How to Run Lead Generation Ads on Facebook (Meta)?

New to Facebook (Meta) lead ads? Don’t worry it’s easier than it looks. In this blog guide, we will walk you through, step by step, how to set up your first lead ad using Facebook’s instant form. This simple method works on both Facebook and Instagram, so you can start collecting leads right away.

 

What is Facebook Advertising?

Marketers need to show up where their audience already spends time and for most people, that’s Facebook. Over 1.6 billion people follow small businesses on Facebook, and the platform has nearly 3 billion monthly active users. That means many of your current and future customers are already there, making it a great place to run ads.

 

With Facebook Ads, you can target the right audience whether that’s new leads, your ideal customer profile, or people who already know your business. The platform lets you customize everything: your goals, who sees the ad (like by age or location), where the ad shows up (News Feed, Messenger, etc.), the format (six types to choose from), and your budget.

 

On top of general ads, Facebook also offers a special option called Lead Ads, which are designed specifically to collect customer details directly through the platform.

 

What are Facebook Lead Ads All About?

Normally, when you run ads to collect leads, people have to click your ad, leave Facebook, and go to a landing page on your website to fill out a form. This works well for serious prospects, since they are willing to take the extra step.

 

But for people who are only somewhat interested maybe they are hearing about you for the first time leaving Facebook just to fill out a form can feel like too much work.

 

That’s where Facebook Lead Ads come in. Instead of sending people off the platform, the form opens right inside Facebook (or Instagram). They can quickly share their name, email, phone number, and more without ever leaving the app.

 

This makes the process smoother, faster, and less frustrating for users, which usually means more people will actually complete the form. It creates a better experience for them and better results for you.

 

How do Facebook Lead Ads Work?

Lead Ads work a lot like regular Facebook or Instagram ads. You create your ad in Ads Manager, choose your target audience, upload your visuals, and set your budget. Meta then shows your ad to people who are most likely to be interested in your business.

 

The ad itself looks just like a normal post in someone’s feed, except it’s marked as ‘Sponsored.’

 

The difference with Lead Ads is how they collect information. Instead of sending people to an outside landing page, the form opens right inside Facebook or Instagram. For example, if you’re offering a discount code to encourage signups, a person can simply tap your ad, and a form will pop up that’s already pre-filled with their Facebook details (like name and email).

 

This makes signing up fast and easy since users don’t have to type much. Once they submit the form, you can send their discount code right away either inside the app with a Thank You message or through email.

 

That way, you gain a new lead to follow up with, and they get an instant reward for engaging with your business.

 

What is Facebook Lead Form

A lead form is a simple form that collects details like a person’s name, email, or phone number in exchange for something valuable like a discount, free resource, or special offer. People are much more likely to fill it out if they are getting something useful in return.

 

The challenge is that online users get distracted easily, so convincing them to complete a form isn’t always easy. That’s why Facebook created native lead forms. With Lead Ads, the form pops up right inside Facebook or Instagram, so users don’t have to leave the app. This makes it quick and hassle-free, which increases the chances they’ll actually submit their information.

 

Once they fill it out, their information can automatically flow into your CRM (customer database), giving you the chance to follow up, nurture the lead, and guide them toward becoming a paying customer.

 

Benefits of Facebook Lead Ads

Here’s why Facebook (Meta) Lead Ads are so useful: 

 

• Native Functionality: Users can fill out a quick, auto-filled form without ever leaving Facebook or Instagram. This makes the process smooth and keeps them engaged. 

• Great for Mobile: Lead Ads are designed for mobile users. No matter what device people are on, the form works perfectly, making it simple to sign up.  

• Easy Data Collection: You don’t need to build a landing page or extra tools. Lead Ads capture information directly in the app, and you can connect it to your CRM to follow up easily. 

• Target the Right People: You can choose exactly who sees your ads based on things like age, location, and interests. That way, the leads you collect are more likely to be interested in your product or service. 

