Facebook Ads Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide for Businesses

By 2025, Facebook’s advertising reach in the U.S. is projected to surpass 250 million users, climbing to over 260 million by 2028. Far from being just a social networking site for sharing updates and connecting with loved ones, Facebook has become a vital platform for businesses, with 52.8% of its users actively following or researching brands and products on the platform.

Whether you’re a business just starting with Facebook ads or looking for a clear refresher to sharpen your strategy, this guide by Strike Social will walk you through everything you need to know to create, launch, and manage effective campaigns.

What Are Facebook Ads?

Facebook ads are a powerful tool for businesses to engage with their target audience directly on Facebook and across the Meta ecosystem. These ads allow advertisers to connect with users through various platforms, including Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, all under the Meta advertising network.

Ad Specs, Formats, and Safe Zones for Facebook Ads

Because there are plenty of ways to get audience reach and engagement through Facebook ads, we’ll give a quick rundown of the different advertising formats available:

• Single image ads: Eye-catching static visuals designed to highlight promotions, brand offers, or deals in a simple and impactful way.
• Video ads: Dynamic content that captures attention through high-quality videos, suitable for feed, Stories, or Reels placements.
• Carousel ads: A swipeable series of images or videos displayed as individual ‘carousel’ cards. Each card within a Facebook carousel ad is linked to a specific product or service page.
• Collection ads: Interactive ads powered by Meta’s Instant Experience, allowing users to explore multiple products directly within the ad.

Facebook Ad Creative Guidelines

To ensure your ad creatives display perfectly across placements, it’s essential to follow Facebook’s ad size requirements. Ad formats are available in 1:1 (square), 9:16 (vertical), and 16:9 (horizontal) ratios, each designed to optimize visibility and engagement. 

Pay attention to the Facebook ad specifications so your ads fit seamlessly on your audience’s devices without being obscured by UI elements.

Another key consideration when designing your Facebook ad is the “safe zone.” Keeping essential elements like calls-to-action (CTAs) and key messages within this area ensures they remain fully visible to your audience.

---

Further Reading

Facebook Reels Safe Zone Guide

With short-form video content basically taking over social media advertising, you must always make sure your critical messaging is within the safe zone. See the Meta Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok safe zone guide to help you post your ads without worrying about your profile picture, ad copy, or even the like and share buttons covering it up. 

---

Additionally, text limitations for Facebook ads vary depending on the format and placement. Make sure your ad copy aligns with these requirements:

Available Campaign Objectives for Facebook Advertising

Facebook ads offer advertisers flexibility, allowing businesses to target audiences at every stage of the customer journey—from awareness to conversions. This makes them a powerful tool, especially during peak advertising seasons like Mother’s Day, the 4th of July, or Q4 holidays.

For example, Q4 holiday ad trends suggest launching awareness campaigns as early as September, followed by post-engagement campaigns through October to December, to maximize results during the busiest shopping season.

To make the most of your Facebook ad strategy, here are the key campaign objectives available:

Advantage+ Features from Meta Ads Manager

Meta’s Advantage+ suite was introduced as part of Facebook’s effort to leverage AI technology and enhance the advertiser experience. Initially launched for Shopping campaigns to improve the discovery of e-commerce ads and boost sales, it has since expanded to offer more solutions for Facebook advertisers:

Advantage+ Audience: This feature extends your audience targeting beyond the parameters you initially set, using Meta’s AI to discover and engage with new, highly relevant users.

Advantage+ Placements: For targeted campaigns, manual placements allow precise control over where your ads appear. As for broader reach, Meta Advantage+ Placements automatically optimizes your ads to appear in the most engaging placements across the Facebook app and the Meta Audience Network.

When you run Facebook ads, your Facebook video ads and image ads can appear selectively or across all of the following placements, depending on which placements work best:

Advantage+ Creative: At the ad level, Advantage+ offers tools to enhance creative assets, ensuring they resonate with audiences. These include:

• Image templates
• Image brightness and contrast
• Music
• 3D animation
• Image expansion
• Image animation

Advantage+ App Campaigns: Designed for app install campaigns, this feature streamlines ad delivery by minimizing inputs for Facebook targeting, campaign creation, and management.

Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns: The pioneering feature of the Advantage+ suite, this tool is tailored for Facebook Shops and e-commerce businesses. Advertisers have reported a 17% decrease in CPA (cost per action) and a 32% increase in ROAS (return on ad spend), proving its effectiveness as an AI solution for advertisers.

Preparing for Your Facebook Ad Campaign

Now that you’re familiar with the fundamentals of Facebook advertising, it’s time to focus on the essential preparations for a successful campaign. While the Meta Business Suite and Facebook’s AI tools simplify the process, understanding the finer details is key to maximizing ad performance.

Proper preparation ensures that your campaigns are effective and aligned with your business goals. Let’s examine the key steps before launching your Facebook advertising campaigns.

Audience Insights and Targeting

As of early 2024, Facebook has over 190 million users in the U.S., and this number is expected to grow by 9% year-over-year through 2025. But with such a large audience, it’s crucial not to target everyone. 

Wasted Facebook ad budget is a real risk if you don’t properly define and target your audience. Know the tools within Facebook Ads Manager to help you identify and target the right people.

Know your current audience with Audience Insights

Rather than relying on guesswork, start by using Facebook Audience Insights to gather data on your current audience. Here are the three key sections to explore on the Audience Insights page:

• Demographics: This section reveals key details such as age, gender, and location of your current audience. For example, if your content resonates with users primarily in Chicago, and you’re a local retail brand, you’ll want to focus on targeting Chicago and surrounding areas for better ad relevance.

• Trends: This tab helps identify organic engagement patterns. You can see when engagement spikes, such as during a specific promotional period, such as the Super Bowl. If you notice a seasonal uptick in Q1, for example, you might adjust your strategy by ramping up your budget from Q2 to Q4 for more impactful campaigns.

• Potential audience: This section shows broader audience segments who have not yet engaged with your brand but could be a good fit for your ads. If you’re currently reaching the 35-44 age group but want to expand to younger audiences like 18-24-year-olds, the potential audience data will help you determine whether this demographic is worth targeting. While not an exact prediction of success, it provides valuable insights to help guide your targeting decisions.

Reach previously engaged audiences with Retargeting tools

One of the strengths of social media advertising is the ability to retarget audiences who have already interacted with your brand. With the Facebook retargeting feature, you can reach these users based on specific actions they’ve taken across various platforms:

• Visitors to your website or specific landing pages
• Users who added items to their cart but didn’t complete the purchase
• Engagement with your Facebook page content
• Existing customer database (uploaded as a file)
• Lookalike audiences: New users who share similar characteristics to your existing customer base

Facebook Cost and Bidding Optimization

Facebook advertising costs can escalate quickly if not carefully managed. While Advantage+ provides a convenient, automated solution, relying exclusively on Meta’s technology for auction bids may not always yield the most effective outcomes.

