You do not need a studio to make ads that work. Many of the best-performing ads look like normal posts filmed on a phone.
Equipment
- A recent smartphone with a clean lens.
- Natural light from a window, or a basic ring light.
- A small tripod or phone stand.
- A clip-on microphone if you speak on camera.
Five ad formats that work
- Talking head: you explain the offer directly to the camera.
- Product demo: show the product in use.
- Before and after: transformations for services.
- Customer testimonial: a happy customer in their own words.
- Behind the scenes: how you make or deliver your product.
Filming tips
- Shoot vertically (9:16) for Reels and Stories.
- Hook in the first 2–3 seconds.
- Keep it short: 15–30 seconds works well.
- Add captions; many people watch without sound.
Editing apps
Free and low-cost phone editors such as CapCut, InShot or Instagram’s own editor let you trim, add text and music. Check the music licence for ads; use royalty-free tracks.
Image ads
- Use one clear photo and a few words.
- Show the product or result, not just your logo.
- Use the right sizes; see our image sizes guide.
Write the text
Draft ad text with our ad copy generator. Test 3–5 creatives at once; read how many ads to run.
See our ad creative design service.
Want the full picture? This article is part of Meta ads: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
