5 Instagram ad formats: choosing the best one so as not to waste your budget
Which Instagram ad format is the best? The main requirements for photos and videos for advertising clips on Instagram. What will attract clients on Instagram: 2026 trends.
Marketers, online business owners, and bloggers have advertised a product on Instagram at least once.
But more and more often they complain about wasting their budget and a minimal arrival of clients.
And the blame for this is in no way the "bad Instagram algorithms, the difficulty of setting up advertising" and other excuses.
The whole problem is in the wrong choice of ad format, namely – the graphic component of promotion.
Starting in 2019, Instagram began to fight all gray promotion methods – mass following (subscribing to a large number of people in the hope of a follow-back), commenting services, sfs (the so-called "shoutout for shoutout" – 2 people tell their followers about each other and thus increase their audience), and other free tricks.
Now everyone knows that getting clients is most effective through official paid advertising on Instagram.
The price of a follower/lead depends only on your skill – if the ad is interesting and clickable, then you can achieve a cost of $0.01 (verified from personal experience).
How to set up targeting, read in the article "Hook clients with great photos: setting up Instagram targeting (guide)".
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The infographic clearly shows that through Instagram you can not only sell but also influence people's choices.
And this means that with competent use of social networks, you won't need to spend large budgets on advertising with bloggers and barters; it's enough to set up advertising competently, and clients will come and make purchases from you.
We move on to the main stage of promotion – setting up advertising.
Since Instagram is a visual social network, images and videos in a post are much more important than text, and usually it is precisely they that attract the attention of potential clients, which is what makes advertising effective and inexpensive.
Which Instagram ad format is best and for which cases?
If you don't understand the difference between the 16:9, 1:1, and 4:5 formats, this chapter is definitely for you.
Which image size will help emphasize the advantages of your product?
And which one, on the contrary, will transfer attention from the advertised object to the background details?
Let's figure it out together.
The format of the promoted ad plays a key role, because it is precisely what the target audience will see first.
If the picture is in the wrong format, then Instagram will automatically crop the edges and edit the image to fit its requirements – important accents and details may disappear, and in general the picture will cease to be complete and clear.
It's the same with video – the wrong format can play a nasty trick on the advertiser.
The main requirements for images and videos for advertising on Instagram are as follows:
- Images and videos of the 16:9 format – a horizontal full-screen format for the phone (I'll say right away – NOT RECOMMENDED, because many people have auto-rotate lock enabled, and instead of a beautiful, voluminous full-screen image, the person will see a small picture on ⅓ of the phone).
- The 1:2 news-feed format – not a lot, but not a little either – it's ideal for the PR of travel, restaurants, hotels. Why? First, the wide viewing angle creates a sense of presence and conveys the atmosphere of the place. Second, if we are talking about travel destinations, then it is precisely this format that allows you to see the place with your own eyes – it creates the impression that you are looking not at a phone screen but at the landscape with your own eyes.
- Images and videos of the 1:1 format – the square. Just a few years ago this was the typical Instagram format – photos and videos could only be published with a 1:1 aspect ratio, but, to the joy of all users, Instagram changed its policy, and the 1:1 format is most often used by "old believers" and lovers of the classic feed. As for promotion, this is the optimal option for product advertising – photo and video of food (beautiful presentation and a good shot will attract many more clients to your establishment than the usual "COFFEE DISCOUNT" banners), the promotion of footwear and accessories. Why? It is precisely in this format that the emphasis is placed on the advertised product, and not on the background, the shooting angle, and interesting editing. A person looks for branded sneakers, lands on your ad (thanks to Instagram's smart algorithms), and sees exactly what they were looking for – clear details, colors, an image without excess semantic load.
- A vertical image (and less often video) 4:5 – advertising in this format is encountered quite rarely. First, most advertising materials are shot on a phone and edited on it too, and achieving the 4:5 dimensions is quite difficult with the classic 4:3 in phones. Second, this format is not very convenient in itself – it is not suitable for product advertising due to the fact that the frame's emphasis will be distorted – in the center of the photo/video there will be not only the product but also the surroundings, which can shift the viewer's attention.