Here’s how to better optimize your bidding strategy:

Campaign budget optimization (CBO) vs. manual bid adjustments

With Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO), Meta’s AI automatically allocates your campaign budget across different ad sets based on real-time performance.

How to calculate the cost of Facebook ads?

Facebook ads cost can vary based on your campaign goals, and understanding how to measure these costs is essential for optimizing efficiency. Here are some of the core Facebook cost metrics and how to compute them: 

---

Further Reading

Inaccurate Facebook ROAS? Here’s What You Should Look For

To fix discrepancies in your Facebook ad ROAS, start by uncovering the underlying issue. Understanding the cause will help you apply the right solutions and regain dependable ROAS tracking.

---

Cost and Performance Benchmarks for Facebook Ads

It’s important that before you fully curate your media plan for your 2025 Facebook campaign, you have a set of benchmarks against which to measure your performance. Understanding industry standards and comparing them to what your ad agency can deliver ensures you maximize your ad spend efficiently.

We analyzed our US campaigns using Strike Social’s in-house proprietary tool, Campaign Lab, to give you the latest cost and performance benchmarks for Facebook ads. See the varying trends based on each campaign objective from our Facebook campaigns:

While these benchmarks represent typical Facebook performance year-round, be mindful of seasonal spikes—particularly during Q4 holidays or U.S. election years, when political ad spending can drive up auction prices. To avoid these price surges, we recommend launching awareness campaigns earlier, especially during peak advertising periods.

Download the Strike Social Facebook Benchmark Report

Gain valuable takeaways from last year’s Facebook advertising trends, highlighting the key takeaways that shaped industry benchmarks. Download the Strike Social data and trends report to enhance your Facebook ad campaigns, helping you achieve your desired results.

Download the report

Maintaining Brand Safety in Facebook Ad Campaigns

One of the biggest risks in Facebook advertising is having your brand associated with harmful or explicit content. This can damage your brand’s reputation and undermine the effectiveness of your ads.

In addition to optimizing ad performance and costs, advertisers must ensure their ads aren’t displayed alongside inappropriate or exploitative content. This is where brand safety on Facebook plays a vital role.

Brand safety and suitability controls

Inventory filter: Facebook’s inventory filter is the first layer of brand safety. Similar to YouTube’s inventory types, it offers three options: Expanded, Moderate, and Limited inventory.

The recommended and default setting is Moderate inventory, which ensures ads only appear in safe content. Expanded inventory, while still filtered to comply with Facebook’s Content Monetization Policies, allows for a broader reach.

Publisher block lists: You can create a block list to exclude specific Facebook and Instagram pages, profiles, and apps from showing your ads. These lists can be uploaded as .csv or .txt files, with a maximum of 10,000 publishers per upload. However, do not overly narrow your list, as excluding too many publishers could limit your ad reach.

Content type exclusions: You can exclude your ads from appearing on non-partnered pages or profiles that have not signed up for Facebook’s monetization program. Your ads will only be shown on content produced by registered, vetted Facebook partners, subject to more stringent oversight. Content type exclusions can apply to live videos, in-stream ads, and Facebook Reels ads.

In addition to these advertiser controls, Facebook also enforces brand safety through its Community Standards and Guidelines, Content Review Teams, and quarterly Community Standards Enforcement reports, another measure the platform takes to maintain a safe advertising environment.

Facebook Campaign Guide from Setup to Publish

All set with the Facebook ads preparation! Here are the steps from start to finish to successfully launch and publish your Facebook campaign:

1. Register your Facebook page as a business account. Then, set up your Business Manager account and Ad Account to proceed.

2. Visit Facebook Ads Manager and login to your account.

3. Click the +Create button to start a new campaign.

4. Choose the appropriate campaign objective that aligns with your goals (e.g., Awareness, Traffic, Conversions), then click Continue.

5. Under the Campaign level setup, configure the following:

• Campaign Name: Use an organized naming convention for easy identification (e.g., [Campaign Duration – Objective – Product], such as “Jan-Dec 2025 – Impressions – Sleepwear”).
• Special Ad Categories (Optional; As applicable)
• Advantage+ Campaign Budget: Toggle this for automated budget management or leave it off for more manual control.
• A/B Test (Optional; As applicable)

6. On the Ad Set level, you can create multiple ad sets under one campaign. Here are the details you need to set up:

• Ad Set Name: Make it easy to identify (e.g., “2-Piece Pajama Sets – Images” if your ad set uses image creatives).
• Performance Goal: Set your desired campaign objective (e.g., clicks, impressions, conversions).
  • Facebook Page and/or Instagram Account: Choose the page or profile that will display your ads.
  • Cost Per Result: Set your auction bid if you have a target CPM or cost benchmark.
  • Frequency Cap (for Awareness campaigns): Control how often your ad is shown to each unique user.

• Dynamic Creative (Optional; As applicable)
• Budget & Schedule:
  • Budget: Select either a daily or lifetime budget for your campaign.
  • Schedule: Set a campaign start and end date.
  • Budget Scheduling: If applicable, adjust budget settings for specific times or dates to boost performance.
• Audience Controls:
  • Locations
  • Age
  • Audience list exclusions
• Advantage+ Audience: Use Meta’s AI to add audience segments based on interests, behaviors, and demographics. Click on Save audience to reuse the same audience segment for other campaigns.
• Placements:
  • Advantage+ Placements: Let Meta decide where to show your ads across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.
  • Manual Placements: If you prefer control, select specific placements like Facebook feed or Messenger.

7. Lastly, under the Ad level, you can now set up the ad creatives. Here are the items to set up:

• Ad Name
• Partnership Ad: Toggle this on if you are partnering with influencers or content creators to use a branded content ad.
• Identity: Verify the Facebook page under which your ad will appear.
• Create Ad: Choose your ad creative. Upload existing content or create a new one, ensuring it meets the recommended Facebook ad sizes.
• Languages (Optional; As applicable)
• Tracking: For ads with landing page redirects, implement UTM tracking via Facebook Events Manager.

8. On the right side of the screen, view a preview of your ad to check that it appears correctly across your selected placements on Facebook and Instagram.

9. Once everything looks good, click Publish to launch your campaign.

The ad review process typically takes up to 24 hours but can be faster. Review common reasons for ad rejection to avoid delays and make sure your campaign goes live without issues.

How a Facebook Ads Agency Can Help Manage and Optimize Your Campaigns

Trust us, setting up and launching the campaign is the easy part. What can be excruciating and require tireless work is monitoring and optimizing your Facebook campaigns as they run. 

Ad spending can inflate, performance can slow down, and audience targeting may need to be refined. These tasks require watchful eyes 24/7, and a Facebook ad agency is just what you might need.

