Set up Meta ads right the first time.

• Meta Pixel installed and firing on every page (run the Chapter 6 pixel checklist)
• Conversions API connected (server-side tracking)
• Domain verified in Meta Business Manager
• Lead Generation Terms of Service accepted on your Page (Business Settings → Lead Generation Forms → Accept Terms)
• At least one creative ready (single image or short video, see the Chapter 9 swipe file)

Most common mistake: skipping the Lead Gen Terms acceptance. Your campaign builds successfully but the ads fail to publish with a confusing error.

• Pick the right objective Objective: Leads for in-platform lead forms · Sales for landing page conversions
• Name the campaign clearly — always include the gym name and the offer Format: [Gym Name] - [Offer] - [Month/Year] · Example: X4 Fitness - Fit in 42 - Q1 2026
• Skip Special Ad Categories — they restrict targeting unnecessarily for fitness offers Special Ad Categories: None
• Choose your budget strategy — Campaign Budget Optimization for one offer at a time Budget: Campaign daily budget · Start at $30 to $50/day for new tests, scale 20% every 5 to 7 days

• Conversion location — lead forms keep people inside Meta and convert higher Default: Instant Form (Meta) for cold traffic · Website for warm retargeting
• Performance goal — optimize for leads, not link clicks Performance Goal: Maximize Number of Leads
• Disable Advantage+ Audience — non-negotiable in the LASSO playbook Advantage+ Audience: OFF · Always. Every ad set.
• Location targeting — radius around the gym Location: People living in this location · Radius: 5 to 8 miles from the gym address (test 3 miles in dense urban areas)
• Age targeting — match the avatar the ad is talking to Postpartum/mom avatar: 28-42 · 40+ reclaim: 40-55 · Busy pro: 32-50 · Default: 30-50
• Interest targeting — use sparingly, let the pixel signal find your buyer Default: No interests, broad targeting · If adding: only Fitness/Health-adjacent interests, max 5
• Placements — let Meta distribute across Feed, Stories, Reels and Marketplace Placements: Advantage+ Placements (all)

Critical: Meta defaults Advantage+ Audience to ON. If you forget to turn it off, your targeting is meaningless. Check it every single time.

• Identity — run from the gym's Facebook Page and connected Instagram Identity: Your Gym Page + Connected IG account
• Ad format Format: Single Image or Single Video
• Primary text and headline Primary text: under 125 characters ideal · Headline: under 40 characters
• Call to action button CTA: Learn More
• Tracking — website campaigns need UTMs so you can see lead source in your CRM UTM template: ?utm_source=meta&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{adset.name}}

• Campaign objective is Leads or Sales (not Traffic, never Awareness)
• Advantage+ Audience is OFF
• Age and location match the avatar the ad is talking to
• Performance Goal is Maximize Leads (not Link Clicks)
• CTA button is Learn More
• Pixel + Conversions API are firing correctly
• Lead Gen ToS is accepted on the Page
• Campaign launched as PAUSED · review before activating