 

Ready to get started? Let’s set up your Lead Ads on Facebook and Instagram

 

 

Step 1: Create a Meta Lead Ad Campaign

Log in to your Facebook Ads Manager.

Click the Create button.

 

 

Give your campaign a name and set your budget.

 

Choose Leads as your campaign objective.

 

Select Manual Leads Campaign.

 

 

💡 Tip: Start with at least ₹500–₹1000 per day. If you can spend more, your ads will reach more people and generate leads faster.

 

Click Next.

 

Name your Ad Set (this is where you’ll choose your audience). Use a clear name that reflects who you are targeting. Custom audiences like existing customers or lookalike audiences can improve results and lower costs.

 

Under Conversion Location, choose Instant Forms.

 

Keep Performance Goal set to Maximize number of leads. Make sure your Facebook Page is selected.

 

Leave the Catalog section empty.

 

Under Budget & Schedule, set an end date if you want to control costs (e.g., end after 1 week so you don’t forget to turn it off).

 

Step 2: Build Your Target Audience

Now it’s time to choose who will see your Facebook Lead Ads. Picking the right audience helps you reach people who are most likely to become customers. You can even use your existing customer data to create “lookalike audiences”  people with similar interests and demographics for better results.

 

Here’s what to set up:

Location: Choose where your ads will run (e.g., country, city, or postcode).

 

Gender
Age Range
Detailed Targeting: Narrow down by interests, behaviors, or use lookalike audiences to reach new potential customers similar to your existing ones.

 

Once you’ve set this up, click Next.

 

Next, give your ad a simple name (like “Ad 01”). Make sure your Facebook Page is selected, and if your Instagram account is linked in Ads Manager, add that too. If not, just stick with your Facebook Page.

 

💡 Tip: Most Facebook users are on mobile, so make sure your ads are optimized for mobile viewing.

 

Tips for Building Your Target Audience

• Start with Location – Choose where you want your ads to show. This could be broad (like the entire United States) or very specific (like people living within 25 miles of San Francisco, CA).

• Age, Gender & Language – Narrow down your audience by setting an age range and gender. Adding a primary language is optional.

• Use Detailed Targeting – Go deeper by targeting people based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. Facebook offers hundreds of options, so explore them to find the audience that best matches your ideal customer.

 

👉 Finding the right audience is key to making sure your ads align with your marketing goals and reach the people most likely to take action.

  

Step 3: Create Your Ad

Get Inspired: If you are not sure what to write or which images to use, look at what’s already working. Check out competitor ads for ideas on what grabs attention and works well with your target audience.

 

Select Your Page: Click on your Ad Name to start building the ad. Make sure your correct Facebook Page is selected. If your Instagram account is connected, you can choose it here too. If not, your ad will still appear on Instagram as a sponsored post from your Facebook Page.

 

Choose Your Ad Setup

You will need either:

• A single image, or
• A short video (under 15 seconds).

 

💡 Tip: Use a square (1:1 ratio) image or video. This format works for both Facebook and Instagram without extra editing. You can also try carousel ads if you want to showcase multiple offers.

 

• Create Your Visuals: If you’re designing the ad yourself, Canva is a great tool. Start with a square Instagram template for a quick and professional look.

• Upload Your Image/Video: Click Add Image → Upload, then select your file from your computer. Once it’s uploaded, click Continue.

 

 Step 4: Write Your Ad Copy

Ad copy is just the text that goes with your ad. You don’t need to overthink it keep it clear and simple.

• Fill in your Primary Text (the main message), Headline, and choose a Call to Action (CTA) button.

• Pick a Call to Action (CTA) that matches your goal (like Sign Up, Learn More, or Get Offer). For example, you might ask for someone’s Name, Phone Number and email before giving them access to your blog post or discount code.

• Keep it short and engaging simple copy paired with an image or short video works really well.

