Destination Type

    Ad Set Destination Type

    Ad Set Destination Type is a field within the Meta Ads data model that defines where the user will be directed to after clicking on an ad. This could be a website, app, Instagram profile, WhatsApp conversation, or other destinations depending on the campaign objective and promotion type. Destination type is the same for all ads within an ad set.

    Your chosen destination type must be consistent with your objective and optimization goal.

    Possible Destination Types

    Destination type is optional. That means, not all objective and optimization goal combinations support call-to-action (CTA) button with destination type field. We use this Campaign, Objective Validation to validate if selected setting is compatible with chosen objective and optimization goal.

    Destination TypeRequirements

    UNDEFINED

    No defined destination type. Returned only in read mode if you have objectives that do not appear in the Objectives table below.

    APP

    Ads in the ad set must provide an app ID in the promoted object. Destination is either an app installed on someone's phone or the app store if the app is not installed.

    APPLINKS_AUTOMATIC

    Used with Advantage+ catalog ads. The ad set's promoted object must have a product_set_id parameter. Facebook determines the displayed destination based on the applink specified in the ad creative.

    FACEBOOK

    Used with Advantage+ catalog ads. The catalog being promoted needs to support the on-Facebook Advantage+ catalog ads use case in Commerce Manager. All ads in the ad set must have an ad creative with Marketplace as the destination. This is currently only available for the Vehicle vertical. Learn more

    INSTAGRAM_DIRECT

    Used when advertisers want users to send an Instagram direct message.

    INSTAGRAM_PROFILE

    Ads in profile on Instagram appear within the feed and reels feed view of public Instagram profiles that are over 18 years of age. When someone scrolls through content in their Instagram profile feed or on a profile's reels feed, they may see ads between pieces of content.

    MESSAGING_INSTAGRAM_DIRECT_MESSENGER

    Destination type for ad creative with Instagram direct or Messenger.

    MESSAGING_INSTAGRAM_DIRECT_MESSENGER_WHATSAPP

    Destination type for ad creative with Instagram direct or Messenger or WhatsApp.

    MESSAGING_INSTAGRAM_DIRECT_WHATSAPP

    Destination type for ad creative with Instagram direct or WhatsApp.

    MESSAGING_MESSENGER_WHATSAPP

    Destination type for ad creative with Messenger or WhatsApp.

    MESSENGER

    All ads in the ad set must have ad creative with Messenger as a destination.

    ON_AD

    The objective in the parent campaign must be in set {OUTCOME_LEADS}

    ON_POST

    The objective in the parent campaign must be in set {OUTCOME_ENGAGEMENTS}

    ON_VIDEO

    The objective in the parent campaign must be in set {OUTCOME_ENGAGEMENTS}

    ON_PAGE

    The objective in the parent campaign must be in set {OUTCOME_ENGAGEMENTS}

    ON_EVENT

    The objective in the parent campaign must be in set {OUTCOME_ENGAGEMENTS}

    PHONE_CALL

    Used with Shops Ads.
    The objective in the parent campaign must be either PRODUCT_CATALOG_SALES or CONVERSIONS.

    SHOP_AUTOMATIC

    Used with Shops Ads.
    The objective in the parent campaign must be either PRODUCT_CATALOG_SALES or CONVERSIONS.

    WEBSITE

    All ads in the ad set must have ad creative with at least one valid, external URL.

    WHATSAPP

    All ads in the ad set must have ad creative with Whatsapp as a destination.

    Objectives

    Old objectives have been deprecated with Marketing API v17.0. Please refer to the Outcome-Driven Ads Experiences mapping table to find the old and new objectives and their corresponding destination types, optimization goals and promoted objects.

    ObjectiveAvailable Destination Types

    OUTCOME_AWARENESS

    UNDEFINED, WEBSITE, MESSENGER, WHATSAPP, MESSAGING_INSTAGRAM_DIRECT_MESSENGER, MESSAGING_INSTAGRAM_DIRECT_MESSENGER_WHATSAPP, MESSAGING_INSTAGRAM_DIRECT_WHATSAPP, MESSAGING_MESSENGER_WHATSAPP, INSTAGRAM_DIRECT

    OUTCOME_TRAFFIC

    UNDEFINED, MESSENGER, WHATSAPP, PHONE_CALL

    OUTCOME_ENGAGEMENT

    UNDEFINED, MESSENGER, WHATSAPP, PHONE_CALL, INSTAGRAM_DIRECT, MESSAGING_INSTAGRAM_DIRECT_MESSENGER, MESSAGING_INSTAGRAM_DIRECT_MESSENGER_WHATSAPP, MESSAGING_INSTAGRAM_DIRECT_WHATSAPP, MESSAGING_MESSENGER_WHATSAPP, ON_POST, ON_EVENT, ON_VIDEO, ON_VIDEO,ON_PAGE

    OUTCOME_APP_PROMOTION

    UNDEFINED

    OUTCOME_LEADS

    ON_AD, LEAD_FROM_MESSENGER, LEAD_FROM_IG_DIRECT, PHONE_CALL, UNDEFINED, WEBSITE, APP

    OUTCOME_SALES

    WEBSITE, MESSENGER, PHONE_CALL

    Create an Ad Set for an On-Facebook Traffic Destination

    Advertisers can drive traffic to on-Facebook listings as a destination for their product catalog sales campaigns instead of external websites. These ads drive awareness of car inventory with multiple placement options. Learn more about Automotive Inventory Ads with an on-Facebook destination.

    To create an ad set that leverages Automotive Inventory Ads with an on-Facebook destination, specify a destination_type of FACEBOOK in your ad set data.

    -F 'destination_type="FACEBOOK"' \

    If customizing placements, a destination_type of FACEBOOK supports:

    • publisher_platforms — facebook and instagram
    • facebook_positions — feed, marketplace, search, story, and right_hand_column
    • instagram_positions — stream, explore, and story

    If you don’t specify a destination_type, your the default destination is the website URL specified in your catalog.

    Learn More