Meta Ads Foundations: Business Manager Setup and Access Control

What Business Manager (Meta Business Suite) Is and Why It Matters

Business Manager is the control layer where you organize people, Pages, ad accounts, pixels/datasets, catalogs, and payment methods. The key concept is asset ownership and permissioning: one Business Manager (or a personal profile in limited cases) owns an asset, and other people/partners are granted access to it with specific roles. Most “I can’t see the ad account” issues come from either (1) the wrong owner, or (2) missing permissions at the person/partner level.

Think of it as two separate questions you must answer for every asset:

• Who owns it? (Business Manager A, Business Manager B, or a personal profile)
• Who can do what with it? (admin vs employee roles, plus asset-level permissions like “Advertise” or “Manage”)

Structured Setup Sequence (Recommended Order)

Follow this sequence to avoid ownership conflicts and access dead-ends later:

1. Create Business Manager and complete verification basics.
2. Add or create your Facebook Page inside Business Manager.
3. Connect your Instagram account to that Page and Business Manager.
4. Create a new ad account or claim an existing ad account (only if you truly own it).
5. Add payment method and confirm billing access.
6. Set up people and partner access (freelancers/agencies) using least privilege.
7. Run a mini-audit checklist before spending.

Step 1: Create Business Manager and Complete Verification Basics

Create Business Manager

From Meta Business settings, create a Business Manager using your real business details. Use a work email domain if possible (not required, but it reduces confusion when inviting teammates).

Secure the foundation immediately

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for everyone who will access the Business Manager. If you can enforce it, do so.
• Limit admins: keep admin count small (e.g., 1–2 internal owners).
• Record ownership: document which Business Manager owns which assets (Page, ad account, Instagram).

Business verification (when/why)

Some accounts can run ads without full business verification, but verification becomes important for stability, higher trust, and access to certain features. If verification is available, complete it early to reduce future friction. Use consistent legal business name/address across documents and settings.

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Step 2: Add or Create Your Facebook Page

Your Page is a core asset because it anchors identity for ads, messaging, and Instagram connection.

Option A: Add an existing Page (you already own it)

1. Go to Business settings → Accounts → Pages.
2. Select Add → Add a Page.
3. Enter the Page name or URL and follow prompts.

Option B: Request access to a Page (someone else owns it)

If the Page is owned by another Business Manager (e.g., a parent company), use Request access. This avoids ownership disputes and is the correct approach when you should not own the Page.

Option C: Create a new Page

Create the Page inside Business Manager so ownership is clear from day one.

Assign Page permissions to people

Even if someone is a Business Manager admin, they may still need Page-level permissions to publish, message, or manage settings. Grant only what is needed:

• Content/Community staff: can publish/respond but not change settings.
• Page admins: can manage settings, roles, and potentially remove others—use sparingly.

Step 3: Connect an Instagram Account (Correctly)

Instagram can be connected in multiple places; the safest path is to connect it inside Business Manager and link it to the correct Page. This ensures ads can use the IG identity and that the right people can access it.

Connect Instagram to Business Manager

1. Business settings → Accounts → Instagram accounts.
2. Click Add and log in to the Instagram account.
3. Confirm the account appears under your Business Manager assets.

Link Instagram to the Facebook Page

In Page settings (or within Business Suite), link the Instagram account to the Page. This reduces publishing and identity issues when running placements across Facebook and Instagram.

Common Instagram connection pitfalls

• Wrong IG login: teams often connect a personal/old IG by mistake. Confirm handle and email/phone on the IG account.
• IG already connected elsewhere: if an IG is connected to another Business Manager, you may need the current owner to remove it or grant partner access.
• Missing permissions: the person building ads may have ad account access but not Instagram asset access.

Step 4: Create or Claim an Ad Account (Ownership Matters)

Your ad account is where billing, campaigns, and reporting live. The most important decision is whether you should create a new ad account (recommended for most businesses) or claim an existing one (only when you truly own it and want it under your Business Manager).

Create a new ad account (recommended)

1. Business settings → Accounts → Ad accounts.
2. Click Add → Create a new ad account.
3. Name it clearly (e.g., Brand - Region - Main), set time zone and currency carefully (these are hard to change later).
4. Assign people with appropriate roles (see roles section below).
5. Add a payment method and confirm billing contact info.

Claim an existing ad account (use with caution)

Claiming moves the ad account under your Business Manager’s ownership. Only do this if:

• Your business created the ad account originally, or
• You are taking over a brand you now legally own, and you need full control.

If an agency created the ad account under their Business Manager, do not try to “claim” it unless there is a formal transfer plan. Instead, request partner access or create your own ad account and migrate.

Request access to an ad account (common in partnerships)

If another Business Manager owns the ad account (e.g., parent company), request access and have them grant you the needed permissions.

Roles and Access Control: Admin vs Employee, Plus Asset-Level Permissions

Meta uses two layers of access:

• Business-level role: Admin or Employee (applies across the Business Manager).
• Asset-level permissions: what a person/partner can do on a specific Page, ad account, Instagram account, pixel/dataset, etc.

Business Manager roles

Ad account permissions (asset-level)

• Admin: full control of the ad account including managing access and settings.
• Advertiser: can create/edit ads and see performance; cannot manage access.
• Analyst: view-only reporting access.

