The Go-To Social Media Platforms for Influencer Marketing Agencies

Collaborating with a top-tier social media influencer not only reduces the workload on your creative team but also enhances brand authenticity. Utilizing user-generated content (UGC) creates a more natural and relatable ad experience, making your campaigns more engaging to your audiences.

Currently, there are over 12 million U.S. influencers across all social media platforms. Yet the real question is: Which influencer marketing platform delivers the best results when integrated into paid ads, and where do they perform best? From audience reach to ROI, several factors determine whether TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube is the ideal choice for your influencer marketing campaigns.

Top Social Media Platforms for Influencer Marketing

The competition between TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram is fierce when it comes to video advertising and audience reach. YouTube leads with over 250 million users, followed by Instagram at 138.5 million.

However, TikTok is not to be overlooked. The app saw a surge of 88.3% user growth in 2019 and continues to grow by 2.2%–2.4% annually through 2029.

But does a platform’s user base directly translate to its effectiveness for influencer marketing? Let’s take a closer look at the different platforms and how influencer marketing agencies maximize them:

TikTok

While many assume the platform caters only to younger users, our campaign data tells a different story. Despite the majority of U.S. TikTok users being under 30, our data reveals up to 37% CPM efficiency even among audiences aged 55 and up—demonstrating TikTok’s versatility in reaching diverse audiences.

So, how does this well-rounded strategy position TikTok as an influencer marketing platform worth considering?

Promoting your Brand with TikTok Influencers

Influencer marketing agencies choose TikTok for its ability to drive high engagement through viral, short-form videos. Its algorithm naturally amplifies content, enabling brands to reach wider audiences without relying solely on paid media.

Spark Ads further enhances this by boosting organic influencer content, allowing brands to connect authentically with target audiences through established influencer communities.

• Authentic and Relatable Content: TikTok thrives on raw, unfiltered content that feels genuine, bringing authenticity to each video. This “in-the-moment” vibe resonates with users across age groups, making influencer recommendations feel more like advice from a friend than a corporate pitch.

• Cross-Generational Appeal: Though TikTok’s user base skews younger, influencer marketing remains highly effective across all age groups. Audiences aged 55+ have an average engagement rate of 7.3%, surpassing the 5.3% average for younger users. This indicates that while they may be fewer in number, older users demonstrate higher intent and engagement on the platform.
  
  From Gen Z creators to senior influencers, TikTok offers brands a wide range of niche communities to tap into.

• Innovative Content Formats: TikTok offers unique content formats that amplify influencer campaigns:
  • Branded Hashtag Challenges: Brands partner with influencers to create viral trends, increasing user participation.
    
    HP’s #HPRadicalReuse campaign, featuring creators like @dreaknowsbest and @alisonsadventures, achieved an 18% engagement rate, with over 4 million video views from Spark Ads alone.
  • Interactive Add-Ons: In addition to promoting video ads, you can make them more engaging by adding interactive features such as gestures, gift code stickers, and pop-out showcases.

---

Further Reading

Activating Authorization Code for TikTok Spark Ads

TikTok’s Spark Ads simplify collaboration with influencers, making it easier to boost their content. With just a few quick steps, you and your chosen content creator can activate a sponsored post and seamlessly launch a successful influencer marketing campaign.

---

Keep in mind that TikTok is just the first social media advertising platform in this discussion. While we see how it excels in both video advertising and influencer marketing, how do Instagram and YouTube compare?

Instagram

As Meta continues evolving Instagram into a video-first platform, it has become a top alternative to TikTok—especially during discussions of a potential TikTok ban. When advertisers explored shifting TikTok campaigns to Instagram Reels, it reinforced Instagram’s position as one of the top choices for influencer marketing agencies.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Instagram Influencer Advertising

Instagram is home to over 10 million influencers in the U.S., accounting for 9.8% of its users. With such a vast creator ecosystem, brands have plenty of opportunities to collaborate with influencers across various niches.

Understanding Influencer Tiers

Instagram offers a broad spectrum of influencers, from small, niche-focused creators to mega influencers with massive reach.

More followers don’t always mean better results—nano-influencers often have the highest engagement rates due to their highly engaged, niche communities, making them a strong choice for influencer-driven ads.

Visual Storytelling

Instagram is inherently a visual-first platform, making it ideal for brands that rely on aesthetics and storytelling to connect with audiences. Its various ad formats cater to different marketing objectives:

• Reels: Short-form videos optimized for discoverability and engagement. Influencer-driven Reels see engagement rates of up to 2.08%, outperforming the 1.8% average for regular Reels and other content types.
• Stories: Ephemeral content perfect for real-time updates, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or limited-time offers. Stories ads can boost reach by 35%, particularly for small brands looking to expand their audience.
• Carousel: Multi-image posts designed to encourage user interaction by swiping through content, making them ideal for detailed storytelling or showcasing multiple products. As a prominent ad format on both Facebook and Instagram, Carousel ads have proven effective—helping a luxury watch brand drive up to 56% of landing page views in a traffic campaign.

Meta’s Stability and Instagram’s Longevity

As part of Meta’s advertising network, Instagram remains a dominant force in social media advertising–and it’s here to stay.

Meta’s resilience in the stock market reinforces its position as a leading platform, and with 47% of brands using Instagram for influencer marketing, its relevance will persist—especially as uncertainty around a potential U.S. TikTok ban continues to impact advertiser decisions.

Is Instagram more effective for influencer advertising than TikTok? The answer depends on campaign goals, target demographics, and engagement strategy. But before drawing conclusions, let’s analyze yet another major influencer marketing platform—YouTube.

YouTube

While YouTube might appear last on this list, its engagement, effectiveness, and video advertising impact are anything but last place. Known for brand awareness campaigns, YouTube is also a high-performing platform for action and conversion-driven marketing.

Why YouTube Influencer Marketing Works

YouTube’s advantages for influencer marketing agencies are strongly tied to its ability to deliver detailed, engaging, and authentic content—whether in short form or long form. Discover why you should consider YouTube for your social media influencer campaigns:

Long-Form Content for In-Depth Storytelling

YouTube stands out in influencer marketing for its ability to host extended video content, making it ideal for detailed product showcases and tutorials:

• Detailed Product Reviews: YouTube influencers spend 10–15 minutes (or longer) discussing a product’s features, benefits, and real-world applications, making it the top choice among U.S. consumers for product reviews and information.
• Step-by-Step Tutorials: 64% of viewers have reported making a purchase after watching an explainer video. And because there’s (basically) no length limit to the videos a YouTube content creator can create, they can go into detail on product tutorials, allowing viewers to understand better what they are recommending.

Full-Funnel Marketing Capabilities

YouTube also plays a crucial role in performance-driven marketing, helping brands achieve action-based results such as lead generation, website traffic, and direct sales.

• Action Campaigns: YouTube influencers excel in driving video views and audience engagement, with the help of Video Views Campaigns. The U.S. leads in YouTube influencer engagement with 28.4 billion interactions, and click-through rates peak during high-traffic ad seasons like Q4.
• Driving Conversions: From Strike Social’s data, a family entertainment brand achieved a 7.8x ROAS by using YouTube ads to drive in-store visits. Additionally, influencer-driven YouTube campaigns have been shown to generate up to 10 times higher conversion rates than organic traffic alone.

Trusted by Audiences

98% of online users trust recommendations from YouTube influencers—more than any other social media platform.

A strong example is MAC Cosmetics, which partnered with beauty content creators Ankita Chaturvedi and Naina Bhan for their YouTube Video Reach Campaigns. With the help of YouTube Shorts, their campaign achieved:

• 66% lower cost per view (CPV)
• 2.5x higher view-through rates than their standard YouTube ads

---

Further Reading

Driving Conversions with YouTube Influencer Advertising

Don’t let assumptions about high costs and large ad budgets deter you from considering YouTube influencers for your campaigns. Collaborating with YouTube creators could be the key to fully integrating your ad funnel into this video-centric platform.

---

Now that you have a clear understanding of how these social media influencer platforms work and how you can collaborate with content creators for brand campaigns, it’s time to assess your options. While these major platforms are the top choices for influencer marketing agencies, the right fit depends on various criteria that require careful evaluation.

Why Influencer Marketing Agencies Choose These Social Media Platforms

Influencer marketing agencies select TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube based on their unique strengths in audience engagement, creative content, placement strategies, and cost efficiency. Below is a condensed overview of each platform’s advantages:

Each social media platform has unique strengths that can enhance your influencer marketing campaigns. By aligning your campaign goals with the criteria outlined here, you can determine the best platform for your strategy.

Beyond platform selection, the influencer’s existing community is another critical factor. For example, if your brand performs well on TikTok but the influencer you’re targeting has stronger reach and engagement on YouTube, shifting your ad spend may be more effective. Likewise, if a YouTube influencer’s rates are too high, exploring Instagram influencers could deliver better results at a lower cost.

While each platform has its pros and cons, Strike Social’s data shows that a multi-platform influencer campaign can drive strong results while maintaining cost efficiency.

---

Case Study:

A leading CPG brand partnered with Strike Social to drive high-quality traffic and engagement through influencer marketing across TikTok and Instagram while maintaining cost efficiency.

By aligning influencer-driven content with key audiences—homemakers, food enthusiasts, and younger consumers—the campaign achieved 43.2% cost efficiency, with Meta (Facebook and Instagram) contributing to 70% lower CPLC on Meta placements.

Further, capitalizing on the platform’s strength in interactive, trend-based engagement, 61% total engagements were driven by TikTok influencer ads.

Download the CPG Influencer Campaign Case Study

Connecting with More Engaged Audiences with Influencer Marketing

Choosing the right social media platform for your influencer marketing campaign is a crucial step in effectively promoting your brand. Each platform offers distinct advantages based on your goals, target audience, and budget—and when combined strategically, they can deliver even stronger performance and cost efficiency.

However, these platforms are just the mediums. Success in influencer marketing depends on aligning with the right audience, budget strategy, and content approach. Whether partnering with Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok influencers, integrating influencer marketing into your paid social strategy is now essential.

Ready to launch your influencer campaign? Contact our team for a personalized walkthrough on how we can activate and manage your influencer ads.

The post Which Social Media Platform Works Best for Influencer Marketing? appeared first on Strike Social.

Download Case Study

Campaign Outcome

With real-time optimizations and influencer-driven content, Strike Social helped this CPG brand drive efficient traffic at scale.
Our strategic execution ensured the right messaging reached the right audience for the best possible performance.

Seamless Performance
Across Platforms with
Strategic Execution

• Real-Time Campaign Adjustments: Strike Social’s real-time monitoring tools enabled dynamic bid, pacing, and audience optimizations, resulting in 48,000+ link clicks while maintaining cost efficiency.

• Consistent Multi-Platform Targeting: The team strategically aligned messaging across platforms, ensuring that younger audiences on TikTok and established consumer segments on Facebook and Instagram received relevant, engaging content.

• Platform-Specific Creative Optimization: Influencer content was adapted to fit platform-specific best practices, enhancing engagement rates and increasing campaign effectiveness.

Learn more about Strike Social

See other Facebook case studies.

Download the Multi-Platform Influencer Case Study

Improve your multi-platform ad strategy with expert insights. Fill out the form to receive a customized strategy guide tailored to your campaign goals.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Multiple Choice *

• Receive your influencer campaign case study and a personalized info pack from our sales team.

Name *

First

Last

Business Email *

Company Name *

Job Title *

Country *United StatesAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAndorraAngolaAntigua & DepsArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBulgariaBurkinaBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCentral African RepChadChileChinaColombiaComorosCongoCongo {Democratic Rep}Costa RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEast TimorEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIreland {Republic}IsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea NorthKorea SouthKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmar, {Burma}NamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaSt Kitts & NevisSt LuciaSaint Vincent & the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome & PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTogoTongaTrinidad & TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamYemenZambiaZimbabwe

Are you spending at least US$10,000 per month on paid social media advertising? *

• Yes
• No

What social media platforms are you interested in advertising on? *

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Google
• YouTube
• TikTok
• Other

What specific objectives are you looking to achieve through social media advertising?

• Awareness
• Sales
• Engagement
• Traffic
• Leads
• Other

Tell us more about your social media advertising needs:

GDPR Agreement *

• I agree to receive communications from Strike Social via email. *

Submit

The post Multi-Platform Case Study: Driving Traffic with Influencer Content appeared first on Strike Social.

Download Case Study

Campaign Outcome

Strike Social’s data-driven approach and influencer-powered strategy successfully optimized ad delivery while increasing audience engagement. By refining audience targeting and campaign execution, we aim for maximum efficiency and impact for Meta-influencer campaigns.

Enhancing Campaign Efficiency with Adaptive Targeting and Budgeting

• Supplemental Campaign Expansion: Strike Social implemented a secondary campaign layer designed to drive additional visibility and interaction.

• Strategic Audience Segmentation: The team combined first-party and third-party data with Meta’s native targeting layers to enhance engagement to effectively connected with engaged users.

