Facebook and Instagram are two of the most used social media platforms globally, connecting us with friends, family, given us the option to share photos, videos, or promoting our businesses.
Social media marketing is a powerful tool to use if you want to boost sales, reach a new audience, increase brand awareness, or boost your website's traffic.
An excellent way for marketers to get all of this is by creating ads.
You should know that there isn't a single type of Facebook and Instagram ad available, but there are various kinds of ads that you can use.
Continue reading, and you will discover each Facebook & Instagram Ad types and decide which is better for your brand. Also, you will learn the formal sizes and specifications for some ads.
Facebook Ads vs. Instagram Ads
1. Types of Facebook ads
A Facebook ad form is the way your ad will appear.
Now, let's see what type of Facebook Ad exists and what you should know about each of them.
1. Image ads
This is the easiest and the most effective way you can advertise on Facebook.
Essential: image ads should be attractive, effective, and easy to read and interpret. So you should pick it carefully.
If you want to create an Image Ad on Facebook, all you need to do is boost one of your existing posts, or you can create a new image in just a few clicks.
Here's an example. If I want to promote this post, all I have to do is click "Boost Post".
Make sure you tell a story with your image, capture the audience's attention, and leave a permanent impression.
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Tip: According to Facebook, if you upload a video directly to Facebook instead of linking from somewhere else, your video will get up to 30% more views.
According to Facebook, the formal sizes and specifications for Facebook Video Ads are:
1. When your Video Ad is placed in Facebook feed:
- Video ratio: 9:16 to 16:9
- Recommended resolution: upload the highest resolution video available that meets file
- size and ratio limits
- Video file size: 4GB Max
- Video length minimum: 1 second
- Video length maximum: 240 minutes
- Video captions: Optional (I recommend you to use captions with your Ads)
- Video sound: Optional
- Primary text: 125 characters (you can add more characters, but they will look trimmed)
- Video thumbnail images that consist of more than 20% text may experience reduced delivery
- Vertical videos (with aspect ratio taller than 4:5) may be hidden to 4:5
2. When your Video Ad is placed in Facebook Stories:
- Video ratio: 1.91:1 to 9:16
- For videos under 9:16 - Content from the "Text" field is placed below video.
- Video file size: 4GB Max
- Video captions: Not available
- Video sound: Optional
3. When your Video Ad is placed in Facebook search results:
- Video ratio: 1:1
- Horizontal 16:9 - Not recommended
- Square 1:1 - Recommended
- Vertical 4:5 - Accepted but not recommended
- Full portrait 9:16 - Not recommended
- Video file size: 4GB Max
- Video length minimum: 1 second
- Video length maximum: 240 Minutes
- Video captions: Not supported
- Video sound: Optional
- Primary text: 125 characters
4. When your Video Ad is placed in Facebook video feeds:
- Video ratio: 16:9 to 9:16
- Video file size: 4GB Max
- Video length minimum: 1 second
- Video length maximum: 240 Minutes
- Video captions: Optional
- Video sound: Optional 1. Image Ads
3. Video poll Ads
This is the newest type of Facebook ad. You can add a poll to your videos to get the audience's attention and opinions.
Video Poll Facebook ads are the most effective ads compared to other video ads.
But there is something you should know about these Facebook ads - they can be used only on mobile phones.
4. Carousel Ads
Using Carousel ads, you can highlight the features, services, and offers of your brand and products or list down several different products along with their features.
You can also make a panorama image by adding up all the images of the brand or product.
In carousel ads, you can add up to 10 videos and images to a post to showcase and promote your brand, service, or product.
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According to Facebook, the formal sizes and specifications for Facebook Carousel Ads are:
1. When your Carousel Ad is placed in Facebook feed
- Image file type: jpg or png
- Image maximum file size: 30MB
- Video maximum file size: 4GB
- Recommended resolution: at least 1080 x 1080px
- Recommended ratio: 1:1
- Text: 125 characters (if there is no link)
- Primary Text: 125 characters (you can add more characters, but they will look trimmed)
- Headline: 25 characters (you can add more characters, but they will look trimmed)
- Description: 20 characters (you can add more characters, but they will look trimmed)
2. When your Carousel Ad is placed in Facebook Stories
- Image file type: jpg or png
- Image maximum file size: 30MB
- Landing page URL: required
- Minimum number of cards: 3
- Maximum number of cards: 3 (if more than 3 cards are included, Facebook will display only the first 3)
- Recommended resolution: at least 1080 x 1080px
- Recommended ratio: 1:1
- Primary text: 125 characters
5. Lead Ads
You can use this type of add to gather email addresses for an email newsletter, signing up someone for the trial of a product, or allowing people to ask for more information from you.
