What Are the Creative Advertising Specs, (Formats/File Sizes) and Placeholders for Digital Campaigns?

What Are the Creative Advertising Specs/Formats/File Sizes and Placeholders for Digital Campaigns?

What Are the Creative Advertising Specs, (Formats/File Sizes) and Placeholders for Digital Campaigns?

This guide outlines the required specifications for creative assets across display, social, video, audio, and streaming platforms. Following these specs helps ensure your ads display correctly and perform well.

Display Ad Specs

Standard display banner sizes:

  • Mobile Banner: 320 x 50 px
  • Leaderboard: 728 x 90 px
  • Wide Skyscraper: 160 x 600 px
  • Medium Rectangle: 300 x 250 px
  • Half-Page Skyscraper: 300 x 600 px
  • Billboard: 970 x 250 px
  • Mobile Full-Page Interstitial (Portrait): 320 x 480 px
  • Mobile Full-Page Interstitial (Landscape): 480 x 320 px
  • Tablet Full-Page Interstitial (Portrait): 768 x 1024 px
  • Tablet Full-Page Interstitial (Landscape): 1024 x 768 px

Additional requirements:

  • Accepted file formats: JPG, PNG, GIF, or HTML5
  • Optimal file size: 150 KB
  • Resolution: Minimum 72 ppi (pixels per inch); 144 ppi recommended

For more information on rich media creative guidelines, see this article.

Facebook and Instagram Ad Specs

  • 1080 x 1080 px (Instagram and Facebook placements)
  • 1080 x 1920 px (Instagram and Facebook Stories & Reels)
  • Image format: JPG or PNG
  • Video format: MP4

Ad text requirements:

  • Primary Text (required): 125 characters recommended (up to 1,000)
  • Headline (required): 40 characters recommended (up to 225)
  • Description (optional): 30 characters recommended (up to 500)

LinkedIn Ad Specs

Design Recommendations

  • File type: JPG, PNG, or GIF
  • File size: Up to 5 MB
  • Image ratios:
    • 1.91:1 (horizontal, desktop and mobile)
    • 1:1 (square, desktop and mobile)
    • 1:1.91 (vertical, mobile only)

Text Recommendations

  • Ad Name (optional): Up to 255 characters
  • Headline: Up to 70 characters
  • Introductory Text: Up to 150 characters
  • Description (LinkedIn Audience Network only): Up to 70 characters

Technical Requirements

  • File type: JPG, PNG, or GIF
  • File size: Up to 5 MB

Image Dimensions

  • Horizontal/Landscape: 640 x 360 px minimum, 7680 x 4320 px maximum; recommended 1200 x 628 px (1.91:1)
  • Square: 360 x 360 px minimum, 4320 x 4320 px maximum; recommended 1200 x 1200 px (1:1)
  • Vertical: 360 x 640 px minimum, 2430 x 4320 px maximum; recommended 628 x 1200 px (1:1.91), 600 x 900 px (2:3), 720 x 900 px (4:5)

Call-to-Action Options

  • Apply
  • Download
  • View Quote
  • Learn More
  • Sign Up
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • Join
  • Attend
  • Request Demo

URL Requirements

  • Landing page URL: Required
  • URL prefix: http:// or https://
  • URL length: Up to 2,000 characters

YouTube Video Ad Specs

  • Resolution: 1080p (Full HD)
  • Recommended pixels:
    • 1920 x 1080 px (horizontal)
    • 1080 x 1920 px (vertical)
    • 1080 x 1080 px (square)
  • Aspect ratios:
    • 16:9 for horizontal
    • 9:16 for vertical
    • 1:1 for square
  • Accepted formats: MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4), WMV, AVI, MOV, FLV, MPEG-1, MP4, MPEGPS, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm, HEVC (H.265)
  • File size: Up to 256 GB

Connected TV/OTT Video Ad Specs

  • Resolution:
    • 1280 x 720 px (720p)
    • 1920 x 1080 px (1080p)
  • Duration: 15 or 30 seconds recommended (60 seconds maximum; non-standard durations may have limited reach)
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9
  • File format: MP4
  • File size: Up to 1 GB

Creative Tip

 To confirm a 16:9 aspect ratio, divide the width by the height. If the result is 1.77, the video is 16:9. For example, 2560 ÷ 1440 = 1.77.

