Facebook Video Ads: Best Practices and Examples (2026)

Facebook video ads generated over $58 billion in revenue for Meta in 2025, and the platform's video-first pivot shows no signs of slowing down. But most advertisers are still making the same mistakes: overproduced content that nobody watches, wrong aspect ratios for each placement, and hooks that fail to stop the scroll within the first second.

This guide covers the creative side of Facebook video advertising in 2026. You will learn the best practices for every video ad format, see real ad examples worth studying, understand the creative frameworks that drive results, and get the performance benchmarks you need to evaluate your own campaigns. If you are looking for the technical Ads Manager setup, we cover that in our Facebook Ads Manager beginners guide.

Facebook Video Ad Formats and When to Use Each

Facebook offers five primary video ad placements in 2026. Each serves a different purpose, reaches users in a different mindset, and requires format-specific creative to perform well.

In-Feed Video Ads

The classic Facebook video ad that appears as users scroll through their News Feed. In-feed ads autoplay silently and compete directly with posts from friends, family, and pages the user follows.

Optimal specs:

Spec	Recommendation
Aspect ratio	4:5 (vertical) preferred; 1:1 (square) acceptable
Resolution	1080 x 1350 (4:5) or 1080 x 1080 (1:1)
Length	15-60 seconds (sweet spot: 20-30 seconds)
File size	Under 4 GB
File type	MP4 or MOV
Sound	Autoplay muted; design for silent viewing

When to use in-feed: Direct response campaigns, product demonstrations, retargeting sequences, and any ad where you need the headline, primary text, and CTA button visible beneath the video. Feed ads are the workhorse placement for conversion-focused advertisers.

Creative best practice: Because 85% of feed videos play without sound, your entire message must work visually. Burned-in captions are mandatory, not optional. Use bold text overlays for key selling points so even a quick scroll-by communicates your value proposition.

Facebook Reels Ads

Full-screen vertical video ads that appear between organic Reels content. This is Meta's fastest-growing ad placement and delivers the lowest CPMs across the Facebook ecosystem.

Optimal specs:

Spec	Recommendation
Aspect ratio	9:16 (full-screen vertical)
Resolution	1080 x 1920
Length	15-30 seconds
Safe zone	Keep critical elements in center 1080 x 1420
Sound	On by default; use audio creatively

When to use Reels: Brand awareness, reaching younger demographics (18-34), top-of-funnel prospecting, and any campaign where engagement rate matters more than direct clicks. Reels ads deliver 20-35% lower CPMs than feed placements on average.

Creative best practice: Reels ads must feel native to the Reels environment. Overproduced, corporate-looking content gets swiped past immediately. Match the energy, pacing, and visual style of organic Reels content. Use trending audio when it fits your brand, and keep the pace fast with scene changes every 2-4 seconds.

Stories Ads

Full-screen vertical ads that appear between friends' Stories. Stories ads feel personal and ephemeral, creating a sense of urgency that other placements lack.

Optimal specs:

Spec	Recommendation
Aspect ratio	9:16
Resolution	1080 x 1920
Length	5-15 seconds per card
CTA	Swipe-up available
File size	Under 4 GB

When to use Stories: Time-sensitive promotions, flash sales, event announcements, countdown campaigns, and retargeting warm audiences. The swipe-up CTA creates a frictionless path to your landing page.

Creative best practice: Stories ads should feel like they were created on a phone, not in a studio. Raw, authentic content with text stickers and informal design language outperforms polished corporate ads in Stories. Keep each card under 10 seconds and lead with a visual that immediately communicates urgency.

In-Stream Video Ads

Pre-roll or mid-roll video ads that play before or during longer video content on Facebook Watch, live streams, and creator videos.

Optimal specs:

Spec	Recommendation
Aspect ratio	16:9 (horizontal) or 1:1
Resolution	1280 x 720 minimum
Length	5-15 seconds (pre-roll); 15-60 seconds (mid-roll)
Sound	On by default

When to use in-stream: Brand awareness campaigns where guaranteed attention matters. In-stream viewers are already watching video content, so your ad reaches an engaged, lean-back audience. Non-skippable pre-roll placements guarantee full viewership for 5-15 second ads.

