Why Traffic Ads Are Your Brand’s Best Bet, and How to Set It Up

Why Traffic Ads Are Your Brand’s Best Bet, and How to Set It Up

Marketers and business owners! If you’re looking to make waves this Month, Meta’s ad platform—covering Facebook, Instagram is still the place to be. With billions of users scrolling daily, it’s a goldmine for connecting with your audience. But here’s the deal: picking the right ad objective is like choosing the perfect tool for a job. Get it wrong, and you’re burning cash. Get it right, and you’re laughing all the way to the bank. In this article, I’m breaking down all the Meta ad objectives available in 2025, explaining why Traffic Ads is the must-have strategy for every brand this month, and walking you through how to set one up step-by-step. Let’s dive in and make your ad game unstoppable!

Meta Ad Objectives: Your Options in 2025

Meta’s Ads Manager is built to help you hit specific business goals, and its ad objectives are the starting point. These objectives tell Meta’s algorithm what you’re aiming for, whether it’s getting eyeballs on your brand or driving sales. In 2025, Meta’s streamlined its objectives under the Objective-Driven Ad Experiences (ODAX) framework, making things simpler and more effective. Here are the six core ad objectives you can choose from:

1. Awareness: This is all about getting your brand out there. It maximizes impressions to show your ad to as many people as possible. Perfect for launching a new product or building recognition in Nigeria’s competitive market. Think of a Lagos-based fashion brand introducing a new line of Ankara designs—Awareness gets the word out. Success is measured by reach, frequency, and ad recall lift.

2. Traffic: This one’s about driving people to a specific destination, like your website, app, or even a WhatsApp chat. Meta optimizes for clicks, making it ideal for boosting blog visits, product page views, or event sign-ups. It’s my top pick for reasons I’ll explain soon. Key metrics are link clicks, landing page views, and cost per click (CPC).

3. Engagement: Want likes, comments, shares, or page follows? Engagement ads boost interactions with your content. Great for creating buzz, like a Port Harcourt restaurant promoting a new jollof rice challenge to go viral. It’s optimized for post engagement and can help grow your follower base organically.

4. Leads: This objective collects user info (think emails or phone numbers) via Meta’s pre-filled forms. It’s a go-to for businesses like real estate agents in Abuja or online course creators looking to build a customer list. Track cost per lead (CPL) and conversion rates to gauge success.

5. App Promotion: Designed for app developers, this drives installs or in-app actions like bookings or purchases. A Nigerian fintech startup pushing a savings app would use this to get downloads. Metrics focus on app installs and return on ad spend (ROAS).

6. Sales: The big one for conversions, optimizing for purchases or add-to-cart actions. E-commerce brands selling on Jumia or their own sites love this for targeting ready-to-buy customers. You’ll need a Meta Pixel or Conversions API, with ROAS as the key metric.

These six objectives cover everything from brand exposure to closing sales. Picking the right one aligns your campaign with your goals, ensuring you’re not throwing naira into the wind.

Why Traffic Ads is a Must in the New Month

Out of all these objectives, I’m shouting from the rooftops that Traffic Ads should be in every Nigerian brand’s playbook this month. Why? They’re the ultimate bridge between social media and your business’s owned assets—like your website or app. In a world where attention is harder to grab than a Lagos danfo in rush hour, Traffic Ads get people to click through to where you control the narrative. Here’s why they’re a game-changer in 2025:

• Drives Actionable Results: Traffic Ads send users to your website, app, or chat platforms, where you can convert them into leads or customers. For example, a skincare brand in Ibadan can drive traffic to a product page for a new shea butter cream, boosting sales potential.
• Budget-Friendly: In Nigeria, where every naira counts, Traffic Ads are cost-effective. Average CPCs range from ₦250 to ₦1,000, depending on your audience and competition. Compared to Sales ads, which can cost more per conversion, Traffic Ads stretch your budget further.
• Builds Data for Growth: Every click to your site or app feeds data into your analytics tools (like Google Analytics). This helps you understand user behavior, refine your strategy, and build retargeting audiences for future campaigns.
• Works for All Businesses: Whether you’re a food vendor in Enugu linking to a delivery page, a tech startup in Yaba promoting an app, or a blogger driving traffic to a new post, Traffic Ads fit any niche.
• 2025 Edge: With Meta’s AI improvements and Nigeria’s growing digital economy (e-commerce is booming at over ₦10 trillion annually), Traffic Ads leverage smarter targeting to reach high-intent users. Plus, they align with privacy regulations, making them a safe bet post-iOS tracking changes.

Running Traffic Ads monthly ensures a steady flow of visitors to your digital doorstep, setting the stage for conversions and long-term growth. Brands using them report up to 25% higher website engagement, which can translate to more sales over time.