These ads are one of the most effective Facebook strategies, here's an example:
6. Dynamic Ads
This type of ads will promote products to people who have shown interest on your website, in your app, or elsewhere on the internet.
To be more precise, if someone has once ordered a product and canceled it afterward, he will receive in their Facebook feed ads for that particular product. These ads aim at closing sales.
7. Stories Ads
These ads are full-screen ads that are in vertical video format. They allow you to increase the image on the screen without needing for viewers to turn the screen. These types of ads are so useful, accessible, and reachable.
You can learn more about ads, in our free handbook, called "Everything on Facebook Ads Campaigns" - a complete handbook that covers everything brands should know about Facebook advertising.
2. Types of Instagram Ads
What are Instagram Ads?
Instagram ads can be posts or Stories that a business pays to promote. They can look just like regular Instagram posts, but you can identify them by the "Sponsored" tag. They can also include a call-to-action button to drive more traffic or conversions.
1. Stories Ads
Just like a usual Story, Instagram Stories Ads appear between users' Stories.
Brands can play with all Instagram Stories features, and add some unique elements like video effects, emojis, face filters, text, or music to create fun and creative promotions.
Make sure you add a call-to-action button with each Instagram Story Ad because it will make people take action after seeing your stories.
Here is an example.
2. Photo Ads
Instagram Photo Ads are the most common type of ads on Instagram since we talk about a photo-sharing app.
Today, brands are using photos to promote products, services, brands, events, etc.
Instagram is a lot about visuals, so make sure your photo ads are unique visuals that show your product, service, or whatever you want to promote.
3. Video Ads
Video ads on Instagram can be from 30 seconds up to one minute long, giving you a chance to present users a more substantial look at what your brand or products are about.
4. Carousel Ads
These types of Instagram ads allow brands to use up to 10 images or videos, promoting the same product. This will keep the audience engaged in the same post for a longer time.
ANNA CORI, a fashion brand, is using Instagram Carousel Ads to promote its new bag collection.
Our Instagram Carousel Study Research shows that when using all 10 carousel slides, the average engagement rate goes over 2%, so brands should take advantage of this option.
5. Explore Ads
More than half of Instagram users access Explore every day - that place where you can discover new content and new accounts.
Note! You will not see Explore Ads in the Explore place on Instagram, but you will see those ads after you click on a photo or video from Explore.
Here's an example: after I clicked the video with the cat from the Explore section, I received sponsored video posts.
6. Shopping Ads
Instagram shopping ads will help you increase your brand awareness, link clicks, conversions, and post engagement.
Instagram Shopping ads take shoppers directly to a product page within the Instagram app, and they can purchase directly from the app.
Before you start creating ads for your brand, start by reviewing your social media marketing strategy. Ask yourself what your business goals are, and then, after you answer this question, you can begin with your Instagram ads campaign.
Remember! It is essential to add a call-to-action for each of your Instagram ads. Here are some suggestions you can try:
- Apply Now
- Book Now
- Contact us
- Download
- Install Now
- Learn More
- Listen Now
- Order Now
- Request Demo
- See Menu
- Send Message
- Shop Now
- Sign Up
- Subscribe
These are the Facebook and Instagram ads you can choose from. But before starting your ad, you must follow two main steps: define your goals and determine your objectives.
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Define your campaing goals
The first important step is to give careful attention to your Facebook and Instagram ad campaign goals.
Why is this step necessary?
Because determining your ad's purpose will help you decide on your message, audience, and call to action.
Maybe you’d like to grow your brand awareness or increase sales. Or you want to drive traffic to your website, promote a specific product or feature, increase sales, or encourage book downloads.
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Choose your campaign objectives
The second important step before creating a Facebook and Instagram ad is to choose your campaign objectives.
You'll come across a list of campaign objectives to select from in your Ads Manager, and the list includes objectives such as traffic, brand awareness, reach, engagement, conversions and more.
Recently we launched a study about Facebook Ads, and according to that data, conversions are the main campaign objective for almost 27% of ads.
If you want to discover more about Facebook Ads, you can download our complete study from here.
Final thoughts
Your turn now!
What type of Ad is perfect for your brand?
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