How to Make Instagram Ad Videos

Creating video ads for Instagram can feel like a huge creative hurdle, especially if you're not a filmmaker. But the truth is, you don’t need slick production or a massive budget to succeed. This guide breaks down exactly how to make effective Instagram ad videos using a simple, repeatable process, so you can stop scrolling and start creating.

Plan Your Ad Before You Press Record

Jumping straight into filming without a plan is a fast track to a confusing video that doesn’t convert. Before you think about cameras or editing apps, take a few minutes to establish a clear strategy. This planning phase is what separates ads that get skipped from ads that get clicked.

Define Your Single, Clear Goal

What is the one action you want viewers to take after watching your video? Don’t try to accomplish everything at once. A video that tries to build brand awareness, drive traffic, and get new followers will likely fail at all three. Instead, concentrate on a single objective per ad.

Common goals for Instagram video ads include:

• Driving traffic: Sending users to a landing page, blog post, or product page. Your CTA would be "Learn More" or "Shop Now."
• Generating leads: Encouraging sign-ups for a webinar, newsletter, or free resource download. Here, your CTA might be "Sign Up" or "Download for Free."
• Increasing sales: Taking users directly to a product page to make a purchase. "Shop Now" or a "Get Offer" button is perfect for this.
• Boosting app installs: Leading people to the App Store or Google Play Store to download your mobile app using an "Install Now" button.

Choosing one goal helps you focus your video’s message. Every element, from the opening hook to the final CTA, should guide your audience toward that specific action.

Think About Your Target Audience

Who are you trying to reach? Your video's tone, language, visuals, and music should resonate with your ideal customer. Are they casual and in their 20s, or are they business professionals in their 40s? A video featuring trendy, fast-paced edits and meme references might work for one audience but fall flat with another. Consider their pain points and aspirations. A great video ad doesn't just show a product, it shows a solution to a problem your audience genuinely cares about.

The Anatomy of a High-Converting Video Ad

While creativity is welcome, most successful Instagram video ads follow a tried-and-true formula. This structure is designed to work with our notoriously short attention spans and guide viewers logically from intrigue to action.

1. The Hook (The First 3 Seconds)

This is, without a doubt, the most important part of your video. You have about three seconds to give someone a reason to stop scrolling through an infinite feed of content. If your opening is boring or slow, they're gone. Your hook needs to be visually arresting, spark curiosity, or address a direct pain point immediately.

Effective hook ideas include:

• Ask a provocative question: "Are you still tracking your expenses in a spreadsheet?"
• Show a dynamic result: Start with the stunning 'after' shot of a home renovation or the final plate of a delicious recipe.
• Make a bold statement: "This is the last pair of leggings you'll ever need to buy."
• Use an unexpected visual: An object dropping in slow motion, an interesting animation, or a very expressive facial reaction can make people pause.

Remember, the goal is simply to earn the next five seconds of their attention.

2. The Story and Value (The Middle)

Once you've hooked them, the middle of your video should quickly and clearly explain why your product or service matters. This is where you connect with the viewer and demonstrate your value. Don’t waste time listing off features, focus on the benefits. How will this make their life easier, better, or more enjoyable?

Here are some simple ways to convey value:

• Show, don't tell: Instead of saying your software is "easy to use," show a screen recording of someone completing a task in just a few clicks.
• Quick demo: Show your product in action. If you sell a kitchen gadget, feature it chopping vegetables effortlessly.
• Before-and-after: This classic format is perfect for fitness, beauty, or home improvement products. It visually proves your product's effectiveness.
• User-generated content (UGC): A short clip of a happy customer using your product is often more persuasive than any heavily produced video.

Keep this section concise. Get to the point and showcase the solution your product provides.

3. The Call to Action (CTA)

Finally, you need to tell your viewers exactly what to do next. Don't assume they'll intuitively know to click the button below your video. Your CTA should be clear, direct, and match the goal you set in the planning phase.

Combine these three elements for a powerful CTA:

• On-screen text: Add a text overlay that explicitly says "Shop Now" or "Download the Guide."
• Verbal cue (optional): If you have a voiceover, have the speaker say the call to action out loud.
• Arrow or visual pointer: A simple animated arrow pointing toward the CTA button can significantly boost click-through rates.

End your video with a strong, clean graphic that includes your logo and the CTA, leaving it on screen for a second or two before the video loops.

Getting the Technical Details Right

You don't need a degree in video production to format your ad correctly. Sticking to Instagram's preferred specifications ensures your ad looks professional and is optimized for the platform.