Step-by-Step Guide: Setting Up a Traffic Ad in Meta Ads Manager

Ready to launch a Traffic Ad? Meta Ads Manager makes it easy, even if you’re new to digital advertising. Below is a detailed guide to set up a campaign, tailored for Nigerian businesses, with costs in naira. You’ll need a Meta Business Account and a Page before starting.

Step 1: Create a New Campaign in Ads Manager

Head to [business.facebook.com](https://business.facebook.com) or use the Meta Ads Manager app. Click “Create” to start a new campaign. Choose **Traffic** as your objective from the list. Name your campaign something clear, like “August 2025 Website Traffic – Lagos Campaign,” to stay organized.

Tip: If available, turn on Advantage+ Campaign Budget Optimization. It lets Meta distribute your budget across ad sets for better performance.

Step 2: Set Campaign Details

Select the Auction buying type (standard for most campaigns). Set a daily budget—start with ₦5,000 to ₦10,000 to test the waters. For a month-long campaign, a lifetime budget of ₦150,000 to ₦300,000 works for small to medium businesses. Schedule your ad to run during peak hours (use Audience Insights to find when your audience is online, e.g., evenings in Nigeria).

If your ad falls under special categories (e.g., housing or credit), declare it to comply with Meta’s policies.

Step 3: Define Your Ad Set

Audience: Create a custom audience or use saved ones. Target based on location (e.g., Nigeria or specific cities like Lagos, Abuja), age, gender, interests (e.g., “online shopping,” “Nigerian fashion”), or behaviors (e.g., frequent travelers). For broader reach, use lookalike audiences based on past website visitors.

Placements: Choose Automatic Placements to let Meta optimize across Facebook, Instagram, Stories, and Audience Network. For budget control, manually select high-performing placements like Instagram Feed or Facebook News Feed.

Budget & Schedule: Allocate your daily budget (e.g., ₦5,000) and set a start/end date. Enable cost cap bidding if you want to limit CPC to, say, ₦500.

Tip: Test a small audience (e.g., 100,000 users) to optimize before scaling up.

Step 4: Create Your Ad Creative

Choose a format: single image, video, or carousel. Use eye-catching visuals (e.g., vibrant product photos for a Nigerian market) and concise text. Include a clear call-to-action like “Shop Now” or “Learn More.” Link to a specific URL (e.g., your website’s product page, like www.yourstore.ng/product).

Example Ad: A Lagos bakery could use a carousel of mouthwatering cakes with text like “Order Your Dream Cake Today! Starting at ₦15,000. Click to Shop!” Ensure your landing page is mobile-friendly, as 80% of Nigerian users are on mobile.

Step 5: Set Up Tracking

Install the Meta Pixel on your website to track clicks and landing page views. Go to Events Manager in Ads Manager to create a Pixel, then add the code to your site (or use a plugin if you’re on WordPress). This helps measure campaign success and build retargeting audiences.

Step 6: Review and Launch

Double-check your targeting, budget (e.g., ₦5,000 daily), and creative. Click “Publish” to submit. Meta will review your ad (usually within 24 hours). Once approved, monitor performance in Ads Manager under metrics like link clicks, CPC (aim for ₦300-₦800), and landing page views.

Step 7: Optimize and Scale

After a few days, analyze results. If CPC is high, refine your audience or test new creatives. If clicks are strong but conversions are low, improve your landing page (e.g., faster load times or clearer CTAs). Increase your budget (e.g., to ₦20,000 daily) for high-performing ads.

Pro Tip: Run A/B tests with different visuals or headlines to find what resonates with Nigerian audiences. For instance, test “Free Delivery in Lagos!” vs. “Shop Now for Exclusive Discounts!”

Related article: Unmasking the Truth: 7 Reasons Why Your Facebook Ads Fail to Deliver Customers!

Conclusion: Make Traffic Ads Your 2025 Power Move

Meta’s six ad objectives—Awareness, Traffic, Engagement, Leads, App Promotion, and Sales—offer something for every business goal. But in 2025, Traffic Ads stand out as the go-to for Nigerian brands looking to drive measurable results without breaking the bank. They’re versatile, cost-effective (with CPCs as low as ₦250), and perfect for building a pipeline of engaged users. By following the steps above, you can set up a Traffic Ad campaign in under 30 minutes and start seeing clicks roll in.

Don’t sleep on this opportunity. Whether you’re a small business in Owerri or a growing startup in Kano, Traffic Ads can put your brand in front of the right eyes and drive them to your website or app. Start today, track your results, and watch your business grow. Got questions or need more tips? Drop a comment or reach out, and let’s keep the conversation going!