Meta Business Suite is a powerful tool.

It's designed to help businesses manage their Meta products – Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp business accounts – from one simple dashboard. And using it in the right way can excel your brand's social performance.

In this guide, we're going to walk you through setting up an account, running ads, viewing social media analytics, and making the most of the Meta Business Suite's robust features.

Let's dive in.

What is Meta Business Suite?

Think of Meta Business Suite as the "Mission Control" of your content operation across Facebook and Instagram accounts. Specifically, it's for those with a business account on either or both of these platforms.

You can use Meta Business Suite on a desktop, laptop, or your mobile device. To have mobile access, you'll need to download the app for iOS or Android.

What's the difference between Meta Business Suite vs Meta Business Portfolio for business accounts?

It's worth clearing up some terminology to avoid confusion. Meta Business Suite and Meta Portfolio aren't the same thing. Throw in the formerly used term of Meta Business Manager for Meta Portfolio, and it's a head-scratcher. So let's clear things up.

Anyone with a business account will automatically get access to a Meta Business Suite account. Simply put, this is for brands mostly producing content only. You might boost an ad here or there, but content is your specialty. It's the standard social media management tool within Meta.

However, if you're juggling multiple Facebook business pages or Instagram business accounts while also creating ads, managing a budget, and relying on a more expansive team of collaborators, you need a more robust management system. That's the Meta Business Portfolio, offering more structure and advanced tools for business assets.

As a different way to explain it, think of a hotel. The guest-facing operations – front desk, concierge, and valet – all serve the customers directly. That's what Meta Business Suite does.

At the same time, behind the scenes of that hotel, marketing, housekeeping, accounting, human resources, and more departments keep the business thriving. The backend work is what the Portfolio (formerly Meta Business Manager) does.

The benefits of using Meta Business Suite

Now that we know the difference between the two, let's hyperfocus on Meta Business Suite and its engagement tools.

Centralized management of social media accounts

Meta Business Suite brings all the Meta products into one streamlined management tool. It's as helpful for looking at both Instagram and Facebook business page activity as it is for viewing each platform individually.

We also want to draw your attention to the very bottom of your Meta Business Suite home page. Scroll down until you see the "What's new in Meta Business Suite" to stay up to date on the newest developments.

Time-saving tools for content scheduling

The benefit in the busy digital marketing world is that you don't have to switch endlessly between apps for posting, commenting, messaging, and analytics. Plus, with mobile and desktop apps available, there's no downside to using them. Even basic ad campaigns can be managed on the go.

Meta Business Suite makes goal setting a priority, too, with task assignments to help you stay competitive through all of your business assets.

Comprehensive performance analytics

Audience insights help you get signals from the algorithm to see what content is working and where you need to shift priorities.

The insights tab is broken down into several topics, including:

  • An overview of your account's analytics. Look in the top right corner of a desktop screen to change the platform and dates.
  • Measuring your weekly activity against a plan. Meta helps point brands in the right direction to boost potential. This section includes performance highlights and newly earned achievements.
  • Graphs showing progress on a number of important metrics, like reach, views, visits, and follows. Notice that you can also export this data to png, csc, or pdf.
  • Audience metrics help you learn about your target audience, including gender, age, and location. Don't skip the "Most active times" section, which can help you plan post scheduling.
  • Messaging holds you accountable for how well you respond to interactions from customers through DMs. A quick summary of "Recommendations" at the bottom can help you boost this metric. Set up automated responses while you're here.
  • Benchmarking comes with a helpful tool for curating a list of competitors and tracking their performance against yours.
  • Content includes an overview of both Facebook and Instagram accounts. You can also view specific post performance.

Need help planning specific KPIs for your Meta business account? See how you can use social media KPIs to increase your brand awareness.

Improved customer interaction and support

No matter where your customers or followers enter your brand's social media presence via Meta, all messages funnel to the Meta Business Suite.

Customization tools include those automated responses we talked about earlier or creating an FAQ message list to help customers get answers quickly. Did you know that the response rate of your Meta accounts is part of how the algorithm rates your engagement, trustworthiness, and lead generation?

Cost-effective advertising management

Running ads doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. From Meta Business Suite, click ad account to create ads and add a payment method. Once that ad account is set up, the option to boost posts from Meta Business Suite is easier than ever. That can be done from Meta Business Suite.

However, more complex options and ad campaigns get organized through Meta Ads Manager.

Increased business efficiency through integration

As Meta expands its business account offerings, more sidebar platforms come into play. This includes Ads Manager, but also Commerce Manager, Creators Studio, Events Manager, etc.

While accessing some of these tools can bypass Meta Business Suite, the suite also acts as a mothership that connects them all into a convenient dashboard. 

How to set up and start using your Meta Business Suite account

We want to punctuate – this article is about setting up Meta Business Suite, which is different than setting up a Meta Business Manager, now called Portfolio.

Ideally, before you set up your Meta Business Suite, you have already created a Facebook and Instagram business account. But what does that mean?

