Let’s state the obvious: there is no ‘Holy Grail’ ad format. Each ad format, whether that be static, video, carousel or slideshow, has their own strengths and weaknesses.
However, there are ad formats that work better than others depending on what your campaign goal is. Here’s a guide that outlines the best objective for each format and why. There will be exceptions to the rule, but if you’re planning your next campaign, consider the ad formats that best align with your goals.
Matching Ad Formats to Campaign Objectives
Video: Brand Awareness
Why: Generates a higher ad recall rate compared to other formats
Carousel: Brand Awareness, Traffic
Why: Scroll functionality requires engagement, but doesn’t reward instant gratification
Slideshow: Traffic, Conversions
Why: Movement of the ad format stops the scroll, giving audiences a chance to digest your ad
Static: Traffic, Conversions
Why: Generally the easiest ad format for consumers to process. Single image = Single message
DPA: Conversions
Why: Designed to be the final touch point on the consumer journey by seamlessly integrating with the purchase experience
There are other considerations when selecting your ad format. For example, how complex is your messaging? If it is complex, a carousel might be a better option compared to a single image static.
Use the Available Real Estate
Not all Facebook ads are created equal. Facebook’s ad placements that are available come in different sizes. Some even have their own nuances. More on that in a sec.
As a general rule, we recommend utilizing the maximum available real estate available to advertisers for each placement. This doesn’t mean we need 22 different creative assets. Facebook ads run to 3 aspect ratios. This means supplying ad creative in these 3 ratio aspects will cover all placements.
Facebook Ad Ratios:
1:1 (square)
9:16 (vertical)
1.91:1 (horizontal)
In saying this, you can have a custom asset for each placement. Why should you consider this? Let’s look at Reels and Stories. While both vertical (9:16), the safe zones are vastly different. Reels also has the benefit of having copy appear at the bottom of the ad. If an ad is designed well, you can use the same creative across both without negatively impacting performance.
Video Should Be Made with Purpose
For some advertisers, it’s too easy to take an existing TV commercial and slap it on Facebook as an ad. While you can do this, advertisers could be missing out on an opportunity to maximise their results.
If you are running video ads as part of your strategy, remember that social video is consumed differently to traditional video like a TVC. It’s scrollable, meaning audiences aren’t sitting there for 30 seconds waiting for the crescendo of the ad.
Video Best Practices
Video should be supplied in 1:1, 9:16, 1.91:1 (recommended) and 4:5 (optional)
Duration should be 6-15 seconds – this will give access to non-skippable inventory.
Design for sound off. Include subtitles if there is dialogue, as users do scroll on mute.
Brand in the first 3 seconds. This is where the most people will see and recall your ad.
Remember to KISS: Keep it simple, stupid, and stick to 1 clear message
No One Will Read an Essay
Ok, they might. But they are most likely already following your page. This is where we need to make a clear distinction between organic and paid content. On Facebook, longer form text spanning over paragraphs works well when re-engaging with your existing audience through organic content. Not so much for ads.
Ads, by nature, are disruptive. If we are going to disrupt the scroll, we should make the experience as pleasant for the consumer as possible. Ads should be concise and focus on a singular message. What is the one thing we want a potential customer to take away from our ad?
Copy Length Guidelines
Single image or video:
Ad copy: 50-150 characters. Ad copy longer than 50 characters will be truncated to ‘see more’
Headline: 27 characters
Carousel:
Ad copy: 80 characters
Headline: 45 characters per card
Get Your Facebook Ads Right with Retain Media
The success of your Facebook campaigns comes down to making smart choices about format selection, creative optimisation, and messaging strategy. Each decision should support your primary campaign objective while respecting how users actually engage with content on the platform.
Understanding these fundamentals won’t guarantee instant success, but it will put you in a much stronger position to create ads that resonate with your audience and drive meaningful results for your business.
At Retain Media, we help brands navigate these complexities to build Facebook campaigns that actually convert. If you’re looking to improve your Facebook advertising performance, contact us to find out how we can help you get better results from your investment.
