What are Safe Zone Guides, and Why Do They Matter?

In video advertising, the “safe zone” is the area within your video ad that is guaranteed to be fully visible to viewers across different devices and platforms. These safe zones vary across platforms due to different user interfaces and functionalities.

This area is typically centered within the frame and avoids the edges where elements like platform icons, captions, or user interface elements might overlap and obscure your content.

• Placing essential elements like your logo, key messages, and call-to-action buttons within the safe zone guarantees visibility and prevents them from being cut off or hidden.
• 87% of audiences associate trust in a brand with high-quality video ads, which means ensuring your CTAs are free from any obstructions. A clear message not only captures attention but also encourages viewers to engage—whether that’s watching the full video, clicking on links, or taking the desired action.
• Adhering to safe zone guidelines makes your video ads look more polished and professional.

Safe Zone Templates for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram and Facebook Reels

Social media platforms have specific safe zone guidelines to ensure the optimal performance of ads. Failure to adhere to these guidelines may result in ad rejection or underperformance.

Video ads on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels commonly encounter issues such as icons on the right side, text at the bottom, dead space at the top, and cropped content on the sides. Safe zone guides are crucial to prevent these elements from negatively impacting captions and screen shares.

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Further Reading

Instagram Safe Zone Guidelines for Ad Creatives

Discover best practices, precise specifications, and safe zone recommendations for various Instagram ad formats, including images, videos, carousels, Stories, and Reels. Tailor your creatives to fit each placement and deliver the most optimized version to your target audience.

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To simplify the process, we will explore the recommended safe zone guidelines for various short-form video ad platforms and develop a comprehensive safe zone preset that you can easily apply to your short-form video ads. This central guide will provide a clear and concise reference for creating effective short-form video ads that can be seamlessly uploaded to any ad platform you choose.

9:16 Safe Zone Guide for Vertical Video Ads

Download the safe zone guides for 9:16 ads here:

Let’s combine these concepts and establish a universal safe zone template for all vertical video ads across various social media platforms.

Safe Zone Guide for 16:9 Ad Formats

	Facebook Reels	Instagram Reels	YouTube Shorts	TikTok
Aspect Ratio	Not recommended		16:9
Safe Zone Recommendations (Avoid Placing Elements Here)			22% right, 40% bottom	11% left, 22% right, 28% bottom(up to 4 lines of text)

If you’re launching a landscape video ad campaign on YouTube Shorts and TikTok, use this safe zone guide on what areas you should avoid when adding your messages and important branding elements:

Click to download the 16:9 vertical format safe zone templates:

Safe Zones for 1:1 Ad Size And Other Considerations

While the 4:5 aspect ratio is not among the commonly recommended dimensions for Facebook and Instagram ads, it remains a supported option on the Meta platform. To ensure your 4:5 video ad displays optimally, we have compiled a safe zone preset that you can utilize during the ad creation process:

Another ad size supported by both YouTube Shorts and TikTok is the square format, or 1:1. We’ve converged these safe zone specifications to create a single template for video ads with this ad size.

Commonly Asked Questions On Video Ad Safe Zones

What tools can I use to visualize the safe zone in my video editor?

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• The safe zone templates provided in this blog can be easily copied and pasted into your video editor.

• In Adobe Express, for example, upload the safe zone preset and layer it over your video ad creative. This lets you see if any essential elements, such as your logo or disclaimer, are covered. Adjust to ensure your ad is safe from typically covered areas before uploading and launching your campaigns.

Is there a universal safe zone for all platforms?

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• Each platform has a unique user interface (UI), so you must consider their specific safe zones to create a universal safe zone template.

• Refer to the universal safe zone guides for the different ad sizes here.

Where should I place text and logos on Reels to avoid being cut off?

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• For a 9:16 video ad size, position your text and logos around the top left portion. This placement ensures they won’t be covered by the profile picture, ad copy, or like and share buttons.

• Use this merged safe zone template for Facebook and Instagram Reels in the 9:16 video ad format:

The Role of Safe Zones in Optimizing Ad Campaigns

As media buyers, you may assume that safe zones are solely the creative team’s responsibility. However, since video ads are a crucial part of the advertising campaign process, they also fall under your jurisdiction. Any obstruction in the important elements of the video ad creative can significantly impact your ads’ success or failure. Therefore, you must know and adhere to safe zone guidelines and templates before uploading to the ad platforms.

But what’s next once you’ve ensured your ad creatives perform optimally? Enhance your knowledge by exploring the Strike Social blog. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow our LinkedIn page to stay up-to-date with paid social media advertising trends and insights.

The post Maximize Ad Visibility and Cut Through the Noise with Safe Zone Guides appeared first on Strike Social.

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

What Exciting Features Does the YouTube Shorts Update Bring?

The popularity of YouTube Shorts, especially among the younger demographic, has only ever increased. Launched in 2020, YouTube Shorts emerged as a dedicated platform for short-form video content and later expanded to a global audience by March 2021. By September of the same year, YouTube Shorts ads became a staple, establishing itself as a standard ad placement.

