Working with Facebook ads can be overwhelming for many reasons. One of them is the insane number of ad formats and placements, each of which requires an image or video of a certain size and aspect ratio.
Of course, if you’re using a simple photo in which some details are more significant than others, you can simply crop it right when you create your ad without any trouble. But the effectiveness of such an ad might be questionable.
In most cases, your ad images will be slightly more complicated. For example, they might include a logo, a heading, or a call to action. In many cases, ad images are created by teams of designers. Naturally, before letting your designers create a masterpiece, you should be absolutely sure which image sizes you’ll need and where exactly they’ll be displayed. And that’s where this guide comes in handy!
To begin, let’s look at various advertising objectives, ad sizes, ad formats, ad placements, and image and video formats. This will help you better understand the context in which each specific ad image will be used.
Campaign objectives, ad formats, and ad placements
Campaign objectives
In total, Facebook offers 11 objectives for your campaigns, split into three categories:
Awareness campaigns help create interest in your product.
Consideration campaigns encourage people to learn more about your product.
Conversion campaigns motivate people to purchase your product.
Ad formats
Facebook offers five different ad formats that feature single or multiple images as well as videos:
Carousel ads allow you to add from 2 to 10 images or videos that together create a scrollable ad.
A single image ad lets you use any image.
A single video ad lets you use any video.
Slideshow ads create a looping video from up to 10 images.
Collection ads feature a collection of your products that then open into a fullscreen mobile experience.
Ad placements
Facebook offers ads not only within its own network but also on the Instagram Audience Network, and Messenger.
Complete list of supported image formats
Before digging into each type of ad in detail, here’s a handy list of all image formats that can be used on Facebook:
BMP
DIB
GIF
IFF
JFIF
JP2
JPE
JPEG
JPG
PNG
PSD
TIF
TIFF
WBMP
WEBP
XBM
Complete list of supported video formats
And here’s a list of all supported video formats:
3G2
3GP
3GPP
ASF (Windows Media)
AVI
DAT (MPEG)
DivX
DV
F4V (Flash)
FLV (Flash)
GIF
M2TS
M4V
MKV
MOD
MOV (QuickTime)
MP4
MPE
MPEG
MPEG44
MPG
AVCHD
NSV
OGM
OGV
QuickTime Movie
TOD
TS
VOB
WMV (Windows Media Video)
Availability of Facebook ad formats for different ad placements
Not all ad formats are available for all ad placements. This table shows which ad placements you can use with specific ad formats.
Image
Video
Carousel
Slide show
Feed
Instant Articles
Right column
Marketplace
Stories
In-stream videos
Messenger Inbox
Sponsored Messages
Audience Network: native, banner and interstitial
Video requirements for ad placements
Different ad placements have different video requirements. Here’s a table showing where you can use different types of video and the video requirements for each specific ad placement.
Now that you know exactly which type of ad you want and where you want it, let’s look at ad image sizes!
Facebook ad image sizes
Facebook feed — Single image
Image guidelines:
Recommended size: 1200 × 628 pixels
Recently, Facebook started allowing square images in Feed ads, with the recommended size of 1080 × 1080 pixels.
Minimum size: 1080 × 1080 pixels
File type: JPG or PNG
Aspect ratio: 1.91:1
To maximize ad delivery, use an image that contains little or no overlaid text.
Facebook feed — Single video
Video guidelines:
Size: Minimum width of 600 pixels
Recommended formats: MP4, MOV, GIF
Length: 1 second to 240 minutes
File size: Up to 4 GB
Recommended aspect ratio: 4:5 (vertical)
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may not be shown as often.
Captions: Optional but recommended
Audio: Optional but recommended
Facebook feed — Carousel ads — Image
Image guidelines:
Recommended size: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
To maximize ad delivery, use an image that contains little or no overlaid text.
Number of cards: 2–10
File type: JPG or PNG
File size: Up to 30 MB
Facebook feed — Carousel ads — Video
Video guidelines:
Recommended resolution: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Recommended formats: MP4, MOV, GIF
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less
Number of cards: 2–10
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: Up to 240 minutes
Facebook feed — Carousel ads — Slideshow
Slideshow guidelines:
Recommended size: 1280 × 720 pixels
Aspect ratio: 16:9, 1:1, or 2:3 (be consistent)
If all the images you use are of different sizes, the slideshow is automatically cropped to 1:1.
