Meta Image & Video Ads · Specs, Formats & Best Practices

Safe zone for Stories

Stories ads have interactive elements (CTAs, swipe-up prompts, profile icons) that overlay the bottom and top of the image. The safe zone — the area guaranteed to be unobstructed — is approximately the central 1080 x 1420 px of a 1080 x 1920 px image. Keep critical content (product, face, key message) within this zone.

Text in images

Meta previously had a "20% text rule" (rejecting images where text covered more than 20% of the image area). This rule was officially retired but the principle remains valid for performance: images with heavy text overlays consistently receive lower delivery and higher CPMs than image-forward creative. Keep text overlays minimal — use the primary text field for copy, not the image itself.

Primary text is your main copy area — the only element with significant space for messaging. Write the first 125 characters as a complete, compelling statement that works without the "see more" expansion. The headline (below the creative) should reinforce or complement the primary text with a specific, direct value statement.

When using Advantage+ Placements (Meta's recommended default), providing both 1:1 and 9:16 assets covers all major placements. Meta will select the appropriate asset for each placement automatically.

• Thumb-stopping visual in the first moment. Feed ads compete with organic content from friends and family. The image must earn attention in under 1 second. High-contrast images with a clear, prominent subject outperform complex compositions.
• Show the product clearly. For e-commerce, the product should be immediately identifiable — white background or minimal background product shots often outperform lifestyle photography for direct response.
• People perform well. Images featuring human faces and direct eye contact capture attention and create emotional connection. Genuine, natural-looking people outperform stock photography models.
• Minimise text in the image. Text in images reduces delivery and competes with the primary text field. Reserve image space for visual communication; use primary text for copy.
• Match the feed aesthetic. Ads that blend naturally with organic content (authentic photography, user-generated style) often outperform highly polished commercial imagery — they are less likely to be skipped as obvious ads.

• Hook in the first 3 seconds. The average Meta video ad loses 47% of viewers in the first 3 seconds. The opening frames must immediately communicate relevance — start with the product, the problem being solved, or a visually arresting moment. Do not open with a logo or brand introduction.
• Design for silent viewing. The majority of mobile video plays on mute. Key messages must be communicable without sound — use captions, on-screen text for key points, and visual storytelling that works without audio. Enable captions on all videos.
• Vertical or square first. Over 90% of Meta users are on mobile. Design video in 9:16 (Stories/Reels) or 1:1 (Feed) aspect ratios. Landscape 16:9 video — designed for television and desktop — uses only 25% of a mobile screen.
• Short for performance; longer for consideration. Direct response video ads perform best at 6–15 seconds — long enough to communicate value, short enough to hold attention. Consideration and brand storytelling can use 30–90 seconds effectively with the right audience and objective.
• Place brand and CTA early for awareness. If brand awareness is the goal, show your brand name and product within the first 3 seconds — many viewers never reach the end of the video.

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