Creative best practice: Since the viewer is already watching video, match the production quality and pacing of the content they chose to watch. A jarring tonal shift loses them instantly. Horizontal format is acceptable here since viewers are already in a widescreen video experience.

Carousel Video Ads

Swipeable multi-card ads where each card can be a separate video clip with its own headline, description, and link.

Optimal specs:

Spec	Recommendation
Cards	2-10 per carousel
Aspect ratio	1:1 per card
Resolution	1080 x 1080 per card
Video per card	5-15 seconds recommended
Each card	Has its own CTA link

When to use carousel video: Ecommerce product catalogs, multi-feature showcases, step-by-step tutorials, and sequential storytelling. Carousel video ads generate up to 72% higher click-through rates than single-video ads for product catalogs because each card is a new opportunity to capture interest.

Creative best practice: The first card must hook the viewer, but the second card determines whether they keep swiping. Build narrative momentum across cards: problem on card one, solution on card two, proof on card three, offer on card four. Each card should end with an implicit reason to swipe to the next.

The Creative Framework That Drives Results

High-performing Facebook video ads follow predictable structures. The specific content varies, but the underlying frameworks remain consistent across industries, budgets, and audience segments.

Hook-Problem-Solution-CTA (The Workhorse)

This is the most reliable framework for direct response video ads on Facebook. It works because it mirrors the natural decision-making process: something catches attention, a pain point resonates, a solution is presented, and a clear next step is offered.

Structure:

1. Hook (0-3 seconds): Stop the scroll with a visual or text pattern interrupt
2. Problem (3-8 seconds): Agitate a specific pain point the viewer recognizes
3. Solution (8-20 seconds): Introduce your product as the answer, show it in action
4. Social proof (20-30 seconds, optional): Results, reviews, or customer count
5. CTA (final 3-5 seconds): Clear, direct, and matched to the button CTA below the video

Example breakdown — DTC skincare brand:

• Hook: Bold text overlay reading "I spent $4,000 on skincare that did nothing" over a close-up of cluttered product shelf
• Problem: Quick montage of frustrating morning routine, products that do not work, breakouts persisting
• Solution: Product introduction with clean hero shot, application demo showing texture and absorption
• Proof: Text overlay "47,000+ five-star reviews" with customer quote snippets
• CTA: "Try it risk-free. 60-day money-back guarantee. Shop now."

For 50 proven hook templates you can adapt to any niche, read our scroll-stopping video hooks guide.

Before-After-Bridge

Particularly effective for products with visible or measurable results. The framework creates an emotional contrast that drives desire.

Structure:

1. Before (0-5 seconds): Show the current painful state
2. After (5-10 seconds): Show the desirable outcome
3. Bridge (10-25 seconds): Explain how your product connects the two states
4. CTA (final 3-5 seconds): Direct path to getting the result

Example — home organization product:

• Before: Chaotic, cluttered garage shot from above
• After: Same space, organized and clean, dramatic transformation
• Bridge: Product demonstration showing how the system works, time-lapse installation
• CTA: "Transform your garage this weekend. Free shipping today."

Testimonial-Led

Social proof is the strongest persuasion tool on Facebook because the platform is fundamentally social. Testimonial-led ads feel less like advertising and more like recommendations from people viewers trust.

Structure:

1. Hook (0-3 seconds): Customer states a result or emotional reaction
2. Story (3-15 seconds): Brief backstory of the problem and discovery of the product
3. Proof (15-25 seconds): Specific results, demonstration, or visual evidence
4. CTA (final 5 seconds): Viewer-directed call to action, still in the customer's voice

Execution options:

• Film real customers (highest authenticity, hardest to scale)
• AI-generated avatars delivering customer scripts (scalable, consistent quality). Tools like AdCreate's text-to-video let you generate testimonial-style content without coordinating talent shoots
• Screen-recorded customer reviews with voiceover narration
• Photo/video montage with customer quotes as text overlays

Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS)

A copywriting classic adapted for video. PAS works best when your audience actively experiences a problem but has not yet sought a solution.

