How to Run Instagram Ads for Brands in Nigeria: Detailed Guide

Instagram has become a powerful platform for brands in Nigeria to connect with their audience, build trust, and boost sales. According to Statista, there will be over 8 million Instagram users in Nigeria by 2025, providing a tremendous opportunity for brands to increase their visibility. However, many Nigerian businesses face the issue of running effective Instagram advertising that converts.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how to run Instagram ads for brands in Nigeria, from setup to optimization for the best results. This post, which includes real-life examples and actionable ideas, will help you optimize Instagram’s advertising potential.

What are Instagram ads?

Instagram advertising allows businesses to market their products or services by paying Instagram to display their content to a targeted group of users. Unlike ordinary posts, which rely on organic reach, Instagram advertisements provide an extra push to ensure that your brand reaches a specific demographic, including those who do not follow your account. This is critical for Nigerian firms seeking to broaden their reach beyond their followers.

How Instagram Ads Look

These ads are shown in a variety of areas on Instagram, including users’ feeds, Stories, Explore pages, and even shopping sections. Instagram ads stand out since they appear almost identical to regular posts, but with a little “Sponsored” label that informs users that it is a sponsored ad. These advertisements can contain photographs, videos, or a combination of the two (carousel), and they frequently include extra features such as links, Call-to-Action (CTA) buttons (e.g., “Shop Now” or “Learn More”), and product tags for simple purchasing.

Why Instagram Ads Matter to Brands in Nigeria

Instagram is more than just a photo-sharing network; it’s also where consumers discover new products, interact with brands, and make purchasing decisions. Brands in Nigeria, whether in fashion, beauty, or technology, have a unique chance to use Instagram’s visual nature to build meaningful relationships with their audience.

Instagram’s visual-first strategy allows marketers to demonstrate, rather than simply convey, the value of their products. And, using Instagram’s targeting tools, you can ensure that your advertising reaches the right people at the appropriate times. Whether you’re targeting young professionals in Lagos or tech-savvy Nigerians, Instagram advertisements can be personalized to your specific marketing objectives.

How do Instagram advertisements work?

Since 2015, anyone can design Instagram ads using Meta’s self-serve advertising platform. You have complete control over your advertising’ appearance, placement, and audience targeting. Unlike sponsored posts and paid partnerships, these advertisements originate directly from your account.
Benefits of Instagram advertising include:

Flexible price to suit your budget
User-friendly self-service ad platform
Detailed reporting for improved insights.
Accurate audience targeting options

You have two major possibilities when developing Instagram ads:

Promote tool: Convert every post into an ad with a few clicks, similar to Facebook’s Boost button. Simply select the destination URL, target audience, and budget.
Meta Ads Manager: With this comprehensive application, you can develop campaigns for Instagram, Facebook, and other meta networks.

Instagram advertising can have a major impact on purchasing decisions. According to recent data, 70% of Instagram users want to make their next purchase using the platform. Whether you’re a tiny business or a major corporation, you can build cost-effective campaigns to attract new customers and increase revenue. Ready to make money on Instagram?

How Much do Instagram Ads cost?

Revealbot’s recent research reveals the average cost of Instagram ads:

$1.15 cost per click (CPC).
$10.93 cost per 1000 impressions (CPM).

But here’s the thing: your CPC might vary greatly depending on your marketing goal. Take a peek.

Instagram CPC varies according to advertising goal

The cost-per-click (CPC) can vary from 14¢ to $21.45, depending on the goal. According to Revealbot’s study, the cost per thousand impressions (CPM) can range from 20¢ to $28.15 (or more) depending on the campaign target.

Instagram CPM varies according to marketing goal

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all standard here. Your results will vary depending on your target audience, industry, and the type of ads you run. Your product’s price is also an important consideration. Selling a $50 item? You’ll probably pay less to get a consumer than if you’re selling a $1,500 product.

Pro tip: When preparing your Instagram ad campaign, consider these two crucial factors:

Your total campaign budget
How much are you willing to spend per result?

This strategy allows you to prevent unexpected costs and test campaigns to see which ones provide the best value for your money.

Types of Instagram Ads

Are you ready to dive in? The following are the primary sorts of Instagram advertising you may run:

Photo advertisements
Video advertisements
Carousel advertisements
Collection advertisements.
Story ads
Reels advertisements
Explore ads.

Let’s break them down.

#1. Photo ads

Photo advertising is simple: a single photo in landscape or square style. They’re ideal for beginners in Instagram advertising. Check out this example from jewelry firm Clocks + Colors, which uses a pictorial ad to promote their military discount.

#2. Video ads

Instagram has come a long way from its 15-second video limit. You may now create video ads that are up to 60 seconds long in either landscape or square format. Here’s how Fishwife, a canned fish manufacturer, uses video advertising to promote its limited-edition anchovies:

Fishwife uses video ads to capture attention

#3. Carousel ads

Want to convey a larger story? Carousel advertising allows you to display two to ten pictures or videos that consumers can swipe through. Here is a sleek example from ILIA Beauty.

