The collection of social platforms continues to grow, and, it can be a challenge to keep up with the specifications for video advertising on each channel. Here, we provide a detailed guide to tackling these specifications, so you can stay up-to-date with your video advertising practices. For a snapshot of guidelines for each platform, click the links below:
Facebook Video Specs
Instagram Video Specs
TikTok Video Specs
Twitter Video Specs
LinkedIn Video Specs
Pinterest Video Specs
YouTube Video Specs
Facebook Ads Video Sizes/Dimensions
Facebook Stories
Facebook Stories are short-form photos or videos only available for 24 hours. Brands can place their video ads between users’ stories to quickly connect with their audience in real time.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1080×1920 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio: 1.9 to 9:16
- Recommended Format: .MOV or .MP4
- Length (MAX): 1 minute
Desktop News Feed Video
Brands may also advertise through the Facebook News feed, which is an updated cache of photos, videos, and status updates located on users’ Facebook home page. Video advertising on the News Feed is beneficial for reaching more users, as the videos appear directly in between the content in their news feed.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1280 x 720 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio (Landscape): 1.9:1
- Aspect Ratio (Square): 1:1
- Recommended Format: .MOV or .MP4
- Length (MAX): 4 hrs
Carousel Video Ads
Facebook’s Carousel Video Ads allow brands to include multiple videos with an embedded link for a user to scroll through before clicking. These ads give the user the option to preview the brand through this collection of videos or images before deciding if they want to visit the link.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1080 x 1080 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio: 1:1
- Recommended Format: .MOV, .MP4, or GIF
- Length (MAX): 4 hrs
- # of Carousel Cards: 2-10
Collection Video Ads (mobile)
Facebook Collection video ads (formerly known as Canvas ads) are mobile-only ads that consist of a cover video followed by several product images below this cover video. These ads are geared toward mobile shoppers, allowing users to click on the product images under the video. When a user clicks on a collection ad, they are taken to an Instant Experience screen, which we will discuss in more detail in the next section.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1080 x 1080 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio (Landscape): 16:9
- Aspect Ratio (Square): 1:1
- Recommended Format: .MOV or .MP4
- Length (MAX): 2 hrs
Slideshow Video Ads
While these are not necessarily full video ads, slideshow ads can still showcase brands’ products or services through an animated experience without the added time and effort of creating an actual video. These ads are also beneficial for users who may be in low connection areas or those who have older devices due to their quicker load time.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1200 x 720 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio (Landscape): 16:9
- Aspect Ratio (Portrait): 4:5
- Aspect Ratio (Square): 1:1
- Recommended Format: .MOV or .MP4
- Length (MAX): 15 seconds
Instant Experience Video Ads
Instant Experience Ads (formerly known as Canvas ads) are full-screen video ads that act as a virtual shopping experience for users. These Instant Experience ads load instantly for users after clicking on a collection ad, and brands use them to showcase their products or services through interactive storytelling.
- Dimensions (MIN): 720 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio (Portrait): 9:16
- Recommended Format: .MOV or .MP4
- Length (MAX): 2 min combined for all content
Instagram Video Sizes/Dimensions
Instagram Stories
Instagram also offers a Stories feature that appears at the top of a user’s feed tab and works the same way as Facebook Stories with brands being able to insert their video ads between different user’s stories.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1080×1920 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio (Portrait): 9:16
- Recommended Format: .MOV or .MP4
- Length (MAX): 2 min
In-feed Video Ads
In-feed video ads are the primary way to showcase your brand or product on the Instagram platform. These video ads are embedded in users’ feeds and can appear in landscape, square, or portrait format.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1080×1080 pixels, 1350×1080 pixels, 1920×1080 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio (Landscape): 16:9
- Aspect Ratio (Square): 1:1
- Aspect Ratio (Portrait): 4:5 or 9:16
- Recommended Format: .MOV or .MP4
- Length (MAX): 3-60 seconds
Carousel Video Ads
Instagram’s Carousel ads essentially follow the same structure and guidelines as Facebook Carousel ads, aside from the maximum allowed video duration being much shorter on Instagram.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1080×1080 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio (Square): 1:1
- Recommended Format: .MOV or .MP4
- Length (MAX): 60 seconds
- # of Carousel Cards: 2-10
IGTV Videos
IGTV videos (or Instagram TV videos) are Instagram’s version of the long-form video and can be used to create detailed presentations of a brand’s message, products, or campaigns. With IGTV video content being relatively new to the platform, the paid ad specs for this feature are not yet set in stone or confirmed, but they seem to closely follow the organic video content specs.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1080×1920 pixels
- File size (MAX): 3.6GB
- Aspect Ratio (Landscape): 16:9
- Aspect Ratio (Portrait): 9:16 (recommended)
- Required Format: .MP4
- Length (MAX): 15 min for mobile upload, 1 hr for desktop upload
Instagram Reels
- Dimensions (MAX): 1080×1920 pixels
- In-Feed Dimensions: 1080×1350 pixels
- File size (MAX): 4GB
- Aspect Ratio (In-Feed): 4:5
- Aspect Ratio (Full Screen): 9:16
- Recommended Format: .MOV or .MP4
- Length (MAX): 30 seconds
TikTok Video Sizes/Dimensions
In-Feed Ads
TikTok is a newer, more casual social platform that allows for short-form video sharing with an extensive library of editing and audio features. While brands can benefit from organic advertising by partnering with influencers, TikTok also offers in-feed paid ads that allow for even more brand promotion and potential user engagement.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1080×1920 pixels
- File size (MAX): 500MB
- Aspect Ratio (Portrait): 9:16
- Recommended Format: .MP4 or .MOV
- Length (MAX): 60 seconds
Visit the TikTok Business Center for more information on TikTok’s video ad specs.
