Configuring Facebook Business Manager Audience Insights allows marketers to analyze demographic data, interests, and behaviors of their target audiences to refine advertising strategies. The tool, now integrated into Meta Business Suite, provides actionable insights for Facebook and Instagram campaigns, though its standalone version was retired in 2021. Accessing it requires a Meta Business account with sufficient follower data (minimum 100 non-friend followers for accurate metrics), and users can filter audiences by location, age, gender, and interests to create custom segments.

Key findings from the sources include:

• Audience Insights is accessed via Meta Business Suite > Insights > Audience tab, replacing the older standalone tool ^[2][6].
• Four audience targeting options exist: New, Custom, Lookalike, and Saved Audiences, each serving distinct marketing purposes ^[5].
• The tool provides demographic breakdowns (age, gender, location), purchase behavior trends, and engagement metrics like follower growth and video views ^[2][3].
• Third-party tools like Agorapulse and Sprout Social offer expanded analytics for deeper audience analysis ^[6][5].

Configuring Facebook Business Manager Audience Insights

Accessing and Navigating the Tool

To configure Audience Insights, begin by logging into Meta Business Suite (business.facebook.com) with an admin or advertiser account. The tool is no longer available as a standalone feature; instead, it’s embedded within the Insights section of Business Suite or Ads Manager. As stated in ^[2]: "Go to Meta Business Suite > Insights. Click Audience. The Audience tab shows you insights from the lifetime of your Facebook Page or Instagram account." This integration streamlines access but limits some advanced features previously available in the retired 2021 version ^[6].

Key steps to access the tool:

• Prerequisite: Ensure your Facebook Page or Instagram account has at least 100 followers who are not personal friends for reliable data ^[4].
• Navigation path:
• Open Meta Business Suite (business.facebook.com).
• Select Insights from the left-hand menu.
• Click Audience to view demographic and behavioral data ^[2][5].
• Alternative access via Ads Manager:
• Open Ads Manager and expand the "All Tools" menu.
• Under "Analyze and Report," select Audience Insights ^[7][8].

Once inside, the dashboard displays three primary data categories:

1. Demographics: Age, gender, location, language, and relationship status ^[3].
2. Page Likes: Top pages your audience engages with, indicating shared interests ^[8].
3. Activity: Frequency of Facebook/Instagram usage, device types, and purchase behavior ^[3].

Limitations to note:

• The tool no longer supports competitor audience analysis (a feature in the pre-2021 version) ^[6].
• Data is aggregated and anonymized; individual user details are unavailable ^[3].

Configuring Audience Filters and Creating Custom Segments

After accessing Audience Insights, the next step is refining your audience using filters to isolate specific segments. The tool allows granular targeting based on location, age, gender, interests, and connections to your Page ^[4][7]. To configure filters:

1. Location Filtering: - Select countries, regions, or cities to target. - Example: A U.S.-based retailer might filter by states with high engagement (e.g., California, New York) ^[8]. - Note: Location data includes both current and past residences of users ^[1].

1. Demographic Filters: - Adjust age ranges (e.g., 18–24, 25–34) and gender (male, female, or all). - Relationship status (single, married) and education level can further refine segments ^[1]. - As highlighted in ^[4]: "Filtering by age and gender helps identify which groups engage most with your content."

1. Interest and Behavior Filters: - Add interests related to your industry (e.g., "fitness" for a sports brand). - Include behaviors like purchase history (e.g., "frequent online shoppers") or device usage (e.g., "mobile users") ^[3]. - Tip: Combine interests with demographics to create high-intent audiences (e.g., women aged 25–40 interested in "organic skincare") ^[7].

1. Creating Custom Audiences: - After applying filters, click "Save Audience" to store the segment for future ad campaigns. - Saved audiences can be exported to Ads Manager for targeting ^[4]. - For advanced targeting, use Lookalike Audiences to reach users similar to your existing customers ^[5].

Pro Tips for Configuration:

• Compare audiences: Use the "Compare" feature to analyze differences between two segments (e.g., Page followers vs. website visitors) ^[9].
• Test small segments: Start with broad filters, then narrow down based on engagement metrics ^[7].
• Update regularly: Audience behaviors change; revisit insights monthly to adjust strategies ^[4].