Marketers' guide to Meta ad specs

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is still the most popular social media platform in the market. Its high engagement and market penetration – A total of 262 million active daily meta-users in the US and Canada. Globally, 2.9 billion people use Meta Monthly daily, and 86% of marketers choose to run their ads on the platform.

It is essential to know how Meta advertising works to achieve superior results in your market efforts in such a competitive scenario. One important topic to learn about is Meta ad sizes.

We know you are busy and don’t have the hours necessary to pour over such details. But don’t worry: Strike Social’s got you covered.

Meta ad sizes

Meta ad dimensions and specification vary according to the ad type and placement. When you advertise on Meta, these are the possible ad placements within the platform: Feeds, Stories, Facebook In-Stream Videos, Facebook Search Results, Messenger Sponsored Messages, Facebook Instant Articles, and Apps.

You can also use Meta Instant Experience, mobile interstitial ads (ads that take up your phone’s entire screen, like when you are playing a game), and mobile native ads (an ad that mimics the form of Meta content).

Image credit: Facebook

To learn about Meta ad sizes, first find the Meta ad you will use in the list below. Then, find the specs you need for your media.

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A complete list of Meta ad sizes

Meta Feed Ads

These are ads display a single image and a call-to-action that leads users to a new landing page determined by the advertiser. Facebook News Feed is the constantly updating list of status updates, photos, videos, and more in the middle of the Facebook home page. The News Feed includes updates and posts from friends, Pages, Groups, and advertisers.

Image credit: Meta

Image Meta Ad Feed Specifications:

Resolution: 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels
Image ratio: 1.91:1
Text: 125 characters
Headline: 40 characters
Link description: 30 characters
File size should not exceed 30MB
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG

Video Meta Ad Feed Specifications:

Resolution: 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels
Video settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
Video caption and sounds are optional but recommended
Suggested ratio: 1:1 (for desktop or mobile) or 4:5 (mobile only)
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40, and description character length should be 30.
File size should not exceed 4 GB
Video duration should not exceed 240 minutes and a minimum of 1-second
Image upload supported file: MP4, MOV or GIF

Meta Right Column Ads

This image ad is exclusive to the desktop device. Meta Right Column (Facebook Right Column) ads are located at the right side of News Feed but can sometimes place on other locations within the platform. Right Column Ads work best with eye-catching images. As text may appear small when used in this type of Meta ad.

Image credit: Meta

Image Meta Ad Right Column Specifications:

Resolution: 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels
Image ratio: 1:1
Headline: 40 characters
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
Technical requirements to consider: 254 pixels on width and 133 pixels on height

Meta Instant Articles Ads

Meta’s solution for faster loading time on advertisers’ interactive content, Meta developed their native publishing platform. Allowing Meta audiences to read the article without leaving the app. Advertisers can place ads within Instant Articles for brand discovery and consumer engagement.

Image credit: Meta

Image Meta Instant Articles Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels
Image ratio: 1.91:1 and 1:1
Suggested character length should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40 and description character length should be 30.
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB

Video Meta Instant Articles Ad Specifications:

Resolution: 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels, ratio 16:9
Video settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
Video caption not supported and sounds are optional
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40.
File size should not exceed 4 GB
Height and width should be above 120 pixels by 120 pixels
Image upload supported file: MP4, MOV or GIF

Meta In-Stream Video Ads

In-stream video ads for images are placed anywhere on the video timeline or live stream on Facebook Watch. Meta audiences can see the image ads only after the 60-second mark of the video content. Most marketers consider this as an ad break. It is advisable to use an eye-catching image and avoid including text inside the creative.

Image credit: Meta

Image Meta In-Stream Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels
Image ratio: 1.91:1 and 1:1
Recommend resolution should be higher than 600 pixels by 600 pixels
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40 and description character length should be 30.
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB

Video Meta In-Stream Ad Specifications:

Resolution: 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels, ratio 16:9 or 1:1
Video settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
Video caption and sounds are optional and strongly recommended
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40. File size should not exceed 4 GB
Image upload supported file: MP4, MOV or GIF
Video duration should not exceed 10 minutes and a minimum of 5 seconds
Reminder to avoid edit lists or special boxes in file containers

Meta Marketplace Ads

Meta (Facebook) Marketplace is a section for users to buy and sell items similar to other eCommerce platforms. Personalized ads for Marketplace can help the success of the campaign. Advertisers should take advantage of the opportunity when using image marketplace ads. Audiences with the intent to purchase are typically browsing this section.

Image credit: Meta

Image Meta Marketplace Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40 and description character length should be 30
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB

Video Meta Marketplace Ad Specifications:

Resolution: 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels, ratio 1:1
Video settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
Video caption not supported, sounds are optional and recommended
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40 and description character length should be 30.
File size should not exceed 4 GB
Image upload supported file: MP4, MOV or GIF
Video duration should not exceed 241 minutes and a minimum of 1-second
Reminder to avoid edit lists or special boxes in file containers

Meta Stories Ads

Meta (Facebook) Stories allow brands to share an image or video instantly. With consistency, Meta Stories help drive organic growth to improve user engagement and user retention rates. Contents on stories are easily digestible by viewers allowing advertisers to scale their ad campaigns to as many users.

Image credit: Meta

Image Meta Stories Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 9:16 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
To avoid blockage of key elements such as logo, leave 14% (250 pixels) of top and bottom area of ad image.

