How to Get Started With Meta Business Manager?

Managing multiple Facebook and Instagram assets can get messy - but Meta Business Manager solves this. It centralizes everything: ad accounts, Pages, and permissions. Plus, tools like Latenode automate repetitive tasks like updating audiences or syncing leads to your CRM, saving you time.

Key Features:

Central Hub: Manage all business assets in one place.
Permissions Control: Assign roles securely without sharing logins.
Automation: Use tools like Latenode for tasks like lead syncing and audience updates.
Collaboration: Work with agencies securely while keeping control.

Whether you're a small business or a large agency, Meta Business Manager simplifies your workflow. Ready to streamline your ad management? Let’s dive into the details.

How to Set Up Your Meta Business Manager (Step-by-Step 2025 Tutorial)

What Is Meta Business Manager and How It Works

Meta Business Manager acts as a central hub for businesses managing their presence on Facebook and Instagram. It simplifies account management by consolidating all assets into one platform, making it easier to stay organized and collaborate securely.

At its core, Meta Business Manager is a free tool designed to help businesses oversee their marketing assets on Facebook and Instagram from a single dashboard. This setup allows you to efficiently manage your business presence without juggling multiple accounts or platforms [3].

"Meta Business Manager helps advertisers integrate marketing efforts across their business and with external partners. You can use this free platform to: Run and track your ads, Manage assets such as your Pages and ad accounts, Add an agency or marketing partner to help manage your business" [1].

The platform addresses a common challenge for growing businesses: maintaining a clear boundary between personal and professional activities. By creating a dedicated business environment, it ensures that your work stays separate from personal accounts [1].

Asset Management and Organization

Meta Business Manager is designed to bring all your business-related assets under one roof. From Facebook Pages and Instagram accounts to ad accounts and apps, you can manage everything in one place. This is especially beneficial for businesses running multiple campaigns or managing complex tracking setups.

The platform also excels in access control and permissions. Instead of sharing personal login details, you can assign specific roles to team members. For instance, your social media manager might have full access to your Facebook Page, while your designer only has access to creative assets within your ad accounts.

Collaboration and Partnership Features

One standout feature of Business Manager is its ability to facilitate secure collaboration with external partners. When working with agencies, you can grant them access as partners rather than owners, ensuring you retain full control over your assets [4]. This eliminates the risk of losing access to key accounts or Pages if the partnership ends.

Additionally, the platform allows you to monitor performance across multiple Pages and ad accounts [5]. This feature is invaluable for businesses managing multiple locations, brands, or campaigns.

Security and Control Benefits

Meta Business Manager enhances security with tools like two-factor authentication and detailed permission settings. These features ensure that team members only access what they need for their roles, reducing the chances of accidental changes or security issues.

The platform integrates seamlessly with other Meta tools like Meta Business Suite and Meta Ads Manager [5]. While Business Manager focuses on organization and access control, these additional tools provide advanced capabilities for content creation, advertising, and analytics.

For businesses serious about scaling their Facebook and Instagram marketing efforts, Meta Business Manager simplifies what could otherwise be a complicated process. By organizing accounts, streamlining permissions, and enhancing security, it creates a professional and scalable system. Combined with tools like Meta Business Suite and Ads Manager, it offers a comprehensive solution for managing your social media marketing strategy.

Meta Business Manager vs. Meta Business Suite: What You Need to Know

Managing and automating tasks effectively is essential for getting the most out of Meta's advertising tools. To meet these needs, Meta offers two distinct platforms: Meta Business Manager (now called Business Portfolio) and Meta Business Suite. Knowing the differences between these tools can help you choose the one that best fits your marketing strategy.

The Evolution from Business Manager to Business Suite

Meta Business Suite was introduced to simplify social media management. Although Business Manager (renamed Business Portfolio) is still available, the Business Suite has become the default option for new users looking for a more straightforward experience. The main difference lies in their focus: Meta Business Suite is tailored for day-to-day social media tasks, while Business Manager handles administrative and backend operations for businesses [6].