- A full-screen image or video of the 9:16 format – the most popular type of advertising. First, such parameters are used in stories, and this already speaks for itself – the effectiveness of such advertising will be significantly higher than the usual post in the news feed. We'll talk about this phenomenon a little later, read the article to the end. Second, this format attracts a person's attention 100%, at least because there is nothing else on their screen besides your promotion.
- Third, it is precisely with a 9:16 video clip that effects of zooming in, zooming out, and quickly changing the picture look best – the illusion of a cinematic 3D effect is created.
It will in no way be possible to single out one format and call it the best or the most successful among advertisers, because each case is individual.
Also, everything depends on the target audience – for example, if your audience consists of people in the 50+ age category, then I wouldn't advise you to choose the video format, because their attention is usually more focused, their thinking speed is a bit slower, and in general a picture and text are perceived better than super-trendy special effects like augmented and virtual reality.
And if you are oriented toward teenagers and clients aged 18-30, then here we can talk about a radically opposite perception of things and the world.
The faster the picture changes, the more interesting and viral your advertising will be (explanation: viral content is the so-called "self-advertising" content, something that users will share with other users, repost to their stories, etc.).
If you create a viral video clip or picture, then your advertising will pay off in full.
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The main requirements for photos and videos for advertising clips on Instagram
Not all high-quality and technically perfectly executed images and videos will be successful for advertising.
Sometimes a hastily made video with your regular customer can go viral and bring new clients.
And a studio video will only scare off users and decrease customer loyalty.
How to avoid mistakes – read below.
Many complain that although the chosen publication was shown to a large number of people, there were very few clicks on it or none at all.
And, again, very often advertisers blame "the wrong Instagram algorithms" for this. I'll say right away – it has nothing to do with it.
Instagram is not interested in cutting off your promotion and spending money for nothing, because if you are dissatisfied with the result, you will never come back, and that is not at all in Instagram's interest.
Quite the opposite – if you set up the promotion competently, then the results will amaze you – the price per follower will be small, and the reach will grow very quickly and steadily.
And the main condition for successful promotion is, of course, the visual design, namely the photos and videos for advertising.
The main requirements for advertising photos and video clips on Instagram:
- Good quality
It would seem like a truth known to everyone, but for some reason many are ready to sacrifice precisely quality for the sake of a beautiful creative picture, and you can't do that.
Remember one unspoken truth – poor quality of graphic content automatically means cheapness of the product, so don't sign your own death sentence.
- Don't try to "shove" your product onto the buyer
The coolest advertising is the kind that has no open call to action.
This is the kind of promotion that sells itself, without unnecessary cliché phrases like "buy, discounts, we've been on the market for 20 years, we are trusted," etc.
A great example of advertising without imposition is Oreo's clip about their cookies:
Here a beautiful picture is unobtrusively shown (I immediately ask you to pay attention to the date – May 26) of a picnic in nature – something everyone loves and looks forward to.
And, of course, a barbecue, but not the kind we are used to with meat on the grill, but with Oreo cookies.
Let's analyze this clip: there is no active call to buy the cookies, there is a play on the feeling of nostalgia – the barbecue, and thanks to these tricks we get a new desire – to buy the cookies and go on a picnic.
- Choose one of the 2 types of promotions and never mix them in one clip/photo – the emphasis on the product or a complete scene.
In the case of the Oreo cookies – this is a full-fledged clip where the cookie is just a detail; yes, it is in the center and there is a hidden emphasis on it, but a complete picture is also present.
The other type of advertising is the emphasis on the product.
When there is a potential buyer and the advertised product and nothing more.
Such an example is clearly demonstrated in the clip of the collaboration of the Adidas and Prada companies.