Video format: MOV or MP4
Facebook instant articles — Single image
Image guidelines:
Recommended size: 1200 × 628 pixels
Minimum width: 600 pixels
Minimum height : 600 pixels
File type: JPG or PNG
Aspect ratio: 9:16 to 16:9
Upload the highest resolution image available.
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Facebook instant articles — Single video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and aspect ratio requirements.
Aspect ratio: 9:16 to 16:9
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: 1 second to 240 minutes
Vertical videos may be masked to a ratio of 1:1.
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Facebook instant articles — Carousel ads — Image
Image guidelines:
Recommended size: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
To maximize ad delivery, use an image that contains little or no overlaid text.
Number of cards: 2–10
File type: JPG or PNG
File size: Up to 30 MB
Facebook instant articles — Carousel ads — Video
Video guidelines:
Recommended size: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Supported formats: MP4, MOV or GIF
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
If all the images you use are of different sizes, the slideshow is automatically cropped to 1:1.
File format: MOV or MP4
Facebook in-stream videos
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video possible.
Recommended aspect ratio: 16:9 to 9:16
Recommended format: MP4 or MOV
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: 5–15 seconds
Audio is highly recommended.
Video thumbnails with 20% text or more could lead to failed delivery.
Facebook right column — Single image
Image guidelines:
Recommended size: 1200 × 628 pixels
Minimum width: 600 pixels
Minimum height: 600 pixels
Recommended aspect ratio: 9:16 to 16:9, cropped to 1.91:1 with link
File type: JPG or PNG
Images with 20% text or more could lead to failed delivery
Facebook right column — Carousel ads — Image
Image guidelines:
Recommended size: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
To maximize ad delivery, use an image that contains little or no overlaid text.
Number of cards: 2–10
File type: JPG or PNG
File size: Up to 30 MB
Facebook right column — Carousel ads — Video
Video guidelines:
Minimum resolution: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Supported formats: MP4, MOV, GIF
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Number of cards: 2–10
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: Up to 240 minutes
Facebook marketplace — Single image
Image guidelines:
Recommended size: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Minimum width: 600 pixels
Minimum height: 600 pixels
Aspect ratio: 1.91:1
File type: JPG or PNG
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Facebook marketplace — Single video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and aspect ratio requirements.
Aspect ratio: 9:16 to 16:9
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: 1 second to 240 minutes
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Vertical videos (aspect ratio taller than 2:3) may be masked to 2:3.
Facebook marketplace — Carousel ads — image
Image guidelines:
Recommended size: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
Number of cards: 2–10
File type: JPG or PNG
File size: Up to 30 MB
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Facebook marketplace — Carousel ads — Video
Video guidelines:
Recommended resolution: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Number of cards: 2–10
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: Up to 240 minutes
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Facebook stories — Single image
Image guidelines:
Recommended size: 1080 × 1920 pixels
Aspect ratio: 9:16
Consider leaving roughly 14% (250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the image free from text and logos to avoid covering key elements with the profile icon or call to action.
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Facebook stories — Single video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution source video available without letter or pillar boxing (no black bars).
Aspect ratio: 1.91 to 9:16
For videos under 9:16, colored gradient bars are rendered above and below. Content from the text field is placed below the video.
File size: Up to 4 GBax
Length: 1–15 seconds
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Consider leaving roughly 14% (250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the video free from text and logos to avoid covering key elements with the profile icon or call to action.
Messenger — Inbox — Single image
Image guidelines:
Recommended resolution: 1200 × 628 pixels
Minimum width: 254 pixels
Minimum height: 133 pixels
File type: JPG or PNG
Aspect ratio: 9:16 to 16:9
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Messenger — Inbox — Single video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and aspect ratio requirements.