Working with a Meta Certified Company

Strike Social is a Meta Certified Company, a prestigious recognition highlighting our expertise as an AdTech Software with a Service (SWaS) business partner. This certification reflects Meta’s trust in our ability to manage and optimize Facebook ad campaigns effectively. With over a decade of experience, we offer in-depth knowledge of Facebook advertising’s nuances, ensuring we can tackle any challenge that arises.

Our Meta-certified media buyers and planners are trained to execute campaigns with precision, leveraging their expertise to deliver outstanding results for our clients.

Integration with Meta API via Campaign Lab

Campaign Lab is a powerful tool that supports our team’s optimization efforts. Powered by AI, it provides real-time performance insights and optimization alerts, but the expertise of our media buying team remains essential to make the best use of this data.

With Campaign Lab’s alerts, we quickly identify areas for improvement, whether it’s adjusting bids or refining performance. Thanks to 24/7 optimization by the Strike Social team, we can immediately implement these changes so your campaigns achieve the best results at the most cost-effective rates.

Success in Facebook Ad Campaigns

To demonstrate how a Facebook ads agency can drive effective campaign management and optimization, nothing illustrates this better than tangible results. Here’s how our team applied tailored strategies to lower costs and boost engagement:

Your 2025 Facebook Ads Strategies in One Place

Looking for all the essential insights for your 2025 Facebook ad campaign in one place? Strike Social’s blog covers everything from Facebook ads to strategies for other social media platforms. Stay up-to-date with the latest trends, data, and guides on Facebook advertising by subscribing to our newsletter.

Ready to start your 2025 Facebook campaign? Download our Facebook Ad Sizes Guide here to get a head start.

The post Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025 appeared first on Strike Social.

This post was updated in May 2025 to provide you with the latest information.

Display Your Ads Suitably with the Right Facebook Advertising Formats

With so many different Facebook ad formats, deciding which is right for your brand can be tough. You might be tempted to try them all, but each Facebook ad campaign objective has specific formats best suited for it. With this guide, you won’t have to second-guess your choices. Below are the different types of Facebook ad formats you should know to help you explore and utilize them effectively for your campaign objectives:

Selecting the Optimal Facebook Ad Format for Your Campaigns

If you’re familiar with the Instagram advertising formats, you might assume Facebook’s are similar. However, Facebook offers a much wider range of ad formats you may not have noticed while browsing your news feed or Messenger. Let’s take a closer look:

Facebook Feed Ads

• These ads are prominently displayed within the user’s news feed, blending with organic content. They can be presented in various ad formats, including images, videos, carousels, or collection.
• Feed ads are one of the most common ad placements utilized on Facebook.

Facebook In-Stream Video Ads

• Like YouTube in-stream ads, these are 5-15-second video ads that can be played before, during, or after a video is played within the user’s feed.
• These ads can also be showcased during live streams of selected Facebook partner creators.

Facebook Video Feed Ads

• The Video Feed is a distinct section within the Facebook app on mobile that allows users to explore an array of video content (separate from the Reels feed). Akin to the Facebook home feed, ads featured within the Video Feed are integrated alongside organic video posts presented to users.

Facebook Marketplace Ads

• To distinguish them from promoted Marketplace listings, Facebook Marketplace ads are an alternative placement for ads displayed in the Feed when the Marketplace search is pertinent to the product, and the user is a target audience.
• When a user searches for a product in the Facebook Marketplace, a paid ad placement in the Marketplace will resemble a listing but will include a “Sponsored” tag.

Facebook Stories Ads

• While navigating through the Stories of your friends or followed pages, Facebook Stories advertisements will appear in between. These are specifically designed for all Facebook campaign objectives and are intended to direct engaged users to a designated landing page or shopping link provided by the advertiser.

Facebook Search Results Ads

• Similarly to Facebook Marketplace ads, these are displayed within Facebook Search Results and will appear when relevant to the search terms entered by the user. 
• These ads are designed to integrate with the specific search results, assuming a similar tile format as other search results but featuring a distinct “Sponsored” label to differentiate them from other results.

Facebook Reels Ads

• While browsing the Facebook Reels feed, Reels ads will appear alongside Reels posted by your Facebook friends and other content creators. These ads can appear post-loop or immediately after an organic Reel is done playing.
• As with any Reels content on Facebook, audiences can comment on, like, view, share, and/or skip them.

---

Further Reading

How to Set Up Facebook Reels Ads

When advertising on Facebook Reels, it is important to adhere to the technical specifications to ensure that your ads comply with the platform’s requirements and are delivered efficiently to your target audience. Increase the chances of your Reels ads being approved and can deliver content that is visually appealing, engaging, and effective.

---

Facebook Reels Overlay Ads

• Ads can also appear in Facebook Reels as Overlay Ads. These ads show up during the playback of an organic Reel on a user’s device, presenting as clickable banners that, upon interaction, redirect users to a predetermined landing page or link associated with the advertiser.

Facebook Business Explore Ads

• Facebook Business Explore ads are displayed whenever a user engages with an organic post from a business entity and subsequently scrolls to view additional posts from businesses operating within the same category or industry.
• In this view, users are presented with various unsponsored posts and sponsored Facebook ads from businesses similar to the post initially clicked upon.

Facebook Right Column Ads (Desktop Only)

• When your audience scrolls through your Facebook feed on the desktop website, they will see an image ad on the right side of the screen, along with their contacts and, if applicable, any Facebook Pages they manage.

Facebook Groups Feed Ads

• Furthermore, ads can also be displayed within the news feed for Facebook Groups.
• This feature is compatible with video and carousel ads, allowing your Facebook ad campaigns to be presented to groups with relevant demographics, interests, and behaviors following the targeting specifications you selected for your advertising campaigns.

Messenger Stories Ads

• Apart from the Facebook platform itself, another ad placement opportunity exists for brands within Messenger. At present, Messenger Stories advertisements are exclusively accessible for the following campaign objectives:
  • Conversions
  • App installations
  • Traffic
  • Awareness

How Do These Ad Formats Appear on Facebook

To get a better idea of what these different Facebook ad types look like within the Meta advertising network, here are some visual examples:

Image Ads

Video Ads

Carousel Ads

Collection Ads

Choosing the Best Facebook Ad Format for Your Campaign Objectives

Not all Facebook ad formats may be compatible with and align with your target audience’s preferences when they seek your product or service on the platform. Consequently, we have demonstrated how these formats appear on Facebook’s desktop or mobile application. 

Now that you are aware of the distinctions, the following are the ideal Facebook advertising formats based on the campaign objective and the intended outcome of your Facebook advertising campaigns:

Facebook Media Buyer FAQs

Getting Acquainted with Facebook Advertising Formats

Now that you’ve gained insight into how various Facebook ad formats align with campaign objectives and platform placements, you can appreciate the diversity of advertising options on Facebook. Each placement caters well to selected ad types on Facebook, which can provide a better user experience to audiences, leading to better ad performances for your campaigns. 

