We all know video is an essential part of the app sales cycle, and Facebook is a powerful platform for video engagement. But with an overwhelming amount of information out there covering Facebook’s design and technical requirements, it can be challenging to narrow things down and figure out what you actually need. Here are 5 recommendations to focus on when creating and uploading your next video ad. Scroll all the way to the end of the post for our curated list of handy specs for each Facebook video format.

Aspect ratios

98% of Facebook users worldwide use mobile devices to access Facebook, with a whopping 78% claiming to never use the desktop version. When creating video ads, the key is to optimize for mobile. Your aim is to cover as much of their mobile screen as possible to grab attention while staying within the available aspect ratios.

Keep in mind that most people hold their phones vertically while scrolling through the Facebook feed, so choose a vertical or square aspect ratio to cover the most screen area. When viewing longer videos, people usually flip their phone horizontally, so, for in-stream ads (played before, during or after a longer streaming video) a landscape aspect ratio of 16:9 is recommended.

Video length

Although most ads support up to 240 minutes playback, Facebook recommends keeping videos short. Capture attention with the most compelling part of your video within the first 3 seconds, and aim not to exceed 15 seconds so that people are more likely to watch your video until the end. For long videos, you can make a shorter version as a teaser, and post that with a link to the full video.

Upload or link?

Should you upload the video to YouTube or Facebook? Both! Here’s why. Uploading the video only to YouTube and then posting the link in Facebook means that users are taken out of the Facebook platform to view the video. Links to videos hosted on other sites won’t auto-play, the preview image will be small and unappealing and, thanks to an algorithm that strives to keep users on the platform, organic reach will be reduced.

This means that videos that you want Facebook users to watch on the platform need to be added as native videos – videos that are uploaded on social networks, or created in the platform. These will play in-feed, driving views and engagement.

Captions and sound

Many choose to watch videos with the sound turned off, even when they’re not in public. Use text and graphics in your videos to highlight what is being said. It’s standard practice to permanently overlay captions on a video that people are speaking in. This way, even if captions are not supported in the ad format you choose, the text will be available on the video itself.

You can also automatically generate captions that can be turned on and off with Facebook’s tools, write them yourself within the edit feature of the platform, or upload a SubRip (.srt) file. If you do let Facebook auto-generate captions, make sure to proofread and edit them for accuracy.

Resolution and display

Use the highest resolution that meets the file size and aspect ratio limits. Ensure your video file has a minimum resolution of 600 pixels and is no larger than 4GB. You can use any of the supported video formats, but GIF, MOV and MP4 are recommended.

Also, Facebook has found that images that are less than 20% text perform better, so when customizing your video ad’s thumbnail image, make sure that it isn’t text-heavy or it could affect your ad’s reach. You can use this tool to check your image.

Ad placement

Whether you want to demonstrate your product’s features, drive brand awareness and traffic to your website, or focus on testimonials from people who love using your product, your brand objective for publishing your next video ad will determine your approach.

When highlighting a product, you may want to focus on relevant users, or “look-alike audiences” as Facebook calls them, through the search feed and Marketplace – that’s where a lot of people are looking for brands or products with purchase intent. Many brands re-target people that have visited their website or abandoned their online shopping cart by placing ads on their feed so they can be reminded of the brand as they scroll through Facebook.

Think of in-stream ads as a TV commercial – it pauses the main feature halfway through for a short ad break. There should be a focus on high-quality video with sound so that the ad seamlessly transitions from the video and back again. Facebook Stories is where you can show your brand’s down-to-earth side with either a raw or a polished ad. Consider user-generated content, such as testimonials, and fun ads that can engage quickly to spread brand awareness.

A carousel ad is a fantastic way to highlight a product range, or different features of the same product, with both image and video. Although you can place 10 images or videos, it’s best to capture attention with only a few standouts. Take the time to tell your brand’s story, or explore the vision and impact of your product through visuals in an instant article that loads faster than linking out of Facebook and features full screen videos that auto-play.

No matter which Facebook video ad type you choose, be sure to A/B test your videos so that you know you’re using the best one for the job.

Design guidelines

Feed videos

Live in your Facebook feed and can be easily shared by followers.

• Recommended ratio: Vertical 4:5
• Recommended length: 15–60 seconds
• Available length: 240 minutes max
• Captions: Recommended
• Sound: Recommended

Facebook search results

Appear as a sponsored post in a user’s search feed.

• Recommended ratio: Square 1:1
• Recommended length: 15 seconds
• Available length: 240 minutes max
• Captions: Unavailable
• Sound: Recommended

In-stream videos

Non-skippable, mid-roll video ads played to relevant users who are already watching Facebook videos. Facebook recommends including sound and taking advantage of the full length, as most people watch these videos all the way through.

• Recommended ratio: Horizontal 16:9
• Recommended length: 15 seconds
• Available length: 5–15 seconds
• Captions: Optional
• Sound: Strongly recommended

Facebook video feeds

Included in a player of other videos to watch that opens when a user clicks on a video from their News Feed.

• Recommended ratio: Horizontal 16:9
• Recommended length: 15 seconds
• Available length: 240 minutes max
• Captions: Optional
• Sound: Optional

Instant articles

Fast-loading interactive articles.

• Recommended ratio: Vertical 4:5
• Recommended length: 15–60 seconds
• Available length: 240 minutes max
• Captions: Unavailable
• Sound: Optional

Facebook Marketplace

Appear as a sponsored posts in the Marketplace feed

• Recommended ratio: Vertical 2:3 or 1.91:1 with link
• Recommended length: 10 seconds
• Available length: 240 minutes max
• Captions: Unavailable
• Sound: Recommended

Facebook Stories

Full-screen vertical ads that appears between stories, or until the viewer dismisses the ad.

• Recommended ratio: Portrait 9:16
• Recommended length: 5 seconds
• Available length: 15 seconds max
• Captions: Unavailable
• Sound: Recommended

Carousels

Showcases up to 10 images or videos within a single ad, each with its own link.

Carousels can appear within Facebook feeds, search results, on the right column and in the above options such as Marketplace, Stories and instant articles.

• Recommended ratio: Square 1:1
• Recommended length: 15 seconds
• Available length: 240 minutes max
• Minimum cards: 2
• Maximum cards: 10
• Captions: Optional
• Sound: Optional