How to Use Instagram Ads to Grow Your Brand and Make Sales in 2024

Instagram isn’t just for influencers and pretty pictures anymore. It has evolved into a powerhouse platform where small businesses, eCommerce brands, and even local service providers can generate real revenue. But while many business owners are trying Instagram Ads, most aren’t seeing a return. Why? Because they’re not using the platform strategically.

At our agency, we’ve helped brands across fashion, beauty, construction, and retail turn Instagram from a vanity channel into a revenue stream. This guide breaks down exactly how we do it.

Step 1: Understand the Platform's Strengths

Instagram is a visual-first and mobile-only platform. That means if your content doesn’t grab attention within a second or two, it will get skipped. The average user scrolls through dozens of posts in a minute, so your creative needs to hit instantly.

Instagram Ads work best for:

• Visually appealing products (fashion, skincare, tech, interiors)
• Mobile-friendly services (like booking a tradie or home consultation)
• Brand building paired with measurable actions

If your business has something to show rather than explain, Instagram should be part of your strategy.

Step 2: Focus on the Offer, Not Just the Aesthetic

One of the biggest mistakes we see is when businesses focus only on how their ad looks and forget to craft a strong reason to click. Pretty doesn’t always convert.

We always ask one question first:
“Why would someone click this right now?”

That answer becomes the centrepiece of the creative. Whether it’s a limited-time offer, a free quote, a discount, or a simple benefit-driven CTA, there needs to be a compelling reason.

Some high-performing Instagram offers we’ve run include:

• 20% off bundles with free shipping
• Instant quote forms that pre-fill on mobile
• Limited edition product drops with countdown timers
• Book now, pay later services for tradies

If there’s no urgency or value, there’s no reason to click. It’s that simple.

Step 3: Create Mobile-First, Scroll-Stopping Creatives

Instagram is 95% mobile. If your ad doesn’t look great on a phone, it doesn’t belong on the platform.

We build creatives using:

• Short, high-impact vertical videos
• Clear text overlays that highlight the offer
• UGC (User-Generated Content) and real customer clips
• Bold headlines that hook attention in the first 1.5 seconds

Professional product photography is great, but real-world content often performs better. That could mean a quick video showing your product in use, or a testimonial from someone who actually booked your service.

Step 4: Build Landing Pages That Don’t Break the Flow

Instagram is a high-intent, low-patience platform. Once someone clicks your ad, the landing page has to deliver — fast.

Our rule is this:
If it doesn’t load in under 2 seconds and match the ad they just saw, you’re losing them.

We optimise all Instagram ad flows with:

• Mobile-first landing pages
• Headline and visual consistency from ad to page
• Strong trust elements like reviews and guarantees
• A single conversion goal (buy now, book now, or request a quote)

If your landing page feels generic, clunky, or unfocused, even the best ad won’t save it.

We include this kind of build or optimisation in all our Meta Ads packages.

Step 5: Use Instagram-Specific Campaign Settings

One of the biggest traps businesses fall into is using the “Boost Post” button or running the same creative across all placements. Instagram needs its own structure.

We set up:

• Custom placements prioritising Instagram Feed, Stories, and Reels
• Ad sets with creative specifically designed for vertical viewing
• Campaigns segmented by stage of funnel (cold, warm, hot)

Boosting a post gets you likes. A properly built Instagram campaign gets you leads and sales.

Step 6: Retarget Using Real Behaviour

Instagram has some of the most powerful retargeting options available, but few businesses use them correctly. We build retargeting audiences around actual behaviour, not just generic engagement.

Our retargeting strategies include:

• Serving “next step” ads to people who watched 50% or more of a video
• Showing testimonial ads to people who visited the landing page but didn’t convert
• Using Instagram profile engagers to introduce a fresh offer 7 days later

This is how we make sure no potential customer gets left behind.

Step 7: Track Everything. Measure What Matters.

Without proper tracking, you’re making guesses. We install and maintain:

• Meta Pixel with conversion tracking
• Google Analytics to monitor user flow
• Campaign-level ROAS reporting
• Click-through rate and cost-per-result benchmarks by funnel stage

This data tells us what’s working — and what needs to be cut or scaled.

If you're currently guessing which ad brought in a sale or enquiry, we can help fix that.

Final Thoughts

Instagram Ads can drive serious sales, but only when you stop treating them like boosted posts and start treating them like revenue-generating campaigns.

Every campaign we run on Instagram is:

• Offer-led
• Built for mobile
• Backed by data
• Designed for scale

If your current Instagram strategy isn’t working, it’s not because of the algorithm. It’s because the campaign wasn’t structured to win.

Want help reviewing your Instagram Ads?
→ [Book a Free Meta Ads Strategy Call]
Curious what we’ve done for brands like yours?
→ [See Our Case Studies for Shopify and Service Businesses]