Before your practice can publish Facebook or Instagram ads through Ad Manager, you need a Meta Business Manager with an ad account inside it. This guide explains what a Business Manager is, how to set one up, how to add and verify your business, and how the ad account then connects to Ad Manager.
Meta Business Manager (now also called your Business Portfolio) is a single place to manage your practice's Facebook and Instagram Pages, ad accounts, and other assets such as pixels. You need a personal Facebook account to create a Business Manager.
Once the ad account inside your Business Manager is created, you use it to connect with Ad Manager and publish ad campaigns.
Create the account. Visit business.facebook.com and create a Business Manager.
Use your business details. Enter your practice's business name and email when setting up.
Add your assets. Add your Facebook Page, Instagram account, and ad account. You can also invite team members to help manage everything from one place.
When you create the ad account, add a payment method to it. Campaign spend is charged to the card on file in your Meta ad account once a campaign is approved by the ad platform, so a valid payment method must be in place before ads can run.
Verifying your business tells Meta that your practice is a real, legitimate business. This is different from verifying your Facebook or Instagram Page. Verification reduces the chance of restrictions or bans and makes it easier to recover your account if something goes wrong later.
Not every business needs to be verified. You only need to verify if:
You are trying to use certain Meta tools (for example APIs or developer features), or
You received a notification or email from Meta asking you to verify.
Make sure your business portfolio (previously called Business Manager) is eligible for verification.
You must have full control of the business portfolio.
Do not submit false information. Meta can deny verification or act on your account if it finds misleading details.
Go to the Security Centre in your Meta business portfolio, then click Start verification. You may also see this option in Meta Ads Manager, Commerce Manager, or the App Developer Dashboard.
Enter your business details:
Legal business name
Address
Phone number
Website (must be live and HTTPS secure)
Confirm the details:
If Meta can match them to public records, select your business from the list.
If not, upload documents such as a business license or articles of incorporation.
Verify your connection to the business using one of these methods:
Email (must match your domain)
Phone call, text, or WhatsApp message
Domain verification (you will need access to your website's hosting or DNS settings)
Click Done when finished.
You can also enter your business details from Business Settings > Business Info, matching them to your official documents, then upload the legal documents to complete verification.
Verification decisions can take 10 minutes to 14 working days.
Meta notifies you once the decision is complete.
If approved, you are all set.
If you change any business details later, you will need to verify again.
If the verification button does not show up right away, a common workaround is to create a placeholder app in Facebook's developer portal. This prompts Facebook to ask you to verify your business. Once verified, your Business Manager account is marked as legitimate.
Note: Meta Verified for Business is a separate paid subscription that gives businesses added visibility, support, and protection on Facebook and Instagram. It is not the same as the free business verification described above, which is what you need to run ads and use Meta tools.
Once your Business Manager, ad account, and payment method are ready, you connect the ad account and a Facebook Page to Ad Manager. See the separate guide on connecting your Facebook Business account to Ad Manager for the full connection flow and permissions.
Do I need a personal Facebook account to create a Business Manager? Yes. A Meta Business Manager is created from a personal Facebook account, which then manages your practice's Pages, ad accounts, and assets.
What is the difference between verifying my business and verifying my Page? Verifying your business confirms that your practice is a real, legitimate business. Verifying a Page is a separate process tied to that specific Facebook or Instagram profile.
Is business verification always required to run ads? Not always. You need it if Meta asks you to verify or if you want to use certain tools such as APIs and developer features. Many practices can start running ads once the ad account and payment method are set up.
How long does business verification take? Anywhere from about 10 minutes to 14 working days. Meta notifies you when the decision is made.
What if none of the listed business records match mine? Choose "My business isn't listed" or "None of these match," then upload documents such as a business license or articles of incorporation.
Do I need documents if I use monthly ad invoicing? No. If you use monthly ad invoicing, submit your credit line information during verification instead. Make sure the credit line is linked to your business rather than shared.
Is Meta Verified for Business the same as business verification? No. Meta Verified for Business is a paid subscription for extra visibility, support, and protection. Standard business verification is separate and is what you use to run ads and access Meta tools.
Where does my campaign spend get charged? Campaign spend is charged to the payment method on file in your Meta ad account once the ad platform approves your campaign, so add a valid card to the ad account before you run ads.