• Real-Time Campaign Adjustments: Deployed continuous bid pacing adjustments and dynamic budget reallocations. By monitoring underperforming audience segments and optimizing ad delivery, the team allocated the budget, which was consistently directed toward the most responsive users.

Learn more about Strike Social

See other Facebook case studies.

Download the Meta Influencer Ads Case Study

Enhance your Meta ad performance with expert insights. Fill out the form to receive a personalized strategy guide tailored to your campaign goals.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Multiple Choice *

• Receive your Meta ads case study and a personalized info pack from our sales team.

Name *

First

Last

Business Email *

Company Name *

Job Title *

Country *United StatesAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAndorraAngolaAntigua & DepsArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBulgariaBurkinaBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCentral African RepChadChileChinaColombiaComorosCongoCongo {Democratic Rep}Costa RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEast TimorEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIreland {Republic}IsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea NorthKorea SouthKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmar, {Burma}NamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaSt Kitts & NevisSt LuciaSaint Vincent & the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome & PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTogoTongaTrinidad & TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamYemenZambiaZimbabwe

Are you spending at least US$10,000 per month on paid social media advertising? *

• Yes
• No

What social media platforms are you interested in advertising on? *

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Google
• YouTube
• TikTok
• Other

What specific objectives are you looking to achieve through social media advertising?

• Awareness
• Sales
• Engagement
• Traffic
• Leads
• Other

Tell us more about your social media advertising needs:

GDPR Agreement *

• I agree to receive communications from Strike Social via email. *

Submit

The post Meta Case Study: Scaling Reach for New Moms with Influencer Content appeared first on Strike Social.

Guide to Transitioning Your TikTok Ads to Instagram Reels

If the TikTok ban proceeds without a resolution, advertisers will need a new platform to reallocate their ad spend. With 170 million U.S. TikTok users, now “TikTok refugees”, seeking a new home for short-form content, Instagram Reels is emerging as the top alternative.

Instagram Reels offers an experience that closely mirrors TikTok’s feed, making it a natural transition for audiences and advertisers. Plus, with Instagram’s foundation in photo and video content, brands gain expanded opportunities beyond short-form video.

For advertisers looking to move TikTok ads to Instagram Reels, the transition may seem straightforward. And with the right tools and strategy, it can be. This guide will walk you through everything you need to run ads on Instagram Reels and successfully make the switch.

Why Choose Instagram Reels

Did you know that Reels now make up 38.5% of the content on users’ Instagram feeds? That’s nearly on par with the platform’s original focus—photos, which account for 39.8% of shared content. Despite launching later in August 2020, the growth of this content format is surely not going unnoticed.

Rising Popularity and Engagement

In the plight of the news of TikTok restrictions from 2024, Reels was already the first choice of U.S. users. Based on MGH, Inc.’s survey, about 60% say they will jump to this platform if it totally closes down.

Instagram Reels can easily be seen as TikTok’s competitor, with its significant share of the short-form video audience. While TikTok leads with a 5.53% engagement rate, Instagram Reels is closely behind at 4.36%. The platform is also seeing consistent growth, with a 3.7% YoY increase in user count, further boosting its appeal.

For brands leveraging influencer marketing, Instagram has introduced new updates. One of which is Trial Reels, which allow content creators to A/B test their videos before releasing them to the public.

Additionally, Instagram Reels now allows videos up to 3 minutes long, providing more time for creators and advertisers alike to connect with audiences.

---

Further Reading

Partner Up with Brilliant Instagram Creators with Partnership Ads

As you continue to utilize influencer content for your brand’s marketing, Instagram continues to innovate to ease up the process. Know how you can connect with more communities and audiences on Instagram using Partnership Ads.

---

Meta’s Robust Ad Ecosystem

While TikTok captures about a third of the U.S. population, Meta’s dominance in social media advertising is unmatched. With Facebook and Instagram holding 77% and 56% of the U.S. social media market, respectively, TikTok trails behind in fourth place at 45%.

Meta also leads in digital ad spending with a 21.3% share in the U.S. and commands an even larger 74.5% of social media ad spend. This makes advertising on Instagram Reels a strategic move, allowing brands to tap into Meta’s extensive ecosystem.

Beyond Instagram Reels, advertisers gain access to Facebook video placements, Feeds, and Meta Audience Network, which extends its reach across over 10 million publishers.

Stability Amid Regulatory Challenges

With TikTok facing ongoing scrutiny in the U.S., advertisers need a reliable and stable platform to continue reaching their audiences. As part of Meta, Instagram offers a more secure advertising environment, backed by an established U.S. presence and strong financial performance—Meta stocks saw a nearly two-thirds increase by the end of Q4 2024.

Even before the January 19 TikTok ban, creators were already directing their audiences to Instagram as their new content hub. This shift underscores Instagram’s role as the primary beneficiary of ad spend reallocation and the trust and long-term stability the platform provides for brands and advertisers.

Is Instagram Reels the Right Choice?

TikTok has built a unique space in short-form video, but does Instagram Reels truly compare? If you’re considering shifting from TikTok ads to Instagram Reels advertising, it’s important to understand the similarities and differences.

Let’s break down how these platforms align for advertisers and what you need to consider when making the switch.

Audience Demographics

Instagram Reels ads reach users starting at age 18, and Instagram’s audience closely mirrors TikTok’s, especially among younger demographics. In fact, 78% of U.S. adults aged 18-29 use Instagram, compared to 62% on TikTok. Here’s how the two platforms stack up across different age groups:

While younger users are active on both platforms, Instagram has a notable advantage in reaching older demographics—particularly users 30 and above, such as parents, families, and professionals. This makes Instagram Reels a strong alternative for targeting a wider age range beyond Gen Z.

Diversifying Ad Spend

According to eMarketer data, Instagram is set to capture up to 22% of ad spend reallocation. This puts Instagram ahead of its partner app, Facebook (17%), and YouTube (10%), making it the top alternative for advertisers shifting budgets from TikTok.

But what about ad costs? Does transitioning from TikTok ads to Instagram Reels mean a higher cost with the incoming competition? Jump to our costs and budget discussion for an in-depth look at Strike Social’s ad cost data for TikTok and Instagram.

Instagram Reels vs. TikTok Ads: Key Differences to Consider Before the Move

You’ve noticed the similarities—where TikTok and Instagram overlap, the shared features, and the advantages you can leverage. Now, let’s examine how the actual campaign preparation and setup differ. We’ll explore the creative process, ad campaign setup, and optimization as you transition from TikTok to Instagram Reels advertising.

Creative Adjustments

While both TikTok ads and Instagram Reels use a 9:16 vertical format, their safe zones, ad specs, and text placements differ. Optimize your video ad creatives for Instagram Reels’ layout to ensure a smooth transition. For a clearer view, let’s visualize this:

A side-by-side comparison reveals that moving your ad from TikTok to Instagram Reels offers a larger safe zone. TikTok’s ad layout accommodates up to four lines of text, requiring additional space at the bottom—an area that should be kept free of calls to action (CTAs).

Additionally, primary text on Instagram Reels appears in a smaller font size compared to TikTok, providing more space when transferring your video ad.

Refer to the table below to make sure your TikTok ads are compatible with Instagram Reels’ specifications. It outlines the minimum requirements to guarantee that when you switch from TikTok to Instagram Reels advertising, you’ll maintain (or even improve) the visual resolution for your audience’s view.

With the data above in mind, you can now tweak your image or video ad creatives to be more compatible before you launch your paid ads on Instagram. Keep in mind that you are entering a more aesthetically coordinated type of content platform, and it’s important to make the right impression with your Instagram Reels ads.

Costs and Budget

As you finalize your transition from TikTok to Instagram Reels ads, ad spend and campaign budget will definitely be important factors to consider. Without understanding how competitive Instagram advertising can be, you might be concerned about the potential increase in costs when making the switch.

To help you make an informed decision, let’s take a look at Strike Social’s campaign data:

CPM and CTR Trends

Many brands are vying for brand awareness on TikTok, leading to historically higher CPMs on the platform. Although TikTok’s CPM for Q1 2025 is projected to drop to $4.20 due to the impending ban, you can also expect lower engagement, especially if your primary audience targeting is largely or exclusively U.S.-based.

This trend has already been observed at the end of Q4, when TikTok’s CPM began to narrow the gap with Instagram CPM. Strike Social’s data further shows that while TikTok’s click-through rates (CTR) have been higher, there is a noticeable drop as the January ban approaches. During the same period, Instagram’s CTR continued to rise, highlighting the growing effectiveness of Instagram Reels advertising and demonstrating that it can now compete on equal footing with TikTok.

As indicated in the data, if impressions and brand awareness are your primary goals, based on our data (and with the steady user growth on IG),  Instagram offers lower CPM trends compared to TikTok. While Q4 does show an uptick in rates—likely due to the holiday season—these higher CPMs are still relatively close to the previous month’s levels, rather than a drastic peak.

TikTok vs. Instagram Cost Benchmarks

To give you a better sense of the cost differences, here’s a quick comparison of cost benchmarks for various campaign types on TikTok and Instagram:

It’s clear that Instagram can now match TikTok’s cost levels, particularly in terms of CPM and CPV. While you’ll need to adjust your campaign budget for Instagram advertising, the data suggests it will ultimately be a more efficient investment.

However, competition is likely to increase as more brands consider making the switch, which could raise these costs over time. With the right agency partner, you can optimize your costs while ensuring campaign performance stays strong. Learn more about how we can help you make the switch by scheduling a personalized walkthrough of our AdTech services.

Ad Setup, Targeting, and Campaign Management

While ad management software is generally easy to understand once you’re familiar with how it works, there will be some unfamiliar terms and tools that differ from what you’re used to.

One basic thing, though, is that both TikTok and Meta Ads Manager funnel down starting from Campaign to Ad Groups or Ad Sets and Ads level. However, for instance, TikTok classifies views as 2-second views, 6-second views, and video view-through. For Instagram (Meta), the classification for video views goes from 2-second video plays to 3-second video plays and ThruPlay.

To help simplify your process, we’re going to give you some of the things you can adapt to while shifting your ads over from TikTok to Instagram Reels:

Ad Placements

• TikTok: Available ad placements include TopView (the first ad shown upon opening the app) and In-Feed (For You, Search, Profile). In TikTok Ads Manager, you cannot specifically choose which placement you want your ad to appear in. However, you can deselect the tick box if you do not want your ads to appear in the Search Feed or search results.
• Instagram: Available ad placements include Reels, Explore, and In-Stream (post-loop). In Meta Ads Manager, you can choose to promote exclusively on Instagram Reels or expand to other placements. If you select Advantage+, Meta will automatically determine the placements where your video ad will perform best within the Meta Audience Network.

Audience Targeting

• TikTok and Instagram Reels offer similar audience targeting options. Meta recently added DMA targeting (introduced in 2023), which was already available on TikTok since 2021.
• A key distinction lies in Custom Audiences:
  • TikTok requires a minimum of 1,000 users in a Custom Audience to begin targeting matched users.
  • Meta only requires a minimum of 100 users, making it easier to refine your ad audience with smaller lists.

Ad Monitoring and Management

• Both TikTok Ads Manager and Meta Ads Manager provide comprehensive ad monitoring tools designed for their respective platforms. For a quick comparison, here’s a side-by-side view of TikTok Ads Manager and Meta Ads Manager:

• Getting familiar with a completely new platform may take some time and require adjustment. Browse through our Meta Ads Manager guide to begin your learning.

Make the Switch to Instagram Ads Without Sacrificing Performance

TikTok is still very much active to this point, that much is true. But for U.S. advertisers, your local audiences can still be reached through other mediums that don’t compromise your costs and keep traffic and sales coming through. Your priority now is to never let your ad campaigns go dark, and moving TikTok ads to Instagram Reels may just be the best decision you make.

Simplify this transition by partnering with the right experts and using the right tools. Strike Social specializes in ad activation and management, easing the burden on your in-house advertising team and taking care of the heavy lifting for you.

Ready to make the move to Instagram Reels? Contact Strike Social today to get your Instagram ads up and running.

Contact Us To Receive A Personalized Strategy

Connect with us to receive a personalized information pack from one of our sales representatives.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

Email *

Message *

GDPR Agreement *

• I agree to receive communications from Strike Social via email. *

Submit

The post Shifting From TikTok to Instagram Reels Ads Without Losing Performance appeared first on Strike Social.

Get exclusive content on paid social media.

Join our mailing list for the latest updates.

Subscribe now

Partnering with a Meta Ad Agency for Optimized 2024 Holiday Advertising Costs

The peak 2024 holiday season is fast approaching, and with Meta restricting political ads a week before the election date, the ad space is again available for brands to compete.

Some brands may have paused their ads in October in anticipation of the influx of 50% of the political ad budget. We previously recommended against pausing your ads during this period; instead, it’s better to maintain an always-on approach while guiding your Facebook and Instagram audiences through awareness, engagement, and conversion campaigns.

