Facebook and Instagram advertising brings visitors to your website. Whether those visits become paid orders also depends on the product, offer, store operations and order handling. That is why preparation should begin before the first ad is created.
This checklist helps website owners check whether the foundation for Meta Ads is in place and understand what to discuss with their provider.
1. Choose products for the first test
You do not need to advertise the whole catalogue at once. It is easier to start with products whose demand, benefits and sales economics are clear.
Check stock levels and the ability to replenish quickly.
Calculate product costs, packaging, fees and other variable expenses.
Determine how much you can spend to acquire an order while retaining the required profit.
Prepare an answer to this question: why should the buyer choose this product and this store?
A discount can be part of your offer, but first check whether the margin supports it. Sometimes explaining quality, what is included or convenient delivery is better than immediately lowering the price.
2. Follow the buyer journey on a smartphone
Open the ad’s destination link on a phone and place a test order. Look for specific obstacles: is choosing a size easy, is availability visible and does the add-to-cart button work?
Product pages need clear photos, prices, specifications, shipping and payment terms. Buyers also need store contacts and return information. If the ad shows a particular model, link to that page instead of making people search the catalogue.
Check that the manager receives the completed order. Test customer notifications and failed payments separately. A beautiful website cannot compensate for an order lost between the form and processing.
3. Agree on campaign goals and purchase tracking
If the goal is website sales, ad setup and measurement must reflect that goal. Meta offers a Sales campaign objective. Visits alone do not show how many orders the store received and fulfilled. The list of objectives is available in the official Meta SDK.
Before launch, check website events: product views, add-to-cart and purchases. Correct amounts and currencies matter for purchases. If you use Meta Pixel and Conversions API, test that a single purchase is not reported twice. Conversions API sends events from the server; its operating principles are described in official Meta documentation.
Agree on what counts as a result: a placed, confirmed or paid order. For stores using cash on delivery, these figures can differ substantially.
4. Prepare several different advertising ideas
Gather assets that help buyers assess the product: demonstrations, details, dimensions and what is included. Use only genuine reviews and describe features without exaggeration.
For the first test, try different buying motivations: practicality, appearance, gifting or solving a specific everyday problem. Write down the hypothesis behind each ad in advance. Future creatives can then build on findings rather than random changes to colours or copy.
5. Set a budget and evaluation rules
There is no universal amount that guarantees results for every store. A test budget should account for product price, acceptable acquisition cost, the number of hypotheses and funds reserved for learning.
Before starting, agree on an evaluation period, main metrics and stopping conditions with your specialist. Owners need reports showing ad spend, confirmed sales, revenue and an approximate financial result after variable costs. Clicks and add-to-cart events help identify problems but do not replace this picture.
What to give your specialist before launch
Prepare your store link, priority products, margin and stock data, photos and videos, and information about previous campaigns. Grant role-based access to the relevant business assets while retaining control.
Bei Agency helps align store preparation, advertising and performance assessment. Explore our Meta advertising or contact usto discuss your store.