How to Run Social Media Ads: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Social media ads are one of the most powerful tools available to businesses today. Whether you are a small shop in Kathmandu or a growing brand across Nepal, running ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn can put your business in front of thousands of potential customers  quickly, affordably, and with measurable results.

But if you have never run social media ads before, the process can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? What platform should you use? How much should you spend? This guide breaks it all down  step by step  so you can start running ads with confidence, even if this is your very first time.

What Are Social Media Ads?

Social media ads are paid advertisements that appear on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Unlike organic posts, which only reach your existing followers, paid ads allow you to reach a much larger and specifically targeted audience based on their age, location, interests, behavior, and more.

You set a budget, choose who you want to see your ad, create your content (image, video, or text), and the platform shows it to the right people. You only pay when someone sees or interacts with your ad, making it one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising available.

Why Should Your Business Run Social Media Ads?

Here is why social media advertising has become essential for businesses in Nepal and around the world:

• Reach your exact target audience based on location, age, interests, and behavior
• Get fast results, ads can drive traffic and leads within hours of launching
• Control your budget, start with as little as NPR 500 per day
• Track every result, see exactly how many people saw, clicked, and converted from your ad
• Build brand awareness and stay visible even when people are not actively searching for you
• Compete with larger businesses without needing a massive marketing budget

Types of Social Media Ads

Before running ads, it helps to understand the main formats available across platforms:

• Image Ads: A single static image with a caption and call to action
• Video Ads: Short or long-form videos that auto-play in the feed
• Carousel Ads: Multiple images or videos the user can swipe through
• Story Ads: Full-screen vertical ads that appear between Stories
• Reel Ads  Short-form video ads shown within Reels content
• Lead Ads  Forms built directly into the ad to collect contact information
• Retargeting Ads: Ads shown to people who have already visited your website or engaged with your content

​How to Run Facebook & Instagram Ads(Meta Ads): Step by Step

Facebook and Instagram ads are managed through Meta’s advertising platform, commonly called Meta Ads Manager. This is the most widely used ad platform in Nepal and a great starting point for beginners.

Step 1: Set Up Meta Business Suite

Go to business.facebook.com and create a free Meta Business Suite account. This is the central hub where you manage your Facebook Page, Instagram account, and all your ads in one place. Connect your Facebook Page and Instagram account to your Business Suite before moving forward.

Step 2: Create Your Ad Account

Inside Meta Business Suite, go to Ads Manager and create an ad account. You will need to set your country (Nepal), currency (NPR or USD), and add a payment method, either a credit/debit card or an online payment option. This is where your ad spend will be billed.

Step 3: Choose Your Campaign Objective

Click ‘Create’ to start a new campaign. Meta will ask you to choose an objective, which tells the platform what result you want. Common objectives for beginners include:

• Awareness: Show your ad to as many people as possible
• Traffic: Send people to your website or landing page
• Engagement: Get more likes, comments, shares, and followers
• Leads: Collect contact details directly from the ad
• Sales  Drive purchases on your website or shop

Choose the objective that matches your current business goal.

Step 4: Define Your Target Audience

This is one of the most important steps. Meta allows you to target your audience by:

• Location: Target people in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, or anywhere in Nepal
• Age and gender: Narrow down to your ideal customer demographic
• Interests: Target people interested in topics related to your business
• Behaviors: Reach people based on their online activity and purchasing behavior
• Custom Audiences: Retarget people who visited your website or engaged with your page

Start with a broad audience if you are new and narrow it down as you learn what works.

Step 5: Set Your Budget and Schedule

Choose between a Daily Budget (how much you spend per day) or a Lifetime Budget (total spend over the entire campaign). For beginners in Nepal, starting with NPR 500–1000 per day is a reasonable starting point. Set your start and end dates, then let the campaign run for 5–7 days before evaluating the results.