With 135% YoY growth, YouTube Shorts provides unparalleled visibility. You can refine your strategies to engage viewers on this vast platform by staying informed about YouTube Shorts advertising updates. Seize the opportunity to showcase your brand to a broader audience and grab attention when your audience scrolls in YouTube Shorts. 

YouTube Shorts has undergone a remarkable transformation, consistently adapting to provide enhanced experiences for advertisers and increased viewer engagement. Explore the key milestones in the evolution of YouTube Shorts ads:

YouTube Shorts Advertising Updates: What You Need to Know

Which YouTube Shorts update truly matters for your campaigns? Let’s dissect the recent changes, focusing on what’s crucial for advertisers:

YouTube Shorts Usage by Advertisers

YouTube Shorts has quickly become a favorite amongst US advertisers in the span of the 3 years that it has been launched. 

• Statista shares that 43% of US advertisers in 2022 has listed YouTube Shorts on the top 3 list of ad buyer preferences for advertising on social video platforms. 

• In a 2023 study conducted by Fliki, YouTube Shorts showcased impressive growth despite its relatively recent entry into the short-form content arena. The experiment involved posting 20 videos across YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels over two weeks. The results, as presented below, unveil the platform’s significant traction:

The data speaks volumes: Instagram Reels exhibited minimal engagement, recording only a single view across all 20 videos over the span of two weeks. While TikTok stands out as a formidable force, it’s YouTube Shorts that takes the lead.

• Adding another layer to the narrative is VaynerMedia. By running campaigns tailored to maximize Shorts inventory, utilizing vertical video ad assets and concentrating ad delivery on mobile devices, they estimate a 20% to 30% reduction in cost-per-thousand-view (CPM) compared to traditional YouTube ad inventory. This cost-effective advantage positions YouTube Shorts as an attractive platform for advertisers seeking efficiency without compromising impact.

YouTube Shorts Ad Placements

Demand Gen Campaigns

Formerly Video Action Campaigns, Demand Gen aims to drive conversions on and off YouTube within a single automated campaign. YouTube Shorts feed on mobile devices is a key distribution channel for Demand Gen. Adding a vertical video asset to a VAC delivers 10-20% more conversions than using only horizontal videos for YouTube Shorts ads.

VVC (YouTube Video Views Campaigns)

Aiming to maximize views at a lower cost, VVC strategically places video ads where they perform best. With Video View Campaigns, YouTube recognizes more views at lower costs, counting views at 10 seconds autoplay or a click.

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Further Reading

5 Reasons Why Google TV Ads Should Be Part of Your YouTube Ads Strategy

To maximize the effectiveness of your video view campaign ads, they must be optimized for different YouTube placements and formats. Knowing these safe zones ensures your ads display correctly and maintain their impact, no matter where they appear.

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Ad Buying Program for YouTube Shorts

As of now, advertisers can purchase Shorts inventory bundled with other YouTube inventory through video campaigns via Demand Gen or video objective.

The new YouTube Shorts update has introduced the ability to exclusively target Shorts inventory – a notable addition to the platform’s product suite. This feature is currently in the testing phase, initiated over the summer. This update primarily aims to allow brands to advertise solely within the YouTube Shorts environment.

Advertisers can start by employing basic targeting such as age, gender, and geolocation. Taking customization a step further, advertisers can also target Shorts ads based on specific content categories. This update does not offer targeting based on specific channels or videos. However, with each YouTube Shorts update, there’s always a promise of potential advancements in future iterations.

Amid these developments, optimism resonates from the buyer side of the advertising spectrum. The evolving capabilities of YouTube Shorts generate positive anticipation as the platform continues providing advertisers with effective strategic campaign tools. 

In the Holiday Spirit: How Are YouTube Shorts Faring This Season?

The impact of VAC integration is vividly reflected in the substantial upswing in click-through rates.

By placing ads directly within the Shorts feed, we’ve enhanced the accessibility of our campaigns, encouraging users to engage and interact with our content more meaningfully.

The ability of YouTube Shorts to capture attention in as little as 10 to 60 seconds, has become a driving force behind the efficiency of our campaigns.

Our YouTube ad campaigns have experienced a festive flourish as the holiday season approached. There has been a discernible 12.1% drop in CPM and a concurrent rise in click-through rates (CTR). These trends accentuate the substantial impact of YouTube Shorts from November 2022 H1 to November 2022 H2. 

Could YouTube Shorts Advertising Be Your Brand’s Breakthrough?

While acknowledging the accomplishments of each YouTube Shorts update, it’s clear that there’s still room for innovation. The platform’s rapid growth to 50 billion daily views solidifies its standing as a powerful stage for advertisers globally. YouTube Shorts, though still in its early stages, has already demonstrated considerable promise. 

The central question now beckons advertisers—are you ready to jump into the YouTube Shorts advertising hype? Is this platform the right fit for your brand’s advertising endeavors? With its expansive reach and evolving features, YouTube Shorts presents a compelling opportunity for those seeking to impact short-form video advertising significantly.

The post What’s the Latest: A Comprehensive Guide to YouTube Shorts Updates appeared first on Strike Social.