To help you achieve peak performance during this busy season, here’s why a Meta advertising agency is key to optimizing your Q4 2024 holiday advertising costs.

How A Meta Ad Agency Can Improve Your 2024 Holiday Advertising Costs

In addition to assisting you in activating and managing your holiday ad campaigns during Q4 2024, partnering with a Meta ad agency to enhance your holiday marketing offers numerous advantages. Even with limited time for the learning phase, the expertise of a Meta advertising agency can serve as the foundation for steering your holiday ads toward success.

Expert Knowledge of Meta Holiday Ad Costs

A key priority for a social media advertising agency is making sure your ads deliver results and keeping your holiday advertising costs within your campaign budget—or even lower.

Strike Social’s service promise is our commitment to achieving your desired outcomes—whether that means hitting specific CPM or CPV targets or reaching a particular number of impressions or views within a set timeframe. With our expertise as a Meta ad agency, we establish benchmarks based on current rates, allowing us to devise effective strategies that meet your financial goals.

Strike Social’s Campaign Lab data for Q4 2024 indicates a trend of rising CPMs as the year progresses, underscoring the importance of proactive planning.

Consequently, we recommend building awareness in the months leading up to Q4, specifically in September and October. Then, ensure that you guide these audiences toward your lower-funnel campaigns, such as post engagement campaigns and traffic and conversion efforts. By October, shoppers are already searching for brands to consider for their holiday purchases.

However, awareness campaigns should follow an always-on strategy, as CPM levels tend to stabilize at a lower rate when Q5 begins at the start of the year. Meanwhile, lower-funnel campaigns show positive trends from Q4 through Q5, making this an ideal period for your holiday advertising efforts to shine, including capturing last-minute shoppers.

---

Further Reading

Boost Your Q4 Holiday Ad Conversions with Facebook Engagement Campaigns

As the holiday season heats up, it’s an ideal moment to drive audiences further down the funnel and maximize conversions. Facebook engagement campaigns excel in turning brand reach and visibility into meaningful interactions, positioning your brand for impactful results throughout the holiday period.

---

Hypergranular Targeting for Audience Segments That Drive Engagement

Just as you can utilize Facebook Audience Insights to identify target demographics such as age, gender, and location for your paid ads, a Meta ad agency leverages extensive insights gained from hundreds to thousands of previous successful campaigns.

An experienced agency specializing in Meta advertising possesses extensive knowledge from managing numerous Facebook and Instagram campaigns. Historical data from past campaigns is a valuable reference for understanding which audience segments perform best for specific industries and determining the optimal breadth or narrowness of targeting to achieve your desired views and clicks.

With over a decade of campaign experience on Meta and other social media advertising platforms, we have access to billions of data points that inform our decisions about ideal audience sizes and costs for precise targeting.

One of our recent successes involved a local fitness club aiming to drive digital sign-ups through a Facebook advertising campaign. Through link-click campaigns and precise location-based targeting, we ensured that ads reached the right audiences within the club’s service area. This strategic approach resulted in over 300,000 sign-ups, 1.5 million link clicks, and 700 million impressions, significantly enhancing the club’s digital presence.

Download the Facebook Health and Fitness Case Study here

Knowledge of Effective Ad Formats and Strategic Placements

With a deep understanding of Meta’s most effective ad formats, a Meta ad agency customizes options like Reels, carousels, and Stories to enhance engagement and performance. As Meta continues to expand its diverse array of ad formats and Advantage+ placements, it’s worth exploring which aspects of the Meta advertising network will drive traction for your holiday advertising campaigns.

For your Q4 2024 holiday advertising, Meta has introduced a new AI-powered feature within its Advantage+ shopping campaigns, allowing promotions to be showcased within the same ad. For instance, a promo code can be prominently displayed as a spotlight feature on a Reels ad:

Based on insights from Strike Social’s Campaign Lab data, here are our recommendations for the top Meta ad placements and advertising formats for your Q4 2024 holiday campaigns:

24/7 Execution of API-led Bid Optimization

To enhance this process, our Campaign Lab technology facilitates continuous campaign monitoring every two hours. Notifications are sent to the designated media buying team, making sure there is always vigilant oversight on your Facebook and Instagram holiday campaigns.

Strike Social’s Proven Success on Meta Advertising

We can confidently say that you should choose us to manage your holiday advertising campaigns this year, but what is our promise without the backing of our clients’ success?

How Targeted Meta Ad Placements Produce 34% CPLC Efficiency

As part of its anniversary collection, a luxury watch brand’s Facebook advertising campaign needed to introduce its new product line. While their brand represents luxury and prestige, the goal was to effectively reach a broad audience that would likely engage with their Facebook ad campaigns.

Results: The campaign successfully combined targeted placements to drive engagement and cost efficiency. Facebook overlay ads on Reels captured 77% of overall impressions and generated 48% of link clicks, proving highly effective in reaching a wide audience. Feed placements provided an additional 15% of impressions and accounted for 36% of link clicks, while Instagram Stories, though a smaller contributor, added 3% of impressions and 8% of link clicks. 

In terms of cost efficiency, each format demonstrated significant savings: Reels overlay ads reduced the cost per link click (CPLC) by 49%, Feed placements by 44%, and Instagram Stories by 38%. Altogether, this strategic mix resulted in a 34.69% reduction in overall CPLC compared to the projected rate, highlighting the advantage of targeted ad formats and thoughtful budget allocation for achieving high engagement at a lower cost.

Achieving 28x Facebook ROAS Through Data-Driven Monitoring

For a leading financial services provider, Strike Social executed a comprehensive campaign focused on acquiring conversions and leads, going through a meticulous approach from setup to ongoing optimization. It was a large-scale endeavor for a Facebook campaign and presented challenges, especially being far from the Thanksgiving and Christmas advertising surge.

Results: The conversion campaigns went live within 48 hours, swiftly generating impressions, clicks, and leads. Ongoing monitoring of the Meta Pixel was essential to maintain its effectiveness, allowing us to quickly resolve any issues in collaboration with the client. We also kept a close eye on cost per acquisition (CPA) and auction bids, which helped us meet our campaign objectives while staying within budget.

Thanks to this strategic approach, the Meta ad campaign achieved an impressive 28x Facebook ROAS, resulting in 66,000 leads and over 7,000 purchases through Facebook ads.

Your Go-To Meta Advertising Agency Partner is Just a Click Away

Choosing Strike Social as your Meta advertising agency means gaining access to unparalleled expertise, advanced tools, and proven strategies designed to optimize your Q4 holiday advertising costs.

With our focus on precise audience targeting, mastery of ad formats and placements, and proactive campaign adjustments, we are committed to helping you achieve both performance and cost-efficiency in your 2024 holiday marketing strategy.

Scaling your 2024 holiday advertising campaigns can be made easy. Fill out the form below for a personalized walkthrough of our ad tech solutions and discover how a certified Meta advertising partner can drive success for your campaigns. Whether you aim to reach new audiences or convert them into loyal customers, Strike Social is here to help.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Multiple Choice *

• Receive your Facebook Advertising case study and a personalized info pack from our sales team.

Name *

First

Last

Business Email *

Company Name *

Job Title *

Country *United StatesAfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAndorraAngolaAntigua & DepsArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBhutanBoliviaBosnia HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBruneiBulgariaBurkinaBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCentral African RepChadChileChinaColombiaComorosCongoCongo {Democratic Rep}Costa RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEast TimorEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFijiFinlandFranceGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGrenadaGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHondurasHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIreland {Republic}IsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKorea NorthKorea SouthKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMauritaniaMauritiusMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmar, {Burma}NamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussian FederationRwandaSt Kitts & NevisSt LuciaSaint Vincent & the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome & PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTogoTongaTrinidad & TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamYemenZambiaZimbabwe

Are you spending at least US$10,000 per month on paid social media advertising? *

• Yes
• No

What social media platforms are you interested in advertising on? *

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Google
• YouTube
• TikTok
• Other

What specific objectives are you looking to achieve through social media advertising?

• Awareness
• Sales
• Engagement
• Traffic
• Leads
• Other

Tell us more about your social media advertising needs:

GDPR Agreement *

• I agree to receive communications from Strike Social via email. *

Submit

The post How A Meta Ad Agency Can Improve Your 2024 Holiday Advertising Costs appeared first on Strike Social.

Planning Your Q4 2024 Facebook & Instagram Holiday Ads

As you prepare for the busiest shopping season of the year, Meta is gearing up to meet the surge in holiday ad campaigns across Facebook and Instagram. The Q4 holidays — Thanksgiving, Cyber Five, Christmas, and New Year’s — represent the most critical window for capturing audience attention and driving performance.

With ad spending peaking during this period, competition in the auction is becoming fierce, and the stakes are high. To maximize your campaign outcomes while managing costs, advertisers must stay ahead of the trends shaping consumer behavior, creative strategies, and targeting tactics. Here’s how to strategically plan your Facebook and Instagram holiday ad campaigns towards the end of the year.

Q4 2024 Holiday Ad Trends Advertisers Should Watch Out For

Before the celebration continues, let’s take a sneak peek at what to expect this year and how it’s different from previous years to fully prepare you for your holiday campaigns.

Key Peak Advertising Periods in Q4 2024

By anticipating shifts in ad spend and key peak periods, you can optimize your strategy and control costs while driving results for your Q4 2024 holiday ad campaigns:

As more advertisers vie for auction space during the Q4 holidays, we can certainly see spikes in ad spending during this time. Historically, Q4 sees the highest ad spending, particularly on Facebook and Instagram (Meta), with Google following a similar trend. TikTok, on the other hand, tends to have a more unpredictable and sporadic pattern. This heightened competition across industries inevitably drives up Facebook and Instagram ad costs. We’ll explore this further as we go along.

Online Shopping and Spending Trends

Adobe forecasts that U.S. online sales will reach $240.8 billion from November 1 to December 31, up from $221.8 billion last year. In addition, Mastercard’s Spending Pulse data indicates a projected 7.1% growth in retail sales during this holiday shopping season compared to 2023. The rise in consumer spending will likely kick off early, with shopping ramping up as early as Halloween and peaking through Christmas, driven by big-ticket purchases during the gift-giving season.

Further, Numerator’s research shows that many Christmas shoppers are starting as early as three months before the holidays. For advertisers, this means awareness campaigns need to launch well before November to capture early interest and effectively guide potential buyers down the funnel in time for peak holiday ad campaigns.

Meta’s Holiday Ad Trends for Q4 to Q5

Data from Meta’s campaigns affirm this, as 41% of consumers continue making purchases from holiday ads well beyond the peak shopping season. Last year, CPM-focused Facebook and Instagram ads peaked around Thanksgiving, while CPA-focused campaigns were more cost-efficient during the same period.

In Q4 2023, conversion campaigns saw a 20% year-over-year increase in performance and a 3.3x return on ad spend (ROAS) when using Meta Advantage+. Meta is heavily promoting Advantage+ to help advertisers streamline the process of diversifying ads and placements, ultimately improving campaign returns. 

This approach pays off during the holiday season, as consumers actively search for gifts through Christmas campaigns on Meta, creating a sizable audience that helps drive more efficient ad costs.

Download our Facebook ROAS Case Study

Discover how Strike Social achieved 66% more impressions than guaranteed and a 28x Facebook ROAS through precise execution and real-time campaign management for a financial services client.

Download full case study here

Insights for Effective Holiday Advertising Strategy on Facebook & Instagram

Now that you have a clear view of the holiday ad trends and consumer behavior for Q4 and Q5 2024, it’s time to review the actionable strategies that will drive results and deliver outstanding performance for your Facebook and Instagram holiday advertising campaigns.

Start Your Holiday Ad Campaigns Earlier

With fewer shopping days between Black Friday and Christmas in 2024, early campaign launches will allow for better positioning. October marks the start of the buildup, especially with the final weeks leading up to the U.S. presidential elections, where 79% of 2024 political ad spending is pouring on key battleground states. With political ads wanting to reach as many audiences as possible, this creates fierce competition for audience attention, making it harder for awareness campaigns to break through compared to previous holiday seasons.

Concurring with Meta’s holiday ad trends, our Facebook benchmark report confirms that CPMs will rise during peak Q4 periods, especially around Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas promotions, as advertisers optimize to reach more markets. Average CPM for Q4 2024 is expected to increase, but campaigns focusing on engagement may benefit from higher engagement rates, particularly with the growth of new ad formats like Reels, which saw a 61% increase in 2023 compared to 2022. Thus, if you want to get a headstart on the lower CPM levels, an early start to your full holiday advertising campaign is necessary.

---

Further Reading

How Facebook Engagement Ad Formats Win Holiday Advertising

Engagement ads on Facebook and Instagram allow brands to build genuine connections that can later convert into sales. As competition rises and holiday shopping behaviors shift, focusing on engagement helps brands reach Meta’s vast audience while maximizing campaign efficiency for scalable results.