Structure:

1. Problem (0-3 seconds): Name the problem directly
2. Agitate (3-10 seconds): Make the problem feel worse by exploring consequences, frustrations, and missed opportunities
3. Solve (10-25 seconds): Present your product as the solution with evidence
4. CTA (final 3-5 seconds): Path to resolution

Example — B2B HR software:

• Problem: Text overlay "Your top candidate just accepted another offer"
• Agitate: Montage of slow hiring process: scheduling conflicts, lost emails, manual data entry, the competitor's welcome email arriving first
• Solve: Software demo showing automated scheduling, instant communication, one-click offers
• CTA: "Stop losing talent. Start your free trial."

Unboxing and Product Reveal

Leverages curiosity and the dopamine response of reveals. Works exceptionally well for ecommerce, subscription boxes, and physical products with strong visual appeal.

Structure:

1. Tease (0-3 seconds): Package in frame, text overlay creating anticipation
2. Reveal (3-15 seconds): Slow, satisfying unboxing showing product details, textures, and first impressions
3. Use (15-25 seconds): Product in action, demonstrating value
4. CTA (final 3-5 seconds): Order prompt with offer

Scroll-Stopping Hooks: What Works on Facebook in 2026

The hook is the single highest-leverage element of any Facebook video ad. Three seconds determine whether your ad gets watched or gets scrolled past. Meta's own data shows that ads with strong hooks achieve 65% higher completion rates than those with weak openings.

Text-on-Screen Hooks (Best for Muted Feed)

Since 85% of feed viewers watch without sound, text-based hooks are often the most reliable.

High performers:

• Direct result claim: "We cut our CPA by 63% in 14 days"
• Controversial opinion: "Stop boosting posts. Here is what to do instead."
• Specific statistic: "Only 3% of Facebook ads are actually profitable"
• Personal confession: "I wasted $47,000 before I learned this"
• Target audience callout: "Attention Shopify store owners spending over $100/day on ads"

Visual Hooks (Best for Reels and Stories)

In sound-on environments, visual hooks that break pattern recognition are most effective.

High performers:

• Dramatic before/after split screen
• Product being used in unexpected context
• Extreme close-up that creates curiosity
• Satisfying visual (pouring, assembling, transforming)
• Person reacting with genuine emotion to a result

Audio Hooks (Best for Reels)

Reels play with sound on, making audio an effective hook channel.

High performers:

• Unexpected statement delivered conversationally: "Okay so this might sound crazy but..."
• Trending sound used contextually (not forced)
• ASMR-style product sound (unwrapping, clicking, pouring)
• Bold claim in first two words

Hook Testing Protocol

For every ad concept, create 5-8 hook variations and test them simultaneously. Keep the body and CTA identical. Only change the first 3 seconds. Run for 5-7 days with equal budget allocation, then analyze which hook delivers the best combination of hook rate (3-second views divided by impressions) and downstream conversions.

With AI video generation through AdCreate, creating 8 hook variations takes minutes rather than requiring 8 separate shoots. This volume of testing is what separates brands that scale from those that plateau.

Real Facebook Video Ad Examples Worth Studying

The best way to improve your own ads is to study what is working right now. These examples represent different industries, budgets, and approaches — but all share common principles.

Example 1: Athletic Greens (AG1) — Testimonial + Product

Format: Feed, 4:5, 32 seconds
Hook: Real customer holding the product: "I have tried every greens powder. This is the only one I have kept buying for 3 years."
Structure: Testimonial-led with product demonstration mid-video
Why it works:

• Social proof from an authentic-looking customer (not a model)
• Specific timeframe ("3 years") adds credibility
• Product demo breaks up the talking head to maintain visual interest
• CTA matches the offer: "First month 50% off. Link below."
• Captions burned in for muted viewing
• Has run for 45+ days, indicating profitability

Takeaway: Authenticity beats production value. The video looks like it was filmed on an iPhone, which makes the testimonial more believable.

