Instagram reaches over 2 billion monthly active users, with ad reach growing faster than any other Meta placement. But success requires more than boosting posts. Here's how to build Instagram campaigns that perform.
Understanding Instagram Ad Formats
Instagram offers multiple ad formats, each suited to different objectives and creative approaches.
Feed Ads
The classic Instagram ad placement. Feed ads appear between organic posts as users scroll.
- Image ads: Single static images. Simple and effective when the visual is strong.
- Video ads: Up to 60 minutes, but shorter (15-30 seconds) typically performs best.
- Carousel ads: 2-10 swipeable images or videos. Great for product catalogs, storytelling, or showing multiple benefits.
Stories Ads
Full-screen vertical ads that appear between user Stories. Stories ads feel native and immersive when done well.
- 9:16 aspect ratio (1080x1920 pixels)
- Keep critical content in the center safe zone
- First 3 seconds are crucial—hook fast
- Use sound (80%+ view with sound on)
Reels Ads
Full-screen vertical video ads in the Reels tab and feed. Currently showing the best performance metrics for most advertisers.
- Up to 90 seconds (15-30 seconds optimal)
- Native, entertaining content outperforms "ad-like" creative
- Music and trending audio can boost engagement
- Lower CPMs than Feed placements
Explore Ads
Ads shown when users browse the Explore tab. Good for reaching users in discovery mode who are open to new content.
Shopping Ads
Product-focused ads that link directly to your shop or product pages. Essential for e-commerce brands.
- Tag products directly in creative
- Works with Feed, Stories, and Explore
- Requires Commerce Manager setup
Creative Specifications
Technical requirements for Instagram ads vary by placement.
Image Specifications
| Placement | Aspect Ratio | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Feed (Square) | 1:1 | 1080x1080 |
| Feed (Portrait) | 4:5 | 1080x1350 |
| Stories/Reels | 9:16 | 1080x1920 |
| Carousel | 1:1 | 1080x1080 |
Video Specifications
- Format: MP4 or MOV preferred
- Resolution: At least 1080p
- Frame rate: 30fps minimum
- File size: Up to 4GB
- Captions: Always include (85% watch without sound initially)
Text Limits
- Primary text: 125 characters visible (up to 2,200 total)
- Headline: 40 characters recommended
- On-image text: Keep minimal; text-heavy images reduce reach
Creative Best Practices
Technical specs are just the start. What you put in the frame matters more.
Lead with the Hook
You have 1-3 seconds to stop the scroll. Your opening frame or first few words must grab attention immediately. Avoid slow intros, logo animations, or gradual reveals.
Effective hooks include:
- Bold statements or questions
- Surprising visuals
- Movement and action
- Text overlays with pain points
Design for Mobile-First
99% of Instagram usage is mobile. Design accordingly:
- Large, readable text (minimum 24px)
- High contrast colors
- Simple compositions—avoid clutter
- Test on actual mobile devices
Embrace Native Aesthetics
The best-performing Instagram ads look like organic content, not traditional advertisements. This means:
- UGC-style content often outperforms polished brand content
- Real people, real settings
- Casual, authentic tone
- Minimal logos and branding overlays
Use Video Whenever Possible
Video consistently outperforms static images on Instagram. Even simple videos—product demos, unboxings, testimonials—beat static alternatives.
If creating video feels overwhelming, start with:
- Animated product images
- Slideshows of photos
- Text animations on static backgrounds
- Customer-submitted video content
Include Clear CTAs
Tell users exactly what to do. Strong calls-to-action improve conversion rates:
- "Shop Now" for e-commerce
- "Learn More" for consideration
- "Sign Up" for lead generation
- Include CTA in the creative itself, not just the button
Targeting Strategies
Effective targeting balances precision with scale. Too narrow limits learning; too broad wastes budget.
Start with Your Data
Custom Audiences from your existing data perform best:
- Customer email lists
- Website visitors (via pixel)
- App users
- Video viewers
- Profile and post engagers
Lookalike Audiences extend your reach to similar users. Create lookalikes from your best customers (high LTV, repeat purchasers), not just all customers.
Interest and Behavior Targeting
For prospecting without customer data, use interests and behaviors. Keep audiences broad (1-10M+) to give the algorithm room to optimize.
Stack related interests rather than narrow combinations. "Health & Fitness" + "Running" is better than "Running" AND "Nike" AND "Marathon."
Advantage+ Audience
Meta's automated audience tool uses signals to find high-value users. Test Advantage+ Audience against manual targeting—it often performs better, especially with strong creative.
Retargeting Best Practices
Structure retargeting by funnel stage:
- 1-7 day website visitors: Strong purchase intent; show product-focused ads
- 8-30 day visitors: Needs more nurturing; use social proof and benefits
- Cart abandoners: Address objections; consider incentives
- Past customers: Cross-sell, upsell, or repeat purchase prompts
Campaign Structure
How you organize campaigns affects performance and your ability to optimize.
Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO)
With CBO, budget is set at the campaign level and Meta distributes to ad sets automatically. This simplifies management and often improves efficiency.