Core Differences in Purpose and Design

Meta Business Suite is designed as a one-stop solution for businesses managing their presence on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. It combines tools for content creation, scheduling, messaging, and performance analysis in a single dashboard [8]. On the other hand, Business Manager is ideal for businesses that need centralized control over multiple accounts, ad campaigns, and team permissions. It focuses on managing assets and advanced collaboration needs [8]. This makes Business Suite a better fit for small and medium businesses, while Business Manager caters to larger organizations and agencies [9].

Feature Comparison and Target Audiences

The two platforms serve different business needs and skill levels, as summarized below:

Feature	Meta Business Suite	Business Manager
Primary Purpose	Social media management for smaller teams	Asset management and collaboration for larger organizations
Ad Management	Basic integration with Meta Ads Manager	Advanced tools via Facebook Ads Manager
Target Audience	Small to medium businesses and beginners	Enterprises, agencies, and experienced marketers
Permissions	Simple role assignments for small teams	Detailed, granular permissions for larger teams
Ease of Use	Intuitive and beginner-friendly	Built for experienced users with advanced needs

These differences highlight the importance of choosing the platform that aligns with your business's size, goals, and technical expertise.

Switching Between Platforms

Meta makes it easy for businesses to transition between platforms as their needs change. You can switch tools through the Help or All Tools menu, ensuring flexibility as your business grows.

Choosing the Right Tool for Your Business

For small businesses, Meta Business Suite offers a straightforward, centralized dashboard ideal for managing social media and light advertising needs. Larger organizations, agencies, or businesses with more complex operations will benefit from Business Manager's advanced features, such as multi-asset management, detailed advertising capabilities, and robust team collaboration [6].

Ultimately, the decision comes down to your business's specific requirements. Meta Business Suite excels in managing customer interactions and content creation, while Business Manager is better suited for handling backend tasks like billing and asset management [7]. Select the tool that aligns with your current needs and can grow with your business.

How to Set Up Meta Business Manager (With Latenode Automation)

Setting up Meta Business Manager correctly is the first step toward streamlining your marketing efforts, especially when paired with Latenode automation [10]. According to Meta, "Business Manager is a central hub where you can integrate all of your business information and Facebook marketing activity in one place" [10]. By following a structured process, you can simplify operations and unlock advanced tools for managing campaigns effectively.

Creating a Facebook Business Page

A Facebook Business Page serves as the foundation for your Meta Business Manager. Without it, you won't have access to the advanced features that make this platform ideal for advertisers.

To create your page, visit facebook.com/pages/create and choose "Business or Brand" (or "Community or Public Figure" for personal brands). Be sure to use your official business name as it appears in legal documents to ensure consistency across Meta platforms and simplify future verifications.

Add key details such as your business address, phone number, website URL, and a brief description of your services. For visuals, upload a profile picture (170×170 pixels) and a cover photo (1200×630 pixels) that represent your brand. These images will appear across Meta's advertising placements, so using professional-quality visuals is a smart investment.

To enhance credibility, complete the verification process by submitting business documents that match your Page name. Verified Pages may gain additional features, such as a visible blue checkmark on advertisements, which can help build trust with your audience.

Once your Page is ready, you can move on to managing it through Meta's unified interface.

Accessing Meta Business Suite

Meta Business Suite acts as the central hub for managing your business assets and accessing Business Manager features. Log in at business.facebook.com using the account linked to your Business Page.

The dashboard offers performance insights and provides easy navigation to tools like Ads Manager, Business Settings, and Asset Management. Familiarizing yourself with this interface is important, as you'll frequently switch between these sections to manage campaigns and assets.

For users transitioning from older tools, the Business Suite provides a more streamlined experience and even suggests next steps based on your progress. This ensures you don't overlook critical configurations.

