Facebook Ad Types and Image Specs

The micro Marketer

Facebook has many different objectives for Ads, but just 5 different Ad Types to choose from.

1. Single Image – You can create up to six variations of your ad using one single image
2. Single Video – One ad with one video
3. Carousel – Create an ad with between 2-10 images (Video or Still)
4. Slideshow – A looping video ad with up to 10 images
5. Canvas – Images and Video combined into a full screen experience

The types of ads that Facebook offers will vary depending on your chosen objective.  Facebook currently has a total of 15 objectives for ads, in three categories:
 

• Awareness – These objectives create interest in your product or service
  • Boost your posts
  • Promote your page
  • Reach people near your business
  • Increase brand awareness
  • Increase your reach
• Consideration – Get them thinking about your product or service and seeking more information
  • Send to another page on or off Facebook
  • Install your app
  • Attendance
  • Video Views
  • Leads
• Conversion – These ads are designed to get the interested to purchase your product or service, schedule and appointment or register for a webinar
  • Increase conversion on you site
  • Increase engagement with your ap
  • Claim your offer
  • Promote a product or catalog
  • Visit your stores

​Once you select an objective you will be guided through the process, but it is a good to be prepared.  By prepared I mean have your copy created, your images selected sized, overlays on your images, etc.

To help with this part of the process, we have put together a quick reference for various ad sizes.  The sizes will vary based on placement, and available placement will also vary base on the chosen objective.

Let’s say you want to set up a single image ad.  What is the best size for the image?  How many words or characters can you use?

Please keep in mind the specs are always evolving, but for now here is a good reference.

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Here are the five most common:

1.Single Image Ad Specs

• Size – 1200 x 628 px
• Text: 90 Characters
• Headline – 25 Characters
• Link description – 30 Characters???

  
2.Single Video Ad Specs
This add will look like a single image ad, but will have a play button in the center of the image.

• Aspect ratio – 16:9

• Text – 90 Characters
• Headline – 25 Characters
• Link description – 30 Characters???

Recommended Video Specs

• Most Common Video Format: .MOV or .MP4 (Full List)
• Aspect Ratio – 16:9 (Full List)
• Resolution – At least 720p
• File Size – 2.3 GB Max
• Facebook Length – 120 Minutes Max
• Instagram Length – 60 Seconds Max
• Thumbnail Image Size – 1200 x 676
• Thumbnail Image Ratio – Should match aspect ratio of your video
• Caption Length Text – max 2200 characters (Test Only)

 
3.Carousel Ad Specs (Ultimate Guide)
This type of ad allows up to 10 images, videos or slideshows, all linked to different pages, or the same.  Your target audience can scroll through the media on their device.

• Image Size – 1080 x 1080 px
• Image Ratio – 1:1 (square)
• Text – 90 Characters
• Headline – 40 Characters
• Description – 20 Characters

Text Overlay: Best to use minimal to zero text overlay on images for the best Facebook distribution.  20% or less of the image covered in text should be the max.

Recommended Video Specs for Carousel Ads: (Only showing the differences from above)

• Aspect Ratio – 1:1
• Facebook Length – 60 Minutes Max
• Instagram Length – 60 Seconds Max
• Thumbnail Image Size – 1080 x 1080

  
4.Slideshow Ad Spec
This type of ad allows you to create a looping video with up to 10 images.  They will show up in a single “looping” frame.

• Image Size – 1280 x 720 px
• Image Ratio – 16:9, 1:1, or 2:3
• Text – 90 Characters
• Headline – 25 Characters
• Description – 30 Characters

Use images that are all the same dimensions.  If you don’t, your slideshow will end up cropped into a square.

If you want to learn more about Slideshow Ads checkout the following resources from LinkedIn:

• How can I create a slideshow ad in Ads Manager?
• Get the most out of the Slideshow format

 
5.Canvas Ad Specs
This ad type is the newest offered by Facebook, and it is only available on mobile.  It allows you to create highly engaging mobile ads with six types of objectives:

• Boost your posts
• Increase brand awareness
• Increase your reach
• Destinations on or off Facebook
• Increase Conversion on your site

At first glance it looks like other ad types, but when you tap, it opens up to a full-screen experience.

As you might guess, these ads are a little more complex to setup, but very engaging.
Checkout Facebooks Canva Site to see examples that will show the power of these ads.

Canvas Ad Components

• Ad Unit
• Photos
• Tilt-to-pan images
• Video
• Carousel
• Text Block
• Buttons
• Header

 
Image or Video Specs

• Image Size – 1200 x 628
• Image Ratio – 1.9:1
• Video Format – .MOV or .MP4
• Video Aspect Ratio – 16:9 or 1:1
• Text 90 Characters
• Headline – 45 Characters
• Description – 30 Characters
• Resolution – At Least 720p
• Orientation – Portrait
• Length – Run time of all videos in the Canvas under 2 minutes (Total)
• Thubnail – will be the first frame of the video

If you choose you can also use captions, so that people with their sound turned off, can still engage with your videos.

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Although a little longer than normal, this is a “microPost”, written by “The micro Marketer”.  The original and much more detailed article was written by Spencer Lanoue, product marketer at Buffer.
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Facebook Ad Specs and Image Sizes (Fully Updated for 2018)

Fred L Sumner

Fred has been in Sales and Marketing for the past 25 years.  He has developed sales campaign, scripting and managed projects for several Fortune 500, including Sears, American Express, Discover Card and others.  For the past three years as the "Chief micro Marketer" at microBPO, he has been creating lead generation campaigns for small businesses, individual sales people and teaching them how to use LinkedIn to generate a consistent flow of targeted, qualified leads.

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