How to advertise on Instagram
Account setup, objectives, audiences, formats and budget, step by step, with notes for Malta.
Facebook & Instagram ads · Instagram
Instagram Reels ads
for Malta businesses: size, safe zones and tips.
Instagram Reels ads are full-screen vertical videos that play between the Reels people scroll through. Meta recommends a 9:16 video at 1440 × 2560 pixels, up to 15 minutes long, with the top 14% and bottom 35% kept clear. Malta Digital plans, makes and runs Reels ads for local businesses. Check your own video in the free safe-zone checker below.
$150,527tracked sales · 5.35 ROAS
Short answer
Instagram Reels ads are full-screen 9:16 videos shown between reels. Meta recommends 1440 × 2560 pixels, up to 15 minutes, with 14% at the top, 35% at the bottom and 6% at each side kept clear of text. Malta Digital plans and runs Reels ads as part of our Instagram ads in Malta service.
Key takeaways
- What size is an Instagram Reels ad? Meta recommends 9:16 at 1440 × 2560 pixels, as an MP4 or MOV file. The minimum width is 250 pixels for ads under 30 seconds and 500 pixels for longer ones.
- How long can an Instagram Reels ad be? From 0 seconds up to 15 minutes, according to Meta’s ads guide. Most good Reels ads make their point in the first few seconds.
- What is the safe zone for Reels ads? Keep at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text and logos. On a 1080 × 1920 video that is about 269, 672 and 65 pixels.
The short answer
What Instagram Reels ads are.
Reels are short vertical videos on Instagram. Reels ads sit between them, so people see your ad in the same full-screen view. They can like, comment, share, save or skip it, just like a normal reel. Meta shows Reels ads wherever people watch reels, including after they tap into a reel from their feed, Stories or Explore.
You do not need a separate campaign for Reels. In Ads Manager, Reels is one of the places, or placements, where your ad can show. You can let Meta choose the placements, or pick Instagram Reels yourself. Our page on Instagram ads in Malta explains how we run them, and Meta ads management covers Facebook as well.
Below are the official specs, the safe zones in pixels, a checker for your own video, and the creative tips that matter most in a small market like Malta.
Specs
Instagram Reels ad size and specs.
Meta’s ads guide sets out what a Reels ad should look like. The most important number is the shape: 9:16. That is a phone screen held upright. A square or landscape video will not fill the screen, and it looks like an afterthought.
| Spec | What Meta says |
|---|---|
| Shape (aspect ratio) | 9:16, full-screen vertical |
| Recommended resolution | 1440 × 2560 pixels |
| File type | MP4 or MOV |
| Length | From 0 seconds up to 15 minutes |
| Maximum file size | 4 GB |
| Minimum width | 250 pixels for ads under 30 seconds; 500 pixels for 30 seconds or longer |
| Primary text | 44 characters recommended |
| Captions | Optional, but recommended |
| Sound | Optional, but strongly recommended |
Meta also lists a few things Reels ads should not contain. These include licensed music, media with a face or camera effect, GIFs, product tags and reels published before 15 October 2021. For music, Meta suggests your own original audio or royalty-free tracks from the Meta Sound Collection.
Safe zones
Safe zones: keep words out of the edges.
On a reel, Instagram puts its own things on top of your video. Your profile name and the audio line sit near the top. The caption, the button and the like and comment icons cover the bottom and the right. Anything you put there may be hidden.
Meta’s advice is to keep at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text, logos and other key parts. Phones with taller screens can also crop the edges, so this matters more than it looks. Here are those percentages turned into pixels.
| Video size | Keep clear at the top (14%) | Keep clear at the bottom (35%) | Keep clear on each side (6%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080 × 1920 | 269 px | 672 px | 65 px |
| 1440 × 2560 | 358 px | 896 px | 86 px |
Checker
Check your own Reels video.
Pick an image or video from your phone or computer. The checker shows it on a 9:16 screen with the no-go areas in red. It also tells you if the shape is wrong, if the resolution is low, and if a video is too long or too narrow.
Reels safe-zone checker
Pick your Reels image or video. You will see it on a 9:16 screen with the areas Meta says to keep clear shown in red. Your file is read on your own device. Nothing is uploaded or sent anywhere.
Your check
Pick a 9:16 image or video frame to see it under the safe zones. This checker needs JavaScript.
Tip: take a screenshot of the first second of your video and check that too. The first second is the frame most people judge your ad on.
Creative
What makes a Reels ad work in Malta.
Hook people in the first second. People scroll fast. Open with the result, the product or a question your customer asks every day. A slow logo intro is the quickest way to be skipped.
Shoot it upright. Film on a phone held vertically, in good light. A cropped TV advert rarely works. Reels that look like normal reels tend to blend in better than glossy adverts.
Add captions. Meta recommends captions, and many people watch with the sound low, for example on a bus to Valletta or in a café queue. Put the key words on screen, inside the safe zone.