Aspect ratio: 16:9 to 1.91:1
Minimum aspect ratio: 1.7778:1
Maximum aspect ratio: 1.91:1
Length: Up to 4 hours
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: 1 second to 240 minutes
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Messenger — Inbox — Carousel ads
Image Guidelines:
Recommended resolution: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Number of cards: 2–10
File type: JPG or PNG
File size: Up to 30 MB
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Messenger — Sponsored messages — Single image
Image guidelines:
Recommended resolution: 1200 × 628 pixels
Minimum width: 254 pixels
Minimum height: 133 pixels
File type: JPG or PNG
Aspect ratio: 9:16 to 16:9
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Audience Network: native, banner, and interstitial ads — Single image
Image guidelines:
Recommended resolution: 1200 × 628 pixels
Minimum width: 254 pixels
Minimum height: 133 pixels
Optimal width: 796 pixels
Optimal height: 416 pixels
File type: JPG or PNG
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Audience Network: native, banner, and interstitial ads — Single video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and aspect ratio requirements.
Length: 10–121 seconds
Aspect ratio: 16:9 to 9:16
File size: Up to 4 GBax
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Audience Network: native, banner, and interstitial ads — Carousel ads — Video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and aspect ratio requirements.
Number of cards: 2–10
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: Up to 240 minutes
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Instagram ads
Instagram feed — Single Image
Image guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution image available that meets aspect ratio requirements.
File type: JPG or PNG
File size: 30 MB max
Minimum width: 500 pixels
Aspect ratio: 4:5 to 1.91:1
Instagram feed — Single video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and aspect ratio requirements.
Minimum width: 500 pixels
Aspect ratio: 4:5 to 1.91:1
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: 1–60 seconds
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Instagram feed — Carousel ads — Image
Image guidelines:
Recommended resolution: 1080 × 1080 pixels
Number of cards: 2–10
File type: JPG or PNG
Carousel aspect ratio: 1:1
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Instagram feed — Carousel ads — Video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and aspect ratio requirements.
Number of cards: 2–10
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: Up to 60 seconds
Carousel aspect ratio: 1:1
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Instagram stories — Single image
Image guidelines:
Recommended image size: 1080 × 1920 pixels
Aspect ratios: 9:16 or 16:9 to 4:5
Minimum width: 500 pixels
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Leave roughly 14% (250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the video free from text and logos to avoid covering key elements with the profile icon or call to action.
Instagram stories — Single video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and aspect ratio requirements.
Aspect ratios: 9:16 and 16:9 to 4:5
File size: Up to 4 GB
Length: 1–60 seconds
Minimum width: 500 pixels
Maximum aspect ratio: 9:16
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Leave roughly 14% (250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the video free from text and logos to avoid covering key elements with the profile icon or call to action.
Instagram stories — Carousel ads — Image
Image guidelines:
Recommended image size: 1080 × 1920 pixels
Aspect ratio: 9:16
Number of cards: 2–3
Images that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Leave roughly 14% (250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the video free from text and logos to avoid covering key elements with the profile icon or call to action.
Instagram stories — Carousel ads — Video
Video guidelines:
Resolution: Upload the highest resolution video available that meets file size and aspect ratio requirements.
Aspect ratio: 9:16
Length: Up to 15 seconds
Number of cards: 2–3
Video thumbnails that consist of more than 20% text may be shown less.
Leave roughly 14% (250 pixels) of the top and bottom of the video free from text and logos to avoid covering key elements with the profile icon or call to action.
Conclusions
Armed with this information, you can launch engaging and effective ad campaigns on Facebook. Of course, in the official Facebook Ads guide you can find even more details on Facebook ads and how to run them.
Once you create stellar ad campaigns, you should analyze their performance. OWOX BI Pipeline may come in handy for automatically importing cost data from
Facebook to Google Analytics.
To set up end-to-end analytics and combine cost data with your CRM data, you can set the pipeline from
Facebook to Google BigQuery.
This way, you’ll know the real value of your Facebook ads.
To set up data import from Facebook to Google BigQuery or Google Analytics, click one of the buttons below.
You can also check out this
article
to learn how to get meaningful dashboards for your Facebook data. These dashboards will let you see all data on impressions, clicks, actions, and top campaigns. If you have any questions,
contact us.