Video Format and Dimensions

Always shoot and edit your video in a vertical format. It takes up the entire mobile screen, creating a more immersive experience and minimizing distractions.

• Best Aspect Ratio: 9:16 (for Stories, Reels, and Feed ads)
• Resolution: 1080 x 1920 pixels

While a square (1:1) format can still work for the Feed, vertical is the dominant, most effective orientation for mobile viewing. Designing for vertical first ensures your ad looks great across all key Instagram placements.

Video Length: Faster is Better

Keep it short. The ideal length for a video ad on Instagram is generally between 15 and 30 seconds. While you can run longer ads, the reality is that most users won't watch that long. Your core message - the problem, solution, and value - should be delivered within the first 10 seconds.

Think of it like an elevator pitch: get in, deliver the key information, and get out before you lose their attention.

Designing for a Sound-Off Experience

The vast majority of users scroll through Instagram with their sound off. If your video relies on a voiceover to be understood, you're missing out on most of your audience. Your video must make sense without audio.

• Use baked-in captions: Don't rely on Instagram's auto-captions, which can be turned off. Hardcode subtitles directly into your video file so they are always visible.
• Incorporate bold text overlays: Use text to highlight key benefits or state your offer clearly on screen.
• Let visuals do the heavy lifting: Good demonstrations and visuals should communicate the main idea even in complete silence.

By all means, add music or a voiceover to enhance the ad for sound-on viewers, but never make sound essential for understanding the message.

A Step-by-Step Video Creation Workflow

Ready to make your ad? Here is a simple, four-step process you can follow, using just your smartphone and a user-friendly editing app.

Step 1: Outline Your Shots

This doesn't need to be a professional storyboard. Just grab a notebook and jot down a simple sequence of shots based on the hook-story-CTA formula. For example:

• Shot 1 (Hook): Close-up shot of a wilted houseplant. Text overlay: "Tired of killing your plants?"
• Shot 2 (Story): Quick shots showing someone pouring our self-watering liquid fertilizer into a new, healthy plant.
• Shot 3 (Story): A time-lapse-style shot of the happy, thriving plant a week later. Text overlay: "The foolproof plant food."
• Shot 4 (CTA): Product shot with logo. Text overlay: "Get 20% Off Today. Shop Now!"

Step 2: Shoot Your Video (No Fancy Camera Needed)

Your smartphone is more than capable of capturing high-quality video for ads. Just keep a few best practices in mind:

• Good lighting is everything: Natural light is your best friend. Film near a window to get soft, flattering light. Avoid shooting in dark rooms or directly under harsh overhead lights.
• Keep it steady: You don't need a pricey tripod. Prop your phone against a stack of books or lean it on a shelf to get a stable, professional-looking shot.
• Clean your lens: It's the simplest tip but makes a huge difference. Take a moment to wipe your phone’s camera lens with a soft cloth before you start recording.

Step 3: Edit Your Clips

Drag your video clips into a user-friendly video editing app. Tools like CapCut and Canva have excellent, free mobile and desktop apps that are perfect for this.

• Trim with purpose: Cut out any awkward pauses or unnecessary moments. Keep the pace quick and engaging.
• Add text & captions: This is a crucial step. Make sure your on-screen text is large, bold, and easy to read on a small screen.
• Add music: Choose a royalty-free music track that matches the mood of your ad. Meta offers its own Sound Collection for commercial use, or you can use paid services.
• Export in high quality: Export your final video at 1080p to ensure it looks crisp on Instagram.

Step 4: Launch and Test

With your video complete, you're ready to set up your campaign in Instagram Ads Manager. But your work isn't done quite yet. The best advertisers test different versions of their ads to see what performs best. Try testing two different hooks against each other or experimenting with a different call to action. You never truly know what will resonate with your audience until you let the data tell you.

Final Thoughts

Creating compelling Instagram video ads is less about complex filmmaking and more about clear, strategic communication. By focusing on a strong hook, a benefits-driven story, and a clear call to action, you can produce ads that capture attention and drive results, all with tools you already have.

Once your brilliant video ads are up and running, the next challenge is to quickly understand what’s working and what isn’t. Instead of getting tangled up in Ads Manager reports and spreadsheets trying to calculate your return on ad spend, we simplify the whole process. With Graphed, we let you connect your Facebook Ads account in seconds, so you can just ask in plain English for the reports you need. You can instantly create a dashboard that shows exactly how your video campaigns are performing, making it effortless to track your key metrics in real-time and decide which ads to scale.