Carousel Ads Decoded (Part 2): Specifications and Best Practices Across Platforms

Creative scripts need the right stage to shine. If assets don’t meet platform specifications, they get cropped or displayed poorly, killing engagement.

Execution is just as important as creativity. cacaFly has distilled the key specs and best practices for Meta, LinkedIn, and Google to help you ensure every card performs perfectly.

Meta possesses a mature and versatile carousel mechanism. It is a crucial platform for brands to showcase creative scripts and test audience preferences.

Number of Cards: 2 to 10 cards

Recommended Ratios:
– Facebook: 1:1, 4:5, 9:16
– Instagram: 1:1 or 4:5 (Feed), 9:16 (Stories)

Supported Formats:
– Image: JPG, PNG (Recommended size under 30MB)
– Video: MP4, MOV, or GIF (Recommended length 15 – 60 seconds for best results)

Asset Resolution:
– Facebook: 1:1 (1024 x 1024 px); 4:5 (1080 x 1350 px, 1080 x 1920 px)
– Instagram: 1080 x 1080 px (Feed); 1080 x 1920 px (Stories)

Use Cases

  • Multi-Product Shopping: Adopt a “one card, one product” strategy. Each card links to the corresponding product purchase page to shorten the shopping path.
  • Brand Storytelling: Use a narrative rhythm to break down long stories or service processes into continuous cards.
  • Promotion Summary: Display multiple discounts or bundles so consumers can compare choices in a single ad.

Production Details

  • The First Card is Key to CTR: The first image must have the most eye-catching visual and core selling point to significantly boost swipe rates and clicks.
  • Maintain Consistent Ratios: All assets in the carousel must have the same aspect ratio to prevent the system from automatically cropping content.
  • Concise Copy: Keep text under 125 characters to prevent truncation.

Source: Design specifications for carousel ads, Meta 


LinkedIn gathers a large audience of professionals with high commercial value. It is the best venue for B2B brands to build corporate image and communicate complex solutions.

Number of Cards: 2 to 10 cards

Recommended Ratios: 1:1 (Recommended for consistency across devices)

Supported Formats: JPG, PNG (LinkedIn Carousel Ads do not support video assets)

Asset Resolution: 1080 x 1080 px (<10MB per image)

Use Cases

  • Professional Insights: Condense industry reports or trends into highlight cards to build authority.
  • B2B Service Breakdown: Explain complex tech specs or solutions through segmented cards.
  • Case Studies: Show the “Challenge, Solution, Result” journey to build trust.

Production Details

  • One Idea Per Card: Professionals skim. Ensure each card conveys exactly one core message.
  • Concise Headlines: Keep headlines under 45 characters to avoid being cut off.
  • Final Card CTA: The last card is your conversion point. Use it to drive actions like “Download White Paper.”

Google Demand Gen campaigns can deliver carousel assets to high-traffic placements like YouTube, Google Discover, and Gmail. Combined with AI audience signals, this is particularly suitable for brands targeting traffic generation and new customer acquisition.

Number of Cards: 2 to 10 cards

Recommended Ratios: 1:1 (1200 x 1200 px) or 1.91:1

Supported Formats: JPG, PNG

File Limits: Max 5MB per image

Use Cases

  • Brand Image Extension: Use high-quality cards to extend brand themes in immersive placements.
  • Cross-Placement Shopping: Showcase multiple products to leverage Google’s ecosystem for discovery.
  • Traffic-Driving Content: Break down long-form content (like tutorials) into key cards to encourage website clicks.

Production Details

  • Strict Quality Control: Avoid blurry images or messy layouts to prevent disapproval or lowered quality scores.
  • Center the Logo: Carousel ads are automatically cropped into circles in some placements. Therefore, the main body of the Logo needs to be centered and clear to avoid being cropped out.
  • Avoid Misleading Design: Using fake “play buttons” or “download buttons” is prohibited. This violates Google’s policies and can easily lead to account restrictions.

The core value of Carousel Ads lies not in the quantity of assets but in adjusting the narrative rhythm according to platform characteristics. By using serialized visuals and structured information, brands can amplify conversion effects.

In an environment where cross-platform advertising is the norm, understanding specification differences and presenting creativity in the correct form are key to success. When content rhythm, narrative structure, and platform specifications are correctly integrated, swiping becomes more than just an interaction.

Struggling with Brand Development and Marketing?  
Reach out to us, and let the professional consultancy team at cacaFly to collaborate with you in creating a brighter future 

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cacaFly Malaysia is always at the forefront of digital marketing and committed to being the most reliable partner of our clients, priding ourselves in offering premium services with utmost enthusiasm and professionalism. Specializing in serving brand and performance oriented clients, our one-stop digital marketing services ranges from early research, mid-term advertising, MarTech application and creative production to data analysis and strategy optimization, cacaFly Malaysia has assisted countless brands and online merchant improve their performance and expand their businesses. If you need help with digital marketing strategy, ad placements etc., contact us now! PM us on cacaFly Malaysia Facebook or email us at [email protected] 

Source

The data behind the performance of carousel ads, Embryo 

Carousel Ads: How and Why They Work, Elit-Web 

About Us

cacaFly Malaysia was founded in year 2016 with fully support from HQ Taiwan.
 
We are a team comprised of enthusiastic marketing experts, specializing at devising all-rounded marketing strategies and media planning that stretches from preliminary research, running ads campaign and advertising material production, to post-campaign data analysis and strategy optimization.

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