So, you’ve taken the organic route and played everything by the book — posted great content, used quality visuals, engaged with followers and even perfected your copy. And yet, the results still aren’t where you’d like them to be.
It might be time to consider Instagram ads.
With 2 billion monthly active users and a 12.2% year-over-year increase in ad reach, Instagram offers an incredible opportunity for brands to grow. You can target specific demographics, tailor ads to match user interests, interact with audiences at different stages of their journey and more.
In this blog, we have compiled a beginner-friendly Instagram marketing guide to show you how you can advertise effectively on this popular platform:
• What Is Instagram Advertising?
• How Do Instagram Ads Work?
• 3 Ways to Create Instagram Ads
• 4 Benefits of Instagram Advertising
• How Much Does It Cost to Advertise on Instagram?
• Instagram Ad Formats
• How to Advertise on Instagram
• 7 Instagram Advertising Best Practices
• Instagram Marketing Examples: Advertising Done Right
• Turn Casual Buyers Into Loyal Customers
• Instagram Ads FAQs
What Is Instagram Advertising?
Instagram advertising allows businesses to promote their products or services through paid posts on the platform. You can use photos or videos for your campaigns and run ads in the scrolling feed or as Stories.
Here’s what you can do with Instagram ads:
• Boost Posts Instantly: Turn any existing post into an ad with just a tap.
• Reach New Audiences: Use advanced Instagram ads targeting options to connect with people who matter most to your business.
• Set Your Budget: Choose a spending plan that works for your goals, whether it’s daily or lifetime budgeting.
• Track Performance: Measure results like reach, engagement and conversions to fine-tune your campaigns.
How Do Instagram Ads Work?
To run ads on Instagram, you first need to switch your profile to a professional account. Once that’s done, you can use Meta’s tools to create ads that appear on Instagram, Facebook or both.
Next, decide on your budget. You can set a daily limit or a total amount, and the ad manager will allocate it strategically. For example, if your ad performs best on Saturday mornings, the algorithm will spend more of your budget during that time to maximize results.
More than that, Instagram ads let you target specific groups of people based on demographics, interests and behaviors. For example, if your data shows that your ideal audience is women aged 25 to 35 in New York City who love yoga, you can set your ads to reach exactly that group. This level of precision ensures your ads are seen by people most likely to engage with your brand.
Finally, choose the right ad type for your goal. A carousel or video ad might be your best bet if you want to drive traffic to your website. Promoting specific products? Shopping or Collection ads work great for this purpose.
Aligning your ad format with your objectives ensures you create effective Instagram ads.
Related Reads:
• Social Media Management 101: Everything You Need to Know
• The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Strategy for eCommerce
• How to Use Social Media for Business in 2024
3 Ways to Create Instagram Ads
There are three methods to create Instagram ads:
1. Directly from Instagram
After switching to a professional account, you can boost feed posts, Reels and Stories directly within the Instagram app.
2. From a Facebook Page
If you manage a Facebook page, you can link it to your Instagram professional account to create ads. These ads can be displayed on both Instagram and Facebook.
3. Using Meta Ads Manager
You can create ad campaigns in Meta Ads Manager for more advanced options. This tool provides detailed features for customizing and managing ads on both platforms.
Note that in some regions, you may need to connect your Instagram professional account to a Facebook page to run ads directly from Instagram.
4 Benefits of Instagram Advertising
Instagram is the world’s third most-used social platform (tied with WhatsApp), with nearly 2 billion active users worldwide as of April 2024 (Hootsuite).
The visual-first platform is trusted by marketers, with 68% saying they are confident Instagram delivers positive ROI.
“Instagram is the perfect opportunity for brands to visually demonstrate their brand promise to prospective customers. It’s also a great way to create brand advocates who can impact relevance and word-of-mouth for your brand,” said Tlou Ramphele, Thrive’s Paid Social Media Strategist, when asked about the top benefit of using Instagram advertising.
So, do Instagram ads really work, and are they worth your time and investment? Yes, and here’s why:
1. Increased Brand Reach
An impressive 86% of organizations are on Instagram, making it a prime platform for boosting visibility (Hootsuite). Running Instagram ads introduces your brand to new audiences and helps your business become more discoverable.
