Instagram ads. Made for feed, Stories and Reels.
People see Instagram ads on their phones, between posts from accounts they follow. So we make yours look like a post rather than a billboard: vertical, with the offer up front and a button that leads to your site or into Instagram Direct.
What it looks like
An ad in the Instagram feed.
Unlike Facebook, an Instagram ad has no link bar with your domain. A row with the button sits under the image, and the ad text runs below it, like the caption of a regular post. The example is an illustration, and the business in it is made up.
- For the feed, Meta recommends 4:5 at 1440 x 1800 pixels.
- Meta suggests up to 125 characters of text and a headline of up to 40.
- Stories and Reels need a 9:16 version, with the top and bottom kept clear.
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- US Instagram ad reach
- 180 million
- Stories and Reels format
- 9:16
- Explore feed placement removed
- 29 Jul 2026
- Facts checked
- 7 Nov 2026
What you get
What we prepare for Instagram.
Instagram ads run through the same Meta ad account as Facebook, owned by your company, and you pay Meta directly. We charge for management, never a percentage of spend.
Placements
The same ad looks different in the feed and on a full screen. We choose placements to suit the creative you have, rather than all of them at once.
- Feed for products and offers that read from one image
- Stories for an offer with a deadline
- Reels for video that shows the product moving
- Explore and search results as extras, not the main event
- Profile feed for people already browsing your profile
Creative
An ad that looks like an ad is easy to scroll past. We make it look like a post from your own profile, with a clear offer.
- Vertical 9:16 video with captions
- A 4:5 image for the feed, the same offer in two sizes
- No text in the top 14% or bottom 35% of the frame
- A first frame that shows the product, not the logo
- Two or three versions to test
Messages and creators
When a buyer wants to ask something before buying, the ad can open a chat in Instagram Direct. Some of the creative can come from creators, through partnership ads.
- Ads that open Instagram Direct
- Conversation starters and an automatic first reply
- Partnership ads from the creator's account and yours
- An ad code from the creator and usage rights in writing
- Comments under the ads kept an eye on
Tracking
A like or a view is not a sale. We track visits, messages and purchases through the same pixel that serves your Facebook ads.
- Meta Pixel and Conversions API on your site
- Chats that turned into an enquiry or an order
- UTM tags on every link in your ads
- Results split by placement
- Cost per message, enquiry and purchase
Comparison
Feed, Stories and Reels are different places.
All three are chosen in the same campaign, but each needs its own creative. The figures are Meta's recommendations from its ads guide, checked on 7 November 2026.
| What differs | Feed | Stories | Reels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | 4:5, 1440 x 1800 px | 9:16, 1440 x 2560 px | 9:16, 1440 x 2560 px |
| Where it appears | Between posts in the feed | Full screen, between stories | Full screen, between reels |
| Recommended ad text | Up to 125 characters | Up to 125 characters | Up to 44 characters |
| Area kept clear of text | None specified | Top 14% and bottom 35% | Top 14% and bottom 35% |
| Button | Row under the image | Bottom of the screen | Bottom, by the caption |
| What we use it for | Products and offers that read from one image | A short offer with a deadline | Video that shows the product in use |
Swipe to see every placement →
How it runs
From creative to the first message.
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Week 1
Profile and tracking
We check that your Instagram profile is linked to the Meta ad account and that the Pixel records visits and purchases. We tidy the profile too, as people open it after seeing an ad.
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Week 2
Creative
We turn your material into 9:16 and 4:5 versions and write two or three versions of the copy.
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Weeks 3 - 6
Test
Feed, Stories and Reels run in one campaign, reported by placement. Versions that bring neither messages nor visits are switched off.
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Ongoing
Fresh versions
We refresh the creative before the audience tires of it, and turn what works into new versions.
Who this is for
Who it works for, and who it does not.
It makes sense if:
- Your product or service looks good in a photo or a video
- You have material, or can film the product on a phone
- Customers already message you on Instagram
It does not make sense if:
- Your service is hard to show, and people only look for it when they need it
- Nobody can reply to messages the same day
- All you want is a bigger follower count, not enquiries or sales
Honestly: an Instagram ad without a good photo or video rarely helps, whatever the budget. If you have no material, we start there. The formats and rules on this page were checked on 7 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about Instagram ads.
Do we need lots of followers to advertise?
No. The ad is shown to the audience you choose, however many followers you have. Your profile should still be in good shape, since some people open it before they message or buy.
Can customers buy without leaving Instagram?
No. Between June and the end of August 2025, Meta moved checkout for Facebook and Instagram Shops to the seller's own website, in the US too. Shops still show your products, collections and product pages, but payment happens on your site.
What are partnership ads?
Ads that run from a creator's account and yours together, so both names appear in the header. The creator makes an ad code for their post and sends it to you, and you run that post as an ad. Agree the fee, how long the ad runs and the usage rights with the creator in writing.
Can an ad lead into Instagram Direct?
Yes. An ad with a messaging goal opens a chat in Instagram Direct, and can offer Messenger or WhatsApp as well. It makes sense when buyers want to ask about size, colour or delivery first. We track how many chats became enquiries or orders, not just how many messages arrived.
What happened to ads in Explore?
Meta has dropped the Explore feed placement, and its ads API has not offered it since 29 July 2026. Explore home and search results are still listed as placements in Meta's ads documentation. Meta moved campaigns on automatic placements by itself, and manual setups need the old placement taken out.
Can we reuse our Facebook creative?
Partly. A 4:5 image works in both feeds, but Stories and Reels need a vertical 9:16 frame. With only a 4:5 image, Stories and Reels show empty space or crop the picture. So we make both sizes from the start.
Can we target teenagers?
Only by age and location. Since 2023 Meta has not let advertisers target under-18s by interests, activity or gender. If you sell to teenagers, an ad aimed at parents often makes more sense, after checking that the product is allowed for that age group at all.
Are Instagram ads more expensive than Facebook ads?
There is no separate price list for Instagram. Both run through the same Meta ad account, and the cost depends on the audience, the placement and the ad itself. So we do not promise a cost per click up front. We measure it in your account over the first weeks.