---

More Aggressive Holiday Advertising for Both B2B and B2C

The competition for ad space for Q4 2024 holiday ad campaigns is not limited to retail brands. Both B2B and B2C advertisers are aggressively vying for inventory, particularly on Meta platforms and Connected TV, as the holiday season ramps up with key events like Cyber Five and New Year’s advertising.

According to NRF’s 2023 Thanksgiving holiday weekend data, a record 200.4 million shoppers were active during the Cyber Five period, with 44% shopping online. Black Friday and Cyber Monday led online purchases, solidifying these events as significant revenue drivers for B2C brands while increasing competition with B2B brands vying for the same ad inventory.

For B2B companies, Q4 presents an ideal opportunity to reach decision-makers actively searching for advanced solutions for their businesses. It’s the perfect time to adopt a bold, action-oriented strategy, focusing on campaigns that drive clicks and conversions. With 76% of B2B buyers preferring to speak with someone before acquiring new services, Q4 is when many finalize their decisions on renewing or switching to new products or services.

Meta’s holiday playbook data supports this holiday advertising strategy, showing that CPA levels remain relatively stable throughout Q4 and Q5, compared to fluctuating CPM and CVR rates. Additionally, our data indicates that Facebook traffic campaigns targeting link clicks could see a 23% increase toward Q4, based on 2023 trends. Encouragingly, link-click engagement rates have been on the rise in 2023 compared to 2022, signaling a positive trend for engagement-driven campaigns.

Lead Customers from Top-to-Bottom Funnel Holiday Campaigns

By Q4, your awareness holiday ad campaigns from earlier in the year—starting as early as Halloween—should have built enough momentum to drive audiences into your lower-funnel holiday campaigns. While awareness ads are crucial, by this point in the holiday season, your focus should shift toward consideration and conversion campaigns to capitalize on the peak of the 2024 holiday shopping season.

Not only are lower funnel campaigns more cost-effective, but we’re also seeing high engagement rates, especially in Facebook advertising campaigns focusing on post engagement, clicks, and link clicks, aligned with Q4 holiday trends. Reels are particularly powerful, with short-form video content on Instagram reaching up to 30% of users, reflecting its growing dominance across Meta’s advertising network. 

According to Adobe Analytics, mobile devices are expected to drive 53% of online sales during the 2024 holiday season. Therefore, it is crucial to focus on mobile-first conversion strategies to achieve your campaign goals.

---

Further Reading

Improving Facebook ROAS with Real-time Optimizations

Various factors can contribute to Facebook ROAS underperformance, from basic problems like inaccurate Meta Pixel tracking to more intricate issues tied to campaign management. Partnering with an advertising agency can provide the specialized knowledge and strategies to boost your Facebook ad ROAS. See the critical areas where an expert agency can make a difference in optimizing your campaigns and driving better results.

---

Diverse Creative Formats to Keep Holiday Ads Fresh

As competition heats up during the holiday season, brands often find their ads competing for the same audience’s attention. When users encounter the same ad multiple times, their engagement tends to wane, leading to missed opportunities.

When running top-to-bottom funnel holiday ad campaigns, Facebook and Instagram users can quickly become fatigued by seeing the same creative, sometimes after just two impressions. This leads to users scrolling past or swiping away from your holiday ads.

Incorporate a variety of creative formats in your strategy to avoid ad fatigue and ensure your Black Friday and Christmas advertising campaigns remain effective. Facebook and Instagram offer dynamic options such as Reels, carousels, and videos that can significantly boost engagement and keep your brand fresh in consumers’ minds. 

• Pro tip: Adhere to the Facebook and Instagram ad specs so your ads fit seamlessly within users’ screens.

Explore how to optimize your placements using manual selection in Meta Ads Manager to find the formats that best align with your brand messaging:

Shine Bright on Shoppers’ Lists with Twinkling Facebook and Instagram Holiday Campaigns

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” – as it should be for both consumers and Meta advertisers alike. Indeed, the Q4 to Q5 periods can be a balancing act, where the need to scale budgets must align with the goal of achieving an impressive return on ad spend.

With Strike Social’s SWAS (software with a service) AdTech expertise, our aim is to deliver better results for you at lower costs for savings. Our proprietary tool, Campaign Lab, is designed to keep a close eye on your ads, ensuring that the full process from setup to campaign management is streamlined and optimized before your holiday campaigns even launch.

Learning the holiday ad trends and suggested strategies is just the beginning. Let us become an extension of your in-house team, helping you finish the year on a high note. Contact us today to request a personalized walkthrough of our AdTech service and see how we can enhance your holiday advertising performance.

The post Q4 2024 Holiday Ad Trends for Thanksgiving & Christmas appeared first on Strike Social.

What Are Meta Advantage+ Placements?

We must understand its meaning to determine whether Meta Advantage+ placements are right for you. Advantage+ placements are part of Meta’s complete campaign solutions, using AI to maximize each ad impression and exposure on the Meta platforms.

What Are the AI Solutions Within the Meta Advantage+ Suite?

Here are the various Meta Advantage+ functions advertisers can utilize in ad campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Meta Audience Network.

---

Further Reading

Explore the Benefits of Using Meta Advantage+ Catalog Ads

Meta Advantage+ catalog ads automatically adjust elements like creative and placements for products that capture customer interest. When a customer engages with a product from your catalog, Meta creates a targeted ad designed to increase appeal. This feature enhances your advertising strategy by driving more effective engagement and sales.

---

Where Will Your Ads Appear with Meta Advantage+ Placements?

Depending on your campaign objective, your ads can appear in various placements and formats across Facebook, Instagram, and other Meta ads platforms.

When Should You Use Meta Advantage+ Placements?

Now that you know which platforms and placements your ads can appear on, as well as which objectives and ad formats are compatible with Advantage+ placements, it’s time to determine if it’s the right fit for your brand and advertising goals. 

If you meet one or more of the following criteria, we recommend turning on Meta Advantage+ placements to maximize your advertising efforts on Meta platforms fully.

New to Facebook and Instagram Advertising

• For advertisers new to the platform who lack sufficient data to determine effective placements, Advantage+ placements utilize Meta’s extensive data and algorithms to identify the best ad placements automatically.
• This way, you can rely on Meta’s AI to distribute your campaigns across all available placements based on your ad format and objective. Meta will gather data to help you determine which placements work best.
• For instance, if you’ve been advertising more on YouTube and TikTok with video ads, Advantage+ placements can help identify the most effective ad placements within Meta’s advertising ecosystem.

Testing New Placements

• If you want to experiment with new placements or ad formats within the Meta Business Suite, Advantage+ can automatically include them in your campaign and measure their effectiveness.
• For example, if you have been primarily advertising on Instagram and are considering expanding to Facebook ads to acquire a new audience, such as promoting a new line of mocktails for a younger demographic, Advantage+ placements can help determine if Facebook placements are worth adding to your media plan or if maximizing Instagram ad placements would be more effective.

Download our 2024 Facebook CPLC Case Study

See how Strike Social used Facebook Reels and Carousel ads to highlight the brand’s reputation for stylish, durable automatic watches at competitive prices. By strategically allocating budget and selecting optimal ad formats, the campaign achieved a CPLC 34.69% below the guaranteed rate, proving the power of smart ad placements.

Download the report

Expand Ad Reach for Awareness and Traffic Campaigns

• Advantage+ placements can significantly boost your ad’s exposure when you aim to generate traffic or reach new audiences. By distributing ads across multiple platforms, Advantage+ placements help enhance both reach and engagement.
• The main purpose of Advantage+ placements is to broaden the visibility of your ads by displaying them across more locations within the Meta Audience Network. This means your ads will reach a larger audience, including users of mobile apps and websites beyond Facebook and Instagram.
• Though there isn’t a specific list of apps and websites within the Meta Audience Network, applying Advantage+ placements ensures your ads are seen in diverse digital environments, expanding your reach far beyond Meta’s own platforms.

When Should You Choose Manual Ad Placements Over Advantage+?

Manual ad placements can be advantageous when your advertising goals on Meta require a more tailored approach. If your objectives or concerns align with the following points, consider using manual placements:

Specific Placement Goals

• When you have specific goals for particular placements, choosing manual placements provides better control and precision, allowing for more targeted optimization.
• For instance, if your brand’s strategy revolves around video ads and you’ve seen positive results from this format, manual ad placement allows you to focus exclusively on high-performing Meta ad placements like Reels ads and other video-centric options.

Low-Quality Actions

• If you notice that certain placements are resulting in low-quality actions or conversions, such as accidental clicks or clicks from bots, it may be wise to exclude those placements manually. The algorithm does not inherently recognize low-quality clicks, so manual adjustments are necessary.
• For example, a study by a major B2B company found that while Meta Advantage+ helped them acquire more leads, their quality was lower than those leads acquired through traditional targeting and placement controls. In such cases, manually managing placements can help you focus on channels that yield higher-quality results.

---

Further Reading

Guide to Meta Ad Sizes: Ensure Your Creatives Fit Every Placement

Meta ad sizes and specifications differ by ad type and placement. Advertising on Meta opens up multiple placements across Facebook, Instagram, and other apps within the Meta network. Make sure your creatives are sized right to capture audience attention across all placements.

---

Opting In and Out of Meta Advantage+ Placements

You can set up your campaigns once you determine whether to use Meta Advantage+ or manual placements. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you configure your Meta ad placements before the campaign launch:

How to Turn On Meta Advantage+ Placements

1. Log in to Meta Ads Manager. Ensure you are logged into your Facebook account and have access to the Ads Account on which you will be setting up the campaign.
2. Click Create at the Campaign level, then choose your campaign objective.
3. For the campaign setup, choose Manual campaign.
4. Proceed with the usual campaign setup. At the campaign level, you can decide whether to turn on the Advantage campaign budget (formerly campaign budget optimization) before moving to the Ad set level.
5. You can toggle between Advantage+ and manual placements on the Ad set level. The default setting is Advantage+ placements. To keep Advantage+ placements active, do not make any changes.
6. Continue with the rest of your campaign and ad setup.

How to Turn Off Advantage+ Placements and Switch to Manual Ad Placement

1. Follow steps 1-4 as outlined above.
2. Once on the Ad set level, scroll to the Placements section and click Edit to switch to manual ad placement.
3. Toggle the button to turn off Advantage+ placements and click on Manual placements.
4. You can choose the specific ad placements you want within Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the rest of the Meta Audience Network.
5. Once you have selected your desired placements, proceed with the rest of your campaign and ad setup.

It’s best to decide upfront which option is best for your campaigns, as changing your ad placement setup mid-campaign can disrupt the learning phase and lead to inconsistent ad performance. By determining the best ad placement strategy before the campaign flight, you can steer your campaigns more effectively and develop a clearer plan for optimizing results.

Is Advantage+ Really Beneficial for Your Meta Campaigns?

Are you ready to leverage the power of Advantage+? You’ve seen various perspectives, and by now, you should be able to evaluate whether Meta Advantage+ placements can truly enhance your brand’s results. The next step is to test it and determine how much control you need over your campaigns versus letting Meta’s AI optimize your ad placements. The real answer lies in taking action.

If you have questions about using Meta Advantage+ for your campaigns and how Strike Social can combine our expertise with AI to drive better results for your brand, reach out to our team for a personalized walkthrough of our tools and technology.

The post Should You Use Meta Advantage+ Placements for Your Campaigns? appeared first on Strike Social.

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

Key Instagram Ad Metrics That Drive Successful Campaigns

Every brand approaches asocial media ad campaigns with unique objectives. For businesses with physical stores, Instagram image ads featuring exclusive in-store discounts serve as a lure for foot traffic. Conversely, florist shops leverage Reels to showcase their artistry, aiming to drive online bookings via their website. Consequently, while florists prioritize website clicks and conversions, brick-and-mortar stores assess ad impressions against actual visits.

We aim to elaborate the varied Instagram ad metrics essential for monitoring campaigns and align them with your specific objectives, goals, and brand identity.

Different Metrics for Instagram Advertisers

When managing Instagram ad content, it’s crucial to distinguish between organic and paid advertising strategies. Use the Instagram Insights dashboard to track organic performance, while Meta Ads Manager is your go-to for paid Instagram advertising analytics.

Organic Metrics from Instagram Insights Dashboard

Instagram Insights offers valuable insights into your organic content’s performance. Here are the key Instagram metrics to track on the Instagram Insights dashboard:

• Reach: The total number of unique accounts that have seen your content. 
• Impressions: Impressions indicate the number of times your content has been displayed on users’ screens. 
• Profile Visits: Refer to the number of times users have visited your Instagram profile. It includes direct visits to your profile and external clicks from platforms like Facebook, and other apps from the Meta Audience Network.
• Content Interactions: Content interactions encompass various user engagements with your posts, such as likes, comments, saves, and shares.
• Followers: The followers metric tracks the growth of your Instagram follower count over time.