Example 2: Liquid Death — Pattern Interrupt

Format: Reels, 9:16, 18 seconds
Hook: A medieval knight cracking open a tallboy can of water in an office meeting
Structure: Entertainment-led with brand integration
Why it works:

• Extreme pattern interrupt stops the scroll instantly
• Entertains first, sells second — the brand is visible throughout without feeling like an ad
• Perfectly native to Reels viewing behavior
• Sound-on audio adds humor
• Sharable — entertainment value drives organic distribution even as a paid ad

Takeaway: In Reels, entertainment is the hook. If your ad would be worth watching without the branding, it is going to perform.

Example 3: Warby Parker — Problem-Solution (B2C Ecommerce)

Format: Feed, 4:5, 25 seconds
Hook: Text overlay: "Glasses should not cost more than your phone"
Structure: Problem (expensive glasses), agitation (price comparisons), solution (try 5 frames at home for free), CTA
Why it works:

• The hook reframes a common frustration with a surprising comparison
• Price comparison table in the middle of the video creates a shareable moment
• The offer (free home try-on) removes the objection ("what if they do not look good on me?")
• Simple product shots with clean backgrounds

Takeaway: Reframing a known problem with a fresh comparison can be more effective than stating the problem directly.

Example 4: Monday.com — B2B Product Demo

Format: Feed, 1:1, 45 seconds
Hook: Screen recording of chaotic email thread, text overlay: "Your project management is still email chains?"
Structure: Problem-agitate-solve with screen recording product demo
Why it works:

• Hook targets a universal B2B pain point
• Screen recording feels authentic and educational, not promotional
• Product demo is fast-paced with annotations highlighting key features
• Longer format works because the viewer is actively learning

Takeaway: For B2B, screen recordings and product demos outperform abstract branding. Show the software solving the exact problem you named in the hook.

Example 5: Dollar Shave Club — Humor + Direct Response

Format: Reels, 9:16, 22 seconds
Hook: Person in bathroom looking at camera: "My razor costs less than this app" (holds up phone showing a streaming subscription charge)
Structure: Humor hook, quick product showcase, price point, CTA
Why it works:

• Relatable humor about subscription fatigue
• Price anchor against something the viewer already pays for
• Quick cut editing matches Reels pacing
• Self-aware tone that acknowledges the viewer knows this is an ad

Takeaway: Self-awareness and humor disarm viewer skepticism. Acknowledging that you are selling something can paradoxically make people more receptive.

How to Find More Examples

Meta Ad Library (facebook.com/ads/library) is a free, public database of every active ad on Facebook and Instagram. Search competitor brand names, filter for video format, and sort by longest-running ads. Ads running for 30+ days are almost certainly profitable — study their structure, hooks, and offers. For detailed research methodologies, visit Meta's business success stories for case studies directly from the platform.

Performance Benchmarks: What Good Looks Like in 2026

Knowing whether your ads are performing requires context. Here are current benchmarks across industries based on aggregated data from thousands of Facebook ad accounts.

Video Engagement Benchmarks

Metric	Below Average	Average	Above Average	Top 10%
Hook rate (3-sec views / impressions)	Under 20%	20-30%	30-45%	45%+
ThruPlay rate (15-sec views / impressions)	Under 10%	10-20%	20-35%	35%+
Average watch time	Under 5 sec	5-10 sec	10-18 sec	18+ sec
Video completion rate (25+ sec ads)	Under 15%	15-25%	25-40%	40%+

Direct Response Benchmarks

Metric	Ecommerce	SaaS / B2B	Local Business	Lead Gen
CTR (link)	0.8-1.5%	0.5-1.0%	1.0-2.5%	0.7-1.2%
CPC	$0.80-$1.50	$1.50-$4.00	$0.50-$1.20	$1.00-$3.00
CVR (landing page)	2.0-4.5%	1.5-3.0%	3.0-6.0%	5.0-12.0%
CPA	$15-$45	$40-$120	$8-$25	$10-$35
ROAS (prospecting)	2.5-5x	N/A	3-6x	N/A
ROAS (retargeting)	6-15x	N/A	8-20x	N/A

Cost Benchmarks by Placement

Placement	Average CPM	Average CPC	Average CTR
Feed (4:5 video)	$9-$16	$0.90-$1.80	0.8-1.4%
Reels (9:16 video)	$6-$12	$0.60-$1.20	1.0-2.0%
Stories (9:16 video)	$7-$13	$0.70-$1.40	0.6-1.0%
In-stream (16:9 video)	$10-$18	$1.00-$2.50	0.4-0.8%
Carousel video	$8-$14	$0.50-$1.00	1.2-2.5%

Reels continues to offer the best CPM value in 2026 because ad inventory is growing faster than advertiser demand. This arbitrage window will likely close within 12-18 months as more brands shift budget to Reels.