It’s time to move to the next part of our Facebook advertising guide: understanding the correct Facebook ad sizes and specs. This will ensure that your ads look their best when they appear on people’s screens.

The post 2025 Facebook Ad Formats to Effectively Showcase Your Ads appeared first on Strike Social.

This post was updated in September 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

Facebook Reels let you create short videos that people can watch with sound to capture viewers’ attention. They’re fun, engaging, and easy to scan—so they’re ideal for brands to show their authentic side and make it more receptive to consumers.

This article will show you how to create Facebook reels that attract viewers and tap new audiences.

Getting Started With Facebook Reels

Let us zoom in and look at the features of Facebook Reels and harness its power to supercharge your campaigns. Like TikTok, Reel’s powerful tools allow marketers to edit and enhance short-form videos to capture viewers’ attention. Based on ad results of numerous Facebook campaigns using vertical videos,  bite-sized clips have performed well in connecting with viewers through their visually engaging and entertaining content.

To access Facebook Reels using your mobile phones, you may find the option via your Feed, Groups, and Menu bar.

---

Further Reading

Setting Up Paid Campaigns with Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels Ads offer a great opportunity to boost brand visibility, extend your audience reach, and drive engagement when paired with well-crafted creative content and strategic campaign optimization.

---

How to Upload Facebook Reels

Add video to your Facebook posts and updates with one tap. Shoot new clips while you create a reel and show off pictures from your existing photo library. Creating a Facebook Reel can be easy:

• Log into your Facebook account and make sure you have the latest version. Then tap Create or click the Camera icon on the top right part when viewing reels.

• Add video to your Reel: record a video on your phone or choose from the video clips from your phone gallery.

• Add the following to make your Reel stand out:

1. Audio– add audio from the music library or record your own
2. Text– add text overlays 
3. Effects– choose video effects or filters 
4. Stickers– you have the option to add stickers, GIFs, or emojis available 
5. Greenscreen– choose a video background if you want to record on the go. Note: you cannot use video effects and greenscreen at the same time

• Tap Next when you’re finished. Write a description that will catch people’s attention. Add relevant hashtags to expand your reach.

• Set the Facebook reels audience. Reels are public by default, but reels from business or creator pages can only post publicly. You have the option to Share your Facebook Reel on Instagram. To catch new viewers and increase engagement rates, toggle Enable Remix to let other viewers stitch with your Facebook video reels. 

• To publish, tap Share now. 

Clear the Confusion: Understanding the Differences between Facebook and Instagram Reels

Many marketers are also confused about the differences between Instagram and Facebook Reels. Both platforms operate under the same umbrella of Meta and share many similarities. However, there are also key differences, which we’ll answer with the basic Facebook Reels FAQ to find out.

The two platforms are almost the same, except for one big difference that can benefit marketers. Content on Facebook Reels appears on users’ Feeds whether or not they follow you, extending the reach of your video ads to new eyeballs—and letting you reach potential customers who might not have come across your brand page otherwise.

---

Further Reading

Short-Form Showdown: TikTok vs. YouTube Shorts vs. Meta Reels

While TikTok pioneered the short-form video trend, both Meta and YouTube swiftly introduced their own offerings to compete. Each platform brings distinct features to the table, including diverse audiences and enhanced opportunities for broader reach.

---

Facebook Reels Tips and Best Practices

There is no magic recipe for making a video that gets noticed on Facebook. However, you can increase your chances of success by following simple tips and best practices.

1. Make it engaging: Entertain your audience with captivating content that compels them to take action.
2. Keep up or start a trend:  Inspire a trend that others can quickly join. Keep an eye on current trends in your industry, then create similar content.
3. Use Facebook creative tools: Add text, filters, and camera effects to make your reels stand out.
4. Use video transitions: Start your video with a hook, and then use transitions to show viewers the before-and-after transformation of your product or service.
5. Use vertical videos. Keep your phone upright when creating your Facebook Reel. Like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels which are vertical video platforms, Facebook Reels are set up for vertical video.
6. Incorporate music: Use original or licensed music from Facebook’s library to make your Reel entertaining and easy to remember. You can even join in on trending sounds.
7. Experiment with new ways of creating reels—it could lead you to discover an unexpected style that will help you connect with your audience.
8. Show off your skills with good lighting and video techniques as this can make or break your social media videos. Without good lighting, your content can look dull and unappealing.
9. Don’t forget to put captions and hashtags: Captions aren’t just subtitles. They can highlight a video’s key takeaways and make viewers more likely to remember the most important points.
10. Lead with your brand: Get your brand identity in front of your audience immediately. If you use an existing video, edit it so that your product or brand features early within the first 15 seconds.

Key Takeaways

Awareness campaigns can reach new audiences with visually rich content. Short-form content works best in scrollable and vertical mobile presentation spaces, while long-form campaigns drive deeper insight and more complex concepts. Facebook Reels present an opportunity to showcase your brand in a fun, visual way. They make up more than 20% of video viewers, and it’s forecasted to grow this year. 

Take Your Facebook Advertising Efforts To New Heights With Reels Ads

With 2.9 billion active users, Facebook is currently the world’s largest social media network, offering your brand a huge potential to reach new audiences. Boost your reach, engagement, and conversions by leveraging the power of Facebook Reels ads.

We, the team at StrikeSocial, are experts in Facebook advertising, and we’ll help you succeed. Optimizing your campaigns to maximize performance, helping you succeed in your advertising goals, and making the most of your advertising budget.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to unlock the great potential of Facebook Reels. Contact us today to learn more about how this powerful advertising platform can help you achieve your campaign targets. 

The post Unlock The Power Of Facebook Reels: A Marketer’s Must-Read Guide appeared first on Strike Social.

Get exclusive content on paid social media.

Join our mailing list for the latest updates.

Subscribe now

This post was updated in October 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

What are the benefits of carousel ads for Facebook advertisers?

Facebook carousel ads offer an interactive format where advertisers can include up to 10 swipeable cards, each featuring a unique image or video. Each card can have its own headline and link, allowing you to showcase multiple products or services in a single ad. This format not only introduces your brand to your audience but also provides an engaging way to highlight your offerings in a dynamic, visually appealing manner.

Facebook carousel ads can be effective for just about any business or industry. But some businesses and industries have qualities that make them especially well suited for using carousel ads. 

Facebook carousel ads may be an especially good fit for you if:

• You want to showcase the visuals of your brand or products. Industries like fashion and travel can especially benefit from the visual storytelling capabilities of carousel ads.
• You have multiple products to highlight. E-commerce stores with diverse product lines can use carousel ads to display various categories in one cohesive ad.
• You’re new to Facebook advertising. Carousel ads are flexible and easy to set up, allowing you to experiment with images, videos, or a combination of both to see what resonates most with your target audience.