  1. A Facebook business page lives as an extension of a profile. Your Facebook profile is the one you use to connect with family and friends. A Facebook business page connects to your personal profile.
  2. To connect an Instagram account to Meta Business Suite, it must be a professional account. Personal profiles aren't an option. However, you can either transition your personal page to a professional page or add the professional page in addition to your personal page.
  3. The same rules apply to connecting WhatsApp accounts. You need a WhatsApp business account (not a personal account).

You can have Meta Business Suite for just an Instagram account, but you won't get as many features. Even if you don't use the Facebook business page as much, create one anyway as a best practice.

How to connect your Instagram and Facebook accounts in Meta Business Suite

We're going to walk you through two ways to connect the Facebook and Instagram professional accounts.

Option 1: Log into your Facebook business page or Instagram professional account through Meta Business Suite

Before you connect to any social media sites, you can go through the Business Suite login, where you can opt to enter your Facebook or Instagram username and password. To "Create new account," you'll only be able to select Facebook.

Option 2: Open Meta Business Suite through your Facebook profile

To pair your Facebook and Instagram accounts through Meta Business Suite, start from the circle with your Facebook profile photo. Tap or click the drop-down menu. Here, you can see the pages you manage or choose to create a new page.

Once you create the Facebook business page, you'll see a menu with options that include Meta Business Suite. Clicking that feature opens the suite. Next to your profile photo and just under the cover photo, tap "Connect Instagram." Again, you're prompted to either create a new profile or log into an existing account.

You'll notice that this automatically creates a business portfolio for you since you now have multiple business assets. In that portfolio, you can also add Facebook pages if you have more than one.

Option 3: Connect through Facebook and Instagram apps

A Facebook page means instant access to Meta Business Suite, but you can also connect Instagram business accounts by going to Settings > Accounts Center > Sharing Across Profiles > Add Accounts.

How to manage users in Meta Business Suite

Once again, we have a couple of ways to manage users which can be assigned specifically for an Instagram account, Facebook page, or a mix of permissions on both.

To bypass using Meta Business Portfolio, you can manage users through the page permissions. You can give partial or full access to the page, which translates to Meta Business Suite access.

That said, once you connect the Facebook page and Instagram account, you have the choice to set user permissions through your business settings on the portfolio page. Those options include many more elements, like the ability to create ads, manage campaigns, run the shop, or oversee financials.

Limiting access helps in several specific scenarios.

  1. Ad agencies won't need access to create or post content. Permission to manage ad campaigns limits potential user error.
  2. Keeping creatives and marketing teams away from the financial end can avoid costly mistakes or accidental launching of ad campaigns. Meta has a pretty strict "no-refund policy," even with honest mistakes.
  3. You might have people working on your business manager who shouldn't see analytics and performance data, which should only be shared with trusted team members. Limiting access to freelancers, influencers, and brand ambassadors might make sense. 

How to manage ads in Meta Business Suite

Meta Business Suite simplifies advertising, with the ability to boost when scheduling posts or through the performance grid after content is live.

Those planning more extensive advertising spending should tap the Ads Manager to create a new ad account. You'll need a payment method to set this up. For those with multiple businesses, be sure to note the ad account ID on each one. Save that somewhere secure.

In addition to Meta Business Suite tutorials, Meta also offers guidance on Ads Manager.

If you need a social media management tool that also includes non Meta social channels, consider the benefits of Advertise through Brandwatch. 

How to create an event in Meta Business Suite

The word "event" can cause confusion in the digital and social media landscape. It can either mean an event with invitations or an event in the analytical term, measuring a tracked action on a website or app.

Organizing an event on your Facebook business page

First, there's an event a brand or business is hosting. This might be an anniversary sale, webinar, or in-person block party.

Through your page settings, not Meta Business Suite, visit the Events page. Select "Create new event" and then follow the prompts. Another option is to create the event through your existing page.

Next, we need to talk about the nuances here.

  • Event post details are created and appear on your Facebook page. No automatic sharing to Instagram is possible as an event. Create graphics to share to IG Stories and Reels and encourage link clicks back to the Facebook event page.
  • Schedule posts for your event at peak times, but consider boosting the event through Meta Business Suite via your ad account. Advertising your event is a great way to reach beyond your followers and deeper into your target audience.
  • Analytical tools help you see how much organic and paid reach the event is getting. Engagement, audience insights, and attendees' RSVPs are included.

Setting up events tracking for better insights

If you're looking to set up event analytics (or learn more about how they work), let's get into it.

Industry-wide, an analytical 'Event' measures specific actions taken on your web page or mobile app. For example, when you started reading this article, you completed the action of Page View Event. If you arrived here from a social media post or a Google search, you completed a Link Click Event. Considering you've made it this far through the article, you've also taken part in a Scroll Event.

At this point, you might ask, "What does this have to do with my Facebook page or Instagram account through Meta's business management tools?" Great question!

Meta's Insights panel through the Suite shows you engagement, audience, and other data on the social platforms. It does not provide any data about what happens after someone leaves your Facebook page or Instagram account.

When you want to understand actions people take on your website or app, you need to know about Events. This information helps Meta place your ads in front of the right people as well as gauge how well ads worked to drive people to your business or digital storefront.

