AI TARGETOLOG
Setup · Facebook Ads API

From a Facebook account to an AI-managed token

A complete step-by-step path: create a business, Page, ad account, and app, then issue a token for managing ads through the API. Every step includes a direct link and explains where to find each required value.

⏱ about 30–40 minutes💳 a payment card is required for the ad account🔑 result — a System User token

Create a business portfolio (Meta Business Manager)

This is the container for your Page, ad account, and app. You cannot issue the token without it.

Open Business Managerbusiness.facebook.com/overview
  1. Select Create account.
  2. Enter your business name, your name, and a work email, then select Submit.
  3. Confirm the email in the message from Meta.

Add a Facebook Page

Ads always run under a Page identity, so a Page is required before you can create an ad.

Open Pagessettings/pages
  1. Open Business settings → Accounts → Pages.
  2. Select Add → Create a new Page, or connect an existing Page.
  3. Enter the Page name and category, then select Create.

Create an ad account and add billing

This is the billing account used to run ads. Its ID is required for API management.

Open Ad accountssettings/ad-accounts
  1. Open Business settings → Accounts → Ad accounts → Add → Create a new ad account.
  2. Enter a name, time zone, and currency, such as USD, then select Next.
  3. Assign yourself full Manage campaigns access.
  4. In Ads Manager, open Billing and add a payment method.

Create a Meta app and add advertising use cases

The app is the lock used to issue a token. Its advertising use cases enable API management.

Open the developer dashboarddevelopers.facebook.com/apps
  1. Select Create App and choose the Business app type.
  2. Enter a name, such as AI Targetolog, an email, and connect the business portfolio from step 1.
  3. At the Use cases step, select the advertising use cases below. If the app already exists, add them in its Use cases section.
requiredCreate and manage ads with the Marketing API — create, edit, and stop campaigns
requiredTrack ad performance with the Marketing API — reporting, ROI, and audiences
requiredRetrieve and manage advertising leads with the Marketing API — when using lead forms
optionalManage products with the Catalog API — for a catalog or dynamic ads

Create a system user and issue the token

A system user is the business's automated team member. Its token is the key the AI uses to manage ads.

Open System userssettings/system-users
  1. Open Business settings → Users → System users → Add.
  2. Enter a name, such as AI Targetolog, select the Admin role, and create the user.
  3. Use Assign assets to grant full control of the app, Manage campaigns access to the ad account, and management access to the Page.
  4. Select Generate new token and choose your app.
  5. Select these permissions:
ads_managementads_readbusiness_managementpages_read_engagementpages_manage_ads
  1. Set the expiration to Never so the token does not expire.
  2. Select Generate token and copy it immediately.

Result: what to enter in the form

The Connections page has three fields. App ID and App Secret were needed only to create the app and should not be entered in the product.

System User token with ads_managementstep 5 · primary access key

Ad Account ID — the digits from act_…step 3 · ad account

Facebook Page ID — your Page numberBusiness Suite → Page → About → Page ID

Complete the app profile and Privacy Policy

This step is required. Without a privacy policy, Meta will not let you publish the app and the key will remain in development mode.

Open the policy generatorfreeprivacypolicy.com
  1. Create a policy specifically for this app and use the same work email.
  2. Generate the privacy policy and copy its URL.
  3. In the app, open Settings → Basic and paste the address into Privacy Policy URL.
  4. Add an app icon and category on the same page, then save your changes.

Publish the app in Live mode

The final required step is to move the app from Development to Live. Its status should then show as Live.

Open the app dashboarddevelopers.facebook.com/apps
  1. Confirm that Privacy Policy URL was completed in step 7.
  2. In the app menu, select Publish or switch Development → Live.
  3. Complete Meta's short checklist if it asks for missing profile fields.
  4. The step is complete when the app status is Live.

If something goes wrong

Set up the Facebook Ads API — from account to token — AI TARGETOLOG