Programmatic Audio Ad Specs

  • Supported file formats: OGG, MP3, MP4, WAV, FLAC, AAC
  • Companion banner: 300 x 250 px (JPG, PNG, GIF; up to 700 KB)
  • API framework: VAST 2.0+ supported
  • Max file size: Under 500 MB (smaller is better)
  • Bit rate: 128–160 Kbps recommended (max 320 Kbps; publisher dependent)
  • Duration: 15 or 30 seconds recommended for widest inventory access

Spotify Audio Ad Specs

  • File type: MP3, OGG, or WAV (OGG required for programmatic) and MOV/Mp4 for Video.
  • Duration: Up to 30 seconds
  • File size: 1 MB (up to 500 MB for private marketplace and programmatic)
  • Companion banner: 640 x 640 px (JPEG or PNG; 1:1 aspect ratio)
  • Sample rate: 44.1 kHz (audio with an incorrect sample rate may play at the wrong speed)
  • Bit rate: 192 Kbps (important for high-quality audio)
  • Stereo: Recommended for best sound quality and spatial mixing
  • Overall loudness: -16 LUFS (integrated average, ±1.5 LUFS) with a True Peak limit of -2.0 dBTP

Keeping volume and quality consistent helps prevent listener disruption and improves ad engagement.


Pandora Audio & Banner Specs

Pandora campaigns may include both an audio asset and a companion display banner. Prepare both assets when the campaign includes banner inventory. Commercial ad lengths standardly run 10, 15, or 30 seconds.

  • Audio file: MP3

  • Desktop companion banner: 300 x 250 px

  • Mobile companion banner: 320 x 50 px

Creative Tip

Keep the audio message concise and brand-forward. For companion banners, use simple messaging and a clear call-to-action that remains readable on smaller mobile inventory.


Programmatic Video Ad Specs

  • Recommended resolution: 1920 x 1080 px

  • Aspect ratio: 16:9

  • File format: MP4

  • Use high-quality, broadcast-ready video whenever possible

  • Recommended duration: 15 or 30 seconds for broad inventory access

Creative Tip

Keep branding and the primary message visible early in the spot because viewers may not watch the full video. Confirm publisher-specific duration, audio, and file-size requirements when inventory is selected.


Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) Ad Specs

DOOH specifications are more dependent on the specific placements selected than most digital products. Screen dimensions, aspect ratios, file types, resolution, duration, and file-size limits can vary by venue, screen network, and location. The final creative specifications should therefore be confirmed after the desired DOOH locations/placements are selected.

DOOH Creative Considerations

  • Specs vary by screen, venue, network, and placement

  • Confirm the exact pixel dimensions and aspect ratio before production

  • Confirm whether the placement requires a static image, animated creative, or video

  • Confirm accepted file format and maximum file size with the selected inventory

  • Design for viewing distance: use large text, strong contrast, and minimal copy

  • Keep the primary message and branding visible immediately; DOOH viewers may only see the creative for a few seconds

  • For video placements, confirm required duration and whether audio is supported (many DOOH environments are silent)

  • Request the placement list/spec sheet when building a campaign so creative can be produced to the actual inventory

DOOH Placement Reference

A proposal should be requested by the SoCast Ad Operations team in order to document the specific locations and placements being prioritized. Once that proposal is available, the guide can be expanded with the exact screen types, dimensions, and creative requirements for those placements.

Example DOOH Screen sizes: 1400x400, 840x400, 680x200, 880x260, 600 x 160 and 660x180 px etc... 



Creative Asset Placeholders

Below are sample images for common display ad sizes. Use these as placeholders when designing your creative assets:

Leaderboard (728 x 90 px)
Leaderboard (728 x 90 px)

Big Box (300 x 250 px)
Big Box (300 x 250 px)

Skyscraper (160 x 600 px)
Skyscraper (160 x 600 px)


Mobile Banner (320 x 50 px)

Here is the placement of a Mobile Banner:  

For any additional questions or support, please contact the SoCast team: adsupport@socastdigital.com