It is highly likely that you are using ad creative that fall outside of Meta’s recommended aspect ratios. You would be forgiven if this is the case since Meta’s own process for uploading images and videos all but assures that this will happen.
Of course, it will take some additional work to accomplish the goal of providing optimally sized images and videos for your ads. But this post will help highlight precisely what you need to do for that to become a reality.
I recorded a short video about how Meta recommends a 4:5 aspect ratio for many of the placements where you’re likely using 1:1. But, it’s not quite that simple. The recommended aspect ratio often depends on whether you are using a video or a static image.
Let’s clear up any confusion so that you can use optimally-sized creative going forward.
Aspect Ratio Grid
Let’s jump right to the most important resource that you’ll want to save for later.
Placements are listed in the “placement groups” that are created when uploading your creative in Ads Manager (we’ll get to that in a minute). On the right are Meta’s actual recommended aspect ratios for videos and static images in those placements.
Those recommendations often conflict with the aspect ratios that Meta requests when assigning placement groups.
Creative Upload Confusion
When you create your ad, Meta attempts to simplify the process of creative upload by asking you to provide three different variations:
- 1:1
- 9:16
- 1.91:1
When you do this, Meta automatically assigns those variations to different placement groups.
- 1:1 for Feeds, In-stream ads for videos and reels, Search results
- 9:16 for Stories and Reels, Apps and sites
- 1.91:1 for Right column, Search results
This would be great if these placement groups were consistent with Meta’s own recommendations, but they’re often not.
Recommendation Sources
There are a few resources that I relied upon when creating my grid.
1. Aspect Ratios Supported By Placements in Meta Ads Manager
It was this table that got my attention in the first place. It highlights both the accepted and recommended aspect ratios for each placement. Here’s an example of what it looks like…
2. Placement Previews
What’s interesting is that most of the recommendations in the table above are consistent with what Meta recommends in placement previews. Here’s an example for Facebook Feed.
Meta recommends 4:5 for both images and videos in the Facebook Feed even though advertisers are asked to upload 1:1 creative for that placement during the ad creation process.
3. Best Practices for Aspect Ratios
This resource is a bit less detailed than the table, but it helped answer some questions when I was seeing conflicting information.
4. Format Specs & Recommendations
This resource covers quite a bit more beyond creative aspect ratios, and the recommendations aren’t always explicit. But this is how I came up with the 1:1 recommendation for right hand column. While the table mentions it as an option, this resource actually recommends it.
Conflicts
You’ll see this within the grid at the top of this post, but let’s summarize the conflicts that I found. Most of the conflicts are for videos, particularly within the placement group that Meta assigns 1:1.
While the aspect ratios that Meta asks you to create will still work, these are the cases where they may not be the most optimal…
Facebook Feed: Meta recommends 4:5 for both videos and images (1:1 upload requested)
Facebook In-Stream Videos: Meta recommends 16:9 or 4:5 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Ads on Facebook Reels: Meta recommends 9:16 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Facebook Marketplace: Meta recommends 4:5 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Facebook Profile Feed: Meta recommends 4:5 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Facebook Video Feeds: Meta recommends 4:5 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Instagram Feed: Meta recommends 4:5 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Instagram Explore: Meta recommends 4:5 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Instagram Explore Home: Meta recommends 4:5 or 9:16 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Instagram Profile Feed: Meta recommends 4:5 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Facebook Business Explore: Meta recommends 4:5 videos (1:1 upload requested)
Facebook Search Results: Meta recommends 1:1 videos (1.91:1 upload requested)
Facebook Right Column: Meta recommends 1:1 for both videos and images (1.91:1 upload requested)
How to Customize by Placement
Now that you have a guide for which aspect ratios to use for each placement, let’s discuss how you’ll execute it.
1. When you upload your creative at the start, your approach will be different depending on whether you are using videos or images. If videos, provide 4:5, 9:16, and 1:1 for the initial placement groups. If images, provide 1:1, 9:16, and 1:1.
2. Now you will need to customize your creative by placement. Let’s assume that you are using an image and uploaded a 1:1 version for one of the placement groups. That will satisfy Meta’s recommendations for almost all of the feed placements, except for Facebook Feed.
Within the Media section, expand the Feeds group. Then hover over Facebook Feed and click the “Edit” icon.
On the left, click to change the media for the selected placement.
Once you upload and select a new image, an icon will appear indicating that you’ve made a customization to that placement.
You will then need to repeat this for every placement where there’s a conflict. You may even choose to provide a mix of images and videos for a single ad, depending on the placement. That will require a reasonable amount of work, but you may find it worthwhile if an improvement in performance follows.
Your Turn
Everything in this post is subject to change, of course. My hope is that Meta will change the initial upload process so that the requested aspect ratios are consistent with their recommendations. Until then, you’ll need to do a bit of manual work.
Are there any other conflicts that I missed? Let me know in the comments below!
