If you are planning to run Facebook ads to grow your eCommerce business, STOP right now. There’s a crucial step most beginners and even many experienced store owners completely miss — and it’s the reason they burn through their ad budgets without seeing meaningful results.
Here is the reality. Facebook ads alone do not make you money. A well-structured funnel does.
You can have the best product in the world, the most beautiful Facebook ad creative, and a highly optimized targeting strategy. But if you do not have the right backend funnel in place to capture, nurture, and convert that traffic into paying customers, you are pouring money down the drain.
This is why the smartest marketers and eCommerce entrepreneurs do not run traffic to their store directly. Instead, they send traffic to a funnel that builds trust, captures leads, follows up with those leads, and sells products consistently — even days or weeks after someone first clicks on the ad.
In this guide, you will learn step-by-step exactly what you should do before launching your Facebook ads, and how to build this money-making machine with Systeme.io, a free all-in-one funnel builder designed for eCommerce, digital products, and service-based businesses.
Why Facebook Ads Alone Are Not Enough to Succeed
Let’s be brutally honest. Most eCommerce brands make the exact same mistake over and over again. They launch ads directly to their product page or homepage and cross their fingers, hoping that visitors will make a purchase on their very first visit.
This is a fundamentally broken strategy. The overwhelming majority of customers do not buy from a brand they have never heard of before on their first interaction.
Here is why this approach fails:
- Cold traffic does not trust you yet. People are constantly bombarded with ads online, and they are skeptical by default.
- A product page is not designed to educate or persuade. It simply shows the product, but it does not explain why someone should trust your brand, how the product solves their problem, or why they should buy now.
- Without collecting email addresses or phone numbers, you have zero chance of following up with the vast majority of visitors who leave without purchasing.
The result? You pay for traffic, maybe get one or two sales if you are lucky, and then lose 80% or more of the visitors who never return.
Imagine spending $100 on ads and watching 90% of that go to waste simply because there was no system in place to capture and convert that traffic effectively.
This is why you need a funnel. Not just any funnel, but one that is purpose-built to convert Facebook ad traffic into leads, customers, and long-term buyers.
And the easiest way to build that is with Systeme.io — a beginner-friendly platform that lets you create funnels, landing pages, email automation, and checkout systems all in one place.
The Ultimate Pre-Facebook Ad Funnel Checklist
1. Create a Lead Magnet or Entry Offer
Before running any ads, you must give people a compelling reason to give you their email address or engage with your brand.
A lead magnet is something of value that you offer for free (or at a discount) in exchange for their contact information.
Effective lead magnets for eCommerce include:
- A percentage discount on their first order, like 10%, 15%, or even 20%.
- A free downloadable guide or checklist related to your product niche. For example, if you sell skincare products, offer a free guide on “10 Tips for Perfect Skin.”
- An entry into a monthly giveaway for a free product or gift card.
- Early access to a new product launch or members-only sales.
This is the first and most crucial step to stop losing traffic. If people are not ready to buy today, at least capture their email so you can nurture the relationship.
You can build a beautiful lead capture page easily with Systeme.io.
2. Set Up a High-Converting Landing Page Funnel
Sending Facebook traffic to your homepage or product page is one of the worst mistakes you can make. It distracts visitors with too many options, and most will leave.
Instead, you should create a dedicated landing page designed with one single goal — to capture the visitor’s email or get them to take one clear action.
A high-converting landing page typically includes:
- A strong headline that speaks directly to a pain point or desire.
- A subheadline that reinforces the promise.
- An eye-catching image or video that shows the product or the benefit of the lead magnet.
- A clear and simple opt-in form.
- Social proof like reviews or testimonials.
- A strong call-to-action (CTA) like “Get My Discount Now” or “Download the Free Guide.”
On the thank-you page, you can present an upsell, cross-sell, or simply direct them to check out your best-selling product.
You can build the entire funnel structure, including landing page, thank you page, and checkout page, inside Systeme.io without needing to hire developers or designers.
3. Build an Email Automation Sequence
Once you have captured someone’s email address, the next step is to nurture them with a well-designed automated email sequence.
This sequence helps to build trust, educate the customer, and gently lead them towards making a purchase.
A simple but powerful email sequence might look like this:
- Email 1: A welcome message that thanks them for joining, delivers the lead magnet (like the discount code or PDF guide), and introduces your brand.
- Email 2: Share your story. Talk about why you started your business, what makes your products different, and how you help customers solve a specific problem.
- Email 3: Highlight your best-selling products with clear benefits and include customer reviews or social proof.
- Email 4: Create urgency by offering a time-sensitive discount or special offer (for example, “Your 10% discount expires in 24 hours!”).
- Email 5: Last call to use the discount, or introduce a different product that complements the original offer.
With Systeme.io, you can send unlimited automated emails even on the free plan — something most platforms charge heavily for.
4. Implement an Abandoned Cart Recovery System
A huge percentage of people who add items to their cart never complete the purchase. In fact, the average cart abandonment rate is over 70%.
