Many small businesses and marketers use the “Boost Post” feature on Instagram because it’s quick and easy. Unfortunately, boosting posts only increases your reach—meaning more people will see your post, but that’s where the benefits usually stop.

If your goal is to collect names, emails, phone numbers, or any kind of lead data, then boosting is not enough. What you need instead is a lead generation campaign. These campaigns are designed to capture real information from people interested in your business or offer.

To run a lead generation campaign, you need to go beyond the Instagram app and use Meta Ads Manager. This tool, created by Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram), gives you full control over your ad objectives, targeting, placements, and most importantly—your lead form.

Accessing Ads Manager is simple:

• Click the provided link in your video description or tutorial.
• Log in using your Facebook account.
• You’ll be redirected to your Ads Manager dashboard.

Once you’re inside, you’ll be able to create a campaign specifically focused on generating leads.

Follow these basic steps:

• Create a new campaign and choose “Lead Generation” as your campaign objective.
• Define your audience – You can target users based on their location, age, gender, interests, behaviors, and more.
• Choose Instagram as your ad placement to ensure your ad shows on the right platform.
• Design your ad creative – Upload an eye-catching image or video and write a clear message that encourages people to sign up.
• Build your lead form – Keep it short and sweet. Most forms only ask for name, email, and phone number. The easier it is to fill out, the better your results will be.

If you're not sure how to do this, don’t worry—there’s already a well-explained tutorial video available in the “related video” section. It walks you through the setup process step-by-step.

Boosting posts can be a waste of money if you're focused on lead generation. When you boost a post, you're mostly paying for visibility. You might get likes, views, or even a few comments, but that doesn’t help you build a contact list.

A lead generation campaign, on the other hand, gives your audience a clear call to action—submit their contact information. It’s a targeted, conversion-focused approach that delivers better results and a higher return on investment.

Here’s a quick recap of what you should do to run successful Instagram lead generation ads:

• Avoid boosting posts for lead generation—it’s ineffective.
• Use Meta Ads Manager to create a proper lead generation campaign.
• Choose the right objective, targeting, and ad placements.
• Keep your lead form simple and your ad message clear.
• Watch the tutorial video linked in the related section for a full walkthrough.
• Track your results and make improvements based on performance.

And if you ever feel stuck or unsure, consider working with professionals. The right agency can save you time, money, and help you reach your business goals faster.