Instagram Ad Metrics to Monitor in Ads Manager

Meta Ads Manager offers a comprehensive array of metrics for tracking Instagram ad campaigns:

Instagram Metrics by Performance and Clicks

• Reach: The total number of unique users who have seen your ad at least once during the reporting period.
• Frequency: The average number of times each user has seen your ad during the reporting period.
• Impressions: The total number of times your ad has been displayed to users. 
• CPC (Cost Per Link Click): The average cost incurred for each click on the linked landing page on your ad. 
• CPM (Cost Per 1000 Impressions): The average cost for every 1000 impressions of your ad. 
• CTR (Click-Through Rate): Measures the percentage of users who clicked on your ad after seeing it.

---

Further Reading

Connect with New Audiences Through Instagram Partnership Ads

Want to expand your usual audience targeting in Instagram? Partnership Ads allow you to access influencer communities, opening doors to new audience segments and enhancing your targeting.

---

Metrics for Instagram Engagement Campaigns

• Post Comments: The number of comments left on your ad posts. 
• Post Saves: The number of times users have saved your ad posts. 
• Post Shares: How often have users shared your ad posts with others.
• Link Clicks: The number of clicks on the URL link included in your ad.

Instagram Metrics to Track for Video Engagement

• Video Plays: The total number of times your video ad has been played by users.
• 2-Second Continuous Video Plays: This metric tracks the number of times users have watched your video for at least two continuous seconds.
  • Cost Per 2-Second Continuous Video Play: The average cost for each two-second continuous video play.
• 3-Second Continuous Video Plays: Similar to 2-second plays, this metric measures the number of times users have watched your video for at least three continuous seconds. In Instagram metrics, a “view” is counted only when the video has been played for 3 seconds or longer.
  • Cost Per 3-Second Continuous Video Play: Cost for each three-second continuous video play.
• ThruPlays: ThruPlays indicate the number of times your video ad has been played to completion or for at least 15 seconds.
  • Cost Per ThruPlay: Calculates the average cost incurred for each completed or 15-second continuous play of your video ad.

---

Further Reading

Prioritize Visibility with the Instagram Ad Specs

Creating visually striking Instagram ads is only half the battle—it’s equally important to ensure essential elements of your ad remains visible. Familiarize yourself with the ad specs for each format to guarantee nothing important gets lost.

---

How To Determine the Right Instagram Performance Metrics

Now that you understand the corresponding Instagram ad metrics based on your objectives and goals, it’s time to apply this knowledge effectively. Reporting campaign success to your client involves considering various ad types and elements, and it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach.

To effectively tailor your Instagram ad reporting, align your tracking efforts with your advertising strategy. Consider including these standard Instagram ad metrics in your reports:

As media buying experts, tailoring reports to the intended audience is essential for effectively conveying the impact of your Instagram campaigns. Here’s a breakdown of key metrics and core metrics to focus on in different scenarios:

Identifying The Ad Metrics That Matters Most

By now, it’s clear that seemingly simple numbers on an Instagram ad metrics dashboard hold a wealth of information. These metrics extend far beyond the advertising department, impacting various teams within your organization. Tracking the right metrics based on your specific campaign goals fosters collaboration and alignment, creating highly engaging and effective Instagram ad campaigns throughout the year.

Equipping yourself with a deep understanding of key Instagram ad metrics empowers you as a media-buying expert. This knowledge translates to strategic decision-making, campaign optimization, and, ultimately, achieving your advertising objectives on Instagram.

Head over to Strike Social’s blogs for even more valuable insights on social media advertising.

The post Tracking the Right Instagram Metrics for Your Campaigns appeared first on Strike Social.

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:

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.

The post Choosing The Best Instagram Advertising Formats For Your Brand appeared first on Strike Social.

Instagram is prioritizing this format, giving Reels prominent placement within the feed and encouraging user engagement. 

As a marketer, following this social media marketing trend presents a huge opportunity. However, before you dive into creating Reels, learn how you can leverage its strengths to reach a wider audience and achieve your marketing goals.

This post will explore 7 key Instagram Reels statistics you need to know to guide your video marketing strategy.

7 Instagram Reels Statistics You Need to Know

Reels can be a powerful way to reach new audiences and improve engagement. Whether you’re a brand with a business account or an influencer with a personal account, understanding how Reels are used can help you maximize its potential.

Here are some key Instagram Reels statistics highlighting why you should be incorporating Reels into your Instagram marketing strategy. 

1. Instagram Reels Is the Best-Performing Content Type on Instagram

Compared to traditional photo posts and carousels with engagement rates of 0.70% and 0.99% respectively, Reels boasts a significantly higher average engagement rate of 1.23%.

Engagement rate includes likes, comments, shares, and saves — actions indicating that your audience is actively interacting with your content. 

Accordion to Attrock guide, prioritizing Instagram Reels is a strategic move when it comes to driving engagement with your target market on Instagram.

Mastering Instagram Reels and incorporating them into your marketing strategy is one of the ways to build a strong audience.     

2. Instagram Accounts Reached Fewer Users Through Reels in 2023

Even though Reels continue to dominate content engagement on Instagram, an interesting trend occurred in 2023. Instagram accounts saw a significant decline in the number of reached users compared to 2022.

In 2022, an account with 50,000 to 45 million followers could expect their Reels to reach an average of 95,600 viewers. By 2023, that number plummeted to just 47,851 — a nearly 50% decrease. 

What caused this shift? The rise of competing short-form video formats like YouTube Shorts is one of the factors. 

With more users flocking to these alternatives, the pool of potential viewers for Reels on Instagram decreased. 

Another factor that contributed to the decline is Instagram’s algorithm prioritizing unique and original content created specifically for its platform.  

Reels simply re-uploaded from other platforms were less likely to be shown. This is aimed at keeping users engaged within the Instagram ecosystem and creating a unique viewing experience. 

As a result, accounts that relied on reposting content saw a significant drop in the number of viewers reached. 

However, to counteract this and expand the reach of your Reels, you can embed Instagram Reels on your website. This can help bring more traffic to your Reels. 

3. Instagram Reels Reach More People Than Other Instagram Content Types

While engagement rates on Instagram have fluctuated, Reels continue to defy the trend.

Unlike static posts or Stories, Reels boast a higher likelihood of landing in front of a broader audience, even those who don’t follow you. You can also use the trending Reels audios to make your profile more visible out there. All you’ll need to do is find a trending reel audio and then use the add music to Instagram profile feature to add that audio to your profile bio. This will help your profile appear on top of the search results every time someone searches for that particular audio.

This is because Instagram prioritizes Reels in its algorithm, showcasing them on the Explore page and through hashtag discovery, a key aspect of Instagram SEO. 

One of the key Instagram Reels statistics to highlight is the average reach rate of Instagram Reels, which stands at 30.81%.

This is significantly higher than the average reach rates of carousel (14.45%) and static image posts (13.14%).

Reels not only reach a larger audience but also generate two times more impressions compared to other content types. This makes it a top choice for maximizing visibility, driving product awareness and outbound sales for your business.

4. Instagram Reels Receive the Most Impressions

Compared to other content formats on the platform, Instagram Reels statistics indicate that Reels boast a significantly higher impression rate, with an average impression rate of 33.83% in 2023. 

In contrast, static images saw an impression rate of 14.32% while carousels had an impression rate of 17.88%. 

Your Reels are more than twice as likely to be shown compared to a regular photo post. That’s a powerful advantage for expanding your reach and attracting new followers.

5. Instagram Reels Get More Saves for Small Accounts

A Socialinsider study has shown that Instagram Reels tend to generate more saves for accounts with less than 50,000 followers.

This Instagram Reels statistic could be attributed to the deeply personal connection that small accounts have with their audience. Their Reels might reflect authentic content that resonates with viewers. 

Conversely, larger accounts see a higher save rate for carousel posts, which can be used to showcase product details or tell a more comprehensive brand story in a series of images or videos.    

6. More Businesses are Using Instagram Reels in 2023 than in 2022

Recent Instagram Reels statistics show that more businesses are leveraging this type of content in 2023 compared to the previous year, with a notable increase of 57.4% year-over-year in Reels usage. 

Marketers are recognizing the power of Reels to drive brand awareness, boost engagement, and generate leads. 

It’s not just organic reach that’s driving this trend. Paid ad options are also available for Instagram Reels to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. This further amplifies their reach and impact, maximizing ROI.

7. More Than Half of Us Marketers Will Use Instagram Reels for Their Influencer Marketing Campaigns This Year

Instagram Reels are rapidly taking over as the preferred channel for influencer marketing campaigns. 

Instagram Reels statistics show that 58.2% of US marketers plan to use Reels to create influencer partnerships this year. Reels is already leading this competitive market, surpassing both TikTok and YouTube’s estimated adoption rates.

Final Thoughts

Instagram Reels has become a powerful tool for social media marketing. 

With these Instagram Reels statistics, we can see how this type of content enhances reach, boosts engagement, and fosters continuous growth among businesses and influencers. 

By incorporating Reels into your social media strategy, you can unlock new levels of reach and engagement for your marketing content.

Start creating Reels today to propel your marketing efforts towards achieving your goals. 

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

This article is written by Reena Aggarwal, Director of Operations and Sales at Attrock, a result-driven digital marketing company. With 10+ years of sales and operations experience in the field of e-commerce and digital marketing, she is quite an industry expert. She is a people person and considers the human resources as the most valuable asset of a company. In her free time, you would find her spending quality time with her brilliant, almost teenage daughter and watching her grow in this digital, fast-paced era.

Have some great content up your sleeve? We invite you to reach out to us. We are excited to collaborate with talented writers and feature high-quality content on our blogs.

The post 7 Key Instagram Reels Statistics for Marketers to Know appeared first on Strike Social.

Instagram Advertising Terms: The Beginner’s Handbook

The initial step in effectively setting up your Instagram advertising efforts is to familiarize yourself with the essential glossary of Instagram terms. That’s where our comprehensive guide comes in. From understanding the essentials of content creation for your brand on Instagram to monitoring your metrics and analytics effectively, our marketer’s glossary for Instagram provides all the guidance you need.

The glossary is thoughtfully organized into categories for ease of use. You can either choose to explore terms by their category or simply scroll down to find the specific terms you need, arranged in alphabetical order:

Foundational Instagram Terminology

Grasp the fundamental elements through this detailed Instagram glossary, which covers the initial terms. If you’re new to advertising on Instagram, this is where to begin:

Instagram Paid Advertising Terms

If you’re gearing up for paid marketing on Instagram, check out this section for essential terminologies used in Instagram advertising:

Instagram Glossary for Ad Metrics & Analytics

Your Instagram Ads’ effectiveness depends on your ability to track and interpret their performance accurately. This section provides you with the crucial Instagram terms needed to understand the analytics of your campaigns:

Ad formats: These refer to the various ways your ad can appear on Instagram. Each format offers unique advantages for specific goals:

---

Further Reading

Discover Instagram Ad Formats to Elevate Your Creatives

Captivating visuals are key to engaging audiences and delivering your brand message on Instagram. Whether through eye-catching photos or dynamic videos, understanding Instagram’s various ad formats will help you showcase your brand effectively.

---

Ad placements: Know where your ads appear on Instagram. Here’s a breakdown of the key ad placements:

Algorithm: The system that determines the order in which users see content in their feed. It considers factors in a user’s engagement, relevance, and activity.

Archive: A section where you can hide posts from your profile without permanently deleting them.

Average View Time: The average duration for which users watch your video ad. 

Bio: A short description about yourself or your brand.

Boosted post: Increasing the visibility of an existing organic post through paid advertising.

Campaign objectives: Here are some primary goals you can choose from when setting objectives for your Instagram ad campaigns:

Caption: The text accompanying your post, providing context or details.

Carousel Post: A post format allowing you to swipe through multiple images or videos within a single post.

Carousel Swipe Rate: The percentage of users who swipe through all the images/videos in your carousel ad after seeing the first frame.

Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of users who clicked on your ad after seeing it. 

Comment: A way to leave a message publicly on a post.

Cost-per-Acquisition (CPA): The average Instagram cost you pay for each action acquired driven by your ad.

Cost-per-Click (CPC): The average amount you pay for each click on your ad.

Cost-per-Thousand Impressions (CPM): The average cost you pay for every 1,000 times your ad is displayed.

Direct Message (DM): A private messaging feature for sending messages directly to other users.

Engagement Rate: A metric measuring how well your content resonates with your audience. It’s further broken down as:

Explore Page: A curated page featuring content based on user interests and trending topics.

Followers: Users who have subscribed to see your posts in their feed.

Following: Accounts you’ve chosen to see content from in your feed.

Frequency: The average number of times a user sees your ad during a campaign.

Geotagging: Adding a location tag to your post, allowing users to discover location-based content.

Hashtag: A word or phrase preceded by “#” to categorize your content and help users discover it.

Handle (@username): Your unique identifier on Instagram.

Highlights: A collection of saved stories that appear permanently on your profile.

Impressions: The number of times your post appears on a user’s screen.