Video Production Best Practices for Each Placement

Feed Video Best Practices

1. Design for mute first. Assume no one will turn on sound. Every frame should communicate visually through text overlays, captions, product demonstrations, and clear visual storytelling.
2. Use 4:5 aspect ratio. It occupies 20% more screen real estate than 1:1 on mobile devices. More screen space means more attention.
3. Front-load the value. Put your strongest message in the first 3 seconds. Facebook counts a 3-second view as a view — your hook determines whether Meta charges you for an impression that actually mattered.
4. Scene changes every 3-5 seconds. Facebook feed scrolling is fast-paced. Visual monotony kills watch time. Alternate between talking head, product shots, text screens, and lifestyle footage.
5. Match your CTA button. If your ad uses the "Shop Now" button, your video CTA should say "Shop now" — not "Learn more." Consistency between video CTA and button CTA increases click-through rates by 15-25%.

Reels Video Best Practices

1. Make it feel organic. The best Reels ads are indistinguishable from organic content at first glance. Avoid studio lighting, corporate graphics, and anything that screams "advertisement" in the first second.
2. Use sound creatively. Reels plays with sound on. Voice, music, and sound effects are tools, not afterthoughts. A strong audio hook can stop the scroll as effectively as a visual hook.
3. Respect the safe zone. The top and bottom 250 pixels of Reels are covered by UI elements (username, caption, buttons). Keep all critical text and visuals within the center 1080 x 1420 safe area.
4. Pace for short attention spans. Cut every 2-3 seconds. The average Reels viewer decides within 1.5 seconds whether to keep watching or swipe. Maintain visual energy throughout.
5. End with a reason to act. Reels viewers are in discovery mode, not shopping mode. Your CTA needs to provide a compelling reason to break the browsing pattern — a limited offer, free resource, or irresistible hook that pulls them out of the feed.

Stories Video Best Practices

1. Lead with urgency. Stories are ephemeral by nature. Lean into that psychology: limited-time offers, countdown timers, and "last chance" messaging feel natural here.
2. Keep it under 15 seconds per card. Viewers tap through Stories quickly. Respect the pacing.
3. Use the swipe-up CTA. Design the entire ad to drive a swipe. Make the desired action clear from the first frame.
4. Informal design. Text stickers, hand-drawn elements, and phone-shot aesthetics outperform polished graphics in Stories. This placement rewards authenticity.
5. Use sequential cards. Tell a micro-story across 2-3 cards: hook on card one, detail on card two, CTA on card three.

Scaling: From First Win to Full Campaign

Once you have a winning Facebook video ad, the goal shifts from testing to scaling. Here is the proven sequence.

Phase 1: Validate the Winner (Days 1-7)

Upload 5-8 AI-generated video variations into a single ad set using Advantage+ targeting. Let Meta distribute spend for 5-7 days. Identify the top 2-3 performers by CPA or ROAS. A winner should deliver your target CPA consistently over at least 3 days.

Phase 2: Test Hook Variations (Days 8-14)

Take your winning ad concept. Keep the body and CTA identical. Generate 5-8 new hook variations — different opening 3 seconds only. Test head-to-head for another 5-7 days. This isolates the highest-impact variable and often improves CPA by 20-40%.

Phase 3: Expand Placements (Days 15-21)

Adapt your winning creative for every placement: 4:5 for feed, 9:16 for Reels and Stories, 16:9 for in-stream. Generate format-specific versions rather than relying on Meta's automatic cropping, which loses quality and composition. Test each placement separately to understand where your specific audience responds best.