2. Higher Engagement
Instagram has the highest average engagement rates across industries, ahead of Facebook and X (Hootsuite). Effective Instagram ads allow you to share updates about products, services or brand changes directly with your audience.
3. Cost-Effective Advertising
Instagram offers one of the lowest cost-per-click (CPC) rates, averaging $0.01–$0.25, making it more affordable than Facebook’s $0.26–$0.50 average (WebFX).
4. Smart Targeting Options
Instagram ads targeting allows you to reach different audiences, including core audiences (demographics, interests, behaviors), custom audiences (people who’ve engaged with your business) and Lookalike audiences (users similar to your current customers).
Related Reads:
• 30 Key Social Shopping Statistics You Need to Know in 2024
• 20 Key Advertising Trends to Watch in 2024
How Much Does It Cost to Advertise on Instagram?
The cost of Instagram advertising varies based on several factors, but here’s a general breakdown:
• Average Cost Per Click (CPC): $0.01–$0.25
• Average Cost Per Engagement (CPE): $0.03–$0.08
• Average Cost Per 1,000 Impressions (CPM): $0.01–$4.00
Factors Influencing Instagram Advertising Costs
Several factors determine how much you’ll pay for Instagram ads:
• Budget: Your campaign budget defines the total spend. Instagram will aim to use your full budget, so set a realistic amount based on your goals.
• Bid Strategy: Choose between spend-based bidding (focused on results) or goal-based bidding (optimized for return on ad spend).
• Objective: Your ad objective, whether brand awareness or lead generation, affects costs since Instagram delivers ads to users most likely to complete the desired action.
• Audience: Precise audience targeting, including demographics, interests and custom audiences, helps optimize costs by reaching relevant users.
• Ad Quality and Relevance: High-quality, relevant ads cost less. To boost performance, improve Instagram ads targeting, visuals and messaging.
• Ad Creative: The type of ad creative (image, video, carousel) impacts placement, relevance score and costs.
• Seasonality: Costs may rise during peak periods like Black Friday or Christmas due to increased competition for ad space.
Instagram Advertising Costs vs. Other Platforms
Not sure if Instagram ads are the best fit for your budget? Here’s a price comparison against other advertising platforms as of writing:
| Ad Network | Average CPC | Average CPM |
|---|---|---|
| $0.01 – $0.25 | $0.01 – $4.00 | |
| $0.26 – $0.50 | $1.01 – $3.00 | |
| Google Ads | $0.11 – $0.50 | $0.51 – $1.00 |
| $2.00 – $3.00 | $5.01 – $8.00 | |
| Microsoft Advertising | $1.54 | $2.00 – $6.00 |
| $0.01 – $0.10 | $0.01 – $1.50 | |
| TikTok | $1.00 | $10.00 |
| YouTube | $0.11 – $0.40 | $9.68 |
| X (formerly Twitter) | $0.26 – $0.50 | $6.50 |
Instagram Ad Formats
Instagram offers a variety of ad formats, giving you the tools to create engaging ads that meet your goals. Here’s an overview of each format and how it works:
1. Photo Ads
These ads feature high-quality images that appear in users’ feeds as they scroll. They look like regular posts but include a “Sponsored” label and a call-to-action (CTA) button to direct users to a website or profile. Photo ads are great for promoting specific products or messages.
2. Stories Ads
These ads appear between Stories from the accounts people follow. They fit naturally into the Stories format, so your audience sees them as part of their regular viewing experience. The most effective Instagram ads utilize videos or graphics and convey brief, concise messages (ideally seven frames or fewer).
3. Video Ads
Video ads can appear in Stories or feeds and play automatically. They work well for sharing detailed information, entertaining content or encouraging users to click for more.
An estimated 85% of businesses report that marketing videos are more likely to gather a wider audience for their brand (WiserNotify).
4. Shopping Ads
These ads link directly to products in your shop. Even though Instagram no longer has a dedicated shopping section, users can still shop directly from ads in feeds, Reels or Stories. You’ll need an Instagram shop set up to use this format.
5. Carousel Ads
Carousel ads allow you to include up to 10 photos or videos in a single post. Users can swipe through these images or videos, and each one links to a different page. This format is excellent for showcasing multiple products, features or steps in a process.
6. Collection Ads
These ads allow users to browse and purchase products directly from the ad itself. Collection ads are simple and effective for driving sales, as they let users shop without leaving Instagram.
