Setting Up Meta Ad Accounts in 2023: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

Facebook ad accounts are where you manage campaigns, ads, payments and more. Properly structuring accounts is crucial for organization, reporting, and effective management. In this first part of our guide, we’ll focus specifically on creating your Business Manager account, the central hub for your ad accounts.

Creating a Facebook Business Manager

The Facebook Business Manager is the foundational account you need to start advertising. This overarching account allows you to:

• Access ad accounts from one central dashboard

• Get a unified view of ad reporting

• Manage Pages, ad accounts, and access

• Add teammates and manage permissions

• Sync assets like Audiences across accounts

Once created, your Business Manager serves as the control hub for all your connected accounts. You can now create individual ad accounts from within your Business Manager.

Key settings to configure in Business Manager:

• Business Information - Complete your details

• Users - Add teammates and assign roles/permissions

• Assets - Sync audiences, pixels, catalogs etc

• Pages - Confirm access to manage Facebook Pages

• Ad Accounts - Link existing or create new ad accounts

• Instagram Accounts - Connect Instagram for ads

Thoroughly filling out these settings prepares your Business Manager to manage ads at scale. Take time on the initial setup to prevent issues down the line.

Facebook advertising is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes to reach their target audience and achieve their marketing goals. But with so many options and features available, it can be tough to know where to start.

We have managed hundreds of Facebook and Instagram campaigns for businesses of all sizes, and we know what it takes to achieve success.

If you're a business owner and ready to take your Facebook advertising to the next level, schedule a meeting with us today. We'll help you create a custom campaign that meets your specific needs and budget, and we'll manage everything from start to finish so you can focus on running your business.

Click here to schedule a meeting and learn more about our Facebook ads management service.

Common Business Manager Pitfalls

Steer clear of these common missteps when creating your Business Manager:

• Using a personal vs business account

• Incomplete business info and contacts

• Vague or duplicated naming conventions

• Overlooking user roles and permissions

• Not linking necessary Pages or ad accounts

With your central Business Manager created strategically, you're ready to start setting up optimized ad accounts.

Now let’s discuss how small businesses should approach establishing ad accounts.

Steps to Create Ad Accounts

To add ad accounts in Business Manager:

1. In Business Manager, go to "Business Settings"

2. Click on "Ad Accounts" then select "Add Ad Account"

3. Choose the account type - Facebook or Instagram

4. Enter a clear name for the account

5. Select the billing method and currency

6. Choose the time zone and agreement settings

7. Click "Submit" to create the account

Repeat for any additional ad accounts needed.

 Small businesses can start with 1-2 accounts total:

1. Combined ad account

A single ad account for running both Facebook and Instagram campaigns.

Pros:

• Simple consolidated management

• Unified data and reporting

• Faster audience building on limited budget

Cons:

• No separation between platforms

• Harder to optimize individually

2. Separate ad accounts

Individual ad accounts for Facebook and Instagram.

Pros:

• Customized budget, billing, campaigns per platform

• Visibility into platform-level performance

• Avoid ad duplication across channels

Cons:

• Added complexity to manage multiple accounts

• Smaller data pools in each account

Best Practices

• Use clear, descriptive naming conventions

• Start with 1-2 accounts total as a small business

• Segment Facebook and Instagram for customization

• Consolidate if simplicity is the priority

• Create new accounts once scaling needs emerge

With your ad accounts created in Business Manager, you've established the foundation for ad success as a small business on Meta's platforms.

Structuring Accounts for Larger Enterprises

For larger businesses managing multiple brands, lines of business, and regional teams, your ad account needs are more complex. Here are some best practices:

• Separate ad accounts by brand, business unit, product line

• Use regional accounts to target countries/languages individually

• Assign accounts per major initiative like digital transformation, rebranding etc.

