Short-form video has exploded in popularity, with Instagram Reels now pulling in over 200 billion plays daily. For advertisers, this isn’t just a trend — it’s a golden opportunity. Ads on Reels let brands blend in seamlessly with content users already enjoy, helping them tell visual stories that inform, entertain, and convert.

If you’re still relying only on static posts or stories to push your brand, you might be missing out on a high-engagement placement that meets your audience exactly where they scroll most.

So, how do you make the most of ads on Reels? Let’s walk through everything you need to know.

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What Are Ads On Reels?

Reels ads are vertical, full-screen videos that appear between organic Reels. They function similarly to Instagram story ads but live within the Reels tab, making them feel more natural in the flow of entertainment.

The benefit? Higher chances of engagement, especially when your content blends in with what users already enjoy.

Since Reels are designed for discovery, placing ads here means you’re reaching not only your followers but potential new customers too.

Now that we know what they are, let’s dig into why they matter so much.

Why You Should Care About Reels Ads?

When users scroll through Reels, they’re looking for quick entertainment. This means your ads aren’t interrupting but integrating. That subtlety matters more than ever in advertising.

Unlike traditional feed ads, Reels ads allow for:

• Immersive storytelling
• Authentic content integration
• Higher completion rates

And because they show up full-screen, there are no distractions — just your message and your audience.

But creativity alone won’t cut it. You also need a strategy. Let’s break that down.

Set The Right Objective Before Launching Ads On Reels

Before you touch the camera or upload your ad, you need clarity: What do you want to achieve?

Meta Business Suite offers several campaign objectives to choose from:

• Brand awareness
• Reach
• Traffic
• Engagement
• Lead generation
• Sales
• App installs

Picking the right objective tailors your ads on reels campaign delivery to your real goal. For example, if you’re launching a new product, go for reach or awareness. If you’re looking to build a list, lead generation is your friend.

Once you’ve locked in your goal, we move on to budgeting and audience targeting.

Budget, Schedule & Audience: Precision Is Power

It’s tempting to just throw a few dollars behind a Reel and hope it takes off. But thoughtful budgeting and targeting can drastically improve results.

Start small and scale based on performance. Define who you want to see your ad using demographics like:

• Age
• Location
• Gender
• Interests
• Behaviors

And remember, you can always tweak as you go. Meta’s built-in analytics make it easy to identify what’s working and where to shift your spend.

Once your foundation is set, it’s time to place your ad in the right spots.

Reels Placements: Let Meta Help or Take Control

When placing your reels on ads, you have two options:

Advantage+ placements (automatic): This lets Meta place your ad wherever it thinks it will perform best — across Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, and more.

Manual placements: Want your ad only to run in Reels? You can do that too. This gives you full control over where your content shows up.

Not sure where to begin? Start with Advantage+ to test performance, then switch to manual once you know what converts best.

Speaking of performance, let’s talk about your next creative.

Also Read

How To Use Instagram Ads More Effectively

How To Use Instagram Ad Insight to Beat the Algorithm

 

Tips To Craft A Reels Ad That Doesn’t Feel Like an Ad?

The best ads on Reels feel like organic content. They don’t scream “sell.” Instead, they share value.

Here’s how to build that:

• Start strong: The first 2 seconds matter. Grab attention early.
• Use real people: User-generated content or influencer clips outperform polished studio shots.
• Stay vertical: Stick to the 9:16 ratio for optimal visibility.
• Include sound: Music or original audio helps hold attention.

• Ad Intelligence Tool – Use Ad intelligence tools to know how your competitors are performing.

If you are seeking such a tool to reveal all the strategies for your ad campaign, you are at the right place. Let me introduce a powerful ad intelligence tool to make you one step ahead of your competitors.

PowerAdSpy – Ad Intelligence Tool

PowerAdSpy is your ultimate companion for tracking and analyzing social media ads across platforms. Whether you’re building brand visibility or seeking conversion-driven ad inspiration, this tool helps you study, save, and implement what’s working, where it’s working.

Let’s take a look at how PowerAdSpy helps you nail social media ads (and more) with smart features tailored for performance marketers:

Filter by Ad Positions

On Instagram, where an ad shows up matters. PowerAdSpy lets you sort ads by their placement—whether it’s the feed or stories. This helps you figure out where your audience is most responsive and where your budget will hit hardest.

Here is how to search reels ads with PowerAdSpy

• Select filters
• Click on ‘Ad Type’
• Now you can select Video/Story/Image ads

Complete Visibility

No guessing. PowerAdSpy gives you direct access to real-time, live Instagram ads. See how people are engaging with those ads and what kind of content sparks conversation.

Millions of Ads from 100+ Countries

Whether you’re running ads locally or globally, PowerAdSpy’s massive ad database helps you understand what’s trending worldwide. Discover viral ads from over 100 countries—and apply those insights to your niche.

Narrow Down Your Searches

Looking for Instagram ads from your top competitors or around specific products? Use niche keywords, brand names, or even domains to dig deep. Spy smarter—not harder.

 Bookmark the Best Ads

Found an Instagram ad that feels like gold? Save it. With one click, it’s stored