Phase 4: Scale Budget (Days 22+)

Increase daily budget by 20% every 3-4 days on winning ad sets. Avoid doubling budgets overnight — sudden increases reset Meta's learning phase and destabilize performance. At the same time, introduce 5-10 new creative variations per week to combat creative fatigue.

Phase 5: Continuous Creative Refresh

Facebook ad creative fatigues after 10-21 days on average. Plan for continuous refresh:

• Generate 10-15 new video variations monthly at minimum
• Monitor frequency (pause ads exceeding 3.0 frequency)
• Watch for CTR decline of 20%+ from peak as the primary fatigue signal
• Rotate seasonal messaging, new hooks, and fresh angles

AI video generation makes this refresh cycle sustainable. A tool like AdCreate can produce a week's worth of variations in a single session, compared to the weeks of lead time traditional production requires.

Creative Mistakes That Waste Budget

These are the most common creative errors that drain ad spend without generating returns. Every one is avoidable.

1. Same Creative Across All Placements

A 4:5 feed video displayed in Reels has massive black bars. A 9:16 Reels video in feed gets cropped awkwardly. A horizontal video on mobile wastes half the screen. Always create placement-specific assets. With AI generation, producing the same concept in multiple aspect ratios costs almost nothing extra.

2. No Captions on Feed Ads

85% of Facebook feed video is watched without sound. If your ad requires audio to communicate its message, you are invisible to the vast majority of your audience. Burned-in captions are not a nice-to-have. They are the difference between your ad being understood and being scrolled past.

3. Weak or Missing Hook

If your video takes more than 3 seconds to deliver a compelling reason to keep watching, you have lost the viewer. The hook is not the intro — it is the most important creative element of the entire ad. Spend more time on your hook than on any other section.

4. One Ad Per Concept

Testing a single video variation gives you a binary outcome: it works or it does not. Uploading 5-8 variations per concept gives you data about what works and why. Meta's delivery system will identify the winner, but only if you give it options. For step-by-step guidance on creating AI-powered video ads quickly, check our guide on creating Facebook video ads with AI.

5. Over-Produced Content for the Wrong Placement

Reels and Stories punish overly polished content. A $10,000 studio production that looks like a TV commercial will underperform a $5 AI-generated video that feels native to the platform. Match your production style to the placement's native content aesthetic.

6. Ignoring Creative Fatigue

An ad that delivered 3x ROAS last month will not deliver 3x ROAS forever. Performance degrades as frequency increases. Plan to replace 30-50% of your creative library every 2-3 weeks.

7. CTA Mismatch

When your video says "Learn more" but your button says "Shop now," you create cognitive friction. Align your in-video CTA with the button CTA for every ad. This small detail lifts CTR by 15-25%.

8. Horizontal Video in a Vertical World

78% of Facebook usage is on mobile. Horizontal 16:9 video wastes half the screen on a phone. Use 4:5 for feed (maximum screen coverage) and 9:16 for Reels and Stories (full screen). Reserve horizontal only for in-stream placements where the viewer is already in landscape mode.

The Role of AI in Facebook Video Ad Creation

The volume and velocity requirements of Facebook advertising in 2026 have made AI video generation not just useful but essential for competitive performance. Here is why.

The testing math: Meta's own data shows that advertisers who test 5+ creative variations per ad set see 35% lower CPAs than those who test fewer. Across multiple ad sets, placements, and audience segments, this means you need 20-50+ video variations per month to compete effectively.

Traditional production cannot keep up: At $2,000-$15,000 per video and 2-4 weeks per production cycle, traditional video creation caps most brands at 3-5 new ads per month. That is not enough variation to test hooks, not enough formats to optimize for each placement, and not enough refresh to combat fatigue.

AI closes the gap: Tools like AdCreate generate professional video ads in minutes for a fraction of the cost. Text-to-video creates scenes from descriptive prompts, image-to-video transforms product photos into dynamic clips, and AI avatars deliver testimonial scripts without talent coordination.

