With the advancements in technology and the ever-growing number of its users, companies face new challenges in launching and marketing their products. Fewer people are watching TV and reading newspapers and magazines than ever.
So, if a company wants to merchandise its products, it should follow its potential customers to the social platforms they spend most of their time on. And since Instagram is the online marketing leader, business entities should know the critical rules for making a compelling Instagram ad.
Instagram Ads Format
Before venturing into the realm of Instagram advertising, you should have a very clear idea of the types of ads that are there and the ones that speak loudly to the customers’ minds and desires and even louder to your demographic.
Don’t fall into the trap of oversimplifying Instagram marketing as being only images and videos. Here are the Formats of Instagram Ads:
Photo Ads
This is a primitive form of an ad and one of the most effective as well. Therefore, you should be attentive to this feature since it is the most viewed.
Hire a skillful graphic designer to design an eye-catching photo that captures your potential customer’s attention. Your photo should be of the proper resolution and color combination.
You can also consider using a free Instagram post generator if you need help producing the right content and don’t want to invest in hiring a professional graphic designer.
Photo Ad preferences:
- A resolution of more than 1080 by 1080 pixels
- A size of less than 30M
- A simple JPG format
Carousel Ads
It works as a Merry-go-round, with photos rotating right before clients’ eyes as they scroll. This format is perfect for displaying multiple products or aspects of a single product. Here, the consumer spends less time viewing your products, which is perfect for companies with a wide variety of goods.
Carousel Ad Preferences:
- Hashtag: 30 Maximum
- URL of the landing page is necessary
- Image format as of the aforementioned
- The resolution as of the aforementioned
- Video format GIP or MP4
- Photos of 30 MB Max and videos of a max of 2-minute duration and 2 GB size
Video Ads
It is one of the easiest formats since it is similar to designing TV commercials. You should stick to the max duration of 1 minute, though.
Video Ad Preferences:
- A single video shouldn’t exceed 250MB
- Captions and sounds are preferable but not a must
Shopping Ads
In this type, e-commerce companies go as far as inserting a link in their ads in which Instagram users are directed immediately to the product page on the company’s website, leading them eventually to click the ‘Purchase Now’ button to buy the product.
Reels Ads
It is a recently added feature. It shows up to thirty-second long screen-size vertical videos among the other posts. These reels are, as one may say, ‘shareable,’ ‘commentable,’ and ‘saveable.’ Since it is not overused yet, you must give it a try.
Explore Ads
It is a highly-targeted method because when a company pays for its ad to be in the Explore section, they push it to the audience that may be interested in such products or services. Their videos or websites appear with phrases such as ‘you may be interested in this’ or ‘pages you might like.’
· Feed Ads
Here you are free to use images, videos, carousels, and others. These ads blend in with the other organic content on Instagram, so Instagram users may not realize that it is an ad unless they spot the word ‘Sponsored’ or ‘Paid.’
· Collection Ads
It is a mix of carousel and shopping ads commendable for brands as it enables the company to insert a direct link to their catalog page, which provides info about the product, like price and brand name.
· IGTV Ads
Users click on the IGTV feature to watch a short full-screen video.
Now that you have a precise idea of the format, let’s view the characteristics that make an ad sellable:
1. Smoothness
Your ad should flow seamlessly on your clients’ page, blending in with other posts without creating any disturbances. Nothing upsets social media users more than ads popping up while they scroll up or down their page, causing them to miss a post they are interested in.
2. Uniqueness and creativity
Make your brand stand out from the crowd, so it doesn’t get mistaken for another brand. Pick one of a kind logo and name. Moreover, try developing new ideas, concepts, and ad-making techniques.
3. Continuity and consistency
A company should ensure that its ad campaign continues non-stop as long as it is in business. The golden rule here is out of sight, out of mind. Thus, pick up a cost-effective ad that your business can afford in the long run.
4. Interaction and engagement
A successful ad allows its audience to reach the product providers to voice their concerns, complaints, or preferences. Be sure to add contact information that actually works. A phone number with someone answering it on the other end or an email address with someone writing responses within 48 hours would be useful.
5. Cohesion
An Ad should be cut out for a specific audience and product. So its visuals or texts should be in line with the ad’s goal and its targeted audience. For example, you should pick more family-friendly visuals when advertising kitchen appliances.
6. Clarity
Any ad should act like a demonstration of the product. Don’t overload your ad with so many extra details that may distract your audience and distract them from the product.
In conclusion
Instagram is a powerful marketing tool with a rich set of features that should be tactically utilized to the business’s advantage to not miss this valuable chance of publicity.
