Plenty of Melbourne businesses have tried Facebook ads. They boosted a few posts, ran a campaign for a month, got some clicks and a handful of enquiries that went nowhere. Then the question comes up: should we pay someone to run this properly?
It is a fair question, and the answer depends on what you are actually paying for. “Facebook ads management” can mean anything from someone pressing go on a campaign once a month to a team that plans, shoots, tests and reports on the whole thing. This guide covers what good management should include, what to ask before you sign anything and the warning signs worth knowing about.
- Good management covers six things: strategy, setup, creative, testing, reporting and what happens to leads after they arrive.
- The ad itself is one of the biggest drivers of results. Management without good creative is only half the job.
- You should always own your ad account, your Facebook page and your data.
- Be wary of anyone who guarantees results or only reports on reach and clicks.
What is Facebook ads management?
Facebook ads management is when a business hands the running of its paid ads on Facebook and Instagram to a specialist. The specialist plans the campaigns, sets them up, watches how they perform, makes changes and reports back. Facebook and Instagram both run through Meta’s ad system, so one campaign can appear on both platforms.
There are usually two costs involved. The ad spend is the money paid directly to Meta to show your ads. The management fee is what you pay the person or agency running them. Keep the two separate in your head when comparing quotes, because they are often presented together.
What good Facebook ads management should include
Whoever you work with, the service should cover six parts. If one is missing, ask why.
Strategy
Who are we trying to reach, what are we offering and what does a good result look like?
Setup
Is everything connected properly, so every enquiry is captured and tracked?
Creative
Are the videos, images and words good enough to make the right people stop?
Testing
Are new ideas being tried, and is the budget going to what works?
Reporting
Do you get a clear, honest picture of what you spent and what you got?
Lead follow-up
Does anyone care what happens after the enquiry comes in?
1. Strategy
Before a single dollar is spent, there should be an agreed plan. Who is the ideal customer? What is the offer? What counts as a good lead for your business, and what does one need to be worth? A manager who skips this step is guessing with your money.
2. Setup
This is the behind the scenes work that makes sure your accounts are in order and every enquiry ends up somewhere it won’t be missed. It is not exciting, but if it is done badly, leads go missing and the numbers can’t be trusted.
3. Creative
The creative is the ad people actually see: the video, the photos and the words. It decides whether someone keeps scrolling or stops to look. We cover why this matters so much in the next section.
4. Testing
No one knows for certain which ad will work best before it runs. Good management means trying different ideas and putting more behind the ones that bring in the right people.
5. Reporting
You should get regular reports in plain English that connect back to your goals. Not a wall of numbers, but a clear answer to “what did we spend, what did we get and what are we changing next?” If you want to know which numbers matter most, our guide to what to measure in Meta Ads goes into detail.
6. Lead follow-up
The ads stop at the enquiry. The results don’t. A good manager stays interested in what happens after someone enquires, not just in how many enquiries came in. If nobody ever asks, the campaign is being judged on half the story.
Why the ad itself matters more than most people think
Meta’s own system now does much of the work of finding people to show your ads to. That makes the ad itself one of the main things you still control. A strong ad finds its audience. A weak one struggles no matter how carefully the campaign is set up.
This is where many businesses get stuck. Plenty of ad managers don’t make content, and plenty of production companies don’t run ads. So when an ad starts to tire or a new idea needs testing, the business ends up chasing two suppliers and waiting weeks for fresh material.
At Strum Media we do both under one roof. We shoot the video and photography, and we run the campaigns. When something needs to change in the ad, we can make the change ourselves, quickly, using footage of your real work.
The settings get the ad in front of people. The creative decides whether they care.
What to expect in the first month
Every business is different, but a well run first month usually follows the same shape.
- Onboarding. A good agency will want to understand your business properly before anything goes live. If one quotes without asking anything, that tells you something.
- Setup and checks. Everything is set up and checked before your ads go live.
- A settling in period. New campaigns take a little while to find their feet, so it pays to be patient before drawing conclusions.
- A first proper review. Once there is enough to go on, you should get a clear update on what is working and what happens next.
Anyone promising a flood of perfect leads in week one is setting you up for disappointment.
Questions to ask before you hire anyone
Whether you are speaking to us or someone else, these questions will tell you a lot about how a campaign will be run.
| Ask this | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who will own the ad account and page? | You should. If you ever part ways, you keep your history, your audiences and your data. |
| Is the ad spend separate from your fee? | So you know the true total cost each month. |
| Who makes the ads? | If you need to supply the content yourself, factor in the time and cost. |
| How will you report, and how often? | You want clear updates tied to your goals, not just screenshots of reach. |
| How do you judge whether a lead is any good? | Cheap leads are not the same as good leads. |
| What happens if it isn’t working? | There should be a plan for what changes, not just more of the same. |
| How long is the contract? | Know your exit before you sign. |
| Have you worked with businesses like mine? | Selling to builders is very different to selling to shoppers. |
Red flags to watch for
- Guaranteed results. No one controls Meta’s system, your market or your competitors. Promises of a set number of leads or sales should make you cautious.