7. Explore Ads
Explore ads appear on the Instagram Explore page, where users discover new content based on their interests. What users see on Instagram’s Explore page is personalized based on the accounts they follow, the posts they’ve engaged with and their connections on the platform.
This ensures that the content displayed aligns with their interests and activities.
8. Reels Ads
Reel ads are shown between Reel videos in a full-screen, vertical format and can run for up to 30 seconds in a loop. With over 2 billion monthly interactions as of 2025 (demandsage), reel ads are a powerful option for creating effective Instagram ads.
3 Tips on How to Advertise on Instagram
By now, you already know there are multiple ways to run Instagram ads. Let’s break down how to advertise on Instagram so you can choose the method that works best for you:
1. Running Instagram Ads by Boosting Posts
Boosting a post is one of the easiest ways to start advertising on Instagram. This feature allows you to turn an existing post on your business or creator account into an ad. It’s quick, convenient, and doesn’t require creating a campaign from scratch.
Here’s how it works:
Select a Post
Choose an existing post from your Instagram business or creator account, ideally one with good engagement. Posts with strong engagement are more likely to succeed as ads.
Click the “Boost Post” button below the content you want to promote to turn the post into an
ad.
Set Your Goal
Decide what you want to achieve with the ad. Instagram offers three options:
• More profile visits
• More website visits
• More messages
Define Your Audience
You can let Instagram automatically select your audience based on your followers or manually enter targeting options to create a custom audience.
Choose a Budget and Campaign Duration
Select a daily budget and how long you want the ad to run. You can pick a specific number of days or let the ad run indefinitely until you pause it.
Review and Submit
Double-check all your settings and click Boost Post to submit it for review. Once approved, the ad will go live, and you can monitor its performance in the Promotions tab on your profile.
Pros of Boosting Posts
• Quick and Easy: The process is simple and requires minimal setup.
• No Facebook Page Required: You can skip linking a Facebook page or creating a Facebook ad account.
• Scales Up Engagement: If a post is already performing well, boosting it helps you reach new audiences and increase its impact.
Cons of Boosting Posts
• Limited Targeting Options: Boosted posts don’t offer the refined targeting capabilities that are available in Meta Ads Manager.
• Fewer Customization Features: You miss out on granular controls for ad formats, bidding strategies and campaign structures.
• Potentially Lower Performance: Your ad’s effectiveness might be limited without advanced tools.
Boosting Instagram posts is an excellent way to get started with Instagram advertising, particularly if you’re new to ads or looking for a simple way to promote your content. However, for more control and detailed customization, using Meta Ads Manager is the better option.
2. Creating Instagram Ads With Ads Manager
For advanced features and greater control over your Instagram ads, you can use Meta Ads Manager. This platform lets you create campaigns with detailed targeting, custom placements and performance tracking. Here’s how to get started:
Follow this Instagram marketing guide to get started:
Create a New Ad Campaign
Log into Meta Ads Manager and click the +Create button to start a new campaign.
Choose Your Campaign Objective
Select the goal you want to achieve with your campaign. Instagram ads are classified into three main categories: Awareness, Consideration and Conversion.
When you hover each button in the Ads Manager, an informational box appears for each objective. Choose the objective that aligns with your goals and click Continue to proceed.
Name Your Campaign
Give your campaign a clear and specific name to make tracking easier. For example, if your goal is engagement, name it “Engagement Campaign – January 2025.”
You can also decide whether to run an A/B test or let Facebook automatically optimize your budget. A/B testing is useful for comparing different creatives, such as testing two images with the same audience to see which performs better.
Allowing Ads Manager to optimize your budget ensures the spend is distributed across your ads, prioritizing those that perform best to maximize results.
Define Your Audience
Next, create an “Ad Set.” This step involves setting up your audience, budget, schedule and bidding strategy for your campaign.
Here, you’ll define who you want to see your ads by selecting factors like location, age, gender and language. You can also exclude specific behaviors, interests or demographics to improve your targeting.
Facebook then generates an “audience size” that provides insight into how broad your audience is, your potential reach and estimated daily results. This helps you gauge what to expect from your campaign and make adjustments to optimize your Instagram advertising strategy.