Show the place. In Malta, people trust what they recognise. A quick shot of your shop front, your van in Mosta or your terrace in Gozo says “local” faster than any slogan.
One message per reel. Pick one offer and one action, such as “Book a table” or “Get a quote”. Make three short versions instead of one long one, so Meta can find the best.
Setup
How to set up a Reels ad in Ads Manager.
Start in Ads Manager and choose your objective, such as leads or sales. At the ad set level, you can keep Advantage+ placements on, which lets Meta show your ad in Reels and other places. Or you can choose manual placements and tick Instagram Reels. At the ad level, upload your 9:16 video and check the preview for Reels.
If you also run Stories ads, the same 9:16 video often works for both. Write the primary text short, because Meta recommends about 44 characters for Reels. Then leave the ad alone for a while. Meta says an ad set usually needs about 50 results in a week to leave the learning phase, and big edits can restart it. Our guide to how to advertise on Instagram covers the full setup.
Want Reels ads that people watch?
Apply now and tell us what you sell and who buys it. We’ll tell you what Reels ads could do for you and how we would run them.
Cost
How much Instagram Reels ads cost.
There is no fixed price for a Reels ad. You set a budget, and Meta runs an auction each time someone could see an ad. What you pay per result depends on your audience, the season, your offer and how good the video is. Meta does not publish a price list for each placement.
So set the budget from your goal, not from a price per view. Our guide on how much to spend on Facebook ads shows the method, with a free planner. For both ad spend and management, read Facebook ads cost in Malta.
Proof
What happens when ads are tested and scaled.
This is a real account we ran for an online store. Between 1 May and 25 July 2025, it spent $28,130.74 on Facebook and Instagram ads. Meta Ads Manager tracked 3,717 website purchases worth $150,527.84, a 5.35 return on ad spend.
This total covers all the placements the ads ran in, not only Reels. What made the difference was the process. We tested ads side by side, judged them on purchase value and moved the budget to the winners. We use the same approach for Reels.
Want Reels ads that are tested and scaled like this? Apply now for Instagram ads
Mistakes
Six Reels ad mistakes to avoid.
Landscape or square video. It leaves black bars or gets cropped. Export at 9:16.
Text at the bottom. The caption and button cover the bottom 35%. Move prices and offers up.
Licensed music. Meta says Reels ads should not use it. Use original audio or the Meta Sound Collection.
One video for months. In a small market, people see the same reel again and again. Plan fresh versions every few weeks, and watch your ad frequency.
Editing every day. Big edits restart learning. Change one thing at a time, once a week.
No clear next step. Tell people what to do, and send them to a page that loads fast on a phone. See landing pages for Facebook ads.
Our help
How we run Reels ads for clients.
We plan the message, write the script and on-screen text, check every video against the safe zones and run it alongside your Facebook and Instagram feed and Stories ads. Then we report on leads or sales, not views.
Our Meta ads management starts from €1,249 a month plus ad spend, with ad copy and static creative included. Video content creation is part of our Growth Partner package, from €3,449 a month. You pay the ad spend to Meta directly, and the ad account stays in your name.
A few straight answers
What you might be wondering.
What size is an Instagram Reels ad?
Meta recommends 9:16 at 1440 × 2560 pixels, as an MP4 or MOV file. The minimum width is 250 pixels for ads under 30 seconds and 500 pixels for longer ones.
How long can an Instagram Reels ad be?
From 0 seconds up to 15 minutes, according to Meta’s ads guide. Most good Reels ads make their point in the first few seconds.
What is the safe zone for Reels ads?
Keep at least 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text and logos. On a 1080 × 1920 video that is about 269, 672 and 65 pixels.
Can I use popular music in Reels ads?
Meta says Reels ads should not contain licensed music. Use original audio or royalty-free tracks from the Meta Sound Collection.
How much do Instagram Reels ads cost?
There is no fixed price. You set a budget and Meta runs an auction, so the cost per result depends on your audience, offer and video. Plan the budget from your goal.
Do I need a separate campaign for Reels?
No. Reels is a placement inside a normal campaign. Keep Advantage+ placements on, or choose Instagram Reels under manual placements.
Can Malta Digital make and run my Reels ads?
Yes. Our Meta ads management starts from €1,249 a month plus ad spend. Video content creation is included in our Growth Partner package, from €3,449 a month.
Keep reading
Related guides.
Instagram ads vs Facebook ads
Same tool, different apps. What changes between Instagram and Facebook ads, and how to choose.
Ad creative in Malta
Sizes and safe zones, hooks, formats, examples, testing and creative fatigue.
A useful first step
Ready for Reels ads that bring leads or sales?
We plan, check and run your Reels ads with your Facebook and Instagram feed and Stories ads, in an ad account in your name. Meta ads management from €1,249 a month plus ad spend.
Step 1 of 2
Apply now for Instagram ads
A few quick questions, about a minute. We usually reply within 2–3 hours.