How Much Should a Small Business Spend on Facebook Ads?

By DREW LARISON

CEO, Larison Media

If you’ve ever run Facebook or Instagram ads for your business, you’ve probably had this thought at some point:

“Are we spending enough… or just wasting money?”

And usually that question shows up right after you’ve put some budget in, waited a bit, and didn’t see the kind of results you were expecting.

That’s where most frustration with Facebook ads comes from. Not because they don’t work. Because they work differently than people expect.

Facebook Ads Are Not Google Ads

This is the first thing to understand, and it’s where most people get tripped up.

Google Ads capture demand.

Someone is actively searching for what you offer. They already have intent. Your job is to show up and convert it.

Facebook and Instagram don’t work like that.

You’re not responding to a search. You’re introducing your business to someone who may need you, but isn’t actively looking right now.

That changes everything.

You’re Building Awareness Before You Get the Sale

When you run Facebook ads, you’re not just trying to generate a lead on the first click.

You’re trying to become familiar.

You’re showing up consistently so that when someone does need what you offer, they already recognize your name.

That’s why people often say, “I’ve been seeing your stuff everywhere,” right before they reach out.

That’s the goal. And it doesn’t happen from one ad or one week of spending.

So… How Much Should You Spend?

There’s no single number that works for every business, but there are realistic ranges that make sense based on how Facebook ads actually work.

For most small businesses:

• $500 to $1,500 per month is where you start testing and building awareness

• $1,500 to $3,000 per month is where you start seeing more consistent results

• $3,000+ is where you can scale and stay visible in more competitive markets

These aren’t magic numbers. They’re just ranges that allow you to show up often enough to matter. Because frequency is what drives results here.

Why Spending Too Little Doesn’t Work

One of the most common mistakes is underfunding Facebook ads.

A business might spend a few hundred dollars, run ads for a couple of weeks, and then decide it’s not working.

The issue isn’t the platform. It’s that the budget wasn’t enough to create consistent visibility.

If people only see your business once or twice, it’s not enough to stick. You’re competing with everything else in their feed.

Why Short-Term Thinking Fails

The other mistake is expecting immediate ROI. Facebook ads are not built for instant conversions in most cases.

They’re built to:

• Introduce your business

• Reinforce your message

• Keep you top of mind

That process takes time. If you turn ads on and off constantly, you reset that process every time.

What Actually Works

If you want Facebook ads to produce real results, the focus needs to shift from short-term wins to consistency.

That means:

• Running ads continuously, not in bursts

• Keeping your messaging clear and relevant

• Making sure what people see aligns with what you actually offer

Over time, that consistency builds recognition, and recognition is what drives action.

A Simpler Way to Think About It

Google Ads are like answering a question someone is already asking.

Facebook ads are like being remembered when the question finally comes up.

That’s why the budget needs to support consistency, not just activity.

The Bottom Line

Facebook and Instagram ads can be incredibly effective. But only if you approach them the right way.

You’re not just buying clicks. You’re buying visibility over time.

So instead of asking, “How much can I get away with spending?”

The better question is: “How much do I need to spend to stay consistently in front of the right people?”

That’s the number that actually matters.