Navigating the world of digital advertising can be difficult, especially for beginners. For example, look at how many types of Instagram ads there are!
Which one should you choose? Which one is more beneficial for your business?
In this short article, we’ll take a look at the different types of Instagram ads to help you have a clearer idea.
There are 8 main types of Instagram ads:
Let’s take a closer look at each one of them.
Photo ads are single-image ads that appear in users’ Instagram feeds. They are a simple yet effective way to showcase products or services and can be used to drive traffic to a website or landing page. To ensure high-quality visuals, many businesses utilize a photo editing app for PC to refine their images before uploading them to Instagram.
Photo ads can include a brief caption, a call-to-action button, and a link to an external website or landing page.
Video ads are similar to photo ads, but they use videos instead of images to convey the message. Instagram videos can be up to 60 minutes long, but you should prefer much shorter videos for your ad.
Video ads are a great way to tell the story of your brand or showcase your product in action, because they allow you to tell a more engaging and dynamic story compared to static images.
Carousel ads allow businesses to showcase multiple images or videos within a single ad unit. Users can swipe through the images or videos, giving them a more immersive experience. That’s why this format is ideal for telling a sequential story, demonstrating your product’s features, or displaying a range of products.
Instagram Stories ads are full-screen vertical images or videos that appear in between users’ stories. These ads are a great way to create interactive and immersive experiences for users and this is why engagement is often higher.
To make your story ad more interactive, you can use stickers, GIFs, text overlays, and other elements.
Collection ads are designed for e-commerce businesses and allow users to shop directly from within the ad. When users click on the ad, they’re taken to another section of the app that allows them to explore multiple products without leaving Instagram.
These ads feature a cover image or video and multiple product images below, making it easy for users to browse and purchase products.
Explore ads appear in the Explore section of the Instagram app, where users discover new content. These ads are a great way to reach a new audience and increase brand awareness.
Instagram Explore ads do not appear directly in the Explore section, but are shown after someone clicks on a photo or video from Explore.
Designed for e-commerce businesses that have a shop on Instagram, Shopping ads allow you to tag products directly in your posts. When users tap on a shopping tag, they can view product details, prices, and even make purchases through the app.
After the launch of Reels, Instagram has also allowed Reels Ads. These ads are usually videos, up to 60 seconds long, that are shown between Reels. They provide an opportunity for businesses to create entertaining and creative video content to engage with a younger audience.
When you’re creating your ads, it’s important that you follow Instagram’s formats and specs. Ads should likely attract new clients or users, so you want to make the most out of it.
Here are the Instagram ads formats and specs:
Photos can be shown both horizontally or vertically, but Meta suggests a square format with a 1:1 ratio.
Like pictures, videos can be horizontal or vertical, too, even though vertical videos are better suited for Stories and Reels ads.
Carousels can contain both photos and videos.
Stories ads, too, can be both videos or images.
Collection ads are a mix between a carousel and a single photo or video ad.
These ads appear in the “Explore” section of Instagram and can help you reach new audiences. You can refer to the specs of photo and video ads.
Reels allow you to reach a broader audience, as they have higher impressions if compared with other formats.
Now that we’ve examined the different types of Instagram ads, let’s wrap it up with 3 best practices that can be useful in all your digital marketing strategies.
Whether you’re using photo or video ads, it’s important to create visuals that will capture users’ attention and stand out in their feeds. Instagram is an ocean of visual content, so high-quality imagery, attention to detail, and a consistent aesthetic can set your ads apart from the rest.
Your images or videos should be high quality, and evoke emotions that resonate with your target audience. Make also sure that your visuals are on brand: use the same colors, fonts, and graphics to maintain consistency across all your ads and reinforce your brand identity.
Here are 7 tips to optimize your images for a persuasive campaign
No need to write much, on the contrary, ad copies should be concise, yet impactful. You should aim to clearly communicate your value proposition and address the pain points or desires of your target audience.
Remember to stick to your brand’s tone and don’t forget to include relevant keywords.
Here’s a breakdown of how to write an ad
Every ad should include a clear call to action that tells users what you want them to do next. Ads are often skipped, so make sure you’re grabbing people’s attention.
That’s why your CTA should be prominent and aligned with the goal you’re aiming to achieve. Consider using action-oriented language that encourages immediate engagement.
Don’t worry! Here you’ll find 30 Instagram call to actions examples for every need!
Then don’t forget that to run Instagram ads you need to ensure compliance with privacy laws!
Wondering how?
Attorney-level solutions to make your websites and apps compliant with the law across multiple countries and legislations.