Use CBO when ad sets have similar:
- Audience sizes
- Expected CPMs
- Conversion potential
Ad Set Budget
Control budget at the ad set level when you need:
- Guaranteed spend on specific audiences
- Different cost caps per audience
- Controlled testing conditions
Avoid Audience Overlap
Multiple ad sets targeting the same people compete against each other. Check audience overlap in Ads Manager and exclude overlapping segments.
Consolidate for Learning
Each ad set needs ~50 conversions per week to exit the learning phase. Too many ad sets with small budgets never optimize properly. Consolidate similar audiences when possible.
Bidding and Optimization
Choose optimization goals and bidding strategies that match your business objectives.
Optimization Goals
Awareness: Optimize for reach or impressions when building brand presence.
Traffic: Optimize for link clicks or landing page views. Landing page views is more valuable—it filters out accidental clicks.
Conversions: Optimize for purchases, leads, or specific actions. Requires proper pixel/CAPI setup.
Bidding Strategies
Lowest Cost: Meta spends your full budget getting the most results possible. Good for volume, but CPA can fluctuate.
Cost Cap: Sets a maximum cost per result. May underspend if cap is too aggressive.
Bid Cap: Maximum bid in the auction. Most control, but requires expertise.
ROAS Goal: For e-commerce, set a minimum return on ad spend target.
Testing and Iteration
Systematic testing improves performance over time.
A/B Testing Framework
Test one variable at a time:
- Creative format: Video vs. image vs. carousel
- Creative concept: Different hooks, angles, or messages
- Audience: Lookalike vs. interest vs. broad
- Offer: Different value propositions or incentives
Use Meta's A/B Test Feature
The built-in A/B test tool ensures statistically valid results by properly splitting audiences and measuring significance.
Creative Fatigue Management
Watch for signs of creative fatigue:
- Rising frequency without proportional results
- Declining CTR over time
- Increasing CPA with stable targeting
Refresh creative every 2-4 weeks for active audiences. Have a pipeline of new creative ready to deploy.
Measurement and Reporting
Understand what's working and what isn't through proper measurement.
Key Metrics by Objective
Awareness: Reach, frequency, CPM, video views, ThruPlays
Consideration: CTR, CPC, landing page views, engagement rate
Conversion: Results, cost per result, ROAS, conversion rate
Attribution Considerations
Instagram uses 7-day click, 1-day view attribution by default. Understand:
- View-through conversions inflate results for some businesses
- Compare attribution windows to understand true impact
- Cross-reference with backend data for accuracy
See our complete guide to Facebook Ads reporting for more on measurement.
Conversion API Setup
The Conversions API (CAPI) sends server-side events directly to Meta, improving data quality post-iOS 14. Implementation is essential for accurate conversion tracking.
Budget Management
Smart budget allocation maximizes ROI.
Budget Allocation Guidelines
- Prospecting: 60-70% of budget
- Retargeting: 20-30% of budget
- Testing: 10-15% of budget
Scaling Best Practices
Increase budgets gradually:
- 20-30% increases every 2-3 days
- Monitor CPA as you scale
- Duplicate winning ad sets before aggressive scaling
- Expect some efficiency loss at scale
Preventing Overspend
Set account-level and campaign-level spending limits. Monitor daily spend vs. targets. Learn more in our guide to preventing ad overspending.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Sidestep these frequent errors:
- Using Facebook creative on Instagram: Each platform has different native aesthetics
- Ignoring mobile experience: Test landing pages on mobile devices
- Too many audiences: Consolidate for faster learning
- Changing too fast: Wait for statistically significant data
- Neglecting retargeting: Often the highest ROI opportunity
- Poor Reels creative: Reels need native, entertaining content—not repurposed TV ads
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best image size for Instagram ads?
For Feed ads, use 1080x1080 pixels (1:1 square) or 1080x1350 (4:5 portrait) for maximum visibility. Stories and Reels ads should be 1080x1920 pixels (9:16 vertical). Keep important content in the safe zone (center 1080x1420 for Stories) to avoid UI overlap. Always upload the highest resolution possible—Meta will optimize delivery.
How much should I spend on Instagram ads?
Start with $20-50/day per ad set to exit the learning phase quickly (typically 50 conversions per week needed). Your total budget depends on your cost per result targets and business goals. Focus on ROAS or CPA rather than absolute spend. Scale budgets by 20-30% when performance is strong; avoid dramatic increases that reset learning.
What type of Instagram ads perform best?
Reels ads currently show the strongest performance for most advertisers, with lower CPMs and higher engagement. Video content generally outperforms static images, especially for awareness and consideration. Carousel ads work well for e-commerce (showing multiple products) and storytelling. User-generated content (UGC) style creatives often outperform polished brand content for conversions.
Should I run ads on Instagram or Facebook?
Use Advantage+ placements to let Meta optimize across both platforms automatically—this typically delivers the best results. Instagram tends to perform better for visual products, younger demographics, and brand awareness. Facebook often has lower CPMs and works well for lead generation and older demographics. Test both and let data guide budget allocation.
How do I target the right audience on Instagram?
Start with your existing customer data: upload customer lists for Custom Audiences and create Lookalike audiences. Use interest and behavior targeting for prospecting, but keep audiences broad (1-10M+) to give the algorithm room to optimize. Layer in exclusions (existing customers, recent converters) to control who sees your ads. Test Advantage+ Audience for fully automated targeting.