If you are not following up with these potential customers, you are leaving massive amounts of money on the table.
An abandoned cart recovery system typically sends automated emails that:
- Remind the customer that they left items in their cart.
- Offer additional motivation, like free shipping or a limited-time discount.
- Provide an easy link back to the checkout page.
Studies show that a good cart recovery sequence can recover between 15% and 30% of lost sales.
This is easy to set up using the automation tools inside Systeme.io.
5. Create a Post-Purchase Follow-Up Funnel
The sale is not the end of the customer journey — it’s just the beginning of the relationship.
After someone buys from you, it is crucial to continue engaging them through post-purchase emails that:
- Thank them for their purchase and confirm their order.
- Provide educational content about how to use or get the most out of their product.
- Ask for a review or testimonial.
- Offer a discount on their next purchase to encourage repeat business.
- Invite them to refer friends or join your affiliate program.
Systeme.io makes this seamless with automated post-purchase sequences that run in the background while you focus on growing your business.
6. Set Up Facebook Pixel and Conversion Tracking Correctly
You cannot improve what you do not track.
Before running Facebook ads, make sure your Facebook pixel is installed on every important step in your funnel:
- Landing pages
- Checkout pages
- Thank you pages
Track key events like:
- Lead generation (when someone opts into your email list)
- Add to cart
- Initiate checkout
- Purchase
Accurate tracking allows Facebook to optimize your campaigns over time and helps you build lookalike audiences based on buyers, not just visitors.
Systeme.io fully supports Facebook pixel integration, so you can track conversions with precision.
Complete Funnel Example for Facebook Ads
Imagine you are selling a custom-designed fitness resistance band. Here’s how your funnel should look:
- Ad: Offer a free downloadable workout guide plus 15% off the first order. The ad copy speaks to busy people looking to train at home.
- Landing Page: Collect the user’s email in exchange for the workout guide and discount code.
- Thank You Page: Confirm that the guide is being sent to their email. Present a best-seller with a limited-time discount as an immediate upsell.
- Email Sequence: Deliver the guide, introduce the brand story, present testimonials, and offer a time-limited discount reminder.
- Abandoned Cart Flow: If the visitor starts checkout but does not finish, send reminders and a small incentive to complete their order.
- Post-Purchase Flow: Send an order confirmation, product tips, a request for reviews, and a discount for their next order.
This exact funnel structure can be built in under a day using Systeme.io.
FAQ About Facebook Ads and Funnels
Do I need coding or design skills to set this up?
Absolutely not. Systeme.io is designed for non-technical users. The platform offers a simple drag-and-drop editor for landing pages and email builders. You don’t need to write a single line of code. You can launch your entire funnel without hiring developers or designers.
Can I use Systeme.io with Shopify or WooCommerce?
Yes. While Systeme.io can be a standalone eCommerce system with its own checkout and product pages, you can also connect it with Shopify or WooCommerce. Use Systeme.io for your landing pages, lead capture, and email automation, then link the “Buy Now” buttons to your Shopify product checkout if needed.
How many emails should I include in my automation?
A good starting point is between five and seven emails for the initial welcome and sales sequence. Over time, you should also build separate sequences for abandoned carts, post-purchase follow-ups, educational content, and promotions. The more touchpoints you create, the higher your conversion rates.
What is the minimum daily ad budget I should start with?
Start with $5 to $10 per day to test audiences, creatives, and offers. Monitor which ad combinations perform best, then gradually scale to $20, $50, or $100+ per day once you are profitable. A funnel dramatically increases the efficiency of smaller ad budgets.
Should I use video ads or image ads?
Both can work, but video ads tend to outperform image ads for cold traffic. Videos allow you to explain the product benefits, demonstrate the product, and build trust much faster. For retargeting campaigns, static image ads with strong offers often convert very well.
How do I track conversions and optimize my ads?
Install the Facebook pixel on all key funnel steps using Systeme.io’s simple integration. Track leads, add-to-carts, and purchases. Use the data to create Custom Audiences and Lookalike Audiences, allowing you to target highly qualified potential buyers who are similar to your existing customers.
Is Systeme.io really free?
Yes. Systeme.io offers a free plan that includes funnels, landing pages, unlimited emails, and automation. You only need to upgrade if your business grows beyond the free plan’s generous limits. It is by far the most affordable all-in-one funnel solution compared to ClickFunnels, Kajabi, or Kartra.
Final Thoughts: Funnel First, Ads Second
If you are spending any money on Facebook ads without a proper funnel, you are wasting your money.
A funnel-first approach allows you to:
- Capture leads that would otherwise be lost.
- Build trust with automated emails.
- Follow up with abandoned carts to recover sales.
- Increase the lifetime value of every customer.
- Turn every ad dollar into a long-term revenue engine.
Ready to stop burning ad dollars and start building a profitable eCommerce machine?
👉 Start now with Systeme.io for free — Click Here
This is the system that the smartest marketers are using today. Build yours now before launching your next Facebook ad.