Explainer
Meta ad placements explained: Feed, Stories, Reels and more
A placement is the spot where your ad appears, such as Facebook Feed, Instagram Stories or Reels. Meta defaults to letting its system choose placements for you, which suits most small businesses. What matters for creative is supplying a Feed version (usually 4:5) and a full-screen Story version (9:16) so the ad looks right wherever it lands.
The main placements
| Placement | What it is | Creative note |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook and Instagram Feed | Ads in the scrolling feed between posts | 4:5 is the most commonly recommended shape. Text sits above and below the image. |
| Stories (Facebook and Instagram) | Full-screen vertical ads between people's Stories | 9:16, with text and logos kept away from the top and bottom edges. |
| Reels | Full-screen vertical placements in short video feeds | 9:16, designed with sound off and the key point first. |
| Other placements | Examples include Explore, Marketplace, search results and Messenger | Meta adapts your ad to these. Check the preview. |
Meta adds, renames and retires placements, so check Ads Manager for the current list.
Automatic or manual placements
- Advantage+ (automatic) placements: Meta's system distributes your budget across placements where it expects the best results. Meta recommends this for most advertisers, and it is a sensible default while you are learning.
- Manual placements: you choose where the ad can appear. Use this when you have a clear reason, such as a creative that only works in a vertical format, or when previews show a placement is wrong for your brand.
What this means for your creative
- Supply at least two shapes. A Feed version and a Story version. If you only provide one, Meta may crop or pad it for other placements.
- Preview every placement. Ads Manager shows how each one will look, including where interface elements cover the image.
- Keep the point inside the safe area. See the size and safe zone guide.
- Write for the shortest view. Primary text is cut off in some placements, so lead with the point. See the ad copy guide.
Reading results by placement
Ads Manager can break results down by placement. Do this to learn, not to micro-manage: a placement that looks cheap may bring low-quality enquiries, so judge by the outcome you care about, not clicks alone. See the objectives guide.
Our creative subscription delivers every concept in Feed and Story sizes for this reason.