Ad graphics

Ad graphics get about one second

People scroll fast on their phones. Ad graphics have roughly a second to stop the thumb and a couple more to make the point. In that time the viewer needs to understand three things: what this is, whether it is for them, and what to do next. Anything beyond that is a bonus.

That is why I design for the phone first. Every draft is checked at actual size on a screen held at arm's length, not on a 27-inch monitor.

Five rules I follow

1. One message per image. A single headline, a single offer.
2. Real over stock. Your team, your work, your product in use.
3. Big, short text. If it cannot be read on a phone, it does not belong in the image.
4. Contrast that survives the feed. Feeds are busy; the ad must stand out in light and dark mode.
5. Logo small and consistent. Recognition comes from repetition, not size.

Angles beat layouts

The most common mistake is making four versions of one idea in different colors. That tests nothing. A real set tests different reasons to buy. For a cleaning company, that might be "booked in 60 seconds", "same cleaner every visit", "price shown up front" and a before-and-after. For a med spa, "first visit price", "licensed injector", "results at two weeks" (if true and allowed) and a quick explainer.

Each angle gets its own image and headline. After a week or two of spend, the campaign shows which one your customers care about. The next set builds on the winner, and the loser is retired without debate.

Sizes and placements

Meta feeds prefer square or 4:5 portrait images. Stories and Reels need 9:16 vertical with space left at the top and bottom for the interface. Google Display, Demand Gen and Performance Max ask for landscape, square and portrait images plus logos. One design stretched into all of these looks broken somewhere. Every approved design is rebuilt for each placement, not just resized.

Ad graphics and platform rules

Ads get rejected more often than owners expect. Meta restricts content that implies personal attributes ("Are you struggling with debt?"), before-and-after images for weight loss, and certain health claims. Housing, employment, credit and financial products fall under Special Ad Categories with targeting limits. Google has strict policies on healthcare and medicines. I design within these rules from the first draft, which saves days of back-and-forth with review.

FTC rules apply as well: prices in an ad should reflect what customers actually pay, and claims like "best" or "#1" need support. Keeping graphics honest is both safer and, in my experience, better for results.

When graphics are not the problem

Sometimes new ad graphics will not help. If people click but do not convert, the issue is often the landing page, the offer or the follow-up. If nobody clicks at all, the targeting or budget may be off. In an ad account audit I check all of it, and I will tell you honestly if creative is not where your money is leaking. The article on Facebook ads with no results covers the most common causes.

What to send me

A short description of the offer and who buys it, any photos of your work or products, your logo and colors if you have them, and a link to your current ads. If you want motion too, the same angles can become video ads or Reels and Shorts. For the full creative picture, see ad creative.

Delivery

You get approved graphics in every size, editable sources, and a short note explaining what each angle is meant to test. Up to three rounds of revisions are included. If I manage your campaigns, the graphics go live directly and you see the results in your regular report every two weeks.