Video Meta Stories Ad Specifications:

Resolution: 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels, ratio 9:16
Video settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
Video caption and sounds are optional and recommended
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40.
File size should not exceed 4 GB
Image upload supported file: MP4, MOV or GIF
Video duration should not exceed 2 minutes and a minimum of 1 second
To avoid blockage of key elements such as logo, leave 14% (250 pixels) of top and bottom area of ad image.
Reminder to avoid edit lists or special boxes in file containers

Image Ads – Meta Search Results

Image ads on Meta (Facebook) search results can be used for campaigns optimized for conversions. Like marketplaces, intent-to-buy audiences use the search results feature to find the best product or service available. Search Results ad is an opportunity for advertisers to reach out to users and interact with them in decision-making.

Image credit: Meta

Image Meta Search Results Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1.91:1 to 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40 and description character length should be 30.
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB

Video Meta Search Results Ad Specifications:

Resolution: 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels, ratio 1:1
Video settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
Video caption and sounds are optional and recommended
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40, and description character length should be 30
File size should not exceed 4 GB
Image upload supported file: MP4, MOV or GIF
Video duration should not exceed 241 minutes and a minimum of 1-second
Reminder to avoid edit lists or special boxes in file containers
Height and width should be above 120 pixels by 120 pixels

Carousel Ads – Meta Feed

Meta (Facebook) Carousel ads allow you to display from two to 10 images that will cycle through like a carousel.

Image credit: Facebook

Carousel Meta Feed Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40 and description character length should be 20
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
For video creative, supported file type: MP4, MOV, or GIF
Video file size should not exceed 4GB
Video duration should not exceed 240 minutes and a minimum of 1-second
Total number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10

Carousel Meta Right Column Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40
Landing page is required
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
For video creative, supported file type: MP4, MOV, or GIF
Video file size should not exceed 4GB
Video duration should not exceed 240 minutes and a minimum of 1-second
Total number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10
Due to small creative size, it is not recommended to add text

Image credit: Facebook

Carousel Meta Instant Articles Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40 and description character length should be 20
Landing page is required
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
For video creative, supported file type: MP4, MOV, or GIF
Video file size should not exceed 4GB
Video duration should not exceed 240 minutes and a minimum of 1-second
Total number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10

Image credit: Facebook

Carousel Meta In-Stream Video Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40 and description character length should be 20
Landing page is required
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
For video creative, supported file type: MP4, MOV, or GIF
Video file size should not exceed 4GB
Video duration should not exceed 240 minutes and a minimum of 1-second
Total number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10

Image credit: Facebook

Carousel Meta Marketplace ads specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40 and description character length should be 20
Landing page is required
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
For video creative, supported file type: MP4, MOV, or GIF
Video file size should not exceed 4GB
Video duration should not exceed 240 minutes and a minimum of 1-second
Total number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10

Image credit: Facebook

Carousel Meta Stories Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
Total number of Carousel Cards: 3
To avoid blockage of key elements such as logo, leave 14% (250 pixels) of top and bottom area of ad image.
Video is not supported on Carousel ads Meta (Facebook) Stories

Image credit: Facebook

Carousel Meta Search Results Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
Total number of Carousel Cards: 3
To avoid blockage of key elements such as logo, leave 14% (250 pixels) of top and bottom area of ad image.

Meta Instant Experiences Ads

These ads are immersive for businesses to showcase their stories and products on mobile. Meta (Facebook) Instant Experience ads create the full experience with a full-screen, post-click engagement, and swiping through different types of creatives.

Image credit: Facebook

Image Meta Instant Experiences Ad Specifications:

Advertisers may upload up to 20 images
Full width 1080 px, full-height 1920 px
This type of ad unit allows two sizings: “Fit-to-width” and “Fit-to-height”
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG

Video Meta Instant Experiences Ad Specifications:

Resolution: must be highest than 720 pixels
Video caption are not recommended within Instant Experiences videos
Image upload supported file: MP4 or MOV
Combined video duration should not exceed 2 minutes

Tilt-To-Pan Meta Instant Experiences Ad Specifications:

Optimal video width is 3240 pixels
Optimal video height is 1920 pixels
CTA or Call to action button are not automatically added. Create a text in the image or video when creating a CTA.

Meta Collection Ads

The collections ad format allows businesses to drive mobile shopping more visually. It provides a more immersive experience for users and, consequently, higher conversion rates and brand lift.

Image credit: Facebook

Collection Meta Feed Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40Landing page is required
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
For video creative, supported file type: MP4, MOV, or GIF
Video file size should not exceed 4GB

Image credit: Facebook

Collection Meta In-Stream Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1.91:1 to 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40
Landing page is required
Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
For video creative, supported file type: MP4, MOV, or GIF
Video file size should not exceed 4GB
An Instant Experience is required for this ad unit
Creative’s width and height should be above 500 pixels

Meta Messenger Ads

Image credit: Facebook

Facebook Messenger lets you place multiple ad types in the Messenger Inbox ranging from photo and video to carousel ads.

Image Meta Messenger Ad Specifications:

Recommended resolution should be higher than 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels with 1.91:1 to 1:1 ratio
Suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 125 characters to avoid text truncation
Suggested headline character length should be 40Image upload supported file: JPG or PNG
File size should not exceed 30MB
Recommended width should be higher than 254 pixels
Recommended length should be higher than 133 pixels

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