A Facebook campaign needs one clear objective, a defined audience, suitable creative and reliable measurement. Choose a mobile format around screen space, loading speed and the action a person can complete on a phone. Ad formats and settings change, so verify current options in Meta’s documentation before applying steps from an older guide.
Facebook’s mobile ad options now sit within the Meta advertising system and vary by objective, account and placement. Format lists from 2020 are historical; the article’s device-use source remains at Statista. Check current options in Ads Manager.
Instant Experience
Instant Experience ads are probably the ads with the most ‘wow’ factor. They are intended to be engaging and captivating, allowing the user to not just watch, but also interact with the ad. People can swipe through images and videos, click on ad elements, complete a form, view your products and more. Virtually every Facebook ad format can be included in a full-screen, captivating Instant Experience ad.
Instant Experience ads are inherently attention-grabbing, so your ad material needs to match. It should be top-notch and make people want to keep watching. Instant Experience ads are powerful but expensive and require high-quality marketing materials to be able to make the most of them.
Collections
Collections are bundles of products that open up into an Instant Experience when a user clicks on them. They work with Facebook dynamic products and require additional marketing material for the Instant Experience addition. It’s best to pick a theme for your ad and then select a range of products tied to that theme. Four products sit under a hero image that then opens up to display more, so pick your products appropriately.
Collections can work very well with the right themes and products, but as you might expect, they are only suitable for product ads.
Slideshow
Facebook slideshow ads allow you to tell a story with images and videos. The user is given a slideshow to scroll through comprised of 3 to 10 images and a video. Wise use of this ad format can capture and captivate users, whether you use it to tell a story or focus on selling a product. They can also help reach audiences with slower internet connections, as image slideshows load much quicker than many ad formats.
Design for the mobile context
Test comprehension without sound, vertical framing, landing-page speed and the ease of a form or checkout. Adapt creative to each placement instead of assuming one file works everywhere. Compare conversion, quality and cost after the click.
Judge performance with consistent measures
Choose one primary action, such as a purchase or qualified enquiry, and make sure the landing page supports it. Compare ads within the same audience and time period. Review cost per result, traffic quality and gaps in measurement because reach or clicks alone cannot establish return.