Our attention is drawn to the sneakers and then the bag.
There are no distracting details – bright walls, people, loud music.
Our attention is entirely and completely focused on the products being advertised.
As was already said, such advertising is great for items when you need to highlight details and accents.
- Remember about emotions
We all live by emotions. Consumers make purchases thanks to emotions and for their sake.
And any promotion is an attempt to bring clients to emotions.
And advertising is considered successful only when people felt something and made a purchase.
The range of emotions can be the most varied – both negative and positive.
For example, a person saw such Instagram stories:
These stories are not PR at all, but quite the opposite.
And these Insta-stories were posted not by some online store, but by a female blogger.
And, perhaps, you'll even think that this is just a so-so minute of information, an attempt to awaken people's conscience and increase the number of eco-defenders.
But what if I tell you that the next Instagram story is a photo of a girl in a fur coat with a caption that it is not mink or sable at all, but an ordinary eco-fur coat bought in such-and-such a store.
Does it touch a nerve? You bet! Everyone immediately feels sorry for the animals, but at the same time, we see a beautiful fur coat that also doesn't harm the surrounding world!
And, of course, we follow the link to the online store and place orders.
An excellent example of how negative emotions lead to the advertiser's goal – orders and purchases.
If we talk about good emotions in advertising – then this is a more common trick and almost always a win-win.
Another example.
A few days ago the Audi company posted on its page a photo of the world-famous actress Maisie Williams in the new Audi E-tron Sportback car with the caption "Hit fast forward on a more sustainable future."
It would seem that the car is practically not visible and the ad is not very successful, but if you dig deeper, then it becomes clear that the emphasis is made on the actress's smile and confident gaze.
She seems to say: "Want to be as confident in yourself and your future as I am? Buy the Audi E-tron Sportback."
Drawing a conclusion, I can say that you don't need to shout about the advantages of your product and turn Instagram advertising into a teleshopping channel.
Show what good your product can bring into life, and people will want to buy it themselves.
Be useful and creative, and your advertising will sell.
Recommended reading:
What will attract more clients on Instagram – photos or videos?
Each user on Instagram loves one thing more – photos or videos.
Some like to watch live Insta-stories, while others love compositionally correct studio photo shoots.
What will attract more clients – read below.
Video. That's short and clear. Now let's figure out why.
Video on Instagram evokes more emotions than a photo – this is a proven fact.
As shown in the chart, it is precisely on Instagram that people are used to reacting to video clips not just with likes, but also with comments.
Typical situations of commenting under an Instagram video:
- If your product was liked, followers (and not only) will ask the price, size, quality, and country of manufacture (of course, if this is all not specified in the description).
- If your clip (even an advertising one) evokes enough emotions, people will start to express them in the comments – admiration, tenderness, anger, and even hatred. Remember that bad PR is also PR. And even negative comments will increase your reach and help the post become more popular in the search results.
- Tagging girlfriends and friends who might like the advertised product. For example, if you advertise a lipstick (and especially if you advertise it beautifully) and I know that my makeup-artist friend will be delighted with it, then I'll definitely tag her in the comments under the video.
- Product reviews. Here, of course, you need to achieve the maximum number of positive comments. If many clients write that they already bought this product from you and remained dissatisfied, I recommend reconsidering what you sell or recalling whom you upset so much that you got an army of angry commenters as a gift.
Why are videos loved more?
There's no unequivocal answer to the question here, but I can say one thing for sure – people are looking for naturalness.
Too many girls have been burned by online purchases of a beautiful dress for 150 UAH that in an Instagram advertising post looked like a dress from a world-famous designer, but in life looked like a piece of tablecloth.
And the same story with men (of course, they bought not dresses, but they were no less disappointed by online purchases).
Because of such situations, it has forever lodged in our heads that "photos on Instagram have undergone careful editing in Photoshop, VSCO, SnapSeed, and other editing programs," but video is much more difficult to alter, if at all possible.
