Ad Formats Explained: Carousel, Video & Instant
When it comes to paid social and PPC advertising, choosing the right ad format can be the difference between someone scrolling past your ad or stopping to engage. Meta now offers a range of formats designed to capture attention, build awareness, and drive conversions. But with so many options, it’s not always clear which format is the best fit for your goals.
Let’s break down three of the most powerful ad formats: carousel ads, video ads, and instant experience ads. We’ll explain how they work, when to use them, and why they matter for businesses of all sizes.
Carousel Ads: Tell a Story, Frame by Frame
Carousel ads are designed to let you showcase multiple images or videos in a single swipeable unit. Think of them as a digital shop window, where each card can highlight a different product, service, or unique selling point.
The strength of carousel ads lies in their storytelling capabilities. For e-commerce, they’re ideal for showcasing product ranges or guiding customers through a step-by-step journey. For B2B, they can illustrate a process, highlight features, or build a narrative that educates while driving clicks.
Because each card has its own link, carousel ads are brilliant for testing what resonates most with your audience. You’re not just running one ad, you’re effectively running multiple variations at once.
Video Ads: Capture Attention in Motion
Video has become the go-to format across digital platforms. People naturally pay more attention to moving content than static images. Whether it’s a six-second YouTube bumper ad or a scroll-stopping Instagram Reel, video gives you the chance to grab attention quickly and say more in less time.
For smaller businesses, video is also a powerful equaliser. You don’t need a big-budget production to make an impact. In fact, short, authentic videos often perform better than highly polished but generic ones. A product demo, a customer testimonial, or a simple brand story can all help build trust and encourage people to take action.
And when it comes to ROI, video has another edge: platforms love it. Because algorithms favour engaging content, video ads are more likely to get pushed into feeds, boosting reach, driving more clicks, and making your budget go further.
Instant Experience Ads: A Micro-Landing Page
Instant Experience ads (previously known as Canvas ads) are one of Meta’s most immersive ad formats. They open up into a full-screen experience within the app, combining video, images, text, and call-to-action in a seamless flow.
For brands, this format eliminates the friction of sending a user to an external site because everything loads instantly and is optimised for mobile. Think of it as a branded mini-website built right into Facebook or Instagram.
Instant Experience ads are especially effective for storytelling, product launches, or campaigns that require more context. They’re also highly measurable, allowing you to track taps, swipes, and exits so that you can refine the experience.
Choosing the Right Format for Your Business
The question isn’t “which ad format is best?” but rather “which ad format aligns with your campaign goals?”
Carousel ads are perfect for showcasing variety and driving exploration.
Video ads excel at grabbing attention and building an emotional connection.
Instant Experience ads provide depth and immersion without losing the audience’s attention span.
The most effective digital strategies don’t rely on just one. Instead, they combine formats to reach customers at different stages of the funnel.
How Glassbox Can Help
At Glassbox, we do more than manage ads - we create campaigns that strike the right balance between performance and creativity. Our team knows how to test and refine the optimal mix of ad formats across channels, ensuring every euro you spend works harder. Whether it’s showcasing products with carousel ads, driving engagement with video, or building immersive instant experiences, we’ll shape a strategy that resonates with your audience and grows with your business.