Choose Ad Placement
Decide where your ads will appear:
• Automatic Placements: Automatically optimizes placements for the best performance across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or the Audience Network.
• Edit Placements: Lets you select specific placements, like limiting ads to Instagram only.
Set Your Budget and Schedule
Decide how much you want to spend and how long your campaign will run:
• Daily Budget: Set a maximum daily spend, ideal for ongoing campaigns.
• Lifetime Budget: Set a total budget for the campaign’s duration, perfect for ads with a clear start and end date.
You can also schedule ads to run continuously or during specific times of the day. Use the Audience Definition and Estimated Results tools to ensure your budget aligns with your campaign’s reach and performance expectations.
Name Your Ad Set
Naming your ad set might seem like a small detail, but it’s essential for managing and tracking your campaigns. Using vague or random names can make it difficult to identify which ads perform best.
Include details like platform, location, audience and creative type. For example: Inst_reels_us_1835_video1
This name shows it’s an Instagram Reels ad targeting users in the U.S. aged 18 to 35, using a video format. Organized naming makes it easier to track results and improve your Instagram advertising strategy.
Choose an Ad Format
Now comes the fun part — creating your ad! Start by selecting the Facebook page and Instagram account where you want your ads to appear.
Next, choose an ad format that fits your campaign and creative goals. Instagram offers several options, including:
• Carousel: Showcase multiple images or videos in a single ad.
• Single Image: Highlight one strong visual.
• Single Video: Share an engaging video message.
• Slideshow: Combine images into a lightweight video.
If you already have a post on your Facebook page or Instagram account that you’d like to use as your ad, select “Use existing post” and choose from your available content. This option makes it easy to repurpose high-performing posts for your campaign.
Customize Your Instagram Ad
Design your ad by choosing an ad format, adding visuals (images or videos), headlines and a call-to-action, and including relevant copy, website links and tracking parameters.
After setting up your ad, use the preview feature to see how it will look across placements like mobile, desktop, in-feed or Instagram Stories. Make any final tweaks to your design or text to ensure it looks good and optimized for all formats.
Publish Your Ad
Once you’re happy with the final ad, click Confirm to publish. Meta will review your ad and launch it on your chosen schedule.
After your ad goes live, Facebook and Instagram will monitor which audiences interact with it and automatically adjust targeting to help you reach the most relevant users. You should start seeing results shortly after your ad is live.
Pro Tip: Monitor Performance
Check Instagram Analytics regularly to evaluate your campaign’s success. Use the data to tweak your targeting, budget or creative elements for more effective Instagram ads.
Although creating Instagram ads with Ads Manager may require more effort, it provides the tools you need to run effective, data-driven campaigns.
3. Running Instagram Ads With Your Facebook Profile
Running Instagram ads through your Facebook Page follows nearly the same steps as creating ads with Meta Ads Manager, except you don’t need an Instagram account to be able to run ads.
If you have an Instagram account, link it to your Business Manager or Facebook Page. Once connected, the ads display your Instagram handle (e.g., @YourBrand) as the sender.
If you don’t have an Instagram account, the ad will default to your Facebook Page, meaning users will see your Facebook Page name as the ad’s source.
Once your ad is set up and previewed, it will follow the same review process and go live on your chosen schedule. Meta will continue to optimize targeting to help your ad reach the most relevant audience.
7 Instagram Advertising Best Practices
Now that you know how to set up and launch Instagram ads, the next step is to design creative, attention-grabbing ads. Here are Instagram advertising best practices to help you create the most effective Instagram ads:
1. Use Quality Visuals
Visual content gets 94% more views than text-only posts. It is retained for much longer by consumers and boosts conversions by as much as 80% (StoryChief). Here’s how to use visuals effectively in your ads:
• Use clear, high-quality photos or videos that show your product.
• Make sure the visuals match your brand and appeal to your audience.
• Avoid blurry or overused stock images.
• Try different lighting, angles or edits to make your content stand out.
2. Design Mobile-Friendly Ads
With 92.3% of internet users accessing the web via mobile devices (Exploding Topics), your Instagram ads must be optimized for mobile viewing. To do this:
• Film videos in vertical format (9×16) fit well on mobile screens and are easy to crop to 4×5 if needed.
• Use minimal text in your ads to keep them clean and simple.
