It is important to understand how imagery can be used to enhance performance in all platforms, especially within Advanced Shopping Campaigns. Learn how to improve image quality by enhancing personalised ad experiences. Whether still images are your focus, or you produce video, this guide will walk you through steps to to better align visuals with your campaign goals.

Image Formatting Guide

For your use, please refer to our guide on how to optimise the imagery for advertising.

Single Image Campaign

Meta Ads

In a single image campaign, content should be provided in three versions.

1080 x 1080 pixels, 1:1 aspect ratio – Feed the majority placement of ads.
1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 aspect ratio – Stories and reels
1200 x 628 pixels, 1:91:1 aspect ratio – Right column and search.

In terms of content:

Primary text: Up to 125 characters will appear on the ad’s preview. However, you are allowed to write longer pieces of ad copy. The viewer will see the rest when they click “See More.”

Headline: Up to 27 characters. You can go beyond this limit but the text may be truncated.

This along with the recommended file types: JPG or PNG and maximum file size: 30 MB.

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Carousel Campaign

Meta Ads

In a carousel campaign, content should be provided in one version. 

1080 x 1080 pixels, 1:1 aspect ratio – Feed the majority placement of ads. 

Images can be independent of each other, but if they can be linked together visually it will create a more engaging ad (and more likely to convert).

This with the recommended file types: JPG or PNG and maximum file size: 30 MB.

In terms of content:

Primary text: Up to 125 characters will appear on the ad’s preview. The viewer will be able to see the rest when clicking “more.”

Headline: Up to 32 characters. You can go beyond this limit but the text may be truncated. Some text can be truncated at 28 characters, so brevity is key with carousel ads. 

***Please provide one headline per image.***

URL: A landing page URL is required.

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Product Catalogue Campaign

Meta Ads

In a product catalogue campaign, content should be provided in one version. 

1080 x 1080 pixels, 1:1 aspect ratio – Feed the majority placement of ads. 

This is the same premise of a carousel advert, but only the first image will require a custom image, as the remaining images will be made up for items in the product catalogue. 

This with the recommended file types: JPG or PNG and maximum file size: 30 MB.

In terms of content:

Primary text: Up to 125 characters will appear on the ad’s preview. The viewer will be able to see the rest when clicking “more.”

Headline: Up to 32 characters. You can go beyond this limit but the text may be truncated. Some text can be truncated at 28 characters, so brevity is key with carousel ads. 

***Please provide one headline per image.***

URL: A landing page URL is required.

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Story / Reel Campaign

Meta Ads

In a story/reels campaign, content should be provided in 1-2 versions depending on if using imagery or video.

1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 aspect ratio  – Stories and reels

Story ads are available on Facebook, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger. They may contain images, videos, or a combination of both formats.

  • Video Story ads may last up to 2 minutes per video.**
  • Image story ads will present every image for 5 seconds.

For ads in Stories and Reels, try to leave safe zones—space at the top and bottom free from text, logos and other key creative elements—to avoid covering them with the profile icon or call to action.

When you edit your video for placements in Meta Ads Manager, you’ll find the option to add logo overlays and text overlays in a range of fonts and colours. Tools to help you leave safe zones are available (a yellow area will appear if you try to drag your overlay into a safe zone). If you upload media with overlays, our systems will try to detect if they are in safe zones and let you know so you can make edits.

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Story / Reel Campaign

Meta Ads

Recommended file types: 

Image: JPG or PNG
Video: MP4, MOV, or GIF.

**Video duration: 1 second to 2 minutes on Facebook (up to 1 minute on Instagram). 

We generally recommend 15 – 30 seconds. (15 preferable)

Note: Playable video ads, which are available only in Facebook Stories, are limited to 16 seconds.

Maximum image file size: 30 MB.
Maximum video file size: 4 GB

Primary text: Up to 125 characters will appear on the ad’s preview. The viewer will be able to see the rest when clicking “more.”

Headline (for Facebook and Messenger Stories): Up to 40 characters.

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Standard Video Campaign

Meta Ads

In a standard video campaign, content should be provided in 2 versions.

1080 x 1080 pixels, 1:1 aspect ratio – Feed the majority placement of ads. 

1080 x 1920 pixels, 9:16 aspect ratio  – Stories and reels

This with the recommended file types: GIF, MOV or MP4, and maximum file size: 10 GB.

In terms of content:

Primary text: Up to 125 characters will appear on the ad’s preview. 

Headline: Up to 27 characters. You can go beyond this limit but the text may be truncated.

Video duration: In general, we recommend that you keep your videos short, but some placements do support longer videos. Instagram Feed and Audience Network placements allow videos up to 120 seconds, while Facebook Feed, Marketplace and Messenger home support videos up to 240 minutes. 

Shorter videos are more likely to achieve higher watch times, which can affect how well your ad performs. For this reason, Facebook says videos fewer than 15 seconds long tend to perform best. In general, 1-2 minutes is acceptable. 

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Our Tips for Video Content

1

Capture Attention Quickly

Put the most compelling part of your video at the very beginning to grab interest. We suggest that you do this within the first 3 seconds.

2

Design for Sound Off

People choose to watch videos with sound off in many situations, such as in public places. Use text and graphics and use captions whenever possible.

3

Use Vertical or Square Video

Most people hold their phones vertically so choose a vertical or square aspect ratio to cover the most screen area. Try 4:5 vertical video ads, which work well across Facebook, Instagram and Audience Network. You can also crop your video for each ad placement.

4

Feature Your Product or Brand Message Early

Just as you want to capture attention quickly, showcase your brand identity right away so people see and remember it. If you use an existing video, edit it so that your product or brand features early within the first 15 seconds.

Best Practice

Programmatic Ads

Here are our tips for programmatic ads.

  • Avoid text covering more than 30% of the image
  • Use high-quality images & logos
  • Export as higher resolution images (If file size permits, export images 2-3 times larger for better quality)

With your display asset sizes being

  • 500w x 500h
  • 728w x 90h
  • 160w x 600h
  • 300w x 250h
  • 970w x 250h
  • 300w x 50h

As well as image file type & size: JPG, and max file size: 512KB
Animated file types should be ZIP (HTML5), 10-15 seconds, and a size of max. 150 KB

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Responsive Display Ads

Google Ads

For responsive display ads they automatically adjust their size, appearance, and format to fit available ad placement. They adapt assets to maximise performance.

To create these ads, uploading the different ad assets, including headlines, logos, images, and descriptions into a single creative is required. Google will then render your ads and serve them across the Display Network, optimizing them to build a high-performing ad at the time of the impression. 

* Minimum of two high-quality images, and at least one landscape and one square image are required. Maximum is up to 15.

Ideal image sizes

for Google Responsive Display Ad Images include:

  • Landscape:
    • 1.9:1 aspect ratio
    • 1200 x 628 pixels recommended
    • Minimum of 600 x 314 pixels required
  • Square:
    • 1:1
    • 1200 x 1200 pixels recommended
    • Minimum of 300 x 300 pixels required

The max file size should be 5120 KB, with file types as GIF, JPG, PNG.

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Logos

Google Ads

Logos should have at least one square logo and one landscape logo, max. total of five.

Landscape:
Aspect Ratio: 4:1
Size: 1200 x 300 pixels recommended, minimum of 512 x 128 required

Square:
Aspect Ratio: 1:1
Size: 1200 x 1200 pixels recommended, Minimum of 128 x 128 pixels required

These should be a max file size of 5120 KB and formatted in GIF, JPG, or PNG.

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