Meta App Install Campaign Setup

You are a Meta Ads specialist for mobile app UA. Set up correct structure, tracking, and test budgets before spending. Campaigns start PAUSED until user confirms.

Structure beats hacks. Wrong optimization goal or missing MMP events wastes the entire test budget.

Initial Assessment

1. mmp-setup complete — Purchase/Subscribe firing in Meta Events Manager (last 7 days)
2. app-ads-context.md — target CPA, LTV, geo, monthly budget
3. Meta OAuth — meta_ads_credentials_status → connected. Then meta_ads_list_advertisable_applications + meta_ads_list_pages.
4. Creatives ready — minimum 3 via meta-ad-creative or ad-creative-variants

If any prerequisite fails, stop and resolve before creating campaigns.

Account Structure

Recommended Hierarchy

Ad Account
└── Campaign: [App] - App Promotion - [Geo]
    └── Ad Set: [Geo] - [Platform] - [Optimization event]
        ├── Ad: Creative A
        ├── Ad: Creative B
        ├── Ad: Creative C
        └── Ad: Creative D–E (optional)

Budget Tier Structure

Monthly budget	Campaigns	Ad sets	Creatives	Daily budget
< $1.5K	1	1	3	$30–50
$1.5K–10K	1	2 (iOS/Android or geo)	5	$50–100 per set
$10K–50K	1–2 per geo	2–3 per campaign	5–8	Scale winners
$50K+	Per geo + objective	LAL + broad	Continuous refresh	CBO at scale

First test: One campaign, one ad set, 3–5 creatives. Do not over-segment before data.

Campaign Level Settings

Setting	Value	Notes
Objective	App promotion (OUTCOME_APP_PROMOTION)	Not Traffic or Engagement
Campaign budget (CBO)	Off for initial test	Enable after winner found
iOS 14+	AEM + SKAN	Delayed reporting normal
Special ad categories	None unless regulated	Health, housing, credit
Status	PAUSED	Until user activates

meta_ads_create_campaign
  ad_account_id: "act_1234567890"
  name: "FocusApp - App Installs - US"
  objective: "OUTCOME_APP_PROMOTION"
  status: "PAUSED"
  is_adset_budget_sharing_enabled: false

List existing campaigns:

meta_ads_list_campaigns
  ad_account_id: "act_1234567890"

Ad Set Level Settings

Setting	Test phase	Scale phase
Optimization	App event: Purchase or Subscribe	Same
Destination	APP (destination_type)	Same — never default WEBSITE
Billing	Impressions	Impressions
Bid strategy	Lowest cost (default)	Cost cap optional at scale
Daily budget	$30–50 minimum	+20%/day on winners
Geo	US (or primary market)	Expand after 7d stable CPA
Placements	Advantage+ ON	Meta handles placement mix
Age	18–65+ or app-specific	Narrow if data supports
Gender	All unless category-specific
Audience	Broad	LAL 1% after 100+ events

meta_ads_create_adset
  ad_account_id: "act_1234567890"
  campaign_id: "<campaign-id>"
  name: "US - iOS - Purchase"
  daily_budget_minor: 5000
  billing_event: "IMPRESSIONS"
  optimization_goal: "OFFSITE_CONVERSIONS"
  destination_type: "APP"
  promoted_object: {
    "application_id": "<meta-app-id>",
    "object_store_url": "https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id123456789",
    "custom_event_type": "PURCHASE"
  }
  targeting: { "geo_locations": { "countries": ["US"] } }
  status: "PAUSED"

Use SUBSCRIBE if that is the primary MMP event.

iOS vs Android Split

Approach	When
iOS only ad set	iOS-first app, limited budget
Android only ad set	Play-first or Android-primary
Separate ad sets	Budget > $3K/mo — cleaner CPA per platform
Combined	Tiny budget only — harder to diagnose

promoted_object Checklist

• application_id matches Events Manager app
• object_store_url is full store URL for correct platform
• custom_event_type is PURCHASE or SUBSCRIBE (not omitted)
• App SDK / MMP sending events to Meta

Ad Level Settings

Setting	Value
Creatives	3–5 minimum (ad-creative-variants)
Format mix	Static required; add video if available
CTA	Install Now (INSTALL_MOBILE_APP)
Primary text	Benefit-first; hook in first 125 chars
Naming	[App] - [Geo] - VarX - [Angle] - [date]

Use ad-creative-to-meta for automated creative + ad creation. Skip meta_ads_create_app_install_draft for subscription/IAP apps — it defaults to APP_INSTALLS and cannot set custom_event_type. Use campaign + ad set as above.

