Running Facebook ads requires two things to be working together: a Facebook Page (which serves as the public face of your ad) and a Meta Ads Manager connected to an active ad account. Connecting your Facebook Page to Ads Manager is what allows your campaigns to run with your business name, profile picture, and branding visible to the people who see your ads.
This guide explains how to make this connection properly — whether you are setting up from scratch or troubleshooting an existing setup.
Why It Matters
When you run a Facebook ad, the ad appears in people's feeds with a page name and profile photo attached to it. Without a connected Page, you cannot run most types of Facebook campaigns. The Page is the identity that your ads represent — it is what users see, what they can click to learn more about your business, and what they can follow or message in response to your ad.
Beyond identity, the Page connection also enables features like Page post engagement campaigns (boosting posts to reach more people), Facebook lead generation ads (which collect lead information natively within Facebook), and retargeting users who have engaged with your Page in the past.
What You Need Before You Start
You need a Facebook Page. If you do not have one, create one at facebook.com/pages/create. You must be an Admin of that Page. You need a Meta Business Manager account. You need an active ad account within that Business Manager. The Page must be added to your Business Manager — it cannot be just linked to a personal account. You need Advertiser or Admin access to the ad account in Business Manager.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Ensure Your Page Is in Business Manager
Go to business.facebook.com → Business Settings (gear icon) → Pages. Confirm your Facebook Page is listed there. If it is not, click Add → Add a Page, search for your Page, and add it. You must be an admin of the Page to do this. See the guide at /en/blog/add-facebook-page-to-business-manager for detailed steps.
Step 2: Ensure Your Ad Account Is in Business Manager
In Business Settings, go to Ad accounts. Confirm your ad account is listed. If not, add it by clicking Add → Add an ad account and entering the account ID, or create a new one with Create a new ad account.
Step 3: Link the Page to the Ad Account
To formally authorize your Facebook Page to run ads through a specific ad account, go to Business Settings → Ad accounts, click your ad account, and in the right panel check that the Page is listed under the associated Pages. In some setups, this association happens automatically when both are in the same Business Manager; in others, you may need to explicitly add the Page.
Step 4: Open Meta Ads Manager
Go to adsmanager.facebook.com. Log in with the Facebook account that has access to your Business Manager. Make sure you are viewing the correct ad account in the top left account selector.
Step 5: Create a New Campaign
Click + Create. Choose your campaign objective. This determines what action you want people to take when they see your ad — for example, visit your website, watch a video, fill in a lead form, or make a purchase.
Step 6: Move to the Ad Level
After configuring your campaign and ad set settings, advance to the Ad level. This is where you create the actual ad creative and select the identity it runs under.
Step 7: Select Your Facebook Page as the Ad Identity
In the Identity section of the Ad level, click the Page dropdown. Select the Facebook Page you want your ad to represent. This page name and profile photo will be visible on your ad. If your Page does not appear in the dropdown, it means it is not connected to the ad account or Business Manager. Return to Steps 1 and 3 to fix this.
Step 8: Build Your Ad Creative
Upload your image or video, write your headline and description, add a call-to-action button (such as "Learn More", "Shop Now", or "Contact Us"), and enter the destination URL. Use Ads Manager's preview tool to see how your ad will look across different placements — Desktop News Feed, Mobile Feed, Stories, etc.
Step 9: Review and Publish
Review all settings across campaign, ad set, and ad levels. Check that the Page is correctly selected. Click Publish to submit the campaign for Meta's review. Campaigns typically go through review within a few hours. You will be notified when the campaign is approved and active.
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
My Facebook Page is not appearing in the identity dropdown. This means the Page is not connected to your ad account or Business Manager. Go to Business Settings → Pages and ensure the Page is added. Also check that your user account has at least Advertiser-level access to both the ad account and the Page.
I get an error saying I need to be an admin to advertise for this Page. Only people with Admin or Advertiser access to a Page through Business Manager can run ads for it. If you only have read-only or Analyst access, contact the Business Manager admin to upgrade your permissions.
The ad was approved but the Page information looks wrong. If your Page name or profile picture appears incorrectly on the ad, check your Facebook Page directly. The ad simply reflects whatever is on the Page at the time the ad is served. Update the Page information and the changes will apply to future ad deliveries.
I can create the campaign but it is spending no money. Check that your ad account has a valid payment method on file. Go to Ads Manager → Billing and confirm a credit card or other payment method is active. Also check that your campaign and ad set dates are set correctly and that your budget is sufficient for your target audience size.
Tips to Get the Most Out of the Page-Ads Connection
Keep your Page updated and active. When someone sees your ad and clicks through to your Page, what they find matters. A Page with outdated information, few posts, or no reviews will undermine the impact of even the best-performing ad. Maintain your Page alongside your ad campaigns.
Use Page engagement data for retargeting. One of the most powerful audience types in Ads Manager is people who have engaged with your Facebook Page — liked it, visited it, clicked a post, or sent a message. This warm audience is often highly receptive to targeted ad campaigns. Build this audience under Ads Manager → Audiences → Create audience → Custom audience → Facebook Page.
Test multiple Pages for split scenarios. If you run multiple brands or a brand with multiple regional Pages, you can run separate campaigns with different Pages in the identity field. This lets you tailor messaging to local audiences while keeping separate performance data for each brand or region.
Monitor your Page reputation alongside ad metrics. Facebook and Meta track user feedback on ads, including reports of ads being low quality or irrelevant. Consistent negative feedback can affect your ad delivery and account standing. Maintain Page quality and ad relevance to protect your account's long-term health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run Facebook ads without a Facebook Page?
Most Facebook ad formats require a Page. A few ad types — such as some app install ads — can technically run without a Page in certain configurations, but the vast majority of businesses need a Page to run Facebook ads. If you do not have a Page yet, create one for free at facebook.com/pages/create.
Can I use the same Facebook Page for ads in multiple ad accounts?
Yes. A single Facebook Page can be used as the ad identity across multiple ad accounts within the same Business Manager. This is common for agencies running ads for a client from different ad accounts for different purposes.
What happens to running ads if I remove the Facebook Page from Business Manager?
Active campaigns using that Page as their identity will stop delivering. Removing the Page from Business Manager severs its connection to the ad account. Before removing a Page, pause all active campaigns associated with it.
How do I boost a specific post from my Facebook Page?
Go to the post on your Facebook Page and click Boost post. This creates a simplified ad in Ads Manager with that post as the creative. Boosted posts use your Page as the ad identity automatically. For more control over targeting and creative, create a full campaign in Ads Manager instead of using the boost button.