The practical result: brands using AI video generation for Facebook ads report testing 5-10x more creative variations, refreshing ads 3x more frequently, and reducing average CPA by 25-40% compared to traditional-only production workflows.

This is not about replacing quality with quantity. It is about achieving the quantity required for Facebook's algorithm to identify quality — something that was previously only possible for brands with six-figure monthly creative budgets.

Facebook Video Ad Specs Quick Reference

Bookmark this table for every campaign you build.

Placement	Aspect Ratio	Resolution	Max Length	Sound Default	Key Requirement
Feed	4:5 or 1:1	1080x1350 or 1080x1080	240 min	Muted	Captions essential
Reels	9:16	1080x1920	90 sec	On	Native feel
Stories	9:16	1080x1920	120 sec	On	Urgency
In-Stream	16:9 or 1:1	1280x720+	5-15 sec pre-roll	On	Strong 5-sec hook
Carousel	1:1 per card	1080x1080	240 min/card	Muted	Swipe momentum

For a comprehensive reference covering every platform's ad specs and safe zones, see our social media ad sizes guide. For the official and most up-to-date spec requirements, review Meta's Ads Guide.

FAQ

What makes a Facebook video ad effective in 2026?

The most effective Facebook video ads share three traits: a scroll-stopping hook in the first 3 seconds, format-specific creative designed for the exact placement (feed, Reels, Stories), and burned-in captions for the 85% of feed viewers watching without sound. Beyond that, systematic testing of 5-8 variations per concept and continuous creative refresh every 2-3 weeks are what separate profitable campaigns from mediocre ones.

How long should Facebook video ads be?

Optimal length depends on placement and funnel stage. For prospecting in feed: 20-30 seconds. For Reels: 15-20 seconds. For retargeting: 10-15 seconds. For brand awareness: up to 60 seconds if engagement holds. Meta's data shows most meaningful engagement happens in the first 15 seconds regardless of total ad length. Front-load your message and cut anything that does not earn its screen time.

What is the best aspect ratio for Facebook video ads?

Use 4:5 for feed ads (occupies maximum screen space on mobile), 9:16 for Reels and Stories (full-screen vertical), 1:1 for carousel cards, and 16:9 for in-stream placements. Never use a single aspect ratio across all placements — the performance loss from improper cropping is significant.

How many video ad variations should I test?

Start with 5-8 variations per concept. Prioritize hook variations since the first 3 seconds have the highest impact on performance. Upload 3-6 variations per ad set and let Meta's algorithm identify winners. With AI video tools, creating 8 variations takes minutes rather than weeks. Plan to generate 10-15 new variations monthly to combat creative fatigue.

Are Facebook Reels ads better than feed ads?

Reels ads deliver 20-35% lower CPMs and higher engagement rates, making them excellent for brand awareness and prospecting. Feed ads typically produce higher link CTR and work better for retargeting warm audiences. The best strategy uses both with format-specific creative: allocate 60% to Reels for prospecting and 70% to Feed for retargeting.

How much do Facebook video ads cost?

Average CPMs range from $6-$18 depending on placement, industry, and targeting. Reels offers the lowest CPMs ($6-$12), while in-stream costs the most ($10-$18). Average CPC for video ads ranges from $0.50-$2.50. Production costs vary dramatically: traditional video production runs $2,000-$15,000 per ad, while AI video generation through platforms like AdCreate costs $1-$5 per variation.

Can AI-generated video ads perform as well as traditionally produced ads?

Yes. In many cases, they perform better because AI enables the testing volume required for Facebook's algorithm to optimize effectively. A brand producing 30 AI-generated variations will almost always outperform one producing 3 expensive traditional videos, because they can identify winning hooks, formats, and messages through data rather than guesswork. The key is using AI to achieve both quantity and quality.

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The brands winning on Facebook in 2026 are not the ones spending the most on production. They are the ones testing the most creative, refreshing the fastest, and matching their content to each placement's native viewing behavior. Every best practice in this guide becomes easier to execute with AI video generation. Try AdCreate's text-to-video tools to create professional Facebook video ads in minutes, or read our complete guide to creating Facebook video ads with AI for the full production workflow.