Quick answer
Facebook and Instagram are both part of Meta's advertising system, so comparing them as completely separate channels can be misleading. The practical question is which placement and creative combination produces valuable outcomes for your audience.
Do not declare a placement winner from cheap clicks or engagement. Evaluate qualified leads, purchases, revenue and downstream quality.
What I would check first
I would review performance by placement, device, creative format and audience while keeping the conversion definition consistent. Then I would compare lead or customer quality rather than stopping at platform-reported CPL.
I would also check whether creative looks native to the placement. A message designed for a feed, Reels or Stories may behave differently when simply resized or reused.
Decision framework
Let the evidence decide where possible: audience fit → creative fit → conversion quality → economics. If a placement is generating volume but poor-quality customers, it is not automatically successful because its CPA is low.
For a local service business, a short demonstration video may work well in vertical placements while a proof-heavy testimonial can work across feeds. The offer and creative should determine the test, not assumptions about the platform name.
Implementation steps
Create a small set of creative concepts, define the event that matters and let the system access appropriate placements when the campaign objective supports it. Segment reporting enough to detect quality problems without fragmenting the campaign unnecessarily.
Refresh creative when frequency, response quality or message fatigue indicates a problem. Test new angles rather than producing endless cosmetic variations.
Common mistakes and current platform considerations
Avoid optimizing for likes, video views or link clicks when the business needs customers. Avoid turning every placement into a separate campaign and starving the algorithm of useful signal.
Meta's delivery systems increasingly rely on machine learning and broad signals. That makes strong creative, clear conversion events and enough first-party measurement more important than trying to micromanage every delivery decision.
Measurement and business implications
Track spend, reach, frequency, click quality, conversion rate, cost per qualified outcome and customer value. Compare platform reporting with website and CRM evidence where possible.
Use the Conversion Rate Calculator and Lead Funnel Calculator to translate traffic and conversion assumptions into business scenarios. Pair this guide with the Meta beginner and budgeting guides.