What Type of Ad Creatives Work Best on Facebook Vs. Instagram in 2025?

You might be posting creatives regularly on both Instagram and Facebook, waiting for results, but somehow down the line, you are failing to get proper engagement from customers. This raises the question: Are your creatives really resonating with the target audience?

On every social media platform, people scroll fast and make quick judgments within seconds. Whether it’s Facebook or Instagram, your creative is what stops them from scrolling and helps them to connect to your brand.

While you might manage to make a creative that works well on one platform, you might struggle to see the same type of engagement from the other platform. This is the ultimate truth: What works on Facebook doesn’t always work on Instagram.

In this blog, we’ll explain in detail about what kind of content works well on each platform, so your posts are not lost within the sea of content and are something that your audience wants to see, engage with, and remember. We will also share real life examples from the top digital marketing company in Kolkata! Stay tuned!

Why The Type of Creatives For Facebook and Instagram Matters More Than Ever Before in 2025

Meta platforms are more crowded with posts than ever before. Reels, Stories, carousels, boosted posts, branded content — it's endless.

People are scrolling past posts fast and making judgments on them faster.

You have only 2 seconds or less to make a lasting impression on customers.

Your creative needs to stop them from scrolling, spark an interest, and lead them to action.

That’s why your visual content — from images and videos to ad copy and layout — plays a massive role in an ad campaign's success.

Now, let’s compare what works better on Facebook vs. Instagram.

Recommended: Benefits of Facebook Ads: Why Advertise on Facebook

Audience Behavior: Facebook vs Instagram (Quick Comparison)

The first step is to understand the behavior of the audience on each platform. Here is a quick comparison of audience behavior on Facebook and Instagram:

Facebook: A Platform Built for Depth & Discussion

The audience on Facebook usually looks for informative content. It's a platform that is built for open discussions and longer content. 

● Age group: 30–55

● Decision-makers, business owners, service-seekers

● More likely to consume longer content, explore links, and click on "Learn More"

● Often used on desktop/laptop as well as mobile

Instagram: Visual, Fast-Paced & Emotion-Driven

Instagram users look for trendy, visually appealing short-form content. The platform comprises a young audience that likes to scroll through fun, entertaining, and aesthetic posts.

● Age group: 20–35

● Scrolls quickly, prefers authentic, trendy, and polished visuals

● Uses mobile almost exclusively

● Looks for quick value and trendy aesthetics

Facebook: Best Performing Ad Creatives in 2025

Facebook users scroll for information, news, and new updates. They’re looking for content that will educate them on an important topic or help to solve a problem.

1. Carousel Posts (Especially for Products & Services)

Carousel ads let you showcase multiple features or steps in one creative. Great for:

• Service businesses showing process (e.g., salon, cleaning)
• E-commerce brands that showcase a variety of products

Tip: Make sure that the posts contain a narrative that is followed across slides to tell the audience a story.

2. Long-form Videos

Facebook supports longer videos (1–3 mins). These perform well when:

• You’re explaining something
• Showing a transformation (before-and-after)
• Educating the audience on a particular service

Example: A fitness studio running a 2-minute video ad explaining a fat-loss program with client testimonials.

3. Educational Graphics or Infographics

This works well for businesses in sectors like real estate, finance, healthcare, etc.

Use bold headlines, brand colors, and short text blocks.

Pro Tip: Add a CTA on the last slide — “DM us to know more” or “Tap Learn More.”

4. UGC + Testimonials

Use real photos of clients or capture behind-the-scenes shots for testimonials. These help to build trust among future customers and are especially useful for local businesses.

As a trusted social media marketing company in Kolkata, we’ve seen testimonial graphics outperform stock images by 3:1 in conversions within ad campaigns.

Recommended Dimensions:

● Video: 4:5 or 16:9

● Image: 1200x628px (landscape) or 1080x1350px (portrait)

Facebook Creative Sample:

Carousel Ad Concept:

● Slide 1: “But Patients Not Showing Up?”

● Slide 2: “Low Footfall = Low Ranking”

● Slide 3: “Patients Search Dentist Near Me Before Visiting”

● Slide 4: Real testimonial quote

● Slide 5: CTA: [Book Free Call]

Read Also: Boosted Post vs. Meta Ads: Key Differences & What Should You Use?