• If you include text, use large fonts to easily read on smaller screens.
• Add animations or motion graphics to make your videos more engaging.
• Keep videos short — 15 seconds or less works best for mobile viewers.
3. Hook Viewers With Your Copy
The first three seconds of your Instagram ad are critical. This brief moment determines whether users will keep watching or scroll past your content.
Follow these tips to write ad copy that converts:
• Start Strong: Hook readers with a statement, question or interesting fact.
• Be Clear and Concise: Focus on one key benefit or offer to avoid overwhelming your audience.
• Speak to Your Audience: Use active language to address your audience’s needs or pain points.
• Create Emotion and Urgency: Add power words to spark excitement or urgency, but avoid sounding overly salesy.
• Use Emojis Wisely: Emojis can add a playful tone to your copy, but use them sparingly to maintain professionalism.
• Make It Readable: For longer captions, highlight the key points at the beginning and use line breaks to improve readability.
• End With a Strong CTA: Tell users exactly what action to take, such as “Buy Now,” “Learn More,” or “Get Started Today.”
4. Use the META Conversions API
You can access the META Conversions API through Facebook Ads Manager to track detailed data about your Instagram ads, including conversions and other key metrics, directly from your website.
Unlike traditional tracking methods that rely on browser cookies or third-party data, the API collects information straight from your website’s server. This makes it less susceptible to stricter privacy rules like cookie restrictions or tracking limitations and provides more accurate and reliable insights into your ad performance.
Use it to monitor your campaigns and make real-time adjustments to improve your ad performance and Instagram advertising strategy.
5. Optimize Ad Reach With Instagram’s Algorithm
Instagram’s algorithm uses data from user activity to show ads to the right audience. It looks at what users like, follow and engage with, then matches that data with ads they’re likely to find interesting.
For example, if someone interacts with a lot of fitness content, the algorithm might show them ads for gym equipment or workout programs.
When setting up Instagram ads, you can either target a specific audience (e.g., women aged 25-35 in New York City who like yoga) or use broader targeting (e.g., adults interested in health and wellness). Broad targeting gives the algorithm more room to analyze user behavior and automatically refine your audience.
Instead of focusing on a small group, the algorithm can find patterns and show your ad to people you might not have initially considered but who are still likely to engage. This automated optimization improves ad performance and saves you the effort of manually fine-tuning your audience.
6. Design Video Ads for Sound-Off Viewing
Did you know that 69% of consumers watch videos with sound off (Forbes)? Designing your video ads to work without audio ensures they are effective for a wider audience and makes them more accessible to people with hearing impairments.
Here’s how to create sound-off-friendly Instagram video ads:
• Use Visual Storytelling: Audiences prefer ads that show rather than tell. Using strong visuals to demonstrate your message or product in action is more engaging than simply explaining it.
• Add Captions: Include captions for voiceovers or scripted audio so users can follow along without sound.
• Incorporate Text Overlays: Text overlays are brief, bold text added directly to your video to emphasize key points or deliver important information. Use bold, easy-to-read fonts to ensure your text is readable on smaller screens.
For viewers who enjoy sound, improve their experience by adding engaging music, sound effects or voiceovers. Using trending audio can also increase the reach and visibility of your ads.
7. Test, Test, Test
The most effective Instagram ads are the product of continuous testing. Use methods like A/B testing to compare different ad elements and find what works for your audience.
Here’s what to test:
• Ad Formats: Compare formats to determine which drives the most engagement. A Hootsuite study found that carousel ads have the highest engagement rate, followed by photos and Reels.
• Hooks: Test different openings in your videos, such as bold statements, questions or visuals, to grab attention in the first three seconds.
• Offers: Experiment with discounts, promotions or time-saving options. Test whether free shipping, percentage-off deals or limited-time offers get better results.
• Video Lengths: Test short, punchy, and longer, more detailed videos. Short videos work for flashy products, while longer ones suit emotional or niche offerings.
• Video Styles: Try different video types, such as animations, product demos or storytelling ads, to see what aligns best with your brand and audience.
To optimize your Instagram advertising strategy even further, conduct regular social media audits to evaluate performance, identify trends and uncover opportunities for improvement.
“At Thrive, we aim to leverage the visual nature and cultural relevance that Instagram specializes in to create sales momentum for our clients,” Ramphele said.