Facebook carousel ads best practices when setting up campaigns

Due to their dynamic and interactive format, Facebook has established specific ad sizes and limitations to ensure carousel ads are displayed well across devices, particularly on the Facebook app. Before launching a carousel ad campaign, familiarize yourself with Facebook’s ad specifications.

Facebook ad specs for carousel ads

​​The Facebook carousel ad specs can vary based on the placements you choose. If you’re using Meta Advantage+ placements, Facebook will automatically select the best placements for your ads, including Facebook, Instagram, and other sites or apps within the Meta advertising network.

If you prefer manual placement selection, you can choose from the following options:

• Facebook Feed
• Facebook In-stream Video
• Facebook Video Feed
• Facebook Marketplace
• Facebook Stories
• Facebook Search Results
• Facebook Reels
• Ads on Facebook Reels (Overlay)
• Facebook Business Explore

To ensure creative compliance, review the table below for the technical specifications and size requirements for Facebook carousel ads across each placement:

---

Further Reading

Exploring Facebook Reels Ads? Here’s Your Guide to Getting Started

Facebook Reels provide an interactive way for brands to express their authenticity and connect with audiences. With an easy-to-digest format, Reels are reminiscent of TikTok and YouTube Shorts, offering advertisers a versatile platform to create and refine short videos that effectively grab viewers’ attention.

---

How to create Facebook carousel ads

There are two distinct ways to start creating carousel ads on Facebook: from your Facebook page or from the Facebook Ads Manager (now Meta Ads Manager).

From your Facebook page

• Go to your Facebook page and click Create Ads in the left-side menu.
• In the following window, start by selecting your creatives. To ensure your ads display in carousel format, make sure to upload multiple images or videos.
• To capture the audience’s attention, include a headline for each carousel card.
• Choose a call-to-action (CTA) such as “Learn More” or “Book Now.” If you want users directed to your website upon clicking the button, select Website as the Button Destination and enter the specific URL.
  • Depending on the chosen CTA, you can also include a contact form so users can easily submit their information without leaving the Facebook app.
• Proceed with the remaining ad campaign setup, including budget, duration, and audience targeting.
• Before clicking Publish, preview your Facebook carousel ad in the upper right corner of the screen to ensure everything appears as intended. Click See All Previews to view potential placements within the Meta advertising network.
• If everything looks good, click on Publish.

From Ads Manager

• Go to the Meta Ads Manager. You can add a carousel ad at the campaign, ad set, or ad level. For this example, we’ll add a carousel ad at the ad level for an existing awareness campaign.
• Click on your active campaign, then choose the ad set where you want to add the carousel ad. Click on Create.
• Under Ad Setup, select Carousel as the ad format.
• Scroll to Ad Creative and click on Add Cards. Similar to the previous method, you can combine images and videos.
• Enter a headline and description for each carousel card. For the website URL, input it on one card and click Apply on All Cards to automatically copy it to all other cards in the carousel.
• Finish the rest of your ad and campaign setup.
• You can see a real-time ad preview on the right side of the screen as you update your creatives. Before hitting Publish, check how your Facebook carousel ads appear in different Meta network placements.

---

Further Reading

Reach the Right Audience Using Facebook Audience Insights

The Audience Insights tool is tailored to assist brands and advertisers in understanding their target audience better. It offers valuable information, including page likes, geographic locations, household demographics, and purchasing behaviors, allowing Facebook advertisers to connect more effectively with potential customers.

---

Additional best practices and tips for carousel ads in Facebook

While there are established strategies for using Facebook carousel ads effectively, there is ample room for innovation and creativity. Here are some key practices to consider:

• Put your strongest image first.
  • The first image in your carousel ad is the one that your audience will always see, whether they swipe through the rest of the pictures or not. So it’s really important that this image stops the viewer’s thumb and encourages them to check out the rest of the ad.
• Use high-quality creatives and visuals.
  • All images or videos must be of high quality and maintain a consistent theme throughout the carousel. Some advertisers opt for a continuous storytelling approach, prompting audiences to swipe to see the complete narrative, while others choose striking visuals to capture immediate clicks.
• Be entertaining and helpful.
  • Even if the purpose of your Facebook carousel ad is to drive conversions, it’s best to avoid being a salesman in people’s Facebook feeds. Focus on entertaining, educating, and getting your viewer’s interest and your carousel ads will get a much better response.

Yet another engaging way to advertise on Facebook

As brands increasingly compete for ad space, particularly during peak advertising seasons, it’s essential to captivate audiences with diverse ad formats—especially the swipeable Facebook carousel ads. These ads offer a unique opportunity to keep your audience engaged.

Curious about how Facebook advertising can boost your engagement and conversions? Click here to explore our Facebook ROAS case study and discover how Strike Social can enhance the performance of your Facebook campaigns.

The post Facebook Carousel Ads: Best Practices for Creative Compliance and Campaign Setup appeared first on Strike Social.

Get exclusive content on paid social media.

Join our mailing list for the latest updates.

Subscribe now

This post was updated in September 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

An Overview of Facebook Ads Manager

The Facebook Ads Manager is a free tool available to assist you in your advertising efforts. It’s your all-in-one tool for creating ads, managing when and where they’ll be placed and tracking how well your Meta ad campaigns are performing.

You can use it to create, run and tweak the specifications of your ads. Using the Ads Manager allows you to target your ads to the right audiences, set your budget, see which of your ads are working, and view your billing information, payment summary and payment method information—all within the Meta Business Suite. This should not be confused with Facebook Business Manager, which provides a broader view of both organic content and paid advertising.

Are you ready to learn the essential steps to manage your campaigns through Facebook Ads Manager? Let’s jump in.

How to Access the Facebook Ads Manager

You have a few ways of accessing the Ads Manager and they will vary according to the platform you are using.

Desktop

• On your Facebook homepage (facebook.com), navigate to the left-hand side menu and click See More to expand the list of options.

• Once the additional options appear, scroll down until you find Ads Manager. Click on it, and you will be redirected to the Facebook Ads Manager interface.

• If you navigate directly to the Ads Manager site, you’ll be taken to your personal account by default. Switching to a different account is simple:
  • Click on your profile image on the left side of the screen to switch to the correct Business portfolio, or
  • Click on the dropdown menu next to Campaigns, then select See More Ad Accounts to choose the business or ad account you want to manage.

Mobile

• Download the Meta Ads Manager app from the Play Store (for Android devices) or the App Store (for Apple devices).

• If you already have Facebook installed on your device, the app will recognize your account and prompt you to click Continue to link your account to the Ads Manager app.
  • If you want to use a different account, simply click on Not you? to log in with another Facebook account.

