Wait – I have to tell Facebook where I want my ads to be shown?

If you’re asking yourself the above question, don’t panic – you’ve come to the right place.

Below is a list explaining what Facebook ad placements look like for consumers in the wild and what aspect ratios you – a soon-to-be savvy Facebook marketer – will need to start maximizing efficiencies within your social media budget.


Facebook:

Feeds

You’re in bed, mindlessly scrolling through your Feed while your S.O. talks about his/her day in the background – you’ve just seen a News Feed ad!

This is what you probably think of when considering how to increase ROAS or brand awareness on Facebook

Click here to learn what ratios are needed to run your creative assets in Facebook’s News Feed!

Facebook Feed Example

Instant Articles

Although you know Fake News is looming around every corner, you can’t help yourself when you see that article about all the puppies saved from a fire. Clicking on the story opens a quick tab within Facebooks’ expanded content and – BOOM – amongst the column, there’s an ad! Welcome to Instant Articles.

This is a great way to interact with your potential customers as they’re engaging with a news source they trust.

Added bonus: 70% of viewers are less likely to abandon the article before reading.

Click here to learn what ratios are needed to run your creative assets using Instant Articles!

Facebook Instant Article

In-Stream Videos

The latest Buzzfeed video on How to Make Chocolate Cheesecake Rolls catches your eye, and you know there’s no. way. you can have your next dinner party without them (but let’s be honest … your guests will be raving about the store-bought brownies you put out as you hide the evidence). Right as you’re about to find out how long to bake them, an ad appears. This is an In-Stream Video ad placement!

These are un-skippable, AKA a great way to drive video metric KPIs by your already hooked audience.

Click here to learn what ratios are needed to run your creative assets using In-Stream Videos!

Right Column

After a night of partying leads to the accidental introduction of your phone and the toilet, you’re forced to use your laptop to log on to Facebook. On the right side of your News Feed there are ads that constantly change depending on what websites you’ve been visiting – say hello to the Right Column ad placement!

Pro tip: refer to this as the ‘right-hand rail’ for extra clout

This Facebook ad placement may take you back to your Myspace days as this is the OG of social media ad placement. Depending on your demographic and what your company is advertising, the right-hand rail may work in your favor.

Click here to learn what ratios are needed to run your creative assets using the Right Column!

Facebook Right Column Ad

Marketplace

Everyone is rapping about Gucci flip flops – you look down at your dusty 4-year-old pool shoes and realize you need to get with the times. Unfortunately, so does your wallet. As you peruse Facebook Marketplace looking for cheap ways to step up your closet game, you see ads (think relevant products, clothes, TVs, cars, real estate etc.)

The Marketplace ad placement is a great way for advertisers to show goods to consumers who are already in the mindset to make a purchase.

Click here to learn what ratios are needed to run your creative assets using Facebook Marketplace!

Stories

As if posting what you’re doing the moment you’re doing it on Snapchat, Instagram, and WhatsApp wasn’t enough enough, Facebook now offers the ability to do so in-app. As you click through and see Karen killing the brunch game for the 8th #SundayFunday in a row, you also come across the occasional ad in the same vertical full-screen format as her mimosas.

This is a great way to reach your customers in the same native format they’re posting/absorbing friends’ content.

Click here to learn what ratios are needed to run your creative assets using Facebook Stories!


Instagram:

Feed

Your S.O. is still rambling on about his/her day (to be fair, Jannette from Accounting sounds like she needs to relax a little…) After running out of content on Facebook, you switched to Instagram and are back to scrolling. This is where ads appear in the Instagram Feed.

Selecting this ad placement to run a fluid budget between Instagram and Facebook maximizes Facebook’s ability to deliver the right ad to the right person at the right time.

Click here to learn what ratios are needed to run your creative assets in Instagram’s News Feed!

Stories

Karen’s brunch posts on FB Stories gave you some serious FOMO and now you’re watching Brad try to (unsuccessfully) hop over a seemingly short post in a parking lot…he did it for the Gram. As more and more of your IG friends’ fresh content take up your mobile screen, you are served a full-screen ad that you almost don’t recognize as an attempt to get you to swipe up.

Again, this is a great way to interact with your customers in the same native format in which they’re posting/absorbing friends’ content.

Click here to learn what ratios are needed to run your creative assets using IG Stories!


According to FB newsroom, there are over 1.4 billion daily users on Facebook.

Not all of these users have the same usage patterns and behaviors – some, as we’ve learned, prefer to scroll through their Facebook News Feed, while others get lost in the latest DIY dessert videos.

Now, even as a savvy Facebook marketer, choosing your next ad placement may seem daunting (and we’ve only skimmed the surface).

But – there’s some good news.

Just like you can test and optimize messaging and content, you can also test and optimize Facebook ad placements. In fact, it is essential to help find where your target audience likes to hang out. Control testing (A/B testing) ad placements will help you get a pulse for the market and make informed decisions to ensure you’re always putting your best foot (or ad) forward, and that you are constantly seeking to improve.


Still Have Questions?

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