Open the builder

Guides

Lead ads with an instant form, set up in batch

· updated November 11, 2026 · 2 min read

A lead ad opens an instant form on Facebook or Instagram instead of a website. Runads builds such campaigns in the same draft as any other.

Before you start

Create the form in Meta Business Suite, in the instant forms of the page. The builder chooses an existing form; it does not create forms. The token needs access to the page and the permissions for lead forms: see create a Meta app.

Set the destination

  1. In the campaign of the draft choose the objective Leads.
  2. Choose the destination Instant form.
  3. Choose the form in Lead form. The list comes from the chosen page.

If Meta does not list the forms of the page, or the list is empty, the field takes the form ID. Copy it from the form in Meta Business Suite.

A campaign with this destination and no form cannot be published. Choosing another page clears the form, because a form belongs to its page.

The other destination, Website (pixel), sends people to your site and optimizes for the pixel event. It needs a pixel.

What changes in the ads

  • Ad sets optimize for leads (LEAD_GENERATION) and promote the page.
  • The button of every ad opens the form. A new ad gets SIGN_UP. An ad that existed before you chose the form keeps its button, so check the buttons. Meta’s lead ads guide lists APPLY_NOW, DOWNLOAD, GET_QUOTE, LEARN_MORE, SIGN_UP and SUBSCRIBE.
  • The landing link is not used. Meta requires its own link (https://fb.me/) in lead ads, and the builder sends it.
  • Lead form ads get no URL parameters.

Formats

Single images, single videos and carousels work with a form. A carousel uses the same form on every card. Two things block publishing with a form:

  • an Advantage+ creative ad;
  • a separate file for Stories and Reels in an ad.

Read the leads

Leads stay in Meta. Download them from the form in Meta Business Suite, or connect your CRM there. Runads does not read or store leads.

Next: publish paused.