Instagram video Guide 2023: how to create amazing ads
We have collected all the main formats and requirements in Instagram as of year 2023, so that you can easily create amazing video ads that convert users perfectly.
Instagram is no longer just a platform for posting photos – users seems to really like videos. The engagement rate of videos is 21.2% higher than for posts with pictures. Instagram video ads may seem too confusing for newcomers who are not familiar with the format, so it is very important to understand the platform and its requirements.
In this guide, we have collected all the main formats and requirements in Instagram as of year 2023, so that you can easily create amazing video ads that convert users perfectly.
What is Instagram video advertising
These are promotional videos from 3 to 60 seconds long. They are usually used with CTA and a text up to 2200 characters long.
You can use video ads on Instagram to showcase your product, service, or brand. You can use Instagram Ads Manager to create video ads, or promote a video post from your Facebook page.
Targets of video advertising on Instagram:
- Instantly attract the attention of users
- Show the advantages of your product or brand in a new way
- Give a clear message to your target audience and a call to action (CTA) – go to the website or buy a product
Instagram allows you to create videos up to 1 minute long for a closer acquaintance with the brand. But most often, promotional videos work great in a short (up to 15 seconds) format, especially if the first moments capture all the attention.
The main formats of Instagram video ads
Instagram allows you to choose the video advertising format that best suits your marketing goals.
Feed:
Recommended video formats: .mp4 or .mov
Recommended resolution: The maximum possible resolution that meets the limits on aspect ratio and file size
Minimum video size: 500 pixels
Maximum video file size: 30 MB
Video captions: optional
Video aspect ratio: 400×500
Maximum video aspect ratio: 191×100
Video duration: from 1 to 120 seconds
Thumbnail image of the video: Must contain less than 20% of text
Recommended length of the main text: 125 characters
Maximum text length: 2200 characters
Maximum number of hashtags: 30
Text limit: maximum two lines of text
Vertical video
Resolution: 600 x 750
Aspect ratio: 4:5
Maximum size and duration: 4 GB/60 seconds
Wide video
Resolution: 600 x 315
Aspect Ratio: 1:91:1
Maximum size and length: 4 GB / 60 seconds
Square video
Resolution: 600 x 600
Aspect Ratio: 1:1
Maximum size and duration: 4 GB/60 seconds
Advertising in Stories
Instagram users see these advertisements by scrolling through Stories. When creating such these ada, you should use the original video with the highest resolution without any labels or columns (that is, without black bars).
In addition, you can add several elements from the built-in set of Instagram Stories features: text, images, tags, and so on.
Recommended resolution: 1080×1080 pixels
Aspect ratio: 9:16
Maximum duration: 2 minutes
Maximum video size: 4 MB
Video subtitles and audio: Optional, but highly recommended to use everything in one place
Carousel
The carousel is basically a mini presentation in the form of a series of videos. You can add a CTA, change the wording under each carousel slide, and add links.
Minimum resolution: 600 x 600 pixels
Maximum resolution: 1080 x 1080 pixels
The aspect ratio is 1:1
Required video format: MP4
Maximum video size: 4 GB for each video slide
Maximum video duration: 60 seconds
The maximum allowed number of videos in one carousel: 2 to 10
Advertising in Reels and IGTV
The requirements for Reels are about the same as for the videos in Stories, but there are differences – Reels can be commented on, liked, saved and shared – just like regular publications. They often go viral if you work well with the script, humor and quality of the video. Facebook has instructions for creating ads in Reels.
Recommendations for creating successful video ads on Instagram
To save traffic, increase brand awareness and engagement, use our recommendations.
Create the right first impression
The first few seconds of the commercial decide everything. Keep this in mind when editing a video. If the brand did not declare itself at the very beginning of the video, or did not give any memorable information, the video can be considered a marketing failure.
The video cover must be eye-catching
A cover is an image that viewers see in a video before it starts playing. It attracts attention and makes you linger to watch the video. If the cover picture does not catch attention, no one will watch the video. But be careful to avoid clickbait – users will get angry if you deceive them and the content of the video is not what the cover promised.
Use CTA in the header
Make sure that you have specified the CTA either in the caption to your ad, or in the bio of your account, or directly in the video. If there is no CTA, consider your budget is spent on nothing.
Increase brand awareness
Place your brand logo in a prominent place in the first few seconds of the ad so that viewers know who you are. Even if users don't watch the entire ad, next time your brand will seem more familiar to them, and they may watch some more of the promotional video.
Clearly demonstrate the purpose of your ad
Give your ideal audience the obvious benefit of spending their time and attention on your ad to have a positive impression after watching it.
It can be either meaningful information, or creatively displayed visual effects, or benefits, or all at once.
Use descriptive captions
People don't always watch the Instagram feed with sound, so add text captions (subtitles) to the video. Format the text nicely so that it is better read and remembered. You can also add a little more information to the text, if the format of your video allows it. This way you can better present a product or a service.
Summing up
The main thing is to find a balance between attracting the viewer's attention and visuals. Advertising should attract attention, but at the same time not overload with information.
Using Adheart, you can be inspired by successful examples of video ads on Instagram for your niche. This is a great tool to catch on trends and take a more thoughtful approach to spending your budget on traffic.
We hope the examples from this article will help you achieve the perfect balance between attention and engagement, and get all the bonuses from the effectiveness frenzy of video ads on Instagram.