Facebook ads for SaaS work best with short vertical video made for Reels first, then adapted for the feed. Show one problem and the product solving it in 15 to 30 seconds, send people to a page that matches the ad, and optimize for sign-ups or trial starts. Test hooks before you test audiences.
Is Facebook the right channel for your SaaS?
| Your product | Facebook and Instagram fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Self-serve, sign up in minutes (tools for freelancers, small businesses, creators, teams) | Good | Buyers act alone, and the audience is broad |
| Consumer or prosumer apps | Good | The same people use Instagram daily |
| Mid-market with a free trial | Possible | Works for reaching users who then bring in their team |
| Enterprise with a sales process | Weak | The buyer is easier to reach by job title on LinkedIn |
| A tool for a niche profession | Possible | Interest targeting may be thin; test small first |
Why Reels first?
Reels and Stories are full-screen vertical placements. A 9:16 video fills them, and Meta can show it in the feed too. A 16:9 video made for YouTube looks small in every Meta placement. So make the vertical version first and adapt it.
What are Meta's video specs?
From Meta's Ads Guide. Checked October 2026.
| Instagram Reels | Facebook Feed | |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect ratio | 9:16 | 4:5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2560 | 1440 x 1800 |
| File type | MP4 or MOV | MP4, MOV or GIF |
| Maximum file size | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Duration | 0 seconds to 15 minutes | 1 second to 241 minutes |
| Safe zones | Keep 14% at the top, 35% at the bottom and 6% on each side free of text and logos | Not stated on the spec page |
| Primary text | 44 characters | 50 to 150 characters |
| Headline | Not stated | 27 characters |
| Source | Meta: Instagram Reels | Meta: Facebook Feed |
Meta's Facebook Feed page also lists H.264 compression, a fixed frame rate and stereo AAC audio at 128 kbps or more. All placements are on video ad specs.
A sample campaign structure
This is a starting structure for a small budget, not a rule. Adjust it to your numbers.
| Level | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign | Objective: Sales or Leads, optimized for your sign-up or trial start event | Meta finds people likely to do that event |
| Ad set 1 | Broad audience in your target countries, Advantage+ placements | Lets the system find buyers; the creative does the targeting |
| Ad set 2 (optional) | Retargeting: site visitors who did not sign up | A second message for people who already know you |
| Ads in ad set 1 | 3 to 5 videos with the same body and different hooks | The hook is the part most worth testing |
| Ads in ad set 2 | 1 or 2 feature videos, or an answer to the main objection | People who visited need a reason, not an introduction |
Set up the Meta Pixel and the Conversions API on your sign-up flow first, so Meta can see the event you optimize for.
Ad scripts to copy
Cold audience, 20 seconds, 9:16
| Time | On screen | Said and captioned |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 s | A person to camera, phone style | "[Problem, in the words your customers use]." |
| 3 to 13 s | Product recording, zoomed on each action | "With [product], you [action] and [action]." |
| 13 to 17 s | The result on screen | "[Result], in [time]." |
| 17 to 20 s | Sign-up page | "Start free. Link below." |
Retargeting, 15 seconds, 4:5 or 1:1
| Time | On screen | Said and captioned |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 s | Caption over the product | "Still [doing task] by hand?" |
| 3 to 12 s | One feature, start to finish | "[Feature] does it for you." |
| 12 to 15 s | Logo, offer | "Pick up where you left off." |
More full examples are on UGC ad examples.
What to put in the text around the video
- Primary text: one sentence that says the problem and the result. On Reels, Meta lists 44 characters.
- Headline (feed): the offer, such as "Free for 3 projects". Meta lists 27 characters.
- Call to action button: "Sign up" or "Learn more". Use "Sign up" when the landing page is the sign-up page.
- Landing page: the same promise as the ad, and the sign-up form above the fold.
What about AI-generated creators on Meta?
Meta labels ad images created or significantly edited with its own or third-party AI tools. The "AI info" label sits in "About this ad", and sometimes next to "Sponsored" (Meta Help, checked October 2026). Political and social issue ads must disclose AI images, video or audio. Never present an AI creator as a real customer. See what is AI UGC for the rules on each platform.
Doing this with distrorig
distrorig makes marketing videos for software: an AI agent uses your product and records it, an AI creator introduces it on camera, and an AI voice narrates. Make the 9:16 version for Reels, then change the project's format to 1:1 for the feed; generated shots are made again in the new shape. distrorig does not post to Facebook or Instagram and does not run ads. Download the MP4 and upload it in Ads Manager. Its exports are 9:16, 16:9 and 1:1, not 4:5.