Instagram ads run through Meta Ads Manager. You need a Facebook Page, an ad account, and creative that meets Instagram's specs. This guide covers formats, specs, and every step from setup to launch.
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Instagram Ad Formats and Placements
Feed ads (image and video)
Feed ads appear between organic posts in the main scroll. They support image or video. The 4:5 aspect ratio gives you the most vertical screen space per impression and tends to outperform square creative for attention.
Stories ads
Stories ads run full-screen between user Stories. They are skippable and play once before moving on. The 9:16 aspect ratio fills the entire screen. Design for fast impact. The first frame does most of the work.
Reels ads
Reels ads appear between Reels content. Full-screen, 9:16 ratio. The Reels interface overlays more UI elements than Stories, so safe zones matter more here. Keep key visuals and text away from the edges.
Carousel ads
Carousel ads show 2 to 10 swipeable cards. Each card carries its own image, headline, and destination URL. Good for showcasing multiple products, features, or steps in a process.
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Creative Specifications You Need to Know
Per Meta's Ads Guide, these are the specs to hit before you open Ads Manager.
Feed image dimensions and file specs
- Aspect ratio: 4:5
- Resolution: 1440 x 1800 px
- Formats: JPG or PNG
- Max file size: 30MB
- Primary text limit: 125 characters
Stories and Reels dimensions
- Aspect ratio: 9:16
- Resolution: 1440 x 2560 px
- Formats: JPG or PNG
- Max file size: 30MB
- Primary text: 125 characters for Stories, 44 characters for Reels
Video requirements (duration, file size, formats)
Feed video ads support 9:16 at 1080 x 1920 px. Accepted formats are MP4, MOV, or GIF. Duration ranges from 1 second to 60 minutes. Max file size is 4GB. Meta recommends adding captions and designing for sound-off viewing, since most users scroll without audio.
Safe zones and text overlay best practices
Per the Meta Business Help Center, keep critical creative elements out of the UI zones. For Stories, leave 14% at the top and 20% at the bottom free of text and logos. For Reels, leave 14% at the top, 35% at the bottom, and 6% on each side clear. The profile icon, like button, and CTA button live in those areas. Creative that bleeds into them looks broken and reduces tap-through.
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Step-by-Step: Creating Your Ad in Ads Manager
Setting up your ad account and campaign objective
Open Meta Ads Manager and click "Create." Select your campaign objective from the list. The choice shapes every step that follows, including which CTA buttons are available and which placements you can use.
Uploading or creating your creative asset
At the ad level, upload your image or video file. Match the specs for your chosen placement exactly. If your dimensions are off, Meta auto-crops. That crop usually cuts your headline, product, or logo.
Writing ad copy and selecting a call-to-action
Write your primary text. Feed and Stories ads allow 125 characters. Reels ads allow 44. Add a headline. Then pick your CTA button. Available options vary by objective and business type. "Shop Now" fits Sales campaigns. "Learn More" fits Traffic. "Sign Up" fits Leads.
Choosing audience targeting and placement
Set your audience by location, age, gender, interests, or upload a custom or lookalike audience. Under Placements, choose "Manual placements" if you want Instagram only. Then select which surfaces to run on: Feed, Stories, Reels, or a mix.
Setting budget and bid strategy
Enter a daily or lifetime budget. Choose a bid strategy. For new campaigns, Meta's default cost-per-result bid learns quickly without manual adjustment. Give it at least a few days of data before changing anything.
Reviewing and launching your ad
Check the summary panel carefully. Preview your creative in every selected placement. Fix any spec warnings Meta flags before you hit publish. When everything checks out, click "Publish."
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Choosing the Right Campaign Objective
Awareness, Traffic, Interaction, Leads, Sales objectives
Awareness optimizes for reach and impressions. Traffic drives clicks to a URL or app. Interaction focuses on post engagement. Leads collects contact info through instant forms. App Promotion drives installs. Sales targets purchases and conversion events.
How objective affects available CTAs and placements
Your objective unlocks a specific set of CTA buttons. Sales gives you "Shop Now" and "Buy Now." Leads gives you form-based CTAs. Certain objectives also restrict placements. Always pick the objective that matches the real-world action you want the viewer to take.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What image size do I need for an Instagram Feed ad?
Instagram Feed image ads require a 4:5 aspect ratio at 1440 x 1800 px. Use JPG or PNG format with a max file size of 30MB. Per Meta's Ads Guide, this ratio gives your ad the most vertical screen space in the feed.
Do I need a Facebook account to run Instagram ads?
Yes. Instagram ads are created and managed through Meta Ads Manager. You need a Facebook Page linked to an Instagram account, plus a Meta ad account, before you can create a campaign.
What campaign objective should I pick for my first Instagram ad?
Traffic works well for most beginners. It drives people to your website and gives Meta's algorithm a clear signal to optimize toward. Once you have conversion data set up, Sales or Leads objectives can improve results further.
What is the character limit for Instagram ad copy?
Primary text allows 125 characters for Feed and Stories ads. Reels ads have a tighter limit of 44 characters. Headlines have a separate 40-character limit on Feed placements, per Meta's Ads Guide.