With its constantly growing targeting choices, enhanced machine learning enhancements, and unwavering dedication to meeting advertiser requirements, Facebook has cemented its position as an advertising powerhouse.

However, this rapid progress brings about swift transformations. Keeping abreast of every update becomes increasingly demanding as new ad formats and creative possibilities emerge. Since Facebook introduced advertising in 2014, image dimensions, placements, and creative styles have undergone substantial shifts. That’s where I come in. This comprehensive guide to Facebook ad creatives will navigate you through your creative choices, covering Facebook ad sizes, specifications, and strategic approaches.

Facebook ad dimensions, specifications, and strategies

Over the past few years, Facebook has rolled out numerous placements for advertisers. While each has its quirks, there are standard image and video sizes that should minimize the need for creating multiple creative variations. I will break down each placement, explaining the specifications and strategies for your advertising, including their pros and cons. Pro tip: Even though many placements display smaller than the main feed placements, Facebook will resize larger images appropriately. Therefore, it’s best to stick with the larger format. Let’s dive in.

Facebook static single image ad dimensions

Rectangle: 1200 x 628

Advantages: The 1200 x 628 pixel static image ad has long been the standard on Facebook. While fairly interchangeable across placements, it has recently become secondary for many advertisers. This is because Facebook now favors the 1080 x 1080 square image, particularly for Facebook and Instagram placements. Why? Because it commands more screen space on mobile devices. However, the 1200 x 628 still converts well, indicating that the lack of vertical space isn’t a major performance hindrance. Disadvantages: It occupies less vertical space in mobile placements. The 1200 x 628 dimensions were initially designed for the desktop News Feed, allowing easy scaling to smaller placements like the desktop right column and mobile News Feeds. Available Placements:

• Facebook News Feed
• Facebook Instant Articles
• Facebook In-Stream Videos
• Facebook Marketplace
• Facebook Stories
• Instagram Feed
• Instagram Stories Square: 1080 x 1080 pixels Advantages: As mentioned, Facebook encourages advertisers to adopt these larger square ads, mainly driven by the surge in Instagram usage and the dominance of mobile users on both platforms. This gives advertisers more ad real estate for impact. An added advantage is the seamless transition to Instagram without appearing awkward.

Disadvantages: It’s uncertain whether square ads inherently outperform on Facebook placements. More data and time are needed for a definitive answer. Available Placements:

• Facebook News Feed
• Facebook Instant Articles
• Facebook In-Stream Videos
• Facebook Marketplace
• Facebook Stories
• Instagram Feed
• Instagram Stories **Stories Sizes: Remember that you can tailor image sizes specifically for stories at 1080 x 1920 pixels. The larger square image further benefits from filling more of this space.

Facebook single video ad specifications

Video sizes are straightforward. While Facebook permits longer durations, I advise against promoting videos exceeding one minute. Naturally, the content and objective matter, but aiming for high full-view rates is crucial. Here are the specifications:

• Format: .MOV or .MP4
• Aspect Ratio: 16:9
• Resolution: 720p minimum
• File Size: 2.3 GB maximum
• Length: 120 minutes (Facebook) or 60 seconds (Instagram)
• Thumbnail Image: 1,200 x 675 pixels, 16.9 ratio
• Caption: 2,200 characters maximum

Many advertisers envision video ads revolutionizing their results. However, videos demand more time and preparation for comparable or better impact. While they offer more information, brevity can be more effective in our age of shrinking attention spans. This, however, changes if your goal is user engagement. The point is, the effort invested in creative might not be worthwhile for budget-constrained advertisers. Advantages: Videos are impactful for branding and lead generation. Multiple variations offer valuable insights into target audiences. Disadvantages: Creating compelling, concise, and on-brand videos that yield desired results beyond clicks and engagement can challenge many, especially smaller advertisers. Video production demands effort, particularly with limited design support. Look for tools if that’s a constraint. Remember, video format alone doesn’t guarantee outperformance over static or carousel creatives. Gifs: An alternative to producing 15-60 second videos is creating gifs. Saved in .MP4 format, gifs can be uploaded like videos. Like static images, they convey information concisely without relying on information-heavy long-form creative. Gifs work well for B2B lead generation, especially for marketing physical products.