“We also aim to create a lasting and memorable impact on customers who still need more touchpoints before becoming a customer.”
Related Articles:
• What Is a Social Media Audit and Why Your Business Needs It?
• How to Conduct a Social Media Audit
Instagram Marketing Examples: Advertising Done Right
Let’s look at some Instagram marketing examples of effective ad campaigns:
1. Kriser Pets
Kriser Pets keeps it simple and effective with an Instagram ad that showcases a picture of a groomed puppy to promote their grooming service. The message is clear, and the visual immediately grabs attention.
This Instagram ad works because the cute puppy stops potential customers from scrolling and the “Call now” button makes it easy for users to take immediate action.
2. Chick-Fil-A
This Chick-fil-A Instagram ad stole the show with a clever pregnancy announcement. It uses self-deprecating humor — exactly what you’d expect from a fast food brand. The ad tells a complete story in just a few seconds. It’s simple, memorable and gets the job done!
3. Few Moda
Few Moda’s Instagram carousel ad is a perfect example of using cohesive images to showcase multiple products. Each swipe reveals a different outfit from the brand’s seasonal collection, with all photos featuring color-coordinated looks.
The seamless design makes the ad visually engaging and keeps users swiping for more.
Turn Casual Browsers Into Loyal Customers With Instagram Ads
About 85% of consumers take action after seeing a product on Instagram; 78% of shoppers name Instagram as a key platform for discovering new brands; 70% of shoppers use Instagram to guide their purchasing decisions and 50% shop for products on Instagram every week (WebFX). Need we say more?
As you’ve learned in this Instagram marketing guide, social ads ensure your brand is front and center so potential customers see your product when they’re ready to buy.
However, running effective ad campaigns takes more than great concepts and visuals. You need a reliable team to manage, track and optimize your campaigns to ensure they stay profitable.
Since 2005, Thrive has worked with local businesses, enterprises and franchises to help them achieve their social media advertising goals.
“We don’t treat Instagram like just another platform; we specifically tailor your brand strategy and ad creative to be best placed for success on the platform,” Ramphele said.
We provide full-scale Instagram marketing services, including:
• Social Media Management
• Brand Management
• Online Reputation Management
• Social Media Advertising
Get the highest possible yield at the lowest possible cost — entrust your campaigns to our experts.
Instagram Advertising FAQs
CAN I CREATE INSTAGRAM ADS WITHOUT AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT?
Yes, you can create Instagram ads without an Instagram account. If you don’t have one, your ads will be linked to your Facebook Page instead, and the Page name will appear as the ad’s source. However, connecting an Instagram account is recommended to take full advantage of Instagram-specific features and branding opportunities.
SHOULD I RUN MY ADS ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM?
It all depends on where your target audience spends their time. If they’re active on both platforms, running ads on Facebook and Instagram can help you reach more people. However, if one platform is more popular with your audience, it’s best to focus your efforts there for optimal results.
HOW DO BRANDS USE INSTAGRAM ACTIVITY TO TARGET ME?
Brands can use your Instagram activity to target potential customers. So, if an online shoe store uploads a list of customer emails to the Ads Manager, Instagram identifies those customers and analyzes their interests, behaviors and online activity.
Using this data, Facebook creates a “lookalike audience,” a group of new users who share similar characteristics with the original customers. Your Instagram likes and interactions may be small details, but they contribute to the bigger picture that helps advertisers show you relevant ads.
WHAT ARE SOME THINGS I CAN’T ADVERTISE ON INSTAGRAM?
Before your ads appear in your audience’s feed or stories, they go through an approval process, usually taking about 24 hours. If your ad is rejected, it could be due to issues with the content or technicalities related to Instagram’s policies.
Here are some common reasons your ad might be rejected:
• Impersonating others or providing false information.
• Unlawful, misleading or fraudulent activity.
• Violating Instagram’s Community Guidelines, Platform Policy or Music Guidelines.
• Interfering with or impairing Instagram’s services.
• Unauthorized account creation, access or information collection.
• Selling, transferring or using log in credentials without authorization.
• Posting private or confidential information or infringing on someone else’s rights, including intellectual property.
• Using a domain or URL in your username without prior approval.
To learn more about why your ad was rejected, see Instagram’s ad review policies.
