Step-by-Step Guide to Running Paid Advertising on Social Media for Beginners
In today’s digital landscape, organic reach on social media is no longer enough. If you’re looking to grow your brand, reach a specific audience, or increase conversions, running paid advertising on social media is the way to go. With platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X (formerly Twitter) offering advanced ad solutions, even beginners can launch successful campaigns—with the right guidance.
This step-by-step guide is designed to walk you through everything you need to know about running paid advertising on social media, from choosing your platform to measuring results.
Step 1: Set Clear Goals for Your Ad Campaign
Before you dive into running paid advertising, define what you want to achieve. Your goals will shape your ad creative, targeting, and budget.
Common goals include:
Brand Awareness – Reach a large number of people
Engagement – Get likes, comments, shares, or followers
Website Traffic – Drive people to a landing page
Lead Generation – Collect emails or sign-ups
Sales/Conversions – Encourage purchases or downloads
Having a specific goal ensures your efforts while running paid advertising are focused and measurable.
Step 2: Choose the Right Social Media Platform
Each social media platform caters to different audience types and ad formats. Choosing the right one is critical when you’re running paid advertising.
Platform breakdown:
Facebook & Instagram (Meta Ads): Best for B2C, wide reach, detailed targeting
TikTok: Great for Gen Z, high engagement through short-form video
LinkedIn: Ideal for B2B, professional services, and recruitment
X (Twitter): Good for real-time conversations, trending topics
Pinterest: Excellent for ecommerce and lifestyle products
Start with one platform where your target audience is most active. For beginners, Facebook and Instagram are the most user-friendly for running paid advertising.
Step 3: Understand Your Target Audience
Successful paid advertising is rooted in knowing exactly who you want to reach.
Key audience factors:
Demographics – Age, gender, income, location
Psychographics – Interests, behaviors, values
Online habits – Time of activity, device usage
Buying stage – Awareness, consideration, decision
When running paid advertising, platforms like Meta allow for granular targeting based on these factors, increasing the chance of campaign success.
Step 4: Set a Realistic Budget
One of the most common fears beginners have about running paid advertising is overspending. Fortunately, you can start with as little as $5–$10 per day and scale as you see results.
Budget tips:
Daily vs. Lifetime Budgets: Choose based on campaign length
Split Testing Budget: Set aside a portion to test different creatives
Conversion-Based Spending: Spend more on high-ROI ads
Always begin with a test budget before committing more funds. Smart budgeting is key to success when running paid advertising.
Step 5: Create High-Quality Ad Creative
Your visuals and copy will make or break your campaign. When running paid advertising, remember you’re competing with organic content in a fast-scrolling feed.
Creative best practices:
Use eye-catching images or video that match platform format
Write clear, benefit-driven headlines
Include a strong call-to-action (CTA) like “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Sign Up”
Keep mobile users in mind – most ad views happen on smartphones
Test different ad creatives to see what performs best. This step is essential when running paid advertising for the first time.
Step 6: Choose the Right Ad Format
Each platform offers various ad formats. Choosing the best one for your goals is an important part of running paid advertising effectively.
Popular ad formats:
Image Ads: Simple and versatile
Video Ads: Great for storytelling and engagement
Carousel Ads: Showcase multiple products or features
Stories/Reels Ads: Full-screen, immersive format
Lead Ads: Built-in forms for collecting emails directly
Match the format to your objective and your audience’s content consumption habits.
Step 7: Set Up Campaign in Ads Manager
When running paid advertising, you’ll use each platform’s native Ads Manager or dashboard to set up your campaign.
Key steps:
Select Campaign Objective (based on Step 1)
Set Target Audience (based on Step 3)
Choose Placements (automatic or manual)
Set Budget and Schedule
Upload Creatives and write ad copy
Preview your ad across devices
Publish
For beginners, Facebook’s Ads Manager offers guided setup for easier navigation when running paid advertising.
Step 8: Monitor Campaign Performance
Once your ads are live, your work doesn’t stop. Running paid advertising successfully requires constant monitoring.
Key metrics to track:
CTR (Click-Through Rate): Indicates engagement
CPC (Cost per Click): Shows cost efficiency
CPM (Cost per 1,000 impressions): Measures reach cost
Conversion Rate: Measures success of your CTA
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Ultimate indicator of profitability
Regularly check these metrics in Ads Manager to spot trends and opportunities.
Step 9: Optimize Your Campaign
The true power of running paid advertising lies in ongoing optimization. Make small changes and measure the impact.
Optimization ideas:
Change the creative if engagement is low
Test different CTAs or landing pages
Adjust audience targeting (broader or narrower)
Switch ad placements if performance varies by platform
Split testing (A/B testing) different ad versions is one of the most effective optimization tactics when running paid advertising.
Step 10: Scale What Works
Once you’ve found a winning combination of creative, audience, and offer, it’s time to scale your campaign.
Scaling techniques:
Increase budget gradually (10–20% every few days)
Duplicate high-performing ads for new audiences
Expand to other platforms using similar targeting and messaging
Scaling is where running paid advertising can drive exponential growth in brand visibility and sales.
Final Thoughts
While it may seem overwhelming at first, running paid advertising on social media is one of the most powerful tools available to modern marketers. With the right strategy, tools, and mindset, even beginners can launch successful campaigns that drive real results.
Start small, stay consistent, and never stop learning. Remember, every top marketer once ran their first ad—what set them apart was the willingness to test, adapt, and grow.