 

💡 Tip: If you are stuck, you can use AI tools like ChatGPT to Gemini ad copy ideas.

 

 

Step 5: Create Your Lead Form

This is the form people see when they click your ad. Here’s how to set it up:

 

1. Create the Form

• In the Instant Form section, click Create Lead Form.

• Give your form a name so you can find it later.

• Leave the form type set to More Volume (default).

 

2. Add an Intro

• Write a short headline and intro paragraph to remind people what they’ll get after submitting the form.

• By default, the form uses your ad’s image as the header, but you can upload a different one if you’d like.

 

3. Set Your Questions

• By default, Facebook asks for Full Name, Phone Number and Email Address.

• You can add more fields or create custom questions (like multiple choice or Yes/No) to better qualify your leads.

• Use pre-filled fields (like name or email from Facebook profiles) to make the process faster and easier for users.

 

4. Add Your Privacy Policy

• You must include a link to your privacy policy. If you don’t have one, you can quickly create one using Facebook’s privacy policy generator.

 

5. Customize Your Thank You Screen

 

This is the message people will see after submitting their details. It can be something simple like:

“Thanks, you're all set.
You can visit our website or exit the form now.”

 

Or, like in this example, you might encourage users to take a next step, such as clicking a link to view specific content.

 

When you're done editing your form, click the Create Form button.

 

Looking to attract more qualified leads (and fewer unqualified ones)? Explore the Higher Intent Lead Form option to improve lead quality.

 

💡 Example: You might ask for a person’s First Name, Phone Number, Email Address, and a quick Yes/No question.

 

Step 6: Publish Your Campaign

 
Once your ad is ready, click the Publish button at the bottom right of the screen to launch your Lead Ads campaign. 💥

 

Step 7: Access Your Leads

There are two main ways to get your leads:

• Download from Facebook – Log in to Facebook and manually download your leads as a CSV file.

• Use a 3rd-Party App – Tools like Zapier can instantly send new leads to your email, CRM, or even as SMS notifications.

💡 Tip: Exporting leads to a CSV file makes it easy to upload them into your CRM or email platform. This helps your sales team follow up faster, track leads in real time, and nurture them into paying customers.

 

Step 8: Monitor Your Cost Per Lead

After your campaign is live, keep an eye on its performance in Facebook Ads Manager. Pay special attention to your Cost Per Result (how much you’re paying for each lead). Regular monitoring helps you stay on budget and improve results.

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When running Lead Ads, watch out for these pitfalls:

❌ Not optimizing for mobile users (almost all Facebook users are on mobile).
❌ Using low-quality images that don’t grab attention.
❌ Adding too many form fields, which makes people less likely to complete the form.
❌ Forgetting to test and optimize your ads regularly.

Integrating With a CRM

To get the most out of your leads, connect Facebook Lead Ads to your CRM system. This lets you:

• Sync leads automatically in real time.
• Track and manage leads through your sales funnel.
• Send faster, personalized follow-ups.

 

Tools like LeadsBridge make it easy to connect Lead Ads with 100+ CRMs and marketing platforms.

 

More Resources
For the latest updates, check out Facebook’s Instant Form FAQ.

 

🎉 Congrats! You’ve just launched your first Facebook Lead Ad campaign! 🥳

 

Conclusion

 

Facebook Lead Ads are one of the easiest ways to collect customer information directly from Facebook and Instagram without sending people off the platform. By setting up your campaign step by step choosing your audience, creating engaging ads, building a simple lead form, and monitoring your results you can generate high-quality leads more efficiently.

 

Remember to keep your ads mobile-friendly, use clear and eye-catching visuals, and avoid overloading your forms with too many fields. Most importantly, integrate your leads with a CRM so you can follow up quickly and turn prospects into paying customers.

 

With the right setup and ongoing optimization, Facebook Lead Ads can become a powerful tool for growing your business and reaching new customers.