Strike Overview
- Have you ever pondered the secrets behind Instagram advertising formats that seamlessly engage audiences without feeling intrusive?
- With Click-focused campaigns having an average click-through rate (CTR) of 0.31% to 3.01%, standing out on Instagram has become increasingly challenging.
- Crafting impactful Instagram ads extends beyond compelling visuals; it involves selecting the optimal format that aligns with your marketing objectives.
- In the next step of our Instagram guides, we’ll explore the available Instagram advertising formats, offering advertisers the expertise crucial for achieving campaign excellence.
Jump to Section
This post was updated in January 2025 to provide you with the latest information.
2025 Instagram Advertising Formats To Integrate Into Your Strategy
Formulating an effective Instagram ad hinges on its ability to engage audiences and align with your brand’s narrative. Should you opt for Reels, static images, or perhaps Collection or Shopping ads? Many businesses grapple with this decision, unaware of the diverse Instagram ad formats you can choose from.
The reality is, each ad format brings its own set of strengths to the table. While a static image ad may excel in launching a new product, a compelling video ad can better convey your brand’s story. By understanding the full spectrum of Instagram ad formats, you can tailor your message to resonate with the right audience and achieve the desired results.
How Many Types Of Ad Formats Does Instagram Offer
Instagram sets itself apart from platforms like Facebook and Twitter with its emphasis on captivating visuals that immediately grab users’ attention. From striking photos to engaging videos, visual content plays a pivotal role in connecting with audiences and conveying brand messages on Instagram.
Given the platform’s visual-centric nature, understanding how to leverage creative visuals effectively is essential for successful advertising on Instagram. Let’s explore the various ad formats available:
Instagram Explore Ads
- Ads that appear on the Explore page of Instagram, where users go to browse content that is tailored to their interests based on their past behavior and interactions on the platform.
- Positioned within the “similar posts” section, Explore Ads engage users who are actively exploring relevant content.
Instagram Feed Ads
- This ad format appears seamlessly within users’ main feed, alongside organic posts from accounts they follow.
- This type of Instagram ad is designed to blend in with the organic content and can take various forms, such as image posts, carousel ads, and video ads.
Profile Feed Ads
- Allows ads to be displayed within a user’s profile feed as they scroll through the content. These ad formats are specifically shown in the vertical scrolling experience activated when someone taps on a thumbnail on a user’s profile, rather than in the profile grid itself.
- The ads are designed to blend in with the organic content in a user’s profile feed and offer a new way for advertisers to reach audiences in a more personalized and engaging manner.
Reels Ads on Instagram
- These ads appear between organic Reels on Instagram, presenting full-screen vertical videos.
- With a maximum length of 15 minutes, Reels ads mimic the format of Instagram Stories ads, offering businesses an opportunity to showcase their brand in short-form videos.
Further Reading
Creative Safe Zone Guides for Reels, Shorts, and TikTok
As short-form video continues to dominate, brands need to quickly adapt their content. Since videos are displayed in varying layouts, you must ensure your CTAs remain visible and unobstructed by platform interface elements.
Shopping Ads
- Note: As of February 6, 2023, the Instagram Shop tab is no longer available on the app shortcuts.
- Instagram Shopping Ads allow eCommerce brands to showcase their products directly within the app.
- Tagged with product information such as price and description, these ads simplify the purchasing process for users without redirecting them to external websites.
Instagram Stories Ads
- Vertical, full-screen ads that appear between users’ Stories on the Instagram app.
- Unlike organic Instagram Stories, which disappear after 24 hours, Instagram Story ads can be displayed throughout the campaign duration, reaching audiences at the frequency selected via Meta Ads Manager.
How Do These Different Ad Formats Appear On The Instagram App
Let’s embark on a visual journey to better understand how these Instagram advertising formats are integrated into the user experience. To do so, we need to look at each ad format and how it appears within the user interface, providing insights into its placements.