#4. Collection ads

Collection ads are essentially carousel advertising on steroids. They have a scrollable reel of photographs, but here’s the catch: you may connect to different product pages from each one. Ideal for showing a product line, like Gymshark does with their exercise essentials.

Gymshark features its products in a collection ad

#5. Story ads

Think about Snapchat-style stuff that disappears after 24 hours. Brands may capitalize on the Instagram Stories trend by creating photo or video content. Check out the online skincare brand RoseSkinCo. Uses Story advertising to generate excitement for impending sales:

RoseSkinCo. promotes its products in a Story ad

#6. Reels advertisements

Reel commercials are the new kids on the block. These full-screen vertical ads appear between user Reels and can last for up to 30 seconds. Users can interact with them in the same way that they would with ordinary Reels: by liking, commenting, saving, and sharing.

#7. Explore Ads

Explore ads appear on Instagram’s Explore page, just as the name implies. They blend in with regular posts while also providing an opportunity to reach out to curious individuals who are actively looking for new content.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Running Instagram Ads for Brands

#1. Create an Instagram business profile.

To run Instagram advertisements, you must first create a Business Profile. This not only enables Instagram’s advertising functionalities but also provides you with vital statistics such as post-performance and audience insights, allowing you to enhance your ads and interaction strategies.

How To Create A Business Profile:

Go to Settings: In the Instagram app, navigate to your profile, click the three lines (hamburger menu) in the top-right corner, and pick “Settings.”
Switch to a Business Account: Go to “Account” and select “Switch to Professional Account,” then “Business”.
Link to a Facebook Page: To manage your ads, Instagram requires that your company profile be linked to a Facebook page. This step is crucial because all Instagram advertising is managed using Facebook Advertising Manager.
Optimize Your Profile: Once your account has been switched, provide important company information such as contact information (phone, email), website URL, and business category (for example, apparel store, or beauty brand).

Having a professional profile helps you build trust with your audience by demonstrating that you are a reputable business ready to communicate with clients. Additionally, it grants access to Instagram Insights, which allows you to track follower growth, post engagement, and demographics.

#2. Access the Facebook Ads Manager for Instagram Ads

Even if you’re advertising on Instagram, all ads are managed through Facebook Ads Manager. This sophisticated application allows you to develop, analyze, and improve Instagram campaigns while providing detailed targeting choices and performance information. If you’ve ever used Facebook advertisements, you’ll be familiar with the UI.

Steps to Access Ads Manager:

Go to Ads Manager: Visit facebook.com/adsmanager or select “Ads Manager” from your linked Facebook business page.
Create a New Campaign: Once in Ads Manager, select “Create” to begin creating your Instagram ad campaign.
Select Instagram as an Ad Placement: During the ad setup process, under “Placements,” make sure to include Instagram as one of your ad platforms. You can also select from Instagram feed advertisements, Explore ads, and Stories.

Ads Manager provides comprehensive tools for targeting audiences, setting budgets, and tracking the effectiveness of Facebook and Instagram advertisements in one place, ensuring that your campaigns are always optimized for optimum results.

#3. Set Your Campaign’s Objective

When creating an Instagram marketing campaign, selecting the appropriate objective is critical to its success. Instagram provides a variety of targets based on your aspirations. Brands’ shared objectives include:

Brand Awareness: Great for presenting your brand to new consumers and gaining visibility.
Traffic: Refers users to a website, landing page, or online store.
Engagement: Encourages users to like, comment, or share your content, which increases brand interaction.
Conversions: Targets particular actions like sales, app downloads, or sign-ups.

How to Select the Right Objective:

Brand Awareness: If you want to broaden your brand’s reach and exposure to new audiences, this objective is best suited for creating buzz about a product or campaign.
Traffic: Use this target to direct potential customers to your website or landing page, boosting the possibility of conversions.
Engagement: If you want to boost social proof and visibility for your posts through likes, shares, and comments, an engagement goal is an excellent choice.
Conversions: Ideal for firms seeking to generate real outcomes such as sales or sign-ups. For example, an e-commerce firm might employ this goal to increase product purchases.

Choosing the proper objective establishes the tone for your campaign and influences how Instagram presents your ad to users.

#4. Define your target audience

Instagram’s targeting capabilities are among its most powerful features. By specifying your target demographic, you can ensure that your advertising is displayed to the proper people, optimizing the effectiveness of your spending. Instagram enables precision targeting based on demographics (age, gender, region), interests, and actions.

Steps to Define Your Audience:

Choose Location: Begin by determining the geographical area in which you want to contact potential consumers. For example, if you run a beauty salon in Lagos, you can target customers throughout the city or even specific districts such as Victoria Island or Ikeja.
Set Age and Gender: Choose the age range and gender that correspond to your target market. For example, if you run a technology brand aimed at professionals, you might target men and women aged 25 to 45.
Refine Interests and Behaviors: Narrow your target audience by picking relevant interests like “fashion,” “fitness,” and “skincare,” as well as behaviors like “online shopping” or “frequent Instagram users.”
Use Lookalike Audiences: Instagram lets you target “lookalike audiences,” which are people who have characteristics with your current customers. This is especially important for firms looking to reach new customers who are likely to interact with their products.