Influencer: A social media personality with a dedicated following and the ability to influence purchase decisions.

---

Further Reading

Enhance Audience Targeting with Instagram Partnership Ads

Traditional targeting strategies for Instagram ads can drive results, but Instagram Partnership Ads take it a step further. By collaborating with influencers, you can reach highly engaged niche audiences who are more likely to connect with your brand.

---

Insights: The built-in analytics tool on Instagram that provides data on your post performance and audience demographics.

Instagram Live: Streaming live video content where viewers can comment and interact in real-time.

Paid reach: The number of unique accounts who see your content through paid advertising efforts.

Posts: The content you share on your profile, including photos, videos, and stories.

Profile: Your public-facing page showcasing your posts, bio, and follower information.

Profile Picture: The main image representing your account.

Profile Visits: The number of times users visit your Instagram profile after seeing your ad.

Reach: The number of unique accounts who were shown your post.

Reels: Short, engaging video clips with creative editing tools and music options. They can be up to 3 minutes long and include either a single video or a combination of images and videos.

---

Further Reading

Enhance Audience Targeting with Instagram Partnership Ads

While short-form video ad platforms all use a 9:16 aspect ratio, their safe zones vary significantly. Explore the safe zone templates and guides here to ensure your logo, key messages, and call-to-action buttons remain visible and unobstructed.

---

Saved Posts: Content saved by users to revisit later, which can be public or private.

Sponsored Post: A post created by an influencer or media outlet in partnership with a brand, typically disclosed with #ad or #sponsored.

Stories: Short, disappearing photo or video clips viewable for 24 hours.

Story Completion Rate: The percentage of users who watch your entire story ad.

Swipe-Ups/Link Clicks: (For Stories Ads) The number of times users swipe up on your story ad to visit the linked website or landing page.

Tag: Mentioning another user (@username) in your post or comment, creating a link to their profile.

Verified Badge (Blue checkmark): A mark awarded by Instagram confirming the authenticity of a public figure or brand.

Video View: The number of times your video content is played, including replays.

Website Conversions: The number of specific actions users take on your website after clicking your ad (e.g., purchases, sign-ups).

The Essential Instagram Glossary Every Advertiser Needs

The importance of mastering the specific language of each platform cannot be overstated — especially on Instagram, where the visual and dynamic interplay of content creates unique opportunities for brands.

As you move forward, armed with the insights from our comprehensive glossary, remember that the language of Instagram is continually evolving. Staying abreast of new terms and trends is crucial for maintaining the relevance and effectiveness of your advertising campaigns.

Thus, whether you’re figuring out which hashtags to use, where your ads will show up, or how to read your campaign analytics, understanding Instagram’s terminology is the first step toward engaging your audience and boosting your brand.

The post Advertising Know-Hows: Instagram Glossary for Beginners appeared first on Strike Social.

• YouTube

• Facebook

• Instagram

• TikTok

Ad Specifications & Best Practices

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

The complete list of YouTube ad specifications (2025 Update)

13 minutes read

How to Guarantee Unobstructed Ads with the YouTube Video View Campaign Safe Zone

7 minutes read

YouTube Shorts Best Practices for Video Ads

8 minutes read

Brand Safety and Suitability

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

How Well Do You Know Where Your Ads Appear: Decoding the Difference Between Brand Safety vs. Brand Suitability

8 minutes read

Avoid Advertising in Kids’ Channels and Elevate Brand Suitability with YouTube Content Theme Exclusions

7 minutes read

Understanding YouTube Brand Safety in Video Advertising

7 minutes read

Ad Campaign Tips and Strategies

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

Optimize YouTube Ads with Trending Negative Keywords

7 minutes read

Charting the Path to Brand Suitability: The Strategic Advantage of YouTube Ad Topic Exclusions

6 minutes read

6 tips for YouTube advertising success

4 minutes read

Read more

The complete list of YouTube ad specifications (2025 Update)

13 minutes read

YouTube Case Study: Capturing Mother’s Day Shoppers Through Hyper-Targeted CTV Campaigns

2 minutes read

YouTube CTV Case Study: Driving Engagement and Lowering CPV for a Statewide Safety Initiative

2 minutes read

YouTube Shorts Views Are Changing: How You Can Adapt Your Paid Ads Strategy

8 minutes read

YouTube Case Study: Promoting Local Tourism with Skippable Ad Campaigns

2 minutes read

Increase YouTube Subscribers with Google Ads: A Step-by-Step Guide

9 minutes read

Ad Specifications & Best Practices

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

Is Your Ad At Risk? Get Ahead and Learn From The Usual Facebook Ad Rejection Reasons

7 minutes read

Facebook Reels Ads 101: A Complete Setup Guide With Ads Specs

6 minutes read

The complete list of Facebook ad sizes (2025)

16 minutes read

Brand Safety and Suitability

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

How To Protect Your Online Reputation With Facebook Brand Safety

8 minutes read

Amplify the Effectiveness of Your Ad with the Facebook Inventory Filter

8 minutes read

​​Essential Facebook Ads Protection Strategies You Need to Implement

8 minutes read

Ad Campaign Tips and Strategies

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

AI-Driven Solution to Social Commerce: Meta Advantage+ Catalog Ads

7 minutes read

Facebook Product Catalog Setup Guide And Best Practices

7 minutes read

Unlock The Power Of Facebook Reels: A Marketer’s Must-Read Guide

8 minutes read

Read more

Facebook Case Study: 11M+ Impressions with Optimized In-Feed Video Ads

2 minutes read

Facebook Case Study: Maximizing Engagement for a Valentine’s CPG Campaign

2 minutes read

Multi-Platform Case Study: Driving Traffic with Influencer Content

2 minutes read

Meta Case Study: Scaling Reach for New Moms with Influencer Content

2 minutes read

Is Advantage+ Audience Effective? How It Impacts Your Ad Performance

9 minutes read

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Ad Specifications & Best Practices

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

Stay Within the Lines: Instagram’s Safe Zone and Ad Sizes

9 minutes read

The complete list of Instagram ad specs (2025)

11 minutes read

How much does it cost to advertise on Instagram?

12 minutes read

Ad Campaign Tips and Strategies

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

Guide to Instagram Partnership Ads (formerly Branded Content Ads)

9 minutes read

The Instagram Reels Ad Placement Effect: Setting Up IG Paid Campaigns for Success

5 minutes read

Snapchat vs. Instagram Stories: which is best for your business?

5 minutes read

Read more

Social Media Ad Specifications, Best Practices, Tips and Strategies

1 minute read

Ad Specifications & Best Practices

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

How The View-Through Rate Calculator Helps Measure Ad Effectiveness

7 minutes read

A Guide To DMA Geo-targeting On TikTok: Reaching Location-based Audience

8 minutes read

Marketers’ guide to TikTok ad specs

8 minutes read

Brand Safety and Suitability

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

Get Familiar With TikTok Ad Creative Policies And Avoid Ads Rejection

6 minutes read

Align with TikTok’s Advertising Guidelines for Industry Entry and Get Your Brand TikTok-Ready

4 minutes read

Guide To TikTok Inventory Filter: Safeguarding Brand’s Presence

6 minutes read

Ad Campaign Tips and Strategies

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

TikTok Search Ads: The Game-Changing Ad Strategy Your Business Needs

9 minutes read

Get More Clicks And Conversions With TikTok Interactive Add-Ons

11 minutes read

TikTok Brand Awareness Ad Objective: An Opportunity Media Buyers Should Know About

6 minutes read

Read more

Complete Guide to Facebook Advertising in 2025

18 minutes read

Complete Guide to YouTube Advertising in 2025

19 minutes read

Marketing to Gen Z: Social Media Strategies for Performance-Driven Brands

13 minutes read

The complete list of YouTube ad specifications (2025 Update)

13 minutes read

Facebook Case Study: 11M+ Impressions with Optimized In-Feed Video Ads

2 minutes read

YouTube Case Study: Capturing Mother’s Day Shoppers Through Hyper-Targeted CTV Campaigns

2 minutes read

YouTube CTV Case Study: Driving Engagement and Lowering CPV for a Statewide Safety Initiative

2 minutes read

TikTok News and Updates Q1 2025: What Advertisers Need to Know

11 minutes read

The post Social Media Ad Specifications, Best Practices, Tips and Strategies appeared first on Strike Social.

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

Stay Within the Lines: Instagram’s Safe Zone and Ad Sizes

Maximize your Instagram ad spending with ease! Paying attention to Instagram’s safe zone and ad sizes is crucial for success.

Keep up-to-date with the latest guidelines and create standout content to increase the success of your campaigns. Whether using static images, videos, or a combination, selecting the appropriate size and format is essential for achieving your advertising goals.

Instagram’s Safe Zone and Aspect Ratios: Ensuring Your Ads Look Great on Every Device

To help you navigate the intricacies of Instagram advertising, we have compiled a comprehensive guide that includes best practices, actual specifications, and safe zones for various ad formats, including images, videos, carousels, Instagram Stories, and Reels ads.

With this valuable resource, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to create effective campaigns that resonate with your target audience and achieve your desired outcomes.

How to Find the Instagram Ad Sizes of Your Creative Assets

1.91:1

16:9

1:1

4:5

2:3

9:16

Designing Instagram ad creatives with mobile users in mind and using vertical video with taller aspect ratios can help create compelling content. Facebook, Instagram, and Audience Network support aspect ratios from 16:9 to 9:16. Selecting a taller aspect ratio enables the full use of the mobile device screen, capturing the viewer’s attention and creating an engaging experience.

To determine an image’s aspect ratio:

1. Identify its dimensions in pixels. These can typically be found in the file information or through editing software.
2.  The relationship between the width (first number) and the height (second number) can be calculated once the dimensions are known. For instance:

• If an image has dimensions of 1600 pixels x 900 pixels or 3200 pixels x 1800 pixels, it falls into the 16:9 aspect ratio. 
• On the other hand, if the image has dimensions of 1600 pixels x 1600 pixels or 3200 pixels x 3200 pixels, it falls into the 1:1 aspect ratio. 

Advertisers can customize their ad creatives for different placements and select the best-optimized version for their target audience using Meta Ads Manager. They can create a new ad, use an existing post, or utilize the Creative Hub mockup. Additionally, they can adjust the image aspect ratio or focal point to maintain the desired composition.

Understanding an image’s aspect ratio and Instagram ad sizes allows advertisers and brands to optimize their visuals for different platforms, maintain the desired composition, and deliver the intended message to their audience.

---

Further Reading

Grow Your Audience by Promoting with Instagram Reels

Growing a podcast audience requires dedicated efforts, including nurturing podcast content, cross-platform posting, and engaging with listeners. As part of an effective podcast marketing strategy, Instagram Reels can be a valuable tool to promote your podcast to Instagram users.

---

Avoid Ad Mistakes with Instagram’s Safe Zone

Different Instagram ad sizes and ad placements have specific image and video aspect ratio requirements. Safe zones are essential in Instagram Stories and Reels, as creative elements placed here are at risk of being covered by the profile icon or call to action, which could hurt your ad’s performance.

To help advertisers customize their video content for different placements, Meta Ads Manager provides tools to add logo and text overlays in different fonts and colors. Additionally, while editing your video, these tools can identify safe zones by highlighting them in yellow, preventing accidental coverage of critical, creative elements.

After uploading your media, Instagram checks for safe zones and provides feedback to assist you in making necessary modifications for optimal performance. By following these best practices and using safe zones, you can produce impactful Instagram ads that captivate viewers and boost the likelihood of conversions.

Best Practices in Matching Instagram Ads Sizes

Creating attention-grabbing mobile ads is essential for successful advertising. Images and videos should cover as much screen space as possible to achieve this. Choosing an appropriate aspect ratio that suits different placements and formats is essential. 

Here are some recommended aspect ratios for various placements and formats advertisers can use to create more effective mobile ads:

Following these recommended aspect ratios and incorporating other best practices, such as a safe zone for Instagram ads, you can create mobile ads that stand out and drive results. Remember that the correct aspect ratio may vary depending on your ad creative, so test different options to find what works best for your campaign.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Use the Instagram Reels Safe Zone Template

1. Download this png file.
2. You can add this transparent template as a layer to any editing software.
3. By dragging it down to a layer, you can adjust the captions or other content to fit correctly within the safe zone. 
4. Before exporting, remember to hide or remove the layer to avoid unintended elements in the final ad creative.

---

Further Reading

The Complete List of Instagram Ad Specifications

Instagram’s visually rich platform offers brands a prime opportunity to connect with highly engaged users through targeted ads. To make sure your video ads stand out in Instagram’s content-rich feed, know more about the platform’s ad specifications to achieve the best results.

---

The Importance of Staying Within the Instagram Lines

Visually stunning mobile ads that effectively reach your target audience on Instagram require more than just an eye-catching design. Advertisers must consider multiple factors, including aspect ratios and placement options, to maximize screen coverage and capture users’ attention. One crucial element to remember when designing ads is Instagram Safe Zone- the area within the ad guaranteed to be visible on all devices, ensuring that no critical information is cut off.

