Everything you need to know about Snapchat Ad Specs: formats, dimensions and stories

Snapchat has become a social phenomenon, with a young target audience between the ages of 15 and 30, the app allows images and videos to be shared publicly.  

Due to the boom, since years ago, the platform also allows you to create non-intrusive ads for the users. In this article, we explain what Snapchat Ads Formats, the specifications of each type of ad, and the success story of SikSilks on Snapchat with the Adsmurai team.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction to Snapchat Ads Formats
2. Snapchat Ads Specs
3. Snapchat Ads Success Stories

Introduction to Snapchat Ads Formats

Snapchat Ads is a way of advertising on the platform that was born to create non-intrusive advertising for users. With a vertical video format and a duration of 10 seconds, there is the possibility to show ads in sections like “Stories” and “Featured”. Now, the app allows users to click on the call-to-action button to see more information about the content, like extra information or the brand's website. 

Nowadays, the platform has 2.6 million active users in Spain. Globally, it has 187 million daily and 255 monthly active users, with an average daily activity of 30 minutes.

Including Snapchat in your digital strategy is an opportunity to complement our full-funnel strategies. It helps generate awareness, increase website visits, drive app downloads, or increase sales.

Snapchat Ads Specs

As in all platforms, any advertisement format has some specs that must be followed to adapt correctly to the format and platform requirements. We see them below:

Single Image or Video Ads

Like organic snaps, single image or video ads offer a great creative freedom to communicate the message.  

Image or Video Ad conditions: 

• Aspect ratio: 9:16 
• Resolution: 1080px x 1920px
• Length: 3-180 seconds

Brand, headline, and calls-to-action

• Brand: Up to 25 characters with spaces 
• Headline: Up to 34 characters with spaces
• Calls-to-action: Select the CTA text. Snapchat applies the visual and places the CTA on the ad
  
  

Collection Ads

This format offers the possibility of displaying multiple products, with four adjustable tiles. This way, allows the users to browse and buy comfortably.

Collection Ads conditions:

• Aspect ratio: 9:16 
• Resolution: 1080px x 1920px
• Length: 3-180 seconds

Brand, headline, and calls-to-action

• Brand: Up to 25 characters with spaces 
• Headline: Up to 34 characters with spaces
• Calls-to-action: Select the CTA text. Snapchat applies the visual and places the CTA on the ad

Thumbnail image requirements

• Resolution: 160px x 160px
• Each thumbnail image requires a URL
• URLs can be used multiple times

Story Ads

It allows advertisers to reach users with a series of 3 to 20 image or video ads by placing a branded icon in the “Discover” section of Snapchat.

Story Ads conditions

• Aspect ratio: 9:16 
• Resolution: 1080px x 1920px
• Length: 3-180 seconds

Brand, headline, and calls-to-action

• Brand: Up to 25 characters with spaces 
• Headline: Up to 34 characters with spaces
• Calls-to-action: Snapchat applies the visual and places the CTA on the ad

Tile asset deliverables for Discover section

• Logo:
• File type: .png
• Resolution: 993px x 284px 

• Image:
• File type: .png
• Resolution: 360px x 600px

• Story title: Up to 55 characters with spaces

Filters

Snapchat filters are artistic overlays that permits you to modify your face. The platform allows you to change the filters by swiping left or right. 

Filters conditions: 

• Resolution: 1080px x 2340px 
• Mandatory text, logos and legal disclaimers may not be placed within 310px of the top or bottom of the canvas
• Visible brand logo or brand name

Lenses AR Experiences

Brand experiences with augmented reality that appear inside the camera of Snapchat. These are a powerful and memorable way to connect with consumers. 

Lens branding guidelines:

• Visible logo or brand name required on Face and World Lenses.
• Make sure the logo is visible. 
• The recommended logo placement is on the top left or top right under the UI elements.
• Snapchat adds a 'SPONSORED' slug to the creative. This appears for only 2 seconds and doesn’t show in users’ Snaps.
• With Lens Web Builder anyone can create an AR experience in minutes. 

Commercials

These videos appear inside the curated content and the games of Snapchat. It’s possible to skip from 6 seconds and can last for three minutes.

Commercial conditions:

• Aspect ratio: 9:16
• Resolution: 1080px x 1920px
• Length: 7-180 seconds

Snapchat Ads Success Stories

SikSilk: The first brand launching Dynamic Ads in Spain with Snapchat

SikSilk is an athletic, styled combination of sportswear that partnered with Snapchat to create immersive full-screen ad experiences. The main objective was to increase the sales of the United Kingdom. 

Snapchat Dynamic Ads have helped SikSilk to improve ROAS up to 57% and augmented the average purchase value raised 54%, compared to other platforms. 

One of the greatest achievements is that the campaign reached an incremental female audience, between 18-24 years old. In this age group, SikSilk was able to see an increased purchase of 163% on Snapchat.