- Reports that only show reach, impressions and clicks. These are useful signals, but they don’t tell you whether the ads made you any money.
- They want to own your ad account. Your account and its history belong to your business.
- No questions before the quote. If they don’t understand your business, they can’t advertise it well.
- No plan for creative. Running the same tired ad for months is one of the most common reasons campaigns fade.
- Long lock-in contracts before any results. A confident agency doesn’t need to trap you.
Is Facebook ads management right for your business?
It tends to work well when a few things are true:
- Your customers or decision makers use Facebook and Instagram, which in Melbourne is most people.
- You have a clear offer and know what a good job is worth to you.
- Someone on your team can respond to new enquiries quickly.
- You have real work to show, or are happy for it to be filmed.
That is why it suits construction companies, trades, property developers and local service businesses so well. Their work is visual, their jobs are valuable and the people who buy from them are scrolling every day.
It may not be the right move yet if no one can follow up enquiries, the offer isn’t clear or the budget is too small to test anything properly. In those cases, it is usually better to sort out the basics first.
Facebook ads management at Strum Media
We plan, create and run Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns for businesses across Melbourne and Victoria, with a focus on construction, trades and property. Because we produce the content ourselves, the ads and the campaigns are built together rather than handed between suppliers. You own your accounts, you get honest reporting, and we keep asking what happened to the leads.
You can see how the service works on our Facebook and Meta ads management page.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Facebook ads manager do?
A Facebook ads manager plans, sets up and runs paid ad campaigns on Facebook and Instagram for a business. That includes deciding who to reach, preparing the ads, keeping an eye on performance and reporting on results in plain English.
How much does Facebook ads management cost in Melbourne?
There are usually two costs: the ad spend paid to Meta, and a management fee paid to the person or agency running the campaigns. The fee depends on how many campaigns you run, whether the ads are created for you and how much reporting you need. Always ask for both numbers in writing so you know the true monthly cost.
How long does it take to see results from Facebook ads?
It varies from business to business. New campaigns need some time to settle before the results mean much, so it pays to be patient early on. A good agency will agree with you up front on when the first proper review will happen.
Should I run Facebook ads myself or hire an agency?
Running ads yourself can work if you have the time to learn the platform, make regular content and check results often. Hiring an agency makes sense when your time is better spent running the business, or when you want stronger creative and more structured testing than you can manage in-house.
Do I need to supply my own photos and videos?
Not with Strum Media. You can use your own content if you have it, or we can film and photograph your work for you. Because we produce content and run campaigns under one roof, new ads can be made quickly when something needs to change.
Does Facebook ads management include Instagram?
Yes. Facebook and Instagram ads both run through Meta’s ad system, so one campaign can show on both platforms. Good management looks at where your ads perform best and adjusts accordingly.
Who should own my Facebook ad account?
Your business should. The ad account, Facebook page and any data they hold should stay in your name, with your agency given access. That way you keep your history and audiences if you ever change providers.
What is the difference between boosting a post and running Facebook ads?
Boosting is a quick way to show an existing post to more people, with limited control. Running ads through Meta’s full ad tools lets you choose a specific goal such as enquiries, test different ads against each other and track results properly. For lead generation, full campaigns usually perform better.
Do Facebook ads work for construction and trade businesses?
They can work very well. Construction and trade work is visual, the jobs are valuable, and the owners and managers who hire these businesses use Facebook and Instagram every day. Strong video of real projects tends to help these ads stand out.
Does Strum Media offer Facebook ads management in Melbourne?
Yes. Strum Media plans, creates and runs Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns for businesses across Melbourne and Victoria, with a focus on construction, trades and property. Visit our Digital Marketing page or get in touch to talk through what you need.
Final thought
Hiring someone to run your Facebook ads isn’t really about handing over a login. It is about finding a partner who understands your business, makes ads worth stopping for, tests honestly and cares about what happens after the enquiry comes in.
If you would like to talk through whether Facebook ads make sense for your business, get in touch. We are happy to give you a straight answer.
Digital Marketing Terms and Conditions
- No guaranteed results. We do not guarantee any specific outcome, including search rankings, traffic, leads, sales, revenue, return on ad spend or cost per lead.
- Platforms are outside our control. Google, Meta and other platforms set their own algorithms, policies, pricing and ad approvals, and can change them at any time.
- Results depend on many factors. Your market, competition, budget, website, offer, pricing and how quickly leads are followed up all affect performance.
- Estimates are not promises. Any figures, forecasts or examples we share are estimates only and are not a promise of future results.
- Ad spend is separate. Advertising budgets are separate from our fees unless agreed otherwise in writing.
- Your agreement applies. The services we provide are set out in your proposal or agreement. If anything here differs from it, your written agreement applies.
Last updated October 2026.