Being specific in your targeting increases your chances of contacting those who are most likely to interact with your brand, maximizing your return on investment (ROI).

#5. Set your budget and advertising schedule

One advantage of Instagram ads is that they are available to businesses of all sizes, including those with limited resources. Instagram lets you choose between a daily budget (the amount you’re willing to spend each day) and a lifetime budget (the total amount spent throughout the campaign).

Steps for Setting Your Budget and Schedule:

Select your budget type: daily (e.g., ₦2,000 per day) or lifetime (e.g., ₦50,000 for a two-week campaign). Remember that Instagram optimizes ad delivery, so even low spending can be beneficial.
Set Your Schedule: Determine the start and finish dates of your campaign. You can broadcast your ads continually or schedule them to appear at peak engagement hours, such as evenings or weekends.
Monitor Budget Performance: Once your advertising are up, keep track of how well your budget is spent. If you observe that your cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) is high, you might reconsider your targeting or budget allocation to enhance efficiency.

Running Instagram advertisements on a tight budget is achievable, and by regularly analyzing performance, you can optimize your campaigns to get the most out of every naira invested.

#6. Design your Instagram ad

Instagram is a very visual site, so your ad creative—whether an image, video, or carousel—must be entertaining and professional. The goal is to attract people’s attention in the initial few seconds and successfully express your brand’s message.

Tips for Designing Effective Instagram Advertisements:

Use High-Quality Visuals: Whether you choose a photo or video ad, ensure that the visual is clear and professional. For example, if you’re a fashion brand, display your products in well-lit environments with models or people wearing them.
Keep the Text Minimal: Instagram advertising is largely visual, so avoid using too much text. Concentrate on a compelling visual and a concise, engaging message. Let the image or video tell the majority of the tale.
Include a Strong CTA: A call-to-action (CTA) is critical for motivating people to take action, whether it’s to “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Sign Up.” The CTA should be clear and consistent with your campaign’s goal.
Ad Format Options: Instagram supports a variety of ad types, including single-image advertisements, carousel ads (which allow users to swipe across several photos), and video ads. Try several formats to determine what works best for your audience. For example, a meal delivery company may find that video commercials depicting the food preparation process perform better than static photographs.

Experimenting with different ad styles and CTAs will help you determine which types of advertising create the most engagement and conversions.

FAQs on Running Instagram Ads for Brands

How much does running Instagram advertising cost in Nigeria?

The cost of Instagram ads varies according to audience size, targeting, and ad duration. You can start with as little as ₦2,000 per day, but spending more will increase your reach. Ads are usually priced according to cost per click (CPC) or cost per impression (CPM).

How can I determine the success of my Instagram ads?

To assess the effectiveness of your Instagram advertisements, use key performance indicators (KPIs) such as click-through rate (CTR), engagement rate, and conversion rate. These data can help you determine how well your ads are doing and whether they are meeting your campaign objectives.

What types of Instagram ads are most effective for brands?

Your goals determine which Instagram ads are most beneficial for your brand. Video ads and carousel ads are extremely entertaining and enable brands to present products in a variety of scenarios. However, story ads can be extremely effective for time-sensitive advertising.

A Template to Create Your Instagram Ad Campaign

Here’s a simple template you may use to create your Instagram marketing campaign:

Objective: (Select from brand awareness, traffic, engagement, or conversions.)

Target Audience: (Specify location, age, gender, interests, etc.)

Budget: (Daily or lifetime budget, such as ₦5,000 every day).

Ad Creative: (Describe the sort of ad—image, video, carousel—and the key message or call to action.)

This template can help you create your first Instagram ad campaign, ensuring that all critical components are included.

Key Takeaways

Instagram ads provide a highly targeted way for brands in Nigeria to reach the correct audience, even with a little budget.
Defining your campaign objective is critical for ensuring that your commercials meet your company objectives, whether they are to increase brand awareness or drive sales.
Instagram is a visually driven platform, so high-quality photographs and videos are required to catch attention. Instagram advertisements may be launched on any budget, making them suitable for both small businesses and huge brands.
Monitoring and tweaking your ads guarantees that you achieve the greatest results. Always monitor performance and make modifications depending on the facts.

Conclusion

Instagram ads for brands in Nigeria do not have to be sophisticated. Setting clear objectives, targeting the correct demographic, and producing visually engaging ads will help you establish campaigns that provide meaningful results. Whether you’re a local fashion brand or a digital startup, Instagram’s ad platform has everything you need to reach new customers and expand your business. What is your biggest difficulty with Instagram ads, and how do you intend to enhance your campaigns?