Adding Business Assets and Ad Accounts

Business assets include Facebook Pages, Instagram accounts, ad accounts, and other properties you want to manage centrally. Adding these assets properly ensures smooth operations and avoids disruptions in campaign performance.

In Business Settings, go to "Accounts" and start adding assets. For Facebook Pages, click "Pages" and select "Add." You can add Pages you own, request access to others' Pages, or create new ones directly within the interface. Once added, these Pages can be used in advertising campaigns and managed by your team.

Ad accounts are equally important, as they control your advertising budgets and billing. In the Ad Accounts section, click "Add" to create a new account, link an existing one, or request access to someone else's account. Meta allows up to 25 ad accounts per Business Manager, with each account maintaining its own payment methods, spending limits, and access controls.

Adding all relevant assets early in the setup process ensures you can immediately leverage cross-platform advertising capabilities.

Setting Up User Permissions and Team Access

Managing user permissions is crucial for protecting your business assets while enabling effective collaboration. Meta advises limiting full control access to a small group (10 or fewer people), enabling two-factor authentication for all users, and conducting regular audits of user permissions to maintain security [12].

To manage permissions, go to "People" in Business Settings. When adding team members, assign only the permissions they need. Business Admin access provides full control, while Business Employee access can be tailored to specific roles.

For individual assets like Pages and ad accounts, assign roles based on responsibilities. For example, Page roles include Admin, Editor, Moderator, and Analyst, while ad account roles offer options like Admin, Advertiser, and Analyst. This role-based approach safeguards your assets and ensures efficient operations.

Installing Meta Pixel and Conversions API

To optimize your campaigns and track performance effectively, it's essential to install Meta Pixel and Conversions API. These tools work together to provide comprehensive tracking, with the Pixel capturing browser-based events and the Conversions API handling server-side data. This combination ensures accurate tracking even with privacy restrictions or ad blockers in place.

To set up Meta Pixel, go to Events Manager in Business Settings, click "Connect Data Sources", select "Web", and choose "Meta Pixel." Follow the guided steps to get your Pixel ID and base code. Install this code on every page of your website to track events like page views, purchases, and leads automatically.

Setting up the Conversions API traditionally required technical expertise, but Latenode simplifies this process with its visual workflow builder. Instead of hiring developers to handle server-side coding, you can use Latenode to automate workflows that send conversion data directly to Meta. For instance, when a customer completes a purchase, Latenode can automatically send the event data to Meta's Conversions API, linking it to the original ad click. This ensures accurate tracking and allows you to create advanced workflows using built-in AI and custom JavaScript logic for precise attribution models [11].

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How to Create Ad Campaigns in Meta Business Manager (With Latenode Automation)

Meta Business Manager organizes ad campaigns using a clear three-tier structure: Campaign, Ad Set, and Ad levels. Each level serves a distinct purpose, from setting objectives to defining targeting and creative elements. With Latenode, you can automate real-time adjustments, making campaign management more efficient [13].

Setting Campaign Goals and Budget

Start by selecting your campaign objective in the Ads section of Meta Business Suite on desktop. Click "Create ad" and choose from goals like brand awareness, traffic, lead generation, or sales conversion. Establish a budget - $5 per day is a good starting point - and use Latenode workflows to modify budgets automatically based on performance metrics [14][15].

Meta offers two budgeting options: a daily budget for consistent spending or a lifetime budget for time-sensitive campaigns. Once your budget and goals are set, the next step is to define your target audience.

Creating Target Audiences

Meta provides detailed targeting options based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and connections to your business. Audience types include:

Custom Audiences: Use your existing customer data for retargeting.
Lookalike Audiences: Reach people similar to your best customers.
Saved Audiences: Reuse specific targeting combinations.

Latenode makes managing audiences seamless by automating updates in real time. For instance, when a customer completes a purchase, Latenode can automatically add them to a "Recent Customers" audience for cross-selling or remove them from prospecting groups to avoid redundant targeting. It can also create custom audiences from form submissions, simplifying retargeting efforts and saving time [15].