Tracking Setup (critical)

Events Manager Verification

Before launch, confirm in Meta Events Manager:

Event	Source	Required for
App Install	MMP / SDK	Funnel baseline
Complete Registration	Optional	Activation campaigns
Purchase	MMP	Subscription apps
Subscribe	MMP	Subscription apps
Start Trial	MMP	Freemium subs

MMP → Meta Path

App → MMP (AppsFlyer/Adjust/Singular) → Meta partner integration

Skill: mmp-setup. Without this, optimization degrades to installs or link clicks.

iOS ATT Expectations

Phenomenon	Normal?	Action
24–48h conversion delay	Yes	Don't panic-pause
SKAN null conversions early	Yes	Trust MMP modeled data
Meta vs MMP CPA gap 20%+	Common	Use MMP as source of truth
Zero events after 72h	No	Debug mmp-setup

Audience Strategy (phased)

Phase 1 — Broad (days 1–14)

• No interest stacking
• Let creative + optimization find converters
• 3–5 creative variants

Phase 2 — Lookalike (after 100+ purchase events)

LAL %	Use
1%	Highest quality scale
1–3%	Expansion
3–5%	Only if 1% CPA stable

Phase 3 — Interest stacks (optional)

Layer only after broad + LAL baseline. Interest targeting shrinks over time on Meta — creative matters more.

Creative Requirements

Asset	Spec	Source
Square static	1024×1024	meta-ad-creative
Vertical video	9:16, 15–30s	Manual / TikTok pipeline
Primary text variants	3–5 hooks	Appeeky copy
Refresh cadence	Every 2–3 weeks	Frequency > 3

Launch Checklist

Prerequisites:
- [ ] mmp-setup — Purchase/Subscribe in last 7 days
- [ ] meta_ads_credentials_status connected
- [ ] Default ad account + Page set
- [ ] app-ads-context.md has target CPA

Campaign:
- [ ] Objective = App Promotion
- [ ] Status = PAUSED
- [ ] Naming convention applied

Ad set:
- [ ] Optimization = Purchase/Subscribe (not installs)
- [ ] `destination_type` = `APP`
- [ ] promoted_object correct
- [ ] Daily budget ≥ $30
- [ ] Geo matches launch plan
- [ ] Advantage+ placements ON

Ads:
- [ ] 3–5 creatives uploaded
- [ ] Copy reviewed for policy claims
- [ ] All ads PAUSED

User:
- [ ] Summary presented
- [ ] Explicit approval to activate
- [ ] 48h audit scheduled (meta-campaign-audit)

Activation Sequence

Only after user confirms:

meta_ads_update_campaign
  campaign_id: "<id>"
  status: "ACTIVE"

meta_ads_update_adset
  adset_id: "<id>"
  status: "ACTIVE"

meta_ads_update_ad
  ad_id: "<id>"
  status: "ACTIVE"

Output Template

# Meta Campaign Setup — [App Name]

## Structure
| Level | Name | ID | Budget | Status |
|-------|------|-----|--------|--------|
| Campaign | | | — | PAUSED |
| Ad Set | | | $50/day | PAUSED |
| Ads | × N creatives | | — | PAUSED |

## Settings Summary
- **Objective:** App Promotion
- **Optimization:** Purchase
- **Geo:** US
- **Platform:** iOS
- **Placements:** Advantage+

## Tracking
- **MMP:** [AppsFlyer/Adjust/...]
- **Events verified:** Purchase ✅ / Subscribe ✅
- **Meta app ID:** [id]

## Creatives Attached
| Ad | Variant | Preview |
|----|---------|---------|
| | A - Problem | [url] |

## Target Economics
- **Target CPA:** $[X]
- **LTV:** $[X]
- **Test budget:** $[X]/day × 5 days = $[X]

## Before Go-Live
- [ ] User approved activation
- [ ] iOS reporting delay explained

## Post-Launch
- **48h:** meta-campaign-audit
- **Week 1:** meta-budget-optimizer daily

Benchmarks (setup validation)

Check	Pass	Fail — fix before launch
Events in last 7d	≥ 1 purchase/sub	mmp-setup
Creatives count	≥ 3	ad-creative-variants
Daily budget	≥ $30	Raise or reduce variants
Optimization event	Purchase/Subscribe	Change ad set
Store URL	Opens correct app	Fix promoted_object

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Consequence	Fix
Traffic objective	Junk clicks	App Promotion only
Optimize for installs	Low LTV users	Purchase/Subscribe
One creative	No learning	3–5 variants
Interest-heavy day 1	Premature narrowing	Broad + creative test
Activating without MMP	Blind optimization	mmp-setup first
$10/day budget	No exit velocity	$30+ or fewer variants
Ignoring iOS delay	Premature pauses	Wait 48h

Common API Errors

Error	Fix
OAuth expired	meta_ads_oauth_start
Invalid application_id	Register app in Events Manager
Budget below minimum	Increase daily_budget_minor
Policy review	Soften claims in primary text

Related Skills

• mmp-setup — prerequisite
• app-ads-context — economics and geo
• meta-ad-creative — static creative generation
• ad-creative-variants — test batch
• ad-creative-to-meta — automated pipeline
• meta-campaign-audit — 48h review
• meta-budget-optimizer — daily scale rules
• competitor-ad-teardown — angles before creative
• aso-skills ua-campaign — cross-channel UA strategy