• Keep Facebook and Instagram accounts separate

• Use very clear naming conventions like Acme-Instagram-UK or Acme-Facebook-WesternRegion

With larger businesses, 5 accounts is common. Segmentation allows customization and targeted management. Ensure billing, permissions and reporting are easy to filter.

The ideal Facebook ad account structure depends on your business size and needs. Small businesses can start simple with 1-2 consolidated accounts, while large enterprises require more segmented accounts by brand, region, and initiative.

No matter the size, use clear naming conventions and document purposes for easy organization. Add new ad accounts gradually as your marketing activities scale or diversify.

The goal is to balance simplicity with structure tailored to your situation. With your ad accounts created thoughtfully in Business Manager, you've established the foundation for advertising success.

Now let’s dive deeper into managing permissions across your assets.

Overview of Roles and Permissions

Facebook offers preset user roles with defined abilities:

Administrator

• Full access to ad accounts

• Add/remove pages, users, assets

• Change billing, spend limits

• Create/edit/delete campaigns

Advertiser

• Create, manage, and edit campaigns

• Change targeting, placement, budget

• View campaign insights and reporting

Analyst

• Access campaign reporting and analytics

• View spend, budget, billing

• Cannot make account changes or edits

Billing

• Access payment methods and history

• Check billing details

• No campaign or account privileges

Align roles thoughtfully based on user needs. Limit privileges to prevent unwanted changes.

Steps to Assign Roles in Ads Manager

To designate Facebook ad account roles:

1. From Business Manager, click "Business Settings"

2. Select "People" then choose "Roles"

3. Click "Assign Role" and select the role type

4. Search for and select the user to assign the role to

5. Choose which ad accounts the role should have access to

6. Click "Assign" to confirm permissions

Repeat for additional users and roles as needed.

Best Practices for Access

Balance collaboration with oversight:

• Don't give Admin access freely - start with more limited roles

• Add users only to ad accounts they manage based on responsibilities

• Designate an owner to routinely audit account settings

• Require 2nd approval for billing changes

• Establish protocols for adding new teammates

• Promptly remove departed employees' access

Areas to Manage Access

Consider permissions across:

• Business Manager

• Individual ad accounts

• Connected Facebook Pages

• Linked Instagram accounts

• Ad reporting dashboards

• Billing functions

• Connected pixels, SDKs, and other assets

Ongoing User Management

• Review user list and roles quarterly

• Adjust roles as responsibilities shift

• Keep access limited on a need-to-know basis

• Remind team to change passwords periodically

FAQs

How do I create a Business Manager account?

Go to business.facebook.com and click "Create Account". Choose Business Manager and follow the prompts.

What’s the benefit of Business Manager?

It allows you to access and manage ad accounts, assets, users, pages, and reporting in one central place.

How many ad accounts do I need when starting out?

1-2 per channel is a good start for most small businesses. Enterprises may need 5+ accounts.

Should I have separate Facebook and Instagram ad accounts?

It's recommended to keep them separate for organization and customization.

How do I create a new ad account in Business Manager?

Navigate to "Business Settings" > "Ad Accounts" > "Add Ad Account" and follow the steps.

What's the difference between an Admin and Advertiser?

Admins have full account control while Advertisers can manage campaigns but not make account changes.

How often should I review ad account settings and structures?

Plan to audit settings, users, naming, etc quarterly as your needs evolve.

Can I use the same ad accounts across multiple Pages?

Yes, you can grant access to multiple Pages from a single ad account.

How granular can I get with ad account permissions?

You can assign access at a granular campaign level if desired. Start broader until needed.

Who should have billing access and permissions?

Keep billing access limited to managers overseeing spend and any staff processing payments.

Can I change an ad account's name and timezone?

Yes you can edit these details later in account settings if needed.

Will I ever need to contact Facebook support about accounts?

Rarely, but you can contact support in Business Manager if you encounter an issue.

What are Facebook's ad account limits?

There are limits like 250 accounts per Business Manager and 10MM audiences per account