📸 Instagram: Best Performing Ad Creatives in 2025

Instagram is fast, visual-based, and dominated by aspirational content. Your creatives must spark curiosity within the audience instantly.

1. Reels (15–30 sec)

Reels are currently dominating all other forms of content on Instagram. You could show:

• Your product in action
• Before-after results
• Quick how-to guides
• Staff or creator using your product/service

Make sure to:
✅ Use trending audio
✅ Add captions and subtitles
✅ Hook viewers within the first 3 seconds

Example: A Kolkata-based skin clinic using Reels with time-lapse acne treatment + testimonial saw a 120% rise in DMs.

2. High-Quality Single Image Ads

Instagram is still a place for aesthetic visuals despite the domination by reels. Clean, minimal ads with strong visuals and text overlay can do wonders for your business.

Use for:

• Announcements
• Offers
• Flash sales

Pro Tip: Avoid clutter. Focus on a strong visual with one message.

3. Story Ads (with Polls/Swipe Up)

Stories are another feature that users actively scroll through. Use vertical designs, bold colors, and CTAs like:

• “Swipe up to Book”
• “Vote to Choose Your Look”
• “Tap to WhatsApp Us”

Engagement Tip: Run quiz polls to get more users involved. This feature is great for makeup artists, fashion brands, and educators.

4. Behind-the-Scenes & Creator Content

Instagram users love authenticity. Involve people from your business, show some behind-the-scenes genuine moments, and use a casual tone to attract more audience.

Recommended Dimensions:

● Square or Portrait (1080x1080px or 1080x1350px)

● Reel/Story: 1080x1920px

Instagram Creative Sample:

Reel Idea:

● Hook: "Are you losing leads like water in a bucket?"

● Scene 1: Hand pouring water into a bucket with holes

● Scene 2: Replacing with “UnifyLeads” patched bucket

● Scene 3: Sales dashboard + notification mock-up

● CTA: “Follow us for growth hacks. Link in bio.”

Cross-Posting Strategy for Facebook and Instagram Digital Marketing Strategies (What to Repurpose Where):

Pro Tips for Both Platforms:

● Use the first 3 seconds of the video wisely — whether it's a reel or a long-form content video.

● Always include a CTA — Book demo, Learn more, Swipe up, etc.

● Test formats weekly — what works in April might flop in July.

● Boost top-performing content — even ₹500 can make a difference with Instagram Reels.

Bonus: How to Optimize Your Ad Creative With the Best Practices (Works on Both Meta Platforms)

No matter what platform you use, you can follow these practices by the top Social Media expert in Kolkata for the best results:

✅ Use Subtitles on Videos — 85% users scroll without turning on the sound
✅ Add Brand Colors & Fonts — This helps the users recognise your brand over time
✅ Use a Clear CTA — Tell people what action to take if they are interested in your products or services
✅ Test Variants — A/B test your images, copy, and formats used in creatives
✅ Use Tools — Tools like Canva, CapCut, Adobe Express, and Meta’s Creative Hub are essential 

Read More: Facebook Lead Generation Tips: Generate Leads Effectively!

Final Thoughts

Great creatives don’t just look good, they help you to connect with users, inform them about your products or services, and motivate them to take action. While Facebook as a platform is more focused on story-based content and building communities, Instagram thrives on aesthetic and short-form visual content.

The key to success is understanding your audience on each platform and providing them with the kind of content they expect.

Stay consistent, stay authentic, and always remember to keep yourself informed about your audience's behavior on each platform.

And if you're feeling stuck, unsure what to post or which content to boost, then you’re not alone. Many business owners invest more budget in creatives that eventually don’t convert the audience into customers.

That’s where our expert guidance comes in.

We at FavFly, a leading company in social media marketing in Kolkata, help brands craft the right message with the right visuals, tailored specifically for Facebook and Instagram audiences.

Whether you're selling products, services, or running lead-gen campaigns, we’ll help you design creatives that will instantly stop users from scrolling and help you gain more ROI.