Page permissions (asset-level)

Page permissions vary by interface, but conceptually:

• Full control/admin: can manage settings, roles, and integrations.
• Partial/task access: can publish content, respond to messages/comments, view insights, etc.

Practical rule: least privilege

Grant the minimum access needed for the job. For example:

• A media buyer building campaigns: Employee at business level + Advertiser on the ad account + access to the Instagram account.
• A reporting contractor: Employee + Analyst on the ad account.
• A community manager: Page task access, no ad account access.

Partner Access (Agencies/Freelancers): The Safe Way to Collaborate

Partner access lets another Business Manager (an agency’s) work on your assets without owning them. This is usually the safest structure for external teams.

How partner access works

• Your business keeps ownership of the Page/ad account/Instagram.
• You grant a partner Business Manager specific permissions to specific assets.
• The partner assigns their own staff internally—without you adding each freelancer individually.

Grant partner access step-by-step

1. Ask the agency for their Business ID (not an email address).
2. Business settings → Users → Partners.
3. Click Add → enter their Business ID.
4. Select the assets to share (Page, ad account, Instagram) and choose the minimum permissions needed.
5. Confirm with the agency which individuals will be working and what they should be able to do.

When to add a freelancer as a person instead of a partner

If the freelancer does not have a Business Manager (or you want direct control), add them as a person with an Employee role and assign asset permissions directly. Use a work email, require 2FA, and set a calendar reminder to remove access when the contract ends.

Safety practices for external access

• Never share passwords to Facebook profiles, Pages, or Instagram accounts.
• Do not grant Business Manager admin to agencies/freelancers unless there is a strong reason and a legal agreement.
• Prefer partner access for agencies; prefer employee + asset permissions for solo freelancers.
• Use separate ad accounts if you need to isolate spend or risk by brand/region.
• Remove access promptly after projects end; keep an access log.

Common Access Errors and How to Fix Them

Error 1: “I can’t see the ad account / Page”

Likely causes:

• The person was added to Business Manager but not assigned the asset.
• The asset is owned by a different Business Manager.
• The person is using the wrong Facebook profile (common with multiple profiles).

Fix:

1. Confirm which Business Manager owns the asset (ask the owner to check Business settings → Accounts).
2. Assign the person to the asset with the correct permission (Advertiser/Analyst for ad account; appropriate Page access).
3. Have the user switch to the correct profile and re-check access.

Error 2: “Insufficient permissions to create/edit ads”

Likely causes:

• User has Analyst instead of Advertiser.
• User lacks access to the Instagram account used for identity.
• User lacks permission to use a specific Page for ads.

Fix:

1. Upgrade ad account permission to Advertiser (or Admin if truly needed).
2. Grant access to the Instagram account asset in Business settings.
3. Ensure the Page is assigned and available as the ad identity.

Error 3: “This Instagram account is connected to another business”

Likely causes:

• IG is still attached to a former agency’s Business Manager.
• IG was previously connected and not properly removed.

Fix:

1. Identify the current Business Manager that owns/controls the IG connection.
2. Request they remove the connection or grant partner access to the IG asset.
3. Reconnect IG inside your Business Manager and link it to the correct Page.

Error 4: “Wrong asset ownership” (agency owns the Page/ad account)

Symptoms:

• You can’t fully control access, billing, or settings.
• You must ask the agency to add/remove people or change critical settings.

Fix options:

• Preferred: create/ensure your Business Manager owns the Page and ad account; agencies get partner access.
• If transfer is required: coordinate a formal handover plan. For Pages, ownership transfer can be sensitive; for ad accounts, claiming/transferring may not always be possible depending on how it was created. When in doubt, create a new ad account you own and migrate campaigns.

Error 5: “Payment method/billing access issues”

Likely causes:

• User lacks ad account admin permission to manage billing.
• Payment method added under a different profile/business context.

Fix:

1. Ensure a trusted internal user has ad account Admin (not just Business Manager admin).
2. Verify payment method is added to the correct ad account and billing country matches business reality.

Mini-Audit Checklist (Run Before You Spend)

Use this checklist to confirm everything is correctly connected and accessible before launching campaigns.

Ownership and structure

• Business Manager is created and secured (2FA enforced where possible).
• Correct Business Manager owns the Facebook Page (or you have the intended access if owned elsewhere).
• Correct Business Manager owns the ad account (or you have the intended access if owned elsewhere).
• Instagram account is added to Business Manager and linked to the correct Page.

People and permissions

• Only 1–2 internal users have Business Manager Admin.
• Media buyers have ad account Advertiser (or Admin only if needed).
• Analysts/reporting users have Analyst access only.
• External agencies have partner access (not Business Manager admin), scoped to required assets.
• All active users have 2FA enabled; ex-contractors removed.

Ad identity and publishing readiness

• In Ads Manager, the correct Page is selectable as the ad identity.
• Instagram handle is selectable for Instagram placements.
• Page permissions allow publishing/responding for whoever needs it.

Billing readiness

• Payment method is added to the correct ad account.
• A trusted internal user can access billing settings.
• Time zone and currency are correct for reporting and finance reconciliation.

Quick diagnostic test (5 minutes)

1. Log in as the person who will launch campaigns.
2. Open Ads Manager → confirm the correct ad account is selected.
3. Start a draft campaign and confirm you can choose the correct Page and Instagram identity.
4. Open Business settings → confirm your role and asset permissions match what you expect.