With your audience defined, the next consideration is where to place your ads.

Choosing Ad Placements

Meta offers ad placements across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Audience Network. Each has unique strengths, and Latenode can help refine your placement strategy by analyzing performance data. Start with Automatic Placements, where Meta’s algorithm optimizes delivery across platforms, or choose Manual Placements for more control [16][18].

Key placement options include:

Feeds: Facebook Feed, Instagram Feed, and Marketplace.
Stories and Reels: Facebook Stories, Instagram Stories, and Instagram Reels.
Video Ads: In-stream and search results.
Audience Network: Extends reach to external apps and websites.

"Multiple placements increase the number of people who can see your ad and can improve ad results. Adding more placements does not increase the cost of your ad." – Meta for Business [16]

Experiment with A/B testing to find the best combination of placements for your audience and objectives [18].

Creating Ad Content and Visuals

Once placements are finalized, focus on crafting engaging ad content. Meta supports various formats such as single image, video, carousel, and collection ads. Each format caters to different goals and audience preferences [17].

For video ads, use vertical or square formats to suit mobile users, and keep messages concise. Carousel ads are ideal for showcasing multiple products or features. Whatever format you choose, ensure your ad includes a clear call to action like "Shop Now", "Learn More", or "Sign Up."

Latenode can simplify creative management by automating performance tracking and optimization. For example, workflows can generate reports highlighting top-performing elements and trigger alerts for immediate adjustments or budget reallocations [15]. Additionally, advanced tools can create ad copy variations using AI and analyze campaign sentiment, helping you refine future campaigns with minimal effort.

Connecting Meta Business Manager to Other Tools With Latenode

Meta Business Manager collects valuable data at every customer interaction, but manually transferring this data can slow down marketing and sales efforts. Latenode steps in to streamline these processes by automating data flows between Meta's advertising tools and your existing systems. With its intuitive visual workflow builder, Latenode connects with over 300 apps, all without needing coding expertise. This makes it an excellent choice for managing lead generation campaigns, updating customer segments, and tracking e-commerce conversions. In essence, Latenode transforms Meta Business Manager into a fully integrated marketing hub. Let’s look at how automation can seamlessly connect this data with other business tools.

Sending Facebook Leads to Your CRM Automatically

Facebook Lead Ads are great for capturing potential customers when their interest is at its peak. However, manually transferring these leads to your CRM can delay follow-ups and impact conversion rates. Latenode removes this bottleneck by automatically transferring new leads to your sales system within seconds of form submission. Setting up this automation is straightforward: locate Facebook Lead Ads in the integrations menu, link your Facebook account to Latenode, and set "New Lead" as your trigger event. From there, leads can be routed based on form responses, geographic location, or product interest. For example, a submitted lead form could instantly create new contacts in Zoho CRM, trigger discount coupon generation in Shopify, or even assign tasks in project management tools like ClickUp. This ensures your team can act on leads without delay, improving your response time and conversion potential. [2]

Auto-Updating Custom Audiences

Keeping Custom Audiences in Meta Business Manager accurate and up-to-date is critical for effective ad targeting, yet manually updating customer lists is both tedious and error-prone. Latenode simplifies this process by automating real-time synchronization between your CRM and Facebook. For instance, updates in your CRM - such as new purchases or changes in customer segments - are immediately reflected in your Facebook Custom Audiences. This ensures that your retargeting campaigns always reach the right audience. Additionally, you can export segmented customer lists directly to Facebook Ads to create lookalike audiences and continuously refresh your Custom Audiences. Real-time syncing with platforms like Bigin by Zoho CRM also helps optimize ad spend by providing accurate conversion tracking. [21][22]

