Social ads
Social ads are paid advertisements in social networks, usually short, usually portrait, usually in several versions for the same purpose. Unlike a brand film, a social ad is not produced once and shown for years, it is swapped constantly.
Why generative production pays off here
A social ad wears out. After a few weeks the same audience has seen it, performance drops and a new version is needed. With a shoot that means a new date; generatively it means a production run from the same base.
The second reason is testing. A campaign does not need one good ad, it needs four that can be tested against each other, and after two weeks it needs four more built on what worked. That rhythm only works when a version costs hours instead of days.
What matters in the format
- The hook: the first one to three seconds decide everything else.
- 9:16 and 4:5: planned, not cropped from a landscape film.
- Mute by default: the message has to land through image and subtitles.
- Labelling: an ad has to be recognisable as one, and AI content may need disclosure on top.
How we work with it
We produce a base film and derive the variants from it: different openings, different lengths, different messages for different audiences. What you get is not one file but a set, with a note on which variant targets which audience.
Frequently asked questions
What are social ads?
Social ads are paid advertising placements in social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. In video they are usually short and in portrait format, and they are produced in several versions for testing.
How long should a social ad be?
Six to fifteen seconds for the feed, up to thirty for formats that allow it. More important than the length is that the message lands in the first seconds, because that is where most viewers decide.
How many versions do you need?
Three to five to start with, then more built on the first results. Versions have to differ in the opening or the message, otherwise the test says nothing.
Related terms
Read on: All terms in the glossary • Pricing