• Once logged in, you’ll be prompted to select the ad account you want to manage.

• And that’s it! Your screen will now display an overview of your campaigns, and you can start exploring and managing your ads through the Meta Ads Manager mobile application.

Exploring Meta Ads Manager: Managing Your Facebook and Instagram Campaigns

Your Meta Ads Manager interface is organized into three main tabs—Campaigns, Ad Sets, and Ads. Here’s a closer look at what each tab offers:

Campaigns

This tab allows you to view and manage all your campaigns. You can create, duplicate, and edit campaigns, update campaign names, or change end dates.

It also provides insights into each campaign’s performance, allowing you to export or share results in .csv or .xlsx formats. You can customize the columns and use breakdown options to analyze your campaign data more effectively.

Ad sets

Viewing the Ad Sets tab gives you much of the same options as the Campaigns tab, but focuses on one specific ad set within a campaign. Along with everything mentioned above, it gives you the opportunity to edit your ad set and update not only the name, but also the placement, budget, scheduling and targeting.

Ads

The Ads tab allows you to focus on one single ad within an ad set in a Facebook campaign. In addition to editing the budget and viewing performance, you can use this tab to preview your ad and see how it appears across your selected Facebook ad placements within the Meta advertising network.

---

Further Reading

Learn More About Your Audience with Facebook Audience Insights

The Facebook Audience Insights tool offers valuable data to help marketers understand their target audience. It provides information on page likes, geographic location, household demographics, and purchasing behavior.

---

Best Practices on Facebook Advertising

• Always use high-quality photos. Whether for business or personal use, only upload high-quality images to social media platforms to ensure your content looks professional and engaging. Make sure your ads fit by learning the Facebook ad sizes.

• Avoid ad fatigue. To prevent your audience from seeing the same ads repeatedly, regularly update your ad creatives. Introduce new ads instead of just modifying existing ones to keep your content fresh and engaging. Keep your ads fresh with the latest Facebook ad formats.

Managing Your Facebook Ads From Inside the Office and Beyond

Now that you know all the benefits of using Facebook Ads Manager, go ahead and use the tool to improve the way you manage your Facebook campaigns.

Remember you can also download the Facebook Ads Manager app to manage your ads from home, the airport or rooftop lounge whenever you feel like it. Take advantage of the inspiration as soon as it strikes, since it doesn’t always happen in the office.

The post An Overview of Facebook Ads Manager appeared first on Strike Social.

Get exclusive content on paid social media.

Join our mailing list for the latest updates.

Subscribe now

This post was updated in August 2024 to provide you with the latest information.

Improve your Targeting with Facebook Audience Insights

Designed to help marketers learn more about the audience they want to reach, the Audience Insights tool provides relevant data for Facebook advertisers, such as page likes, location, what your target audience’s household looks like, and buyer behavior.

Audience Insights differs from Facebook’s Page Insights because it looks at trends about your current or potential customers across Facebook, whereas Page Insights looks at interactions with your page (e.g., likes, comments, and shares).

As with many Facebook tools, Audience Insights is free and user-friendly. Follow the steps below to improve your Facebook strategy and hone tactics for creating winning social media advertising campaigns time and time again.

How to Use Facebook Audience Insights

Step 1: Access Audience Insights

• Go to the Facebook Business Manager page.
• From the left-hand menu, select Insights to open the full overview.
• To view your Audience Insights data, click on Audience.
• On the Audience Insights screen, you will find three key tabs:

Trends: View metrics like follower count (based on the selected timeframe), post views, and follower engagement.

Demographics: Analyze the age, gender, and location breakdown of your followers.

Potential Audience: Based on your follower and engagement data, Facebook suggests an audience size and demographic, helping you refine your content and advertising strategy.

Step 2: Create an audience

To fully utilize the Audience Insights you have gathered from this tool, start by creating a custom audience.

• Hover your mouse over the left-side menu and click on All tools. 
• Search for “audience”, then click on Audience under Advertise.

• A new window will open, leading you to the Audiences section in Meta Ads Manager.

• Click on Create audience, then select Custom audience. 
• Select your source to begin customizing your audience list.

Once your audience is labeled as Ready, you can start using it for Facebook advertising, targeting based on the data from Facebook Audience Insights.

• When setting up your Facebook ad campaign, go to the Ad Set level.
• First, go to Audience controls and select your target location.
  
  To change the location, hover the mouse over the current location settings and click on the “X” that will appear on the right side of the box. Depending on your suggested potential audience from the Facebook Audience Insights tool, you can target by country or city.

• Scroll to Advantage+ audience. From here, you can segment your audience by age, gender, interests, people connected to your page, and more advanced data such as behavior, language, education, work, etc.
  
  Quick tip: Add your custom audience created in the previous step and create a Lookalike audience to target similar audience profiles from your target country.

After setting up your audience, continue with the rest of your Facebook ad campaign setup.

---

Further Reading

Discover Advantage+ Audiences Insights from a Strike Expert

In our annual training, our Meta specialist from Strike Social provided an overview of Meta Advantage. The Meta Advantage+ Audience feature complements Strike Social’s AI capabilities by helping broaden the audience while remaining within the brand’s target demographics.

---

Step 3: Play with the data

For example, we’ve created an audience in Chicago with both men and women between the ages of 25 and 54. Our audience likes the winning combination of entertainment and TV shows. Let’s follow this audience, as suggested by the Facebook Audience Insights tool.

Quick tip: To refine your target audience, continue adding segments by updating the Detailed targeting section. Notice how the audience size changes as you add or remove parameters.

Step 4: Get granular

It’s time to explore the new Facebook Audience Insights tool by examining the three main tabs that reveal what our audience looks like. Unlike the old Facebook Audience Insights tool with six tabs, the updated tool has streamlined its insights into:

• Trends,
• Demographics, and
• Potential audience.

Tab 1: Trends

The “Trends” tab provides a snapshot of your audience’s behavior on Facebook. It shows the average number of followers and returning viewers, along with engagement metrics like comments, likes, shares, and ad clicks within the last 30 days (or your selected timeframe).

For instance, if you’re tracking follower count as a secondary Facebook metric in addition to your primary goal (e.g., Awareness), this is an excellent way to monitor your progress at a glance.

This tab also highlights the most active times for your Facebook page’s audience. By analyzing the frequency of activity graphs, you can see when your audience is most engaged. For instance, our Facebook Audience Insights suggest that our followers are most active between 12 AM to 3 AM and 3 PM to 9 PM.

Tab 2: Demographics

The “Demographics” tab breaks down your audience by age, gender, and key locations.

For example, our current Facebook audience, primarily based in Chicago, consists of 58.4% men and 41.6% women. Interestingly, the age demographic skews towards 45-54 years old, with a decline in older age segments.

