Reels ads are ads that appear between organic Reels on Instagram and Facebook. They are full-screen, vertical and sound-on by default, and people can like, comment, share and save them like any Reel. Because they sit inside a stream of entertainment, they compete with creators for attention, not with other ads.
Reels placements
| Placement | Where it appears |
|---|---|
| Instagram Reels | Between Reels in the Reels tab and feed |
| Facebook Reels | Between Reels on Facebook |
| Ads on Facebook Reels | Banner or sticker-style overlays on creators' Reels, where offered |
With Advantage+ placements on, Meta decides how much budget goes to Reels. You can also break results down by placement to see how Reels performs against Feed and Stories.
Specs that matter
- Vertical 9:16, ideally 1080 × 1920 pixels.
- Safe zones. Keep text, faces and the product away from the top and bottom of the frame, where the interface, caption and buttons sit.
- Sound. Reels are a sound-on environment, but add captions for people watching muted.
- Length. Short often works, but there is no rule. The video should be as long as the story needs and no longer.
See Meta ad sizes for the full spec table.
What makes a Reels ad work
- Hook in the first second. Your hook rate and thumbstop ratio decide whether anything else matters.
- Native look. Phone-shot, person-to-camera content often beats polished brand films, because it fits the stream. That's why UGC ads are common here.
- Show the product early and in use.
- A clear next step, said out loud or shown, not only in the button.
Worked example
Example: one product, two videos, both run with Advantage+ placements.
| Studio product film | Creator talking to camera | |
|---|---|---|
| Share of spend in Reels | 20% | 55% |
| Hook rate in Reels | 18% | 32% |
| Cost per purchase overall | ₹620 | ₹480 |
Meta moved more budget into Reels for the creator video because it performed there. The studio film may still work in Feed, but the Reels-native piece won overall.
Common mistakes
- Re-using a horizontal or square video with black bars. It looks like an ad immediately.
- Text in the safe zones that gets covered by the caption or buttons.
- Slow intros with logos or brand music.
- Judging Reels on CTR alone. People watch, then buy later, so check purchases and view-through share too.
For opening lines and formats that stop the scroll, read Reels ad hooks. Compare with Stories ads, which share the vertical format but behave differently.
Frequently asked questions
What are Reels ads?
Reels ads are full-screen vertical video or image ads that appear between Reels on Instagram and Facebook. People can like, comment, share and save them, and they play with sound by default.
What size should Reels ads be?
Vertical 9:16, ideally 1080 by 1920 pixels. Keep text, faces and the product away from the top and bottom of the frame, where the caption, profile name and buttons cover the video.
How long should a Reels ad be?
As long as the story needs and no longer. Many strong Reels ads are short, but what matters most is the first second, which decides whether people keep watching. Test lengths in your own account.
Should I run ads only on Reels?
Usually not. Advantage+ placements let Meta move budget to Reels when your ads work there, and limiting placements can raise costs. Make vertical creative so Reels is available, then check placement breakdowns.
