7 🎯 Proven Points on Why should you prefer Meta Business Suite over Instagram Ad Manager in 2024

As a marketing professional and someone who had been running an agency for the last several years, I’ve had the privilege of running numerous successful ad campaigns for clients using Meta Business Suite. Today, I want to delve into the major differences between Meta Business Suite and Instagram Ads via the Instagram mobile app, highlighting the benefits of using Meta Business Suite and the restrictions of running ads via the Instagram mobile app.

Why should you prefer Meta Business Suite ?

1. Purpose and Functionality

• Meta Business Suite: This platform is designed as a comprehensive tool for managing all of your Facebook and Instagram business activities in one place. It allows businesses to post, schedule content, view insights, and manage messages across both platforms.

  
  

• Instagram Ads Manager: This is a more focused tool within Instagram itself, primarily designed for creating and managing Instagram-specific ad campaigns. It offers features tailored to the Instagram platform, such as selecting ad formats, targeting options and budget control within Instagram's ecosystem.

2. Ease of Use

• Meta Business Suite: Provides a more integrated and centralised approach, making it easier to manage multiple accounts and assets. It is ideal for businesses that need to oversee all social media platforms, i.e Facebook, Instagram & Whats App from one dashboard.

  
  

• Instagram Ads Manager: Since it is more limited in scope, Instagram Ads Manager is streamlined for users who are specifically targeting Instagram. It offers a simpler, more direct interface for creating Instagram ads, which can be more intuitive for users focused solely on this platform.

3. Ad Creation and Customisation

• Meta Business Suite: Provides extensive customisation options, including ad placements across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Audience Network. You can tailor your ads for different audiences, select various formats, and optimise placements based on performance data. The suite also supports advanced features like A/B testing and dynamic ads.

  
  

• Instagram Mobile App: Ad creation via the Instagram app is more straightforward but comes with significant restrictions. You can choose basic ad formats like Feed and Stories, but customisation is limited. For instance, the app doesn't support advanced targeting options or multi-platform placements, which can restrict your campaign's reach and effectiveness.

4. Ad Placement Options

• Meta Business Suite: Offers broader ad placement options, allowing ads to be displayed across both Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the Audience Network and Messenger.

  
  

• Instagram Ads Manager: Focuses exclusively on Instagram, limiting placements to Instagram-specific options like Feed, Stories, and Explore.

5. Analytics and Reporting

• Meta Business Suite: Offers detailed analytics that cover both Facebook and Instagram. You can track a wide range of metrics, such as impressions, reach, link clicks, page engagement, purchases, conversions, etc. These insights are invaluable for refining your strategy and optimising your campaigns for better results.

  
  

• Instagram Mobile App: The app provides basic analytics focused on Instagram performance, such as likes, comments, and follows generated from ads. While useful for a quick overview, these metrics don’t offer the depth needed for in-depth analysis and strategic adjustments.

6. Budget Optimisation & Efficiency of Ad Spending

• Meta Business Suite: With Meta Business Suite, you have access to advanced budget controls and bidding strategies. You can allocate budgets across multiple campaigns, set bid limits, and use optimisation tools to ensure you’re getting the best return on investment.

  
  

• Instagram Mobile App: Budgeting through the Instagram app is simplified and lacks the advanced options available in Meta Business Suite. While you can set a budget and duration for your ad, the app doesn’t offer the same level of control over bidding strategies, which can result in less efficient ad spending.

7. Audience Targeting

• Meta Business Suite: Provides more advanced targeting options that span across both Facebook and Instagram, including custom audiences, lookalike audiences, detailed demographics and even behaviour and interests which according to us is the most important. It also provides options to retarget the same set of customer for next product or the set of customers who visited your website but dropped off before buying your product.

  
  

• Instagram Ads Manager: Offers targeting options within the Instagram app, which are fairly effective but more limited compared to the comprehensive tools available in Meta Business Suite.

8. User Experience and Workflow

• Meta Business Suite: Designed for professionals and teams managing multiple accounts, the suite supports a collaborative workflow. You can assign roles, schedule content, and view analytics all in one place, making it easier to maintain a consistent and cohesive strategy across platforms.

  
  

• Instagram Mobile App: Best suited for individuals, creators, freelancers, etc. who primarily focus on Instagram. The app’s simplicity is its strength but also its limitation; it’s great for quick, on-the-go ad creation but lacks the comprehensive tools needed for larger, more complex campaigns.

Restrictions of Instagram Mobile App

1. Limited Ad Placements: Ads created via the Instagram app are restricted to Instagram placements (Feed and Stories). You miss out on the ability to place ads across Facebook, Messenger, and the Audience Network.

   
   

2. Basic Targeting Options: The app offers simplified targeting options. You can target based on age and location but you won’t have access to advanced targeting features like lookalike audiences or custom audiences, behaviours, interests, etc. which are crucial for reaching a more defined audience.

   
   

3. No Advanced Features: Features like A/B testing, detailed performance breakdowns, and advanced bidding strategies are not available in the Instagram app, limiting your ability to optimize and refine your campaigns.

Why is Meta Business Suite better?

For businesses looking to maximize their social media advertising potential, Meta Business Suite is the clear choice. Here’s why:

1. Cross-Platform Integration: Manage Facebook and Instagram ads from one place, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

   
   

2. Advanced Targeting: Utilize detailed targeting options to reach your ideal audience more effectively.

   
   

3. Advanced Analytics: Access in-depth insights that help you understand what’s working and where you can improve.

   
   

4. Customisation and Control: Tailor your ads with advanced options for targeting, bidding and screen placements.

   
   

5. Enhanced Collaboration: Collaborate with your team more efficiently using features like task assignments and high-priority notifications.

   
   

6. Scalability: Ideal for businesses of all sizes, Meta Business Suite grows with you, offering the tools needed to manage large-scale campaigns effectively.

   
   

7. Post Scheduling: Schedule posts and stories in advance, ensuring consistent and timely content delivery.

Conclusion

Finally, Why should you prefer Meta Business Suite.

While the Instagram mobile app offers a convenient way to create and manage ads directly within the platform, it falls short when it comes to the advanced features and comprehensive management tools available in Meta Business Suite. For businesses and marketers looking to leverage the full potential of social media advertising, Meta Business Suite provides the control, insights, and scalability needed to drive meaningful results.

Ready to optimise your social media strategy and campaign for maximum results?

Choosing the right tool for your business would be the way to go!

FAQs on Meta Business Suite