How to create an X ads campaign
This guide walks through building an X ads campaign in Ads Manager, from choosing the objective to launching, using a website traffic campaign as the example.
X campaigns have three levels. The campaign holds the objective and funding source. Ad groups hold the dates, budget, bid, targeting, and placements. Ads are the posts you promote. A campaign can hold up to 100 ad groups, and the campaign, ad group, and ad all have to be on for anything to serve.
The steps below follow X’s website traffic setup. Other objectives work the same way, with different goals and billing.
Start a campaign and choose the objective
Log in at ads.x.com and click Create campaign in the top right of Ads Manager. Pick the objective that matches the result you want. X’s campaign overview lists objectives including Reach, Video views, Pre-roll views, App installs, Website traffic, Engagements, App re-engagements, and Sales.
X Lead Gen Ads use a separate Leads objective, covered in its own guide on this site.
TipEach campaign has one objective, and it decides what X optimizes for. Choose for the business result, not the cheapest click.
Fill in campaign details
On the Campaign details tab, name the campaign and choose the funding source. Then decide on Campaign Budget Optimization. With it on, you set one daily budget for the campaign and X spreads it across ad groups. With it off, each ad group gets its own daily budget, and you can add an optional spend cap for the whole campaign.
Set up the ad group dates and budget
Click Next to build the first ad group. Give it a name and set start and end times. If Campaign Budget Optimization is off, set a daily budget, which is required, and an optional total budget.
X has no minimum spend, and it says spend never exceeds your daily budget. Ads are priced by auction.
Choose the goal, bid, and how you pay
For website traffic, X offers two goals. Site Visits is recommended and needs the X Pixel set up. Link clicks doesn’t.
Then pick a bid type: Autobid, which X recommends, Maximum bid, or Target cost, which is only available with the Link clicks goal. Finally, choose to pay by impressions, the default, or by link clicks.
Watch outSite Visits optimization relies on the pixel. Test it with X Pixel Helper before launch.
Define your audience
Start with location, language, and other demographics. Then add the signals that make X different. X lists follower lookalikes, interests, conversations, events, re-engager audiences, and custom audience lists from your own data. Watch the audience estimate as you add options so the ad group doesn’t get too narrow.
Under additional options you can turn on audience expansion, with Defined, Expanded, and Broad levels.
Pick placements and brand safety
Choose where ads can show. For website traffic, X lists home timelines, profiles, search results, and replies, and the home timeline placement can’t be turned off. Set your brand safety controls in the same section so ads avoid content you don’t want to appear near.
Add your posts
Click Next and choose the posts to promote. You can add as many ads as you want to an ad group, and X automatically favors the best performer.
X suggests three to five creatives in rotation and says short videos with captions and clear branding tend to do best. Make the first line say who the offer is for.
Review and launch
Open the Review & Complete tab and check every setting: objective, funding source, dates, budget, goal, bid, targeting, placements, and posts. Then launch.
After launch, check delivery within the first day. If nothing serves, confirm the campaign, the ad group, and the ads are all turned on, since X won’t serve anything if one level is off.
Before you move on
- The objective matches the result you want
- Budgets and dates are set where your structure needs them
- The goal fits your tracking: Site Visits only with a working pixel
- The audience estimate isn't too small to spend
- At least three posts are in each ad group
Official resources
- X Business: Create a website traffic campaign
- X Business: X Ads campaigns 101
- X Business: Ad groups
- X Business: X Ads Manager
- X Business: Audience Expansion
Ad platforms update their tools often. This guide was last reviewed against the official documentation above in November 2026. If your screen looks different, the official help pages have the latest steps.
At a glance
- Level
- Beginner
- Time
- About 30 minutes
- What you need
- An X Ads account with a payment method
- The X Pixel installed if you want to optimize for site visits
- Three to five posts or creatives ready to promote
- A daily budget you're comfortable testing with
- A clear idea of who you want to reach
Rather have it done for you?
Active Digital Marketing builds and manages X ad accounts for businesses doing $25,000+ a month in revenue.
Apply to work with usOr get an ad account auditWhere DIY setups go wrong
The most common problems with self-built X Ads setups, and what they cost.
Picking the objective for cheap results
An engagements or reach campaign can show low costs while sending no buyers. Pick the objective tied to the action that makes you money.
Optimizing for Site Visits without the pixel
X needs pixel data to optimize for site visits. Without it, choose Link clicks or fix tracking first.
Stacking too many targeting layers
Every filter shrinks the audience. A tiny audience can struggle to spend and makes results hard to read.
Launching with one creative
X rotates ads and favors the best one. With a single post there's nothing to learn from, and it wears out faster.
What this guide doesn't cover
A launched campaign is the start of the work. Profit on X comes from tracking you can trust, a steady creative cadence, audience testing, and budgets tied to what a customer is worth.
Active Digital Marketing runs X alongside Meta for clients and judges both on cost per qualified lead and contribution margin, not clicks or platform ROAS.
- Account and campaign structure for testing
- Conversion tracking and the Conversion API
- Keyword and follower lookalike strategy
- Creative production and testing cadence
- Bid and budget changes based on margin
Common questions
How much does it cost to run X ads?
There's no set price or minimum spend. X runs an auction, so cost depends on your audience, bid, creative, and competition. You control spend with daily budgets.
What's the difference between a campaign and an ad group on X?
The campaign holds the objective and funding source. Ad groups hold the dates, budget, bid, targeting, and placements, and contain the ads.
Which bid type should I start with on X?
X recommends Autobid for website traffic campaigns. Maximum bid and Target cost give you more control once you know what a result is worth.
Can I stop my ads from showing in replies?
For website traffic campaigns, X lets you choose placements including profiles, search results, and replies. The home timeline placement can't be turned off.
Keep learning
How to Create an X Ads Account
How to create an X Ads account: pick the right handle, set country and time zone, add billing, give your team access, and avoid settings you can't change.
Read the guideHow to Install the X Pixel
How to install the X Pixel: create it in Events Manager, add base and event code, test with X Pixel Helper, and plan for the Conversion API.
Read the guideHow to Set Up X Lead Gen Ads
How to set up X Lead Gen Ads: build a lead form, launch a Leads campaign, and get leads from the Leads Center into your CRM, step by step.
Read the guideHow to Create a Meta Ads Campaign
Build your first Facebook and Instagram campaign in Ads Manager: objective, Advantage+ settings, audience, placements, the ad itself, and launch.
Read the guideHow to Create a Google Ads Campaign
Build your first Google Ads Search campaign: objective, networks, locations, AI Max, keywords, responsive search ads, budget, and publishing.
Read the guideHow to Create a TikTok Ads Campaign
Build your first TikTok campaign: pick an objective, choose manual or Smart+, set targeting and placements, upload your ad, and submit it for review.
Read the guideRather have it built right the first time?
If your business does $25,000+ a month in revenue, apply and Mitch will review your accounts personally. Earlier than that? An ad account audit gives you a senior-level fix list you can work through yourself.