Facebook carousel image ad dimensions

Size: 600 x 600 pixels

Advantages: Carousel ads benefit advertisers aiming to create a narrative with multiple images and copy or showcase products or promotions within a single ad. Ecommerce advertisers find dynamic catalog ads via carousels highly effective. Disadvantages: Results with carousel ads can be inconsistent, largely depending on your product, service, or promotion. Single static images capture attention with one compelling piece. Carousels offer more information and visuals, but each element needs to be compelling enough for browsing and clicks. When choosing between static and carousel ads, consider if users need more information at the ad level or if it’s better conveyed on a landing page or lead form.

Facebook carousel video ad specifications

The specifications here differ:

• Resolution:1080 x 1080
• Number of cards: 2-10
• File type: .MP4 and .MOV
• File size: 4GB
• Length: <240 minutes

Advantages: They combine informative and engaging video content with the carousel format. This blend is great for highlighting specific features with relevant ad copy. Disadvantages: The main drawback, as with all Facebook video ads, is the time investment for video creation.

Facebook slideshow ad specifications

Slideshow ads create looping video ads from up to 10 images. Facebook allows their use with any objective except Product Catalog Promotion.

Specs:

• Image Size: 1,280 x 720 pixels
• Ratio: 16:9, 1:1 or 2:3
• Format: .MOV or .MP4 Advantages: Slideshows are a great alternative to carousels for showcasing products or features within a single ad. They essentially function as gifs easily assembled from existing static images. Disadvantages: There aren’t any major drawbacks here.

Facebook instant experience ad specifications

Instant experience ads (formerly canvas ads) offer a full-screen, mobile-optimized experience directly from the ad. You can utilize up to 20 images or videos per ad.

Specs:

• Image size: 1080px W x 1920px H
• Image file: .PNG or .JPG
• Video size:720p
• Video file: .MP4 or .MOV Advantages: Designed for mobile optimization, the video/image format engages mobile viewers. For lead generation, the instant form facilitates in-app conversions, similar to Facebook lead ads. Disadvantages: A drawback for e-commerce advertisers is the lack of in-app purchase support despite the engaging format.

The Facebook ad creative process

With a grasp of Facebook ad sizes, specs, and their pros and cons, it’s tempting to jump right in. However, the most crucial factor in choosing creative ad formats is your desired outcome. While seemingly obvious, as Facebook offers increasingly sophisticated creative options, focusing on your goal as a marketer is paramount. A key consideration when selecting a format is the marketing funnel stage your ad targets. High funnel: Examples include branding, link clicks, promoted content, engagement, and low-friction lead generation (e.g., blog subscriptions). High-funnel ads offer creative freedom, focusing on grabbing attention and driving awareness or traffic to your website or blog. Catchy headlines and engaging video content are key. While you can use strong emotions, it’s not always necessary. Generating intrigue or quick value to create memorability or spark curiosity is sufficient. Mid funnel: This stage encompasses moderate lead generation, direct response, event sign-ups, and promotions focused on database growth. These could include ebook downloads, special offers, or registrations. They generally require more persuasion for users to overcome submitting their information. Highlighting the value proposition is crucial. A 60-second video wouldn’t be suitable for a simple ebook offer. Instead, a single, attention-grabbing static image paired with compelling ad copy to encourage information submission for receiving value would be more effective.

Low funnel: This stage involves actions directly tied to sales, like demo requests or direct purchases. Low-funnel creatives are tricky due to the unique sales processes of businesses and industries. However, a constant is the need for directness in conveying value. These ads carry the highest risk and reward. Emotionally driven creatives are crucial here, leveraging either negative emotions like anxiety or positive ones like excitement. Experimenting with both is recommended to understand audience responses. While long-form videos can be effective, shorter, impactful formats such as short videos, gifs, slideshows, and images, often coupled with compelling copy, tend to perform better for remarketing audiences.

Regardless of your Facebook funnel objective, continuous creative testing is vital. For each promotion, I recommend crafting four variations. This could be four distinct images, videos, or even copy variations. Understanding the interplay of copy and creatives is crucial for campaign optimization. You might find that a previously underperforming creative excels with different ad copy. As always, prioritize continuous testing and maintain focus on your marketing objectives.