with your goal.
Step 4: Configure Campaign Settings
Name your campaign, set the run dates, budget and bid amounts. Target locations, platforms, and placements.
Step 5: Set Up Ad Sets
Create specific ad sets within your campaign to target different audiences, optimize for different objectives like traffic or conversions, or test different elements like creatives or messaging.
Step 6: Design & Upload Creatives
Design visually engaging image/video ads tailored to Facebook and Instagram in recommended sizes and specs. Upload them into your Facebook ad account.
Step 7: Write Ad Text
Craft compelling ad copy for each platform – headlines, bodies, and calls-to-action. Align messaging while optimizing text for each audience.
Step 8: Place Order & Launch Campaign
Double check settings and place your order. Your ads will start running across both Facebook and Instagram!
Step 9: Track Performance & Optimize
Monitor campaign analytics for each platform to identify top-performing creatives, audiences, placements, and texts. Shift budget towards better-performing elements.
Congratulations, you have now activated a coordinated ad campaign across Facebook and Instagram! Monitor results closely and continue iterating to drive optimal cross-platform performance. The power of two platforms is at your fingertips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use the same ad creative on Facebook and Instagram?
Yes, you can use the same ad creative assets like images and video across both Facebook and Instagram. The key is to ensure you are following the recommended creative specifications provided in Facebook’s ad policies for image dimensions, aspect ratios, text overlays, etc. Ideally, you will create customized versions of your creative optimized for each platform.
Do Facebook ad costs apply to Instagram too?
Facebook’s advertising auction model looks at demand and supply dynamics across both Facebook and Instagram, so ad costs are reflective of the combined competitive landscape. However, costs can vary significantly by factors like positioning, audience targeting, time of day, and more. Review platform-specific reporting to understand cost differences.
Can you schedule different ad schedules for each platform?
Yes, Facebook’s ad platform allows you to customize the ad schedule and cadence for Facebook and Instagram separately. Look at when your target audiences are most actively engaged on each platform, and schedule ad delivery during those time periods.
Do Facebook and Instagram ad performance reports get combined?
You can access combined campaign reporting that aggregates metrics across Facebook and Instagram. However, you can also view platform-specific reports for Facebook vs Instagram to analyze performance differences. Use these insights to optimize both campaigns.
Can you create platform-specific ad variations?
Yes, within the same cross-platform campaign, you can set up different ad sets to test different creatives, texts, placements, audiences, and more separately for Facebook and Instagram. You’ll see combined campaign data along with the ability to drill down into each ad set.
Conclusion
Running coordinated advertising campaigns on Facebook and Instagram provides brands with an opportunity to maximize reach and resonate with a broader combined audience. Leveraging Facebook’s unified ad platform simplifies the process of cross-platform management. Paying close attention to performance metrics for each platform allows you to optimize ads and investment for better collective results.
With strategic creative development, audience targeting, messaging, and ongoing optimization, advertisers can unlock the power of amplified exposure across Facebook and Instagram.