Choose the appropriate aspect ratio for each placement and stay up-to-date with any changes in placement options to optimize Instagram ads for success. Designing videos with a mobile-first approach is recommended, and vertical videos (with aspect ratios of 4:5, 2:3, and 9:16) are particularly effective because people tend to hold their phones upright. Facebook, Instagram, and Audience Network support various aspect ratios, from 16:9 to 9:16, for different ad formats, such as photo and video ads, carousel ads, Instagram Stories, and Reels ads.

To make the most of your Instagram campaigns, continual testing and iteration of ad creatives are crucial. Advertisers should aim to create attention-grabbing visuals that fit the various formats and placements available. By following Instagram ads’ safe zone and best practices and keeping up-to-date with the platform’s specs and guidelines, advertisers can produce visually stunning ads that drive better business results.

The post Stay Within the Lines: Instagram’s Safe Zone and Ad Sizes appeared first on Strike Social.

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

Instagram Branded Content Ads: A Direct Link to Influencer Communities

The Instagram influencer community isn’t just made up of mega influencers like Charli and Dixie D’Amelio or Addison Rae, who boast tens of millions of followers. 

In fact, micro-influencers (10,000–100,000 followers) and nano-influencers (1,000–10,000 followers) are the preferred choice for 70% of brands. Why? These smaller creators are often more cost-effective and drive higher engagement, making them a better fit for targeted campaigns compared to big-name influencer communities.

With Instagram Partnership Ads (formerly Branded Content Ads), advertisers now have a direct link to tap into these influencer networks, leverage authentic user-generated content (UGC), and reach highly engaged audiences. It’s a strategy no brand can afford to overlook.

The Appeal of Instagram Influencer Advertising for Modern Brands

Social media influencers offer unique advantages that goes beyond traditional paid ads on Instagram. By tapping into their distinct niche audiences, Instagram influencers connect with followers who are already engaged and highly likely to become loyal patrons of the products or services they promote.

It’s no surprise that 47% of brands are already leveraging Instagram Branded Content Ads to amplify their campaigns. Here’s why the Instagram app remains the go-to platform for paid influencer marketing:

1. Up to 230% more follower reach than the average Instagram user 

Instagram’s visual-first platform makes it the ideal space for industries like fashion to thrive through influencer marketing. Even globally recognized brands, such as Zara, have found immense value in Partnership Ads.

By collaborating with micro-influencers like Teesh Rosa, Zara launched an Instagram Partnership Ads campaign that resulted in 4.6 million new followers. This success demonstrates how influencer marketing campaigns can tap into new audiences—far beyond what sponsored ads alone could achieve—delivering up to 230% more follower reach than the average Instagram user.

2. 41% of consumers discover products through influencer content weekly 

Instagram Branded Content Ads have the power to make your products feel relatable and accessible. By showcasing your brand through influencers, your product is presented as something used and trusted by “everyday” individuals, not just celebrities or big names.

When users scroll through their feeds and see their favorite influencers featuring your product, it creates an instant sense of trust and authenticity. This organic connection often gains traction even before you launch it as sponsored content on Instagram. It’s no wonder that 41% of consumers discover new products through influencer content on a weekly basis.

3. 69% of consumers trust influencer reviews and recommendations 

By featuring your product through Partnership Ads, Instagram influencers act as both brand advocates and trusted consumers.

This trust pays off—93% of influencers ensure their partnerships align with their personal values and audience expectations, reinforcing credibility and brand trust.

Beyond promotion, the authentic reactions and feedback from Instagram influencers can provide valuable insights to improve your product. Their close interactions with their community also give you a clearer understanding of how your brand is perceived, opening up opportunities for growth and optimization.

4. Influencers and content creators drive the growth of short-form video content

Short-form video has become a dominant force across social platforms, with Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube leading “the big three” for this content format.

Brands and influencers alike benefit from short-form videos, which generate 2.5x more engagement than longer video ads. Instagram Reels users spend an average of 53 minutes per session watching bite-sized content, offering brands a significant opportunity to reach audiences quickly and effectively.

---

Further Reading

Which Platform is Best for Your Short-Form Video Advertising?

The competition for short-form video dominance is heating up among TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. Each platform brings something unique to the table, from extensive user engagement to expansive audience reach, offering distinct opportunities for advertisers to connect with their target markets.

---

5. 82% of leads from influencer marketing are better quality than other campaign types

Instagram Branded Content Ads are not just effective for boosting reach—they excel at driving results for lower-funnel campaigns like lead generation. Aside from better quality leads, influencer marketing also brings about 4.87x ROI—a great return on investing in quality content creation from top influencers on Instagram. 

Eligible Formats for Instagram Branded Content Ads

While Instagram offers a range of advertising formats, only a select few are eligible for Partnership Ads (formerly Branded Content Ads). Here’s a list of the available formats and their requirements:

• Feed Ads
  • Feed ads provide prime visibility within the Instagram app. These ads appear on the influencer’s profile feed, users’ home feeds, and even on the profile feeds of other related content creators. Your selected Instagram partnership ads can be in image, video, or carousel format (multiple images or videos).

• Stories Ads
  • Stories are another popular format for Instagram branded content ads. To ensure your ad meets all requirements, follow these guidelines:
    • Video length must be 60 seconds or less
    • Music must be from Instagram’s royalty-free music collection or original audio

While considering the interactive elements, the content creator must also make sure that CTAs or texts are well within the safe zones, abiding by the ad specs on Instagram. By the aspect ratio, find the recommended safe zones for branded content ads on Reels here:

• 9:16
• 4:5

Are You Eligible to Launch Instagram Partnership Ads?

Launching Instagram Partnership Ads requires meeting specific eligibility requirements for advertisers. Unlike standard paid ads on Instagram, which can be easily started with a verified Meta business account and a fully set-up Meta Ads Manager, Partnership Ads come with additional criteria that must be met. Here’s what you need to know:

• Content must be shared from a professional Facebook page and/or Instagram professional account. Personal accounts are not eligible to run Partnership Ads.
• Content must comply with Meta’s Community Standards and should not contain hate speech, calls for violence, and sexualized content. Additionally, the content must avoid any misinformation or false news to prevent disapproval of the ad.
• Your Instagram profile must have a genuine follower base and an established presence to be eligible for Partnership Ads.
• Currently elected or appointed government officials, political candidates, political parties, political committees, and government agencies are not permitted to run Instagram branded content ads.
• Meta reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate access to its content monetization features, including Partnership Ads, at any time. 

How to Generate Instagram Ad Codes for Partnership Ads

For a Meta advertiser to use a creator’s content for an Instagram Partnership Ad, you need an Instagram ad code. Each ad code is unique to a specific advertiser and can only be used once.

Proper content-level and account-level permissions must also be arranged to ensure the influencer’s content can be used effectively for Instagram Partnership Ads.

Steps to generate ad code for Instagram influencers:

1. The Instagram influencer must choose the post they want to use for your branded content ad.

2. The influencer clicks the three dots on the post to reveal options. From there, they select Partnership label & ads.

3. The influencer toggles the option for Add paid partnership label.

4. The influencer clicks Add brand partner and selects your Instagram username from the list of potential advertisers. They then toggle the option for Allow brand partner to boost to allow you to use the content for sponsored ads.

5. The influencer clicks on Get partnership ad code, then copies the code and shares it with you for use in your Instagram campaign.

6. The influencer clicks Done to save and confirm the updates.

Steps to create Instagram branded content ads with ad code:

1. Go to Meta Ads Manager and click +Create.

2. Choose your campaign objective and click Continue.

3. Customize your campaign and ad set settings, including budget, audience targeting, and placement preferences. You can either use Advantage+ placements or manually select your placements.

4. In the Ad level, toggle the option for Partnership ad. Then click on Enter ad code or post info.

5. Paste the ad code you received from your influencer partner. A preview of the content will appear, allowing you to confirm that you’re boosting the correct post. Select the Instagram accounts you want to tag with the content as a sponsored ad. Once confirmed, click Done.

6. Finish setting up the rest of your Instagram Partnership Ad and click Publish to launch the campaign.

Instagram Influencer Marketing Made Easy

Revolutionary social media has transformed how brands connect with their audience. Influencers and content creators are the newest sought-after marketing strategy. Instagram is a top-tier influencer marketing platform, and with the addition of Instagram Reels, the dominion has expanded even more. 

Digital creators and influencers are adding their best content to Instagram’s inventories. For advertisers looking to capitalize the whitelisting opportunities, Instagram Branded Content Ads offer an effective and cost-efficient solution to activate an elevated ad experience to target audiences seamlessly.

The post Guide to Instagram Partnership Ads (formerly Branded Content Ads) appeared first on Strike Social.

While platforms are battling for the crown of the best short-form video, advertisers benefit as more active and engaging users spend countless hours swiping. Instagram Reels, first launched in August of 2020, only became available in the ad auction in 2022.  Marketers benefit because anytime there’s a new part of the Facebook and Instagram supply available in the auction, that’s where the pricing efficiencies are going to lie until the rest of the market catches up. 

It’s not new news that Reels and TikTok have a lot of similarities.  Many brands are successfully delivering the same TikTok experiences to their Instagram audience. Some brands like Gucci have seen more eyeballs on Instagram Reels videos than on their Feed.

At the time of this writing, comparing the last ten video content of Gucci’s Instagram account, Instagram Reels have an average of 750,000 views per post, while their Instagram Feed gathered 337,000 per post. With a lavishing 48 million Instagram followers, Gucci has doubled its organic reach of short-form content, with a 1.6% audience reach for Reels and .70% for videos on Feed. Top Instagram brands such as Warner Bros., Adobe, Gucci, Chanel, and BMW have similar success with Instagram Reels. 

As more users consume short-form videos, Instagram Reels Ads placement is an excellent opportunity to reach more engaging audiences during the discovery stage.

Anatomy of Instagram Reels Ads 

Before creating an attention-grabbing Instagram Reels ad, advertisers must first have an idea about the ad spec for Instagram Reels ad placement. Utilizing the same creative for Instagram across ad placements is a common practice. The ad manager will not just insert video creative between organic Reels content, but it will also be presented in different ad sections: Reels, Feed, and Profile. Marketers should be mindful of other Instagram ad specs as video resolution and ratio vary.

Instagram Reels Ad Spec

Like Instagram’s competitors, content on Reels includes unique, relatable, entertaining, and inspiring videos. Video ads on Instagram Reels won’t be different from organic content making it more engaging and less the feel of an ad. Before working on the next Instagram campaign, check the Ad specs for Instagram Ad Reels Placement.

Video Instagram Ad Reels Specifications:

• Resolution: at least 500 x 888 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 highly recommended.
• Suggested ratio: 9:16
• The suggested character length on the primary text should not exceed 72 characters to avoid text truncation.
• The file size should not exceed 4 GB.
• Video duration should not exceed 60 minutes and a minimum of 1-second
• Image upload supported file: MP4, or MOV.

Related: Marketers’ guide to Meta ad specs

Campaign Objectives for Instagram Reels Ad Placement

What is your advertising goal? Ads Manager has its unique way of leveraging campaigns in every ad placement. Aligning the business purpose to the available objective makes Instagram advertising more cost-efficient and effective.  

Campaign Objectives options for Instagram Reels ad placement: 

• Conversions
• Reach
• Traffic
• Video Views
• Brand
  

Related: A glimpse into Facebook Ads Manager

Cost and Performance of Instagram Reels Ad Placements

Related: Instagram Stories: everything advertisers need to know

Various factors affect ad costs but ad placements sometimes hold their efficiency based on audience interest and behavior. Instagram’s effort to put Reels in the spotlight created a positive ripple for advertisers to leverage their campaigns.

Using Strike Social recent Instagram campaign data focusing on ad placements, Instagram Reels consistently delivers cost-efficient results when leveraging Video Views across different objectives: Reach (CPM), Clicks (CPC), Engagement (CPE), and Link Clicks (CPLC). Campaigns set up to reach more audiences or explore new users during the discovery phase, Instagram Reels ad placements present almost half of the cost of Feed placements.

Another point to highlight is how it drives high post and page engagements. Reels ads are inserted seamlessly in-between highly compelling organic content. Ad insertions add a more native content approach to IG Reels viewers. It helps increase the opportunity to engage with the video content.

The low cost of Complete Views and Post Engagement can be attributed to the effectiveness of ad placement on Instagram Reels. Our data shows that ads displayed on Reels are fully visible to IG users and likely to trigger an engagement. 

Start Embracing Instagram Reels Ad Placement for a Higher Campaign Success

The effectiveness of each ad placement changes based on trends and audience behavior. Back in Q1 2017, during the release of Instagram Stories ad placements, our team saw a similar trend with how Ads on Reels behave. Being a new tool for advertisers, it appears to have less auction competition with massive eyeballs on the new Instagram section. 