At the top left of this screen, you can view your total lifetime followers and switch between your Facebook or Instagram pages (if applicable) on the right-hand side.

---

Further Reading

Can Non-sports Brands Succeed in Targeting Sports Audiences?

Exploring how brands and advertisers use sports-focused content can reveal new ways to boost campaign engagement, build emotional connections with audiences, and foster brand loyalty.

---

Tab 3: Potential audience

The “Potential Audience” tab reveals how to expand your reach based on your audience’s current behavior. For instance, the data might suggest targeting more women, as they represent a significant portion of your most engaged audience. Additionally, you might discover that your content has a strong reach among the 55+ age group.

Use this data to fine-tune your audience segmentation, boost engagement, and achieve better results for your Facebook advertising campaigns by targeting the right audience.

Step 5: Put your Audience Insights to work

Are you satisfied with your audience? Can you use it to improve messaging and engage with Facebook users? If yes, remember to name and save your audience so you can use it to refine your targeting when advertising on Facebook.

If you plan to create many audience segments, you can do so by returning to the Audience tab in Facebook Ads Manager. There, you can select which audiences to use depending on the ad campaign you are looking to launch.

Conclusion

The Facebook Audience Insights tool can help you improve your ad campaigns and messaging. It ensures that your Facebook ad campaigns reach the right people and get the right engagement and clicks. Experiment with different parameters to truly understand the power of this valuable tool.

The post Improve your Targeting with Facebook Audience Insights appeared first on Strike Social.

This post was updated in February 2025 to provide you with the latest information.

Familiarize yourself with the complete list of Facebook ad formats and their respective specifications and dimensions to ensure your ads adhere to the platform’s guidelines and optimize their effectiveness.

2025 Facebook Ad Types and Sizes

As we introduce the diverse array of Facebook advertising options, we will highlight the various Facebook ad sizes and how you can properly showcase your brand to achieve your campaign goals:

Image Size for Facebook Ads

The average attention span on social media is between 1.7 and 2.5 seconds per piece of content. Thus, top Facebook advertisers capitalize on image ads to capture immediate attention, ensuring audiences quickly grasp the brand’s message. Remarkably, a well-crafted image can be as impactful as a full-length video, delivering the desired results for brands.

To optimize the Facebook ad sizes for your campaigns, here are the recommended image sizes for Facebook ads based on the ad format and placement:

Facebook Feed

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1 
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 80 characters
  • Headline: 27 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Minimum Width: 600 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 600 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook In-Stream Video

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG
  • Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
    • Note: Because this Facebook ad type has a limited image size, it’s best to avoid placing text on images.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters 
  • Description: 30 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Minimum Width: 600 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 600 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Video Feed Ads

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1 
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 80 characters
  • Headline: 27 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Minimum Width: 600 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 600 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Marketplace

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1:1 
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters 
  • Description: 30 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB

Facebook Stories

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 9:16
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
    • Safe zone tip: Clear roughly 14% of the top and 20% of the bottom of your image of text, logos, or other essential creative elements to make way for other UI elements, such as the CTA.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Minimum Width: 500 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Facebook Search Results

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1 
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters 
  • Description: 30 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Minimum Width: 600 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 600 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Reels Ads

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 9:16
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 40 characters
  • Headline: 55 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Minimum Width: 600 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 600 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

---

Further Reading

Safe Zone Guide for Facebook Reels and other Short-form Video Ads

A safe zone guide can help you post ads on any social media platform without worrying about your profile picture, ad copy, or even the like and share buttons covering it up. Explore the safe zone guides for popular short-form video ad platforms like TikTok, Reels, and Shorts.

---

Ads on Facebook Reels

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1 
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
    • Note: Placing text on the images is not recommended due to the small image size.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 72 characters
  • Headline: 10 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Minimum Width: 600 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 600 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Business Explore

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1 
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 27 characters 
  • Description: 27 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Minimum Width: 600 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 600 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Right Column

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1 
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Headline: 40 characters 
• Technical Specs:
  • Minimum Width: 254 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 133 pixels

Specs for Facebook Video Ads

Whether long-form or short-form, video ads are an excellent way to connect with your target audience by telling a compelling story, as evidenced by Facebook video ad impressions growing by 31% year-on-year. Moreover, conforming to the correct Facebook video ad sizes can result in 78% greater engagement.

To help you achieve this elevated level of engagement, here are the Facebook video ad specs you should adhere to:

Facebook Feed

Facebook In-Stream Video

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1 (for desktop or mobile) or 4:5 (for mobile only) 
  • Video Settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels 
  • Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
  • Video Sound: Optional, but recommended
    • Note: Avoid including edit lists or special boxes in video file containers.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 27 characters 
  • Description: 27 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 241 minutes
  • Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Minimum Width: 120 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 120 pixels
    • For those using 360 videos, this allows the user to interact with the video by swiping through it. It is only available for Facebook Feed and Video Feed placements.

Facebook Video Feed Ads

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 4:5
  • Video Settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels 
  • Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
  • Video Sound: Optional, but recommended
    • Note: Videos must be free of edit lists and special boxes in their file containers.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 80 characters
  • Headline: 25 characters 
  • Description: 25 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 241 minutes
  • Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Minimum Width: 120 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 120 pixels

Facebook Marketplace

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Video Settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Headline: 25 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 241 minutes
  • Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Minimum Width: 120 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 120 pixels

Facebook Stories

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 9:16
  • Video Settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels 
  • Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
  • Video Sound: Optional, but recommended
    • Note: Ensure videos do not include edit lists or special boxes in their containers.
  • Safe zone guide: Leave about 250 pixels at the top and 340 pixels at the bottom of your video free of text and logos to prevent them from being obscured by UI elements like the call-to-action text.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 2 minutes
  • Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Minimum Width: 500 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Facebook Search Results

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Video Settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels 
  • Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
  • Video Sound: Optional, but recommended
    • Note: Videos should be formatted without edit lists or special boxes in the file containers.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters 
  • Description: 30 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 241 minutes
  • Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Minimum Width: 120 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 120 pixels

Facebook Reels

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Recommended ratio: 9:16
  • Video Settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels 
  • Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
  • Video Sound: Optional, but recommended
    • Note: Do not use edit lists or special boxes within video file containers.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 40 characters
  • Headline: 55 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Video Duration: No maximum limit
  • Maximum File Size: 4GB

Ads on Facebook Reels

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Recommended ratio: 9:16
  • Video Settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels 
  • Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
  • Video Sound: Optional, but recommended
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 40 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Min Video Duration: 4 seconds
  • Max Video Duration: 15 seconds

Facebook Business Explore

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1 (for desktop or mobile) or 4:5 (for mobile only) 
  • Video Settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels 
  • Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
  • Video Sound: Optional, but recommended
    • Note: Exclude edit lists and special boxes from video file containers.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 27 characters 
  • Description: 27 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 241 minutes
  • Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Minimum Width: 120 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 120 pixels

Facebook Right Column (Desktop)

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1 (for desktop or mobile) or 4:5 (for mobile only) 
  • Video Settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan, and stereo AAC audio compression at 128kbps+
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels 
  • Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
  • Video Sound: Optional, but recommended
    • Note: Keep video file containers clear of edit lists and special boxes.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 27 characters 
  • Description: 27 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 241 minutes
  • Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Minimum Width: 120 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 120 pixels

Carousel Ad Specs on Facebook

Carousel ads are a type of Facebook advertising format that allows audiences to engage audiences with swipeable or movable creatives. This format enables businesses to showcase multiple products or services within a single ad space in their Facebook ad feed. Each carousel ad can include up to 10 cards, providing ample opportunity to highlight different product or service aspects. 

