Introduction
Knowing how to select a Facebook media buyer can decide whether a $5 k ad test becomes a $50 k growth engine or an expensive lesson. This guide walks global SMEs and one-person brands through the same vetting playbook that turns hidden-gem freelancers into 7-figure acquisition partners—without burning cash on “gurus” who only know how to spend, not scale.
1. Know the Exact Moment You Should Hire
Most founders wait until ROAS has flat-lined for three months. A smarter trigger is “burn-rate of founder time”: if you’re inside Ads Manager more than five hours a week, you’re already the most expensive media buyer on the payroll.
Document your monthly spend, gross margin and target pay-back window before you post any job headline; these three numbers let candidates reverse-engineer realistic scale targets instead of vanity quotes.
2. Write a 12-Word Job Headline That Filters 60 % of Noise
LinkedIn data shows headlines containing “$20 k+ monthly budget” cut spam applications by more than half. Example: “Facebook buyer wanted for $25 k/mo DTC skincare—must hit 3× ROAS in 45 days.”
The spend level scares off dabblers, the vertical signals creative expectations, and the KPI prevents “we’ll just test and see” answers.
3. Run a 5-Minute Live-Account Audit—No Portfolio Screenshots
Screenshots are easy to fake, so share read-only access to a test ad account. Ask: “What’s broken and what’s next?” A 60-point button-pusher blurts “raise budget.” A 90-point strategist starts with “Show me the lander and the offer.”
That single request proves they understand Facebook’s iron triangle: auction settings, creative and post-click experience. Give bonus points if they check page-speed on mobile before touching bids.
4. Use Two “What-If” Curveballs to Reveal Thinking Process
Question 1: “CPM tripled overnight—what now?” Look for answers that audit audience overlap, creative fatigue and competitor surge, not knee-jerk budget cuts.
Question 2: “Plenty of leads, zero sales—why?” Strong buyers mention pixel placement, form friction and offer-message mismatch. You want diagnostic language, not guess-work verbs like “refresh” or “duplicate.”
5. Ask for One Expensive Mistake and the SOP That Followed
Great media buyers are scrapbooks of costly scars. If the candidate only serves heroic wins, end the call. You’re hiring for pattern recognition born from losses, not luck.
The best answer follows this arc: “I spent $800 k on broad audiences before I realized 28-day click attribution was masking churn; here’s the 3-step SOP that now forces day-7 LTV checks before any scale.”
6. Verify Scale Experience, Not Years on a Résumé
Taking an account from $1 k to $10 k a day is a different sport than spending $50 k a month from day one. Demand a walk-through that includes day-parting rules, creative cadence, budget layering and automated exit triggers.
If they can’t name the automated rule that caps spend when ROAS dips 20 %, they’ve never protected margin at scale.
7. Compare LatAm, US and Freelance Cost Windows—Updated
US full-time buyers now quote $96–120 k plus equity, while fluent, same-time-zone LatAm talent ranges $24–36 k. Freelancers on retainer land between $45–65 per hour up to $30 k monthly spend; above that, insist on an exclusive contract to prevent conflicting accounts. Include a 30-day out clause in every agreement—market volatility can turn yesterday’s hero into today’s cash burn.
8. Offer a $500 Paid Trial Before You Sign Long-Term
Top recruiters pre-vet candidates, but nothing beats live fire. Allocate a micro-budget, define one KPI (e.g., sub-$50 cost per trial sign-up) and give seven calendar days.
Only 10 % of applicants usually pass; those who do enter a 90-day onboarding sheet: learning → break-even → scale. When the trial ends, you have cash-positive data, not hope.
9. Set On-Boarding That Pays for Itself Within 90 Days
Hand over pixel and Business Manager admin on a unique email alias; it keeps ownership inside the company and speeds removal if needed. Share a read-only Data Studio dashboard and tag the buyer on every creative brief in Slack.
Review the 30-60-90 sheet each Friday: first month is channel learning, second is hitting blended break-even, third is incremental scale. If the curve isn’t green by day 90, the hire is wrong, but you’ll know with data, not drama.
10. Spot Red Flags That Survive Even Good Interviews
Be wary if they quote ROAS without revealing spend level or pay-back window. Another classic: blaming “the algorithm” for every dip.
Finally, if their only scale tactic is “duplicate best ad set,” you’re talking to a 70-point tactical monkey, not a strategist. Politely end the call and move on.
11. Negotiate Performance Guardrails, Not Just Rates
Structure a base plus tiered bonus: 5 % of incremental revenue generated above target ROAS. Cap the bonus pool at 15 % of ad spend to keep incentives aligned.
Insert a “key-person clause” that lets you exit the contract if the named buyer stops working on your account—agencies sometimes bait with A-players, then switch.
12. Document How to Fire Fast & Friendly
Even good hires turn stale. Store all assets in your own ad accounts from day one so separation is one click, not a week-long hostage negotiation.
Use a simple two-sentence termination template: “We are exercising the 30-day out clause per section 4b. Please transfer all active creative files and audience lists by Friday COB.” Professional, clear, lawsuit-proof.
Conclusion
Learning how to select a Facebook media buyer is less about flashy portfolios and more about structured debugging, honest attribution and an unbreakable learning loop. Run the live-account audit, the $500 trial and the 30-60-90 sheet, and your first hire will fund itself within a quarter—or expose itself before the burn gets real.
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FAQ
Q1: Can I hire a buyer before I spend $10 k a month?
Yes, but pivot to project-based fees under $5 k to keep ROI sensible.
Q2: What tool verifies freelancer ROAS claims?
Insist on read-only Ads Manager access; third-party screenshots can be edited.
Q3: Is LatAm talent reliable for US brands?
Same time-zone, fluent English and 75 % cost saving make LatAm a sweet spot for SMEs.
Q4: How long should a trial project run?
Seven days is enough to see disciplined testing, but set at least 3× your average CPA in budget.
Q5: Should I give creative control to the buyer?
Give input, not veto. Great buyers brief your creative team with hooks, not vanity metrics.