Image Ads
Video Ads
Carousel Ads
Collection Ads
Which Types of Instagram Ads Suit Your Brand’s Objectives
Now that you’ve explored the range of Instagram advertising formats available for your advertising campaigns, it’s essential to align your choices with your brand’s specific objectives. Selecting the right ad formats depends on your advertising goals and the message you want to convey to your audience.
Let’s see how each ad format can complement your brand’s objectives:
| Campaign Objective | Ideal Ad Formats & Placements | Advantages | Target Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awareness | Feed Ads (image, video) Profile Feed Ads (image, video) | Captures attention with visuals. Introduces brand identity and values. Reaches a broad audience actively discovering new content. | Audiences interested in topics relevant to your brand. |
| Traffic | Explore Ads (image, video) Stories Ads (image, video) Reels Ads (video) | Drives website visits or app downloads with clear CTAs. Briefly showcases website/app value proposition. Highlights different features or benefits in a swipe-through format. | Instagram users interested in the problem your website/app solves; users actively browsing for relevant solutions. |
| Engagement | Feed Ads (carousel) Reels Ads (video) | Encourages reactions with interactive or entertaining video content. Tells a compelling story or asks a question to spark discussion. | Users actively scrolling through feeds and stories; people interested in topics related to your brand or niche. |
| Leads | Explore Ads (carousel, collection) Stories Ads (image, video) Reels Ads (video) | Briefly explains an offer and uses CTAs for contact details. Highlights offer details with a lead gen form included or through a landing page link. | Viewers actively seeking solutions or resources; people interested in your offer and willing to share contact information. |
| App Promotion | Feed Ads (video) Stories Ads (video) Reels Ads (video) | Drives app installs with clear CTAs. Utilize sponsored content and partnership ads with content creators and UGC to promote app features. Highlights diverse app functionalities. | Instagram audiences actively browsing for apps that address their needs. |
| Sales | Explore Ads (carousel, collection) Reels Ads (video, collection) | Showcases high-quality product images and clear purchase CTAs. Demonstrates product features and benefits in action. Creates a buying journey narrative or showcases product variations. | Users actively considering product purchases; those interested in the category or niche your product falls under. |
Questions from Instagram Media Buyers
When running campaigns with multiple ad formats across various placements, how can I analyze which formats are more effective?
- Consider tracking key metrics such as click-through rate, conversion rate, impressions, engagement rates, and conversion rates aligned with your campaign objectives.
- Utilize Meta Ads Manager to closely monitor these metrics and gain insights into audience resonance and desired actions.
- Depending on your campaign objectives, focus on cost metrics like cost-per-mille (CPM) for reach-focused campaigns and cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-acquisition (CPA) for lead generation campaigns.
- Compare and analyze these metrics to identify the top-performing Instagram advertising formats and allocate your budget accordingly. For instance, if your Reels and Stories ads are driving higher leads for your campaign, consider manually removing other placements to allow your ad set to concentrate on these formats.
- Alternatively, leveraging Advantage+ placements enables Meta’s AI to allocate your ad set’s budget across multiple placements, prioritizing those likely to yield the best results.
Are there any general trends in terms of which ad formats tend to be more expensive on Instagram?
- Here are the average cost benchmarks for Instagram ads based on 2023 Strike Social data:
- As for the specific ad formats, here are the 2023 end-of-year benchmarks:
- Generally, Stories and Reels ad placements, known for their immersive and engaging nature, can be more costly than Feed Ads. However, actual costs may vary depending on factors such as audience targeting and location.
Navigating Your Choices Across the Different Instagram Ad Formats
After exploring this blog, you’ve likely gained a foundational understanding of Instagram advertising, but there’s still much more to uncover. This guide serves as a crucial resource for media buyers seeking to enhance their expertise before launching campaigns.
Remember, mastering Instagram advertising formats requires ongoing learning and refinement. Keep this guide accessible and stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter for additional insights and resources to support your media buying journey.
Next, explore our guide on Instagram ad specs for optimizing your campaigns.
