Plenty of small businesses have no website. They have an Instagram page, a phone and an inbox, and that is enough to advertise. Bakers, nail artists, makers, tutors and personal trainers sell this way every day. This guide covers what you need and which kind of ad to use.
What do you need?#
- A professional Instagram account. Meta says that to advertise on Instagram you need to create or switch to a professional account, which means a business or creator account.
- A way to pay. A card or another payment method that Meta accepts.
- A profile that sells. A clear name, what you do, where you are, your prices or a way to ask for them, and how to order.
Do you need a Facebook Page? It depends on the route. When you boost a post inside the Instagram app, Meta asks you to connect a Page and lets you tap Skip. For ads made in Ads Manager, Meta's general rule is that an advertiser needs a Facebook Page, and its page on Instagram ads says you can use your Facebook Page or a connected Instagram professional account. If you plan to do more than boost, create a Page.
Three kinds of ad that need no website#
| Kind | What happens when someone taps | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Profile visits | They land on your Instagram profile | Building a local following, when your profile explains how to buy |
| Messages | A chat opens with you in Instagram, Messenger or WhatsApp | Custom orders, bookings, anything where people ask a question first |
| A lead form | A short form opens inside Instagram, often with their details already filled in | Collecting enquiries to call back, such as classes or quotes |
Message ads fit most page-only businesses. They work the way you already sell.
The quick way: boost a post#
- Go to your profile and tap Professional dashboard, then Ad tools, then Choose a post.
- Pick a post that shows your work well and tap Next.
- Choose a goal. Meta offers more profile visits, more website visits or more messages. Without a website, choose messages or profile visits.
- Choose who sees it. Meta can set the audience automatically. Set your own area if the option is offered.
- Set a daily budget and how many days it runs.
- Review it and tap Boost post. Meta reviews the ad before it runs.
These are the steps on Meta's help page, read on 6 October 2026. On an iPhone, Meta says an Apple service fee of 30% may apply when you pay inside the Instagram app, and that boosting from instagram.com in a browser avoids it.
A boost is limited, and for a first try that is fine. The differences from a full ad are in Boost post or Ads Manager?.
The fuller way: Ads Manager#
Use Ads Manager when you want a lead form, a tighter area or an ad that was never a post. It takes longer the first time. The path is in Running Facebook ads without an agency.
Before you spend: make the profile ready#
An ad sends strangers to your profile or your inbox. Check both first.
- The first line of the bio says what you sell and where.
- Prices are easy to find, in a highlight or a pinned post.
- How to order is stated. "Message to book" is enough.
- Recent posts show real work.
- You have quick replies saved for price, availability and location, so you can answer in seconds.
What should you count?#
- Messages that asked about buying.
- Orders or bookings that followed.
- What you spent, divided by those orders.
Followers and likes will go up too. Enjoy them, and do not count them as the result. Ask each new customer how they found you for the first few weeks. It is the simplest tracking there is.
How fast must you reply?#
Fast. A message ad starts a conversation, and the person is on their phone at that moment. An answer the next day often finds them gone. If you cannot watch the inbox during the day, run the ad at hours when you can, or set an automatic reply that says when you will answer.
Can Madder do this for you?#
Not today, and we would rather be clear. Madder is an AI agent that sets up Facebook and Instagram ads from a page it can read. It needs the link of a website, a landing page or an app store listing, because it reads what you sell and the price from there. Its ads then send people to that page. An Instagram profile alone is not enough for it, and it does not set up message ads.
If you later add even a simple one-page site, Madder can work from it. See How Madder works. Until then, a boosted post aimed at messages is the right tool. Whether a form or a page suits you better is covered in Lead form or your website?.
Questions people ask#
Can I run Instagram ads without a website?
Yes. An ad can send people to your Instagram profile, open a message with you, or open a short form inside Instagram. None of these needs a website.
Do I need a Facebook Page to run Instagram ads?
For boosting a post inside the Instagram app, Meta lets you skip connecting a Page. For ads made in Ads Manager, Meta says advertisers need a Facebook Page, so create one if you plan to go further.
Do I need a business account to advertise on Instagram?
Yes. Meta says you need a professional account, either business or creator.
What is the best Instagram ad for a business with no website?
A message ad, for most. It opens a chat with you, which is how page-only businesses already take orders. Use a lead form if you would rather collect details and call back.