For instance, a clothing line brand could create a carousel ad with one card for men’s wear, one for women’s, and one for children’s wear. Better yet, use a single carousel ad dedicated to the whole family’s summer wear!

---

Further Reading

How to Prepare for A Sizzling Summer Campaign

Audiences have started planning their festivities and gatherings, so brands must act quickly to capture their attention. Select the best summer marketing strategies to connect with your audience and create a lasting impression.

---

Continue reading to learn more about the specific Facebook carousel ad specifications for each ad placement available on the platform:

Facebook Feed

• Design Specs:
  • Image File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1 or 4:5
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 80 characters 
  • Headline: 45 characters 
  • Description: 18 characters 
  • Landing Page URL: Required
• Technical Specs:
  • Number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10
  • Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Video Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 240 minutes
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook In-Stream Video

• Design Specs:
  • Image File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters 
  • Headline: 40 characters 
  • Description: 30 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Number of Carousel Cards: 10
  • Image Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Image Minimum Width: 600 pixels
  • Image Minimum Height: 600 pixels
  • Video Maximum File Size: 4 GB
  • Video Duration: Up to 15 seconds
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Video Feeds Ads

• Design Specs:
  • Image File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1 or 4:5
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 80 characters 
  • Headline: 45 characters 
  • Description: 18 characters 
  • Landing Page URL: Required
• Technical Specs:
  • Number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10
  • Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Video Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 240 minutes
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Marketplace

• Design Specs:
  • Image File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters
  • Description: 20 characters
  • Landing Page URL: Required
• Technical Specs:
  • Number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10
  • Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Video Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 240 minutes
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Stories

• Design Specs:
  • Image File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1920 pixels (there is no maximum resolution)
    • Note: Video is not supported for carousel ads in Facebook Stories placement.
    • Know the safe zones: Ensure the top 14% and bottom 20% of your Facebook ad creatives are free from text and logos to prevent UI elements from covering them.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters
  • Landing Page URL: Required
• Technical Specs:
  • Number of carousel cards: 3 to 10 
  • Image minimum width: 500 pixels
  • Image maximum file size: 30 MB

Facebook Search Results

• Design Specs:
  • Image File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters
  • Description: 20 characters
  • Landing Page URL: Required
• Technical Specs:
  • Number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10
  • Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Video Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 240 minutes
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Reels

• Design Specs:
  • Image file type: JPG or PNG
  • Recommended ratio: 9:16
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
    • Know your safe zone: Leave a buffer of 14% at the top, 35% at the bottom, and 6% on each side of your image or video to keep text and logos visible and not covered by UI elements such as your profile picture, ad text, or your call-to-action button.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary text: 40 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Number of carousel cards: 2 to 10
  • Maximum file size: 30MB
  • Minimum width: 600 pixels
  • Minimum height: 600 pixels
  • Aspect ratio tolerance: 1%

Ads on Facebook Reels

• Design Specs:
  • Image File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
    • Note: We do not recommend including text on your images because of the relatively small image size when shown on this Facebook advertising placement.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 50 characters
  • Headline: 10 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Number of Carousel Cards: maximum of 10
  • Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Minimum Width: 600 pixels
  • Minimum Height: 600 pixels
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Business Explore

• Design Specs:
  • Image File Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters 
  • Headline: 32 characters 
  • Description: 18 characters 
  • Landing Page URL: Required
• Technical Specs:
  • Number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10
  • Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Video Maximum File Size: 4GB
  • Video Duration: 1 second to 240 minutes
  • Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 3%

Facebook Collection Ad Specs

The Collection ad format on Facebook allows you to highlight a cover image or video supported by 3 or more product images. Media buying teams are recommended to use the Instant Experience feature, where users can click on the ad and immediately enter a “shopping experience” without leaving Facebook. Further, collection ads on the Facebook advertising platform can be created using Storefront, Lookbook, or Customer Acquisition templates. 

Here are the Facebook ad sizes and dimensions to prepare your ad creatives for this placement:

Facebook Feed

• Design Specs:
  • Image Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1 
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters 
  • Headline: 40 characters 
  • Landing Page URL: Required
• Technical Specs:
  • Instant Experience: Required
  • Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Video Maximum File Size: 4GB

Facebook Video Feed Ads

• Design Specs:
  • Image Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 1:1 
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 125 characters
  • Headline: 40 characters
  • Landing Page URL: Required
• Technical Specs:
  • Instant Experience: Required
  • Image maximum file size: 30MB
  • Video maximum file size: 4GB

Facebook Reels (Post-loop)

• Design Specs:
  • Image Type: JPG or PNG 
  • Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF 
  • Ratio: 9:16 to 1:1
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
    • What is the safe zone template: To avoid having text and logos covered by UI, such as the call-to-action, keep the top 14%, bottom 35%, and 6% of each side of your image or video free of text or other elements.
• Text Limitations:
  • Primary Text: 72 characters 
  • Headline: 10 characters 
  • Landing Page URL: Required
• Technical Specs:
  • Instant Experience: Required
  • Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
  • Video Maximum File Size: 4GB

Facebook Marketplace

• Design Specs:
  • File Type: JPG or PNG
  • Ratio: 1:1
  • Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Text Limitations:
  • Headline: 25 characters
• Technical Specs:
  • Instant Experience: Required
  • Image Maximum File Size: 30MB

Venture into Facebook Advertising with Ease by Mastering Facebook Ad Specifications

Before worrying about the Facebook metrics and advertising costs, your first order of business is to ensure your ads are visible to audiences. This means eliminating any blockages in your ad creatives and adhering to the prescribed Facebook ad sizes and dimensions.

With this guide at your fingertips, you’ll always have a reliable reference to craft effective Facebook ad creatives. By understanding Facebook’s safe zones and those of other social media platforms like Instagram, getting your ads approved and live should now be effortless. 

Explore our Facebook blogs and case studies here for further guidance on Facebook advertising.

The post The complete list of Facebook ad sizes (2025) appeared first on Strike Social.