Tracking E-Commerce Events Automatically

Relying solely on browser-based pixels for tracking has become increasingly unreliable due to privacy restrictions and the growing use of ad blockers. Latenode offers a more dependable solution by automating the transfer of purchase data to Facebook's Conversions API. Using its visual workflow builder, Latenode collects data from various sources, formats it correctly, and transmits it seamlessly. To set up e-commerce event tracking, simply add the Facebook Conversions node to your workflow, connect your Facebook Business account, select the desired action, and map the appropriate data fields. Built-in best practices - such as sending offline event data in near real-time, assigning external IDs for users, and hashing personally identifiable information - enhance both security and accuracy. For example, when a customer completes a purchase, Latenode can automatically update the product's inventory in Shopify, ensuring that your advertising data and inventory remain in sync. [11][19][20]

Getting Started With Meta Business Manager and Automation

Meta Business Manager is a robust platform for managing advertising campaigns, but its true power comes to life when paired with automation. Setting up your business portfolio is just the first step - integrating Meta’s tools with your existing systems can create efficient workflows that save time and improve results. Once your setup is complete, automation can help connect these systems, simplifying operations and keeping everything running smoothly.

To get started, ensure your business portfolio and tracking setup are complete. This includes creating a Facebook business page, gaining access to Meta Business Suite, setting up ad accounts, and configuring security settings. Afterward, automation can take over, managing data transfers to provide actionable insights.

With your account ready, shift your focus to campaign creation using Ads Manager. Define clear objectives, set budgets, identify target audiences, choose effective ad placements, and design engaging visuals. Automation can handle repetitive tasks, ensuring your campaigns remain consistent and aligned with your strategy.

Latenode enables seamless integration between Meta Business Manager and your other marketing systems. Its visual workflow builder connects with over 300 apps, allowing you to create workflows that keep your marketing data updated and help you target your audience more effectively.

Automated workflows eliminate the need for manual updates, ensuring your data stays current, your targeting sharpens, and your lead follow-ups happen faster. A good starting point is to connect Facebook Lead Ads to your CRM. From there, you can gradually expand to include workflows for audience updates and e-commerce tracking. This step-by-step approach not only unlocks automation's potential but also builds your confidence in its reliability and impact on your Meta Business Manager campaigns.

FAQs

How does Meta Business Manager help businesses collaborate with partners while keeping control of their assets?

Meta Business Manager streamlines teamwork by providing a secure platform for businesses to share access to essential assets like Facebook Pages, ad accounts, and pixels. It allows you to invite external collaborators and assign specific access levels, ensuring they can handle tasks like managing campaigns or analyzing insights without taking full control of your assets.

This structured approach to permissions strikes a balance between collaboration and security. By granting only the access needed for each role, businesses can protect sensitive data while ensuring efficient and seamless teamwork.

What’s the difference between Meta Business Manager and Meta Business Suite, and which one should I use?

Meta Business Suite is a streamlined platform crafted for small to medium-sized businesses, offering a single dashboard to manage Facebook and Instagram accounts. It simplifies tasks like scheduling posts and interacting with your audience, making it an excellent choice for businesses focused on daily social media activities.

In contrast, Meta Business Manager is geared toward larger organizations or agencies. It provides advanced tools to manage multiple accounts, maintain security, and conduct detailed analyses, making it ideal for handling complex operations such as managing numerous ad campaigns or assets.

For businesses seeking a straightforward solution for everyday social media management, Meta Business Suite is a practical option. However, if your needs involve overseeing multiple accounts or running large-scale campaigns, Meta Business Manager offers the tools to handle those demands effectively.

How can Latenode help simplify managing and updating Facebook Custom Audiences in Meta Business Manager?

Latenode streamlines the process of keeping Facebook Custom Audiences current by automating data synchronization between your CRM or other customer databases. This means new leads or customer activities are added in real time, ensuring your audiences are always accurate and up-to-date.

By removing the need for manual updates, this automation not only saves time but also enhances the accuracy of your retargeting strategies. With consistently updated Custom Audiences, you can run more focused and effective ad campaigns with far less effort.