WHAT MAKES GREAT
STORIES CREATIVE?
Creative considerations
and explorations for
Stories ad creative
We're exploring the unique creative
considerations for Stories creative
in three different buckets:
• Look and feel: What creative
strategies and elements are unique
to stories and driving effectiveness?
• Brand and product: How do brands
and products most effectively show
up in stories?
• Format and execution: Which
creative formats and styles
are driving the most effective
storytelling on stories?
1
 LOOK AND FEEL

Consider experimenting
KEEP ATTENTION AVOID UNNECESSARY STICKERS
WITH SPEED
We’ve seen mixed results with Recommendation:
People are consuming stories stickers. In one study, 83% of videos
No matter the format,
content much faster than any using stickers to help express
when used well stickers
other mobile format. key messages about the brand
can draw attention to
or product performed better for
the product, make the
conversion objectives. In another
Recommendation: ad feel like it belongs in
study using static creatives, there is
the environment and
Create ads that leverage speed a 87% chance of creatives without
make it feel less like an
as a creative element to capture stickers delivering better conversion
ad and more relatable.
and keep attention. results than with stickers.

Stickers No stickers

ENHANCE YOUR STORY

WITH SOUND

In our study, 80% of stories with

voice-over or music drove better
lower-funnel results than ads
without sound.

Recommendation:
Use voice-over or music as
creative tools to enhance the
message and value proposition
of your brand or product.

LAND TAKEAWAYS
WITH TEXT OVERLAYS
We’ve seen mixed
performance results for
using text overlays in
stories creative.

Recommendation:
Test what methods work
best for your creative and
consider using text to
emphasize key messages
while also maintaining a
clear focal point.

“How to Unlock Your Creative Potential on Stories” by Facebook IQ, Apr 2018 2
 Unpurchased image

BRAND AND
PRODUCT

Consider experimenting
BEGIN WITH YOUR BRAND CALL YOUR AUDIENCE TO ACTION STRATEGICALLY

Top performing ads integrate In our study, there is a 89% Recommendation:

branding and key messages at
the start.
Recommendation:
Integrate branded elements
(logos and brand elements) at
the very start of your creative.
chance of campaigns that
emphasized the CTA driving
more conversions than
without emphasizing the CTA.
Experiment with
elements that emphasize
the action you want
viewers to take (for
example, “Swipe Up”).

DESIGN WITH YOUR

OBJECTIVE IN MIND

There is 73% chance of product-

focused creative driving
better lower-funnel metrics
than people-focused creative.
And there is a 75% chance of
people-focused creative driving
better brand performance than
product-focused creative.

Recommendation:
Always design creative with
your objective in mind. Stay
focused on people for brand
objectives and product for
conversion objectives.

“How to Unlock Your Creative Potential on Stories” by Facebook IQ, Apr 2018 3
 FORMAT AND
EXECUTION
Unpurchased image

Consider experimenting

SPLIT YOUR STORY INTO SCENES MIX AND MATCH MOTION AND STATIC

Top performing ads Recommendation: There is a 86% chance Recommendation:

have shorter, more People consume stories
succinct scenes. content quickly—experiment
with bite-sized and
fast-paced narratives.
of campaigns with Consider adding two or
mixed format assets more assets with different
driving higher value for formats into one campaign
lower funnel metrics with multiple ad sets.
than video or static
only assets.

“How to Unlock Your Creative Potential on Stories” by Facebook IQ, Apr 2018 4