After all, let's take a photo of the same dress – these are two-dimensional images – a view from the front, side, back.
But when we watch an advertising video in which an absolutely real girl spins, changes poses, and walks in the frame, then you believe much more willingly, because you are dealing not with an empty picture, but with a seller.
A few non-trivial tips for an advertising video:
- Don't be afraid to be funny
Post unsuccessful takes, funny freeze-frames, and moments from the video – this way people will understand that they are buying not from perfect robots, but from living, imperfect people.
And, moreover, some will subscribe to you for the sake of fun videos from life, and in the future, perhaps, will make purchases from you.
- Show your product without embellishment
Don't hide the flaws of your product, because, having made a purchase, people will see them anyway, and trust in you will disappear forever.
Very often in advertisements we see perfect things, and when we pick up our online orders, we get disappointed for life, and on top of that we talk all our acquaintances out of making purchases in this store.
- Bring your videos to life
Every brand should have a face.
And it's very good in some advertising video clips to communicate with followers and visitors of the page – to show the salespeople, products in the warehouse (even if the warehouse is your two-room apartment), to film the faces of satisfied buyers (or to add videos with reviews if you work only online).
People buy from people.
The 2026 trend – Instagram stories
In 2026, all online marketing strives for uniqueness and speed of perception – no one reads long texts, and videos are watched for a couple of minutes at most.
And that's why in Instagram promotion the emphasis should be placed on stories. Why?
Read on.
More and more Instagrammers prefer stories over posts – this is fast, interactive, and (most importantly!) disappearing content!
And everything that we can get now or never intrigues and captivates.
The statistics confirm my words – the popularity of posts inexorably falls every year:
The secret of advertising Insta-stories is that they occupy 100% of the screen, and even if a potential client is not very interested in your product, then the first 2-5 seconds of their attention will be completely absorbed by your advertising and your product.
Another distinctive quality of stories is that there is always a mystery left – the user doesn't see the number of your followers, the photo in the profile, and the comments (as it will be visible under an advertising post), they see your advertising and the profile name, and this is very intriguing and literally makes them swipe up and look at who the author of the advertising is.
And the main plus of promotions in stories is that the probability they will be noticed equals 100%.
Many people (I am among them) scroll through the feed mindlessly and sometimes flip through 2-3 posts in one swipe.
We are not always interested in reading long captions under photos and even more so the comments.
Therefore, we simply swipe up to quickly look at what's new on the network.
But you can't just swipe away an Insta-story so easily – your attention entirely and completely belongs to one profile whose stories you are watching at that second.
It's the same with advertising – in order not to go unnoticed, choose Insta-stories for your advertising.
A cheat sheet on Instagram ad sizes
We figured out which format is better to choose and for which purposes.
But in order not to spend a lot of time fitting photos and videos to the best parameters, you need to master the main requirements for graphic design.
If we sum up everything written above and highlight the main parameters of Instagram advertising, then we get such a convenient cheat sheet:
| Photo advertising on Instagram | Video advertising on Instagram | |
|---|---|---|
| Best aspect ratio | 1:1 (square) | 1:1 (square) |
| Image size | 1080x1080 pixels | from 600x600 to 1080x1080 pixels |
| Format | JPG or PNG | MP4 |
| Size | up to 30 MB | up to 4 GB |
| Quantity in a carousel | up to 10 pcs | up to 10 pcs |
Conclusions
You can deny and not accept it, but beautiful and correctly set up official advertising is the only effective kind on Instagram.
Although the requirements for graphic design are not simple, the results will amaze you.
To use the budget as rationally as possible, you need to prepare for the promotion.
And most importantly – it is to choose the best format of graphic image or video for your advertising post-story.
To avoid mistakes and to attract clients who will find the advertised product interesting and useful, you just need to make great viral content.
A correctly chosen video in Instagram advertising can not only bring you clients and orders, but also increase the audience's trust and loyalty to the brand.
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