Step 6: Create Your Ad Creative

Now design your actual ad. Upload your image or video, write a short headline and primary text, and add a call-to-action button (such as Learn More, Shop Now, or Contact Us). Make sure your visual is high quality, and your text clearly communicates your offer within the first two lines.

Step 7: Review and Publish

Review everything, audience, budget, creative, and click Publish. Meta will review your ad (usually within a few hours) and start running it once approved. Monitor your results in Ads Manager daily for the first week.

​How to Run TikTok Ads: Step by Step

TikTok is rapidly growing in Nepal, especially among younger audiences. If your target customers are between 18 and 35 years old, TikTok ads can be extremely effective.

Step 1: Create a TikTok Ads Account

Go to ads.tiktok.com and sign up for a TikTok Ads account. Fill in your business information, set your time zone and currency, and complete the account setup. You will need to verify your business before running ads.

Step 2: Choose Campaign Objective

Create a new campaign and select your objective. TikTok offers objectives similar to Meta  Reach, Traffic, App Installs, Video Views, Lead Generation, and Conversions. Choose the one that aligns with your goal.

Step 3: Set Ad Group  Audience, Budget, Schedule

Define your target audience by location, age, gender, interests, and device type. Set your daily or total budget and choose your campaign schedule. TikTok recommends a minimum daily budget of USD 20 per ad group for effective reach.

Step 4: Create Your TikTok Ad

Upload your video in a vertical format (9:16), which works best on TikTok. Keep it between 9–15 seconds for maximum engagement. Write a short ad text, choose your call-to-action button, and enter your destination URL. Make your ad look and feel like native TikTok content, and avoid overly polished corporate videos.

Step 5: Submit for Review

Review your campaign settings and submit your ad for review. TikTok typically approves ads within 24 hours. Once live, monitor performance through the TikTok Ads dashboard and optimize based on video views, click-through rate, and conversions.

How to Run YouTube Ads: Step by Step

YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world and one of the most effective platforms for video advertising. YouTube ads are managed through Google Ads.

Step 1: Set Up Google Ads Account

Go to ads.google.com and create a Google Ads account using your Google account. Set your billing information and link your YouTube channel to your Google Ads account from the Linked Accounts section in settings.

Step 2: Create a Video Campaign

Click ‘New Campaign’ and select your goal: Sales, Leads, Website Traffic, or Brand Awareness. Then choose ‘Video’ as the campaign type. This will allow you to run ads on YouTube.

Step 3: Choose Ad Format

YouTube offers several ad formats:

• Skippable In-Stream Ads: Play before a video, the viewer can skip after 5 seconds
• Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads: 15 seconds, viewer cannot skip
• Bumper Ads: 6-second non-skippable ads, great for brand awareness
• In-Feed Video Ads: Appear in YouTube search results and recommended videos

For beginners, Skippable In-Stream Ads are the most flexible and cost-effective option.

Step 4: Set Targeting and Budget

Target your audience by location (Nepal), age, gender, interests, and keywords. You can also target people who have searched for specific terms on Google and YouTube. Set a daily budget, even USD 3–5 per day, can deliver meaningful reach on YouTube in Nepal.

Step 5: Upload Video and Launch

Paste the YouTube URL of your video ad (upload it to YouTube first as unlisted or public). Write your headline, description, and call-to-action. Review everything and launch. Monitor results through the Google Ads dashboard under the Campaigns tab.

How to Run LinkedIn Ads: Step by Step

LinkedIn ads are the best choice if you are targeting businesses, professionals, or decision-makers. If you offer B2B services  like digital marketing, consulting, or corporate photography, LinkedIn is the right platform.

Step 1: Set Up LinkedIn Campaign Manager

Go to linkedin.com/campaignmanager and create an account. Connect it to your LinkedIn Company Page. Set your account name and currency. LinkedIn supports USD for Nepal-based accounts.

Step 2: Choose Objective and Ad Format

Create a new campaign group and campaign. Choose your objective: Awareness, Consideration (Website Visits, Engagement, Video Views), or Conversions (Lead Generation, Website Conversions). Then select your ad format: Single Image Ad, Video Ad, Carousel Ad, or Message Ad.

Step 3: Define Audience and Budget

LinkedIn’s targeting is unique; you can target by job title, company size, industry, seniority, and skills. This is what makes it powerful for B2B. Target decision-makers in Nepal, such as business owners, marketing managers, and HR professionals. Set a daily budget. LinkedIn has a minimum daily budget of USD 10 per campaign.

Step 4: Create and Launch Your Ad

Upload your creative, write a compelling headline and description, and add a call-to-action. LinkedIn ads perform best when they lead with a value, offer a free consultation, guide, or demo rather than a hard sell. Review and launch your campaign. Results typically take 2–3 days to stabilize as LinkedIn optimizes delivery.

How Much Do Social Media Ads Cost in Nepal?

One of the most common questions from beginners is how much to spend. Here is a general guide:

The most important thing is to start small, test what works, and scale your budget once you see results. Even NPR 500 per day on Facebook can generate meaningful reach and leads for a business in Nepal.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make With Social Media Ads

Avoid these common mistakes that waste budget and deliver poor results:

• Targeting too broad an audience, narrowing your audience improves relevance and reduces wasted spend
• Using low-quality images or videos, poor creatives get ignored, no matter how good your targeting is
• Not testing different ad versions, always run at least 2 variations to see which performs better
• Stopping ads too early, most platforms need 5–7 days to optimize delivery before you judge performance
• Ignoring mobile optimization, over 90% of social media users in Nepal browse on mobile; design for mobile first
• No clear call to action, every ad must tell people exactly what to do next
• Not tracking results: Set up Meta Pixel, Google Tag, or TikTok Pixel on your website to track conversions

Conclusion

Social media ads are no longer optional for businesses that want to grow in Nepal’s competitive digital landscape. Whether you choose Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or LinkedIn, each platform offers unique advantages depending on your audience and goals.

The key is to start simple, test consistently, and optimize based on real data. Use this guide as your foundation and take it one step at a time. And if you want expert support to run campaigns that actually deliver results, TM Studio’s 360° Ads Boost service is built exactly for that.

Ready to run your first social media ad campaign? Contact TM Studio today and let our team handle your ads from strategy to results.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.  What is the best platform to run social media ads for a business in Nepal?

Facebook and Instagram (Meta Ads) are the best starting point for most businesses in Nepal due to the large user base and affordable cost. TikTok is ideal for reaching younger audiences between 18–35, while LinkedIn works best for B2B businesses targeting professionals and decision-makers.

2. How much should I spend on social media ads as a beginner?

Start with NPR 500–1000 per day on Facebook or Instagram. Run your ad for at least 7 days before evaluating results. As you learn what works, gradually increase your budget. For TikTok, the minimum is USD 20 per day per ad group, and for LinkedIn it is USD 10 per day.

3. Do I need a website to run social media ads?

Not necessarily. You can run ads that send people to your Facebook Page, Instagram profile, or a lead form built directly into the ad. However, having a website improves credibility and allows you to track conversions more accurately using tools like Meta Pixel or Google Tag.

4. How long does it take to see results from social media ads?

Most platforms need 5–7 days to optimize ad delivery. You may see initial results like clicks and reach within the first 24–48 hours, but meaningful conversion data typically takes 1–2 weeks. Avoid turning off your ads too early to give them time to learn.

5. What is the difference between boosting a post and running a proper ad campaign?

Boosting a post is a simplified version of advertising with limited targeting and objective options, it is quick but less effective. Running a proper ad campaign through Ads Manager gives you full control over your objective, audience, budget, and creative, which leads to significantly better results.

6. Can I run social media ads myself or do I need an agency?

You can run basic ads yourself by following the steps in this guide. However, for better results  especially with a larger budget or specific conversion goals  working with a social media ads agency in Nepal like TM Studio ensures your campaigns are strategically planned, properly optimized, and delivering real ROI from day one.