All that said, Events are organized through the Meta Events Manager, not the Suite.

How to analyze performance using Meta Business Suite

When learning how to use Meta Business Suite, you also should know the ins and outs of the analytics, called Insights.

On a desktop, look for the Insights tab with three vertical bars. This opens a new window with more tabs to explore. Please note that in the top right corner, you can select between Facebook and Instagram with another option to set a date range to review. It always defaults to the past 28 days (four weeks).

  • Meta Business Suite will suggest an action plan on the Overview page, but feel free to add tasks tailored to your goals.
  • The Results tab gives excellent overviews of key performance indicators, while the Audience tab helps you learn more about your customers, fans, and followers.
  • Benchmarking compares your Facebook page and Instagram account to others in the same category. Be sure to click the Businesses to Watch, where you have the option to add your biggest competitors and keep an eye on how they perform.
  • In the Content breakdown, choose from the overview showcasing how your various types of content performed. The Content tab then opens to a grid with your content displayed in rows. This is where you can easily Boost a post if you have an ad account.

How to access and use Meta Business Suite from your phone

With busy business activity, you can't always be wired into a desktop or laptop. That's where the Meta Business Suite mobile app comes in handy. Once you download it, keep an eye on updates. As of this publication, the app is on its 425th iteration.

While on the go, you can still read all your messages, change account settings, create posts, set user permissions, and follow your to-do list. Just about everything you can do on the desktop version is available on the mobile option. That includes key setup tasks if you'd prefer to create your Meta Business Suite account from your phone and the Meta social media analytics.

Keep in mind that both the desktop and mobile versions are free tools. The only cost is any advertising you place.

However, those with an ad account who want to manage on the go need to also download the Meta Ads Manager. 

All-in-one social media management with Brandwatch

Knowing how to use Meta Business Suite helps with Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp accounts, but what about non-Meta social channels? Platforms like TikTok, X, and Reddit can't be added to Meta's arsenal of tools.

At Brandwatch, we cover all the same performance tools as a Meta Business Account, and then some.

Brandwatch products also connect you with industry experts who can help set up the most important elements of your business's digital presence.

Products include:

  • Consumer Research - Track up to 400 days of Facebook data to better understand how your brand is being discussed.
  • Influence - Build a personalized Facebook Influence CRM to manage relationships, track progress, and streamline communication through data-driven insights.
  • Publish - Draft, schedule, and post content with collaboration tools, a shared calendar, and an asset library through Meta's products and other social media platforms.
  • Engage - Choose automated or custom feeds to stay in touch with your audience.
  • Listen - Social listening taps into what customers and potential clients really think about your brand in real-time, allowing for easy pivots and performance improvement.
  • Advertise - Go beyond just ad accounts through Meta Business Manager and tie in all your brand's advertising across all platforms into one easy interface.
  • Measure - Turn insights into an action plan with a slate of measurement tools for organic and paid posts.
  • Benchmark - Hone the real-time data of your brand against your competitors while also getting access to AI tools that look to the future with estimated reach and impressions.

Learn more about our social media management tools and plans.

Frequently asked questions

How can I manage multiple social media accounts?

Juggling social media management doesn't have to feel like a three-ring circus act. Through the Facebook business suite, you can either add Facebook pages or Instagram accounts to a portfolio or create multiple portfolios with fewer social media accounts.

If you manage the assets with a small team, limiting the number of portfolios might be easier. Larger companies with diverse assets generally find multiple portfolios to help with planning, posting, and budgeting.

The only limit is that each Facebook page can only be linked to one Instagram account.

How do I schedule posts using Meta Business Suite?

Create posts and schedule posts through the Suite under the Planner tab. With a simple click or tap on a calendar day, a new window opens with the Create Post title. Customize separately for Instagram accounts and Facebook pages if you'd like. Be sure to check the drop down menu for a preview of each platform post.

Look to the Scheduling Options to set the date and time you want the post to go live. The best times to post on Instagram or Facebook aren't always the same, and this function allows you to schedule posts at separate times for maximum potential.

How can I track my social media performance?

If you want to keep tracking data in Meta, use the Insights tab to see how organic and paid content performed. For ad account holders, you'll get more metrics through that module.

As noted earlier, Brandwatch also offers social media management tools to track multiple accounts, on and off Meta.

How do I use Meta Business Suite for e-commerce?

To start selling through the Meta business manager functions, you'll need Commerce Manager. This allows you to set up a store and use product tags. However, we recommend reviewing the new checkout method requirements, especially for US-based businesses.

Can I integrate my online store with Meta Business Suite?

Meta is set up to integrate easily with platforms like WooCommerce, but each one will have a specific way to connect the two platforms. Your website's CMS should also offer plug-ins that help with the integration.

Conclusion

Meta Business Suite makes managing your Facebook feed, Instagram account, and WhatsApp account easy. Even if you just want to create posts and establish a business presence, the tools allow you to start small and grow into more nuanced elements.

It's especially helpful when adding multiple users to have them go through the Meta Business Suite tutorials, as updates happen often.

We'd also like to invite you to get a demo of the Brandwatch social media management tool to compare your options.