Now is an excellent window of opportunity for marketers to experiment with how Instagram Reels can help increase the success of their campaign with a more cost-effective approach.

With low CPM and High Video Completion, Instagram can easily detect app users’ connection and interest in the video ads. 

With the right creative and optimization based on campaign behavior, Instagram Reels Ads placement can help increase brand awareness, expand reach, and attract engagement to the desired audience.

The post The Instagram Reels Ad Placement Effect: Setting Up IG Paid Campaigns for Success appeared first on Strike Social.

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

2025 Guide to Meta Ad Specs and Formats for Effective Facebook and Instagram Campaigns

As the leading social media platform in the U.S., Facebook boasts a 77% share of network usage, with Instagram closely following in third place. Together, these platforms provide an expansive reach of up to 3 billion users globally, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 3.44%.

With such a vast audience available for your ads, it’s important to adhere to the most updated Meta ad specs. By doing so, you ensure that your essential calls-to-action remain visible and effective, whether your ad appears in a Reels format, as an overlay image, or anywhere else within the Meta platform feeds.

The Complete List of Meta Ad Sizes

When setting up Facebook or Instagram campaigns in Meta Ads Manager, switching back and forth to check how your ad creatives will display can be quite challenging. To make this easier, here’s our 2025 Meta ads specs guide.

Begin by selecting your desired Facebook or Instagram ad format, then refer to the corresponding sizes and specifications for the placements you want your ads to appear in:

• Image ads
• Video ads
• Carousel ads
• Collection ads

Meta Ad Specs for Image Ads

Static image ads are a powerful way to capture attention as users scroll through Facebook and Instagram feeds. They’re quick to create, easy to launch, and ideal for fast campaigns aimed at boosting brand recall. Explore the available placements for image ads and their Meta ad specs here:

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%

Instagram Feed

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
• Maximum Number of Hashtags: 30

Technical Specs:

• Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Minimum Aspect Ratio: 400 x 500
• Maximum Aspect Ratio: 191 x 100
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Facebook Reels

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%

Instagram Reels

Design Specs:

• File Type: JPG or PNG
• Ratio: 9:16
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Safe zone: Keep the top 14%, bottom 35%, and 6% on each side of your image free from text, logos, or any important design elements.

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 72 characters

Technical Specs:

• Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Facebook Stories

Design Specs:

• File Type: JPG or PNG 
• Ratio: 9:16
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Safe zone tip: Reserve about 14% of the top and 20% of the bottom of your image free of text, logos, or key visuals to allow room for UI elements like 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%

Instagram Stories

Design Specs:

• Image File Type: JPG or PNG
• Ratio: 9:16
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters

Technical Specs:

• Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Messenger Stories

Design Specs:

• File Type: JPG or PNG
• Ratio: 9:16
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080
• Safe zone tip: Keep approximately 14% clear at the top and bottom of your image, free from text or logos, to ensure the CTA (like “Learn More” or “Book Now”) remains unobstructed.

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 characters

Technical Specs:

• Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

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%

Instagram Explore

Design Specs:

• Image File Type: JPG or PNG
• Ratio: 9:16
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters

Technical Specs:

• Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

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: To make the most of this ad’s compact image format, avoid text on the visuals.

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%

Instagram Profile Feed

Design Specs:

• Image File Type: JPG or PNG
• Recommended Ratio: 1:1
• All Supported Ratios: 1.91:1 to 4:5
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 characters
• Maximum Number of Hashtags: 30

Technical Specs:

• Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Minimum Height: 400 pixels
• Minimum Aspect Ratio: 400 x 500
• Maximum Aspect Ratio: 191 x 100
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

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%

Ads on Facebook Reels (Overlay)

Design Specs:

• File Type: JPG or PNG
• Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Note: With limited space for visuals in this ad type, it’s ideal to keep images text-free.

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 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 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%

Audience Network

Native Ads

Banner Ads

Design Specs:

• File Type: JPG or PNG
• Ratio: 9:16
• Resolution: At least 398 x 208 pixels

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 characters
• Description: 30 characters

Technical Specs:

• Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Minimum Width: 398 pixels
• Minimum Height: 208 pixels

---

Further Reading

Instagram Ad Specs and Sizes for 2025

Instagram’s visual appeal and active user base make it a prime platform for brands looking to connect with socially engaged audiences through paid ads. Our detailed guide covers all you need to know about Instagram ad specifications, organized by each ad format.

---

Meta Video Ad Specs

Capture your audience’s attention with engaging video ads, whether you’re targeting viewers with quick, short-form content or sharing in-depth stories through longer videos. Each placement comes with specific recommended sizes and technical requirements to ensure your ads look their best. 

Check out the Meta ad specs to make sure your video ad creatives fit seamlessly within the Facebook and Instagram apps:

Facebook Feed

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 free of edit lists or added 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
• With 360 videos, users can swipe to explore the video interactively—this feature is available exclusively on Facebook Feed and Video Feed.

Instagram Feed

Design Specs:

• File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Ratio: 4:5
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
• Video Sound: Optional, but recommended

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Maximum Number of Hashtags: 30

Technical Specs:

• Video Duration: 1 second to 60 minutes
• Maximum File Size: 4GB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

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
• Refrain from using special boxes or edit lists within video file containers.

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 40 characters
• Headline: 55 characters

Technical Specs:

• Video Duration: No maximum limit
• Maximum File Size: 4GB

Instagram Reels

Design Specs:

• File Type: MP4, MOV
• 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 500 x 888 pixels
• Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
• Video Sound: Optional, but strongly recommended
• Reels ads should not contain:
  • Reels published before October 15, 2021.
  • Licensed music; use original audio or royalty-free music from the Meta Sound Collection instead.
  • Media featuring face or camera effects.
  • Media containing GIFs.
  • Media with product tags.
  • Videos with edit lists or special boxes in file containers.
• To avoid overlap, leave 14% free at the top, 35% at the bottom, and 6% on each side of the image, keeping text and logos clear.

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 72 characters

Technical Specs:

• Video Duration: 0 seconds to 15 minutes
• Maximum File Size: 4GB

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
• Avoid embedding edit lists or special boxes directly in video containers.
• Safe zone tip: For best results, ensure that 250 pixels at the top and 340 pixels at the bottom of your video is free from essential elements like text or logos.

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%

Instagram 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
• Leave space by clearing 14% (250 pixels) at the top, and 20% (340 pixels) at the bottom, of text, logos, or other main elements.

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters

Technical Specs:

• Video Duration: 1 second to 60 minutes
• Maximum File Size: 4GB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Messenger 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

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 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
• Refrain from using special boxes or edit lists within 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 Feed and Video Feed support 360 videos, giving users the ability to swipe and explore the video content.

Facebook Groups Feed

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
• Keep crucial design elements like text and logos away from the edges: aim for 14% clear at the top, 35% at the bottom, and 6% on each side.

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 50-150 characters
• Headline: 27 characters 

Technical Specs:

• Video Duration: 1 second to 241 minutes
• Maximum File Size: 4GB
• Minimum Width: 120 pixels
• Minimum Height: 120 pixels

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

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

Ads on Facebook Reels (Video Overlay)

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 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 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

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 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

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

Instagram Explore

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

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters

Technical Specs:

• Video Duration: 1 second to 60 minutes
• Maximum File Size: 4GB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Instagram Profile Feed

Design Specs:

• File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Recommended Ratio: 4:5
• All Supported Ratios: 1.91:1 to 9:16
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
• Video Sound: Optional, but recommended

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 characters
• Maximum Number of Hashtags: 30

Technical Specs:

• Video Duration: 1 second to 60 minutes
• Maximum File Size: 4GB
• Minimum Width: 500 pixels
• Minimum Height: 500 pixels
• Minimum Aspect Ratio: 4:5
• Maximum Aspect Ratio: 1.91:1
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Instagram Profile Reels

Design Specs:

• File type: MP4, MOV
• Recommended ratio: 9:16
• Video settings: H.264 compression, square pixels, fixed frame rate, progressive scan and stereo AAC audio compression at 128 kbps and over
• Resolution: At least 500 x 888 pixels
• Video Captions: Optional, but recommended
• Video Sound: Optional, but recommended

Text Limitations:

• Primary text: 72 characters

Technical Specs:

• Video duration: 0 seconds to 15 minutes
• Maximum File Size: 4GB

---

Further Reading

Facebook Advertising Sizes and Specifications (2025 Update)

Prior to submitting your creative for a Meta campaign, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the various Facebook ad sizes and formats. This ensures that your Meta ads are visually appealing and function effectively across all devices.

---

Ad Specs for Carousel Ads in Meta

For brands aiming to boost post engagement and drive conversions, the carousel ad format is an excellent choice. This ad format allows viewers to explore your latest releases or special discounts all on a single screen, enhancing their shopping experience.

Discover the Meta ad specs for the carousel format in different placements, whether you’re using manual or Advantage+ settings, to optimize your campaign effectively.

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%

Instagram Feed

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:

• Image File Type: JPG or PNG
• Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Ratio: 1:1
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels

Technical Specs:

• Number of Carousel Cards: 2 to 10
• Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Video Maximum File Size: 4GB
• Video Duration: 1 second to 2 minutes
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Facebook Reels

Design Specs:

• Image file type: JPG or PNG
• Recommended ratio: 9:16
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Safe zone guide: Leave a buffer of 14% at the top, 35% at the bottom, and 6% on each side of your image or video to ensure text and logos stay visible and aren’t obstructed by UI elements like profile pictures, ad text, or the CTA 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%

Instagram Reels

Design Specs:

• Image file type: JPG or PNG
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Aspect ratio: 9:16

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 characters
• Landing Page URL: Required

Technical Specs:

• Maximum number of carousel cards: 10
• Minimum number of carousel cards: 2
• Image maximum file size: 30MB
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

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 format is not available for carousel ads in Facebook Stories placement.
  • Safe Zone Reminder: Keep the top 14% and bottom 20% of your Facebook ad creatives clear of text and logos to avoid them being obscured by UI elements.

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

Instagram Stories

Design Specs:

• Image File Type: JPG or PNG
• Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Ratio: 1:1
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Safe zone tip: Keep roughly 14% (250 pixels) at the top and 20% (340 pixels) at the bottom of your image free of text, logos, or other essential elements.

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 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 15 seconds
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

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 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 Video Feed 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%

Overlay Ads on Facebook Reels

Design Specs:

• Image File Type: JPG or PNG 
• Ratio: 1:1
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels
• We recommend avoiding text on your images, as this Facebook ad placement displays images at a smaller size.

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 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 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%

Instagram Profile Feed

Design Specs:

• Image File Type: JPG or PNG
• Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Recommended Ratio: 1:1
• All Supported Ratios: 1.91:1 to 4:5
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 characters
• Maximum Number of Hashtags: 30
• 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 2 minutes
• Aspect Ratio Tolerance: 1%

Instagram Explore

Design Specs:

• Image file type: JPG or PNG
• Ratio: 1:1
• Resolution: 1080 x 1080 pixels

Text Limitations:

• Primary text: 125 characters
• Headline: 40 characters
• Landing Page URL: Required

Technical Specs:

• Number of carousel cards: 2-10
• Maximum file size: 30MB
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Minimum Aspect Ratio: 400 x 500
• Maximum Aspect Ratio: 191 x 100
• Aspect ratio tolerance: 1%

Meta Ad Sizes for Collection Ads

As you move towards the lower funnel stages, the collection ad format becomes an invaluable tool for showcasing your top products or services. This format not only highlights your best offerings but also encourages audiences to explore further through the Instant Experience feature.

While the available Meta placements may be limited, partnering with an experienced Meta ad agency can effectively guide engaged audiences through the funnel, ultimately driving improved conversions.

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

Instagram Feed

Design Specs:

• Image File Type: JPG or PNG
• Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Ratio: 1.91:1 to 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
• Minimum Image/Video Width: 500 pixels
• Minimum Image/Video Height: 500 pixels

Facebook Reels

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

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

Instagram Reels

Design Specs:

• Image file type: JPG or PNG
• Video file type: MP4 or MOV
• Cover ratio: 9:16
• Product image ratio: 1:1
• Resolution: At least 500 x 888 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 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

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

Instagram Stories

Design Specs:

• Image Type: JPG or PNG
• Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Landing Page URL: Required

Technical Specs:

• Instant Experience: Required
• Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Video Maximum File Size: 4GB
• Minimum Image/Video Width: 500 pixels
• Minimum Image/Video Height: 500 pixels

Instagram Explore

Design Specs:

• Image Type: JPG or PNG
• Video File Type: MP4, MOV or GIF
• Ratio: 1.91:1 to 1:1
• Resolution: At least 1080 x 1080 pixels

Text Limitations:

• Primary Text: 125 characters
• Landing Page URL: Required

Technical Specs:

• Instant Experience: Required
• Image Maximum File Size: 30MB
• Video Maximum File Size: 4GB
• Minimum Image/Video Width: 500 pixels
• Minimum Image/Video Height: 500 pixels