Twitter Video Sizes/Dimensions
Landscape, Portrait, and Square Video Ads
Twitter video specs follow the same format for both organic and paid video content. Videos can easily be uploaded to the network and displayed in either a landscape or portrait layout.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1280×720 pixels, 720×1280 pixels, 720×720 pixels
- File size (MAX): 512MB
- Aspect Ratio (Landscape/Portrait): 9:16
- Aspect Ratio (Square): 1:1 (best for cross-device rendering)
- Recommended Format: .MP4 (web) or .MOV (mobile)
- Length (MAX): 140 seconds
Visit the Twitter Help Center for more information on Twitter’s video ad specs.
LinkedIn Video Sizes/Dimensions
Video Ads
LinkedIn has recently added native video ads, which, much like Facebook’s News Feed video ads, are integrated into the user’s LinkedIn feed. While LinkedIn is more of a niche social platform, it allows the right brands to build awareness and generate leads through compelling visual content.
- Dimensions (MIN): 640×360 pixels, 360×640 pixels, 360×360 pixels
- Dimensions (MAX): 1920×1080 pixels, 1080×1920 pixels, 1920×1920 pixels
- File size (MAX): 200MB
- Aspect Ratio (Landscape/Portrait): 16:9 or 9:16
- Aspect Ratio (Square): 1:1
- Required Format: .MP4
- Length (MAX): 30 min, recommended 15 seconds
Visit the LinkedIn Help Center for more information on LinkedIn’s video ad specs.
Pinterest Video Sizes/Dimensions
Promoted Videos
Pinterest offers two ad formats for advertisers on the platform: standard and max-width videos. Brands will need to create a Pinterest business account to create ads.
Standard Videos
These video ads appear throughout users’ Pinterest boards and are the same size and style as regular pins.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1920×1080 pixels, 1080×1920 pixels, 1920×1920 pixels
- File size (MAX): 2GB
- Aspect Ratio: shorter than 1:2, taller than 1.91:1
- Recommended Aspect Ratio: 1:1 (square) or 9:16 (portrait)
- Recommended Format: .MP4, .MOV, or .M4V
- Length (MAX): 15 min, recommended 15 seconds
Max-Width Videos
These ads are only available on mobile devices, as they expand to fit the width of the screen on Pinterest’s 2-column layout. Max-width videos give brands much more space to catch their audience’s attention.
- Dimensions (MAX): 1000×1500 pixels or 1000×1000 pixels
- File size (MAX): 2GB
- Aspect Ratio: 1:1 or 16:9 (widescreen)
- Recommended Format: .MP4, .MOV, or .M4V
- Length (MAX): 15 min, recommended 15 seconds
Visit the Pinterest Help Center for more information on Pinterest’s video ad specs.
YouTube Video Sizes/Dimensions
Since YouTube is primarily a video-playing platform, the specs for ads on YouTube are all the same, aside from their respective video lengths. However, YouTube does offer several different ad types, detailed below.
Video Ad Types
Skippable Video Ads
Users can skip these ads after five seconds of playing before, during, or after a video on YouTube.
Non-Skippable Ads
Users must watch these ads fully without skipping before they may view a video. These ads are usually played before video content but can also play during or after the video.
Mid-roll Ads
These refer to short ads played in the middle of a YouTube video, similar to a TV commercial. Mid-roll ads are placed naturally during breaks in the YouTube video and can only appear in videos longer than eight minutes.
Bumper Ads
These quick, six-second, unskippable videos are placed before YouTube videos and are used primarily for gaining brand awareness and reach.
Video Ads Dimensions
- Recommended Dimensions: 426×240 pixels (MIN), 640×360 pixels, 854×480 pixels, 1280×720 pixels, 1920×1080 pixels, 2560×1440 pixels, and 3840×2160 pixels (MAX)
- File size (MAX): 128GB or 12 hrs
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Required Format: .MP4, .MOV, .MPEG4, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP, and WebM
- Length (MAX)
- Skippable ad: six minutes, skippable after 5 seconds
- Non-skippable ad: 15-20 seconds
- Mid-roll ad: 30 seconds (MIN), skippable after 30 seconds
- Bumper ad: six seconds
Visit the Google Help Center for more information on YouTube’s video ad specs.
Need help determining which creative will work best?
Paid advertising through video content is an extremely worthwhile investment and can be the key to effectively telling your brand’s story. Knowing your way around these platforms’ rules and regulations will make your paid media journey much smoother. Reach out to learn how Search Discovery can help, or read some more relevant content:
