Meta (the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram) accepts Credit Cards, Debit Cards, or PayPal if you want to run Facebook Ads in Kenya.

But we all know that the above payment methods are not commonly used here in Kenya.

Today I’ve decided to teach you how to pay for Facebook Ads using Mpesa.

Let’s proceed.

What are Facebook Ads?

Facebook Ads are the paid messages that businesses place on the Facebook platform. They usually appear in various places; Facebook news feed, Facebook Watch, Facebook right column, stories, and Messenger inbox.

The good news is that you have control over:

• Where to place your ads,
• Who will see your ads,
• How much will be your ads daily spend,
• The period the ads will run,
• The ad format, whether single image, video, stories, or carousel.

The Complete Procedure on how to Run Facebook Ads in Kenya

You can run Facebook ads in Kenya by following these five steps:

1. Define Your Objective

The first step in running Facebook Ads is to define your objectives.

You don’t run Facebook ads just for the sake of running it. Get to know the why behind doing so.

There are several reasons I know of; pick your own:

• Boosting your posts to increase engagement (likes, comments, shares)
• Promoting your page to receive more followers and likes
• Promoting your website to increase site traffic
• Creating call-to-action buttons, for example, booking an appointment, making a purchase
• Building brand awareness for your businesses

Whatever your reasons are for running a Facebook Ad, it is easier to accomplish your objectives if you know them beforehand.

2. Log in to Meta Business Suite App

The next step will be to log into Meta’s Business Suite app.

Meta Business suite (formerly Facebook Business suite) is an application developed by Meta to allow creators to manage their FB or Instagram Ads in one place.

You can download the app from Google Play Store.

Alternatively, visit business.facebook.com using a web browser to get started.

Log in to the Facebook Account with admin, editor, or advertiser rights on the page you want to run ads.

If you manage several pages, you will choose the specific one to get started.

Once logged in, tap promote and it will take you to the Ad creation page.

Give your Ads campaign a new name and click Continue.

3. Choose Your Audience

The best thing with Facebook is that you can choose your target audience using demographics like:

• Location
• Age
• Gender
• Languages
• Interest
• Behavior

Select from Saved Audiences or tap Create New to create a new audience from scratch. Then add information such as location and gender. Tap Save.

4. Choose Your Preferred Ad format

There are several ad formats you’ll choose from:

• Image: single eye-catching images
• Videos: short videos that will catch the attention of the audience
• Carousel: up to ten pictures or videos in a single ad, each with its link
• Instant Experience: this is a full-screen experience that appears when someone interacts with your ads.
• Collection: you can feature multiple products your audience can discover or purchase from their phones.

Select where your Ads will appear:

5. Select Your Budget

Your budget will determine how long your ads will run.

On this page, you can set:

• Your daily spend.
• How long your ads will run.
• The number of people who will see the ad.

6. Make Payment

Now let’s make payment for our ads. And that’s why you are here, right?

In Kenya, you can make payments in two ways:

• Through Credit or Debit card
• Through Mpesa

If you have a Visa, MasterCard, or Discover card, you’ll add details such as Card Holder’s name, card number, and expiry date. Click Submit.

How to Pay for Facebook Ads Using Mpesa

To pay for Facebook Ads using Mpesa in Kenya, click on Mpesa and type the amount you want to pay. Then, wait for the Flutterwave page to load in a browser and type your Mpesa number. Then, enter your Mpesa PIN in the Safaricom pop-up menu to authorize the payment.

You have successfully paid for Facebook Ads if you followed the above procedure.

Facebook had partnered with Flutterwave, a Nigerian Payments company to allow for easy payments of Facebook Ads by Kenyan users through Mpesa.

Currently, Facebook doesn’t have a Safaricom Paybill number to facilitate payments.

Other Payment Methods You Can Use

Flutterwave payment is not available for all users. In this case, you’ll need to use alternatives to pay for your ads – PayPal.

To pay for Facebook Ads using PayPal in Kenya, top up your PayPal Account first using Mpesa. Then, add PayPal as the form of Payment.

How to Top Up PayPal Account Via Mpesa

• Visit www.paypal-mobilemoney.com/m-pesa
• Log in using your PayPal username and password
• Click Top Up to PayPal and check the amount you’ll need to deposit to get the required Dollars.
• Go to the Mpesa menu and select Lipa na Mpesa
• Enter Business number 800088
• Enter your phone number as the Account Number
• Enter the amount and your Mpesa Pin.
• The transaction is now complete. Wait for a message from Mpesa and an email from PayPal.

You can read this complete guide to transfer money to and fro PayPal and Mpesa.

Final Word

Did you successfully pay for Facebook Ads using the above method?

If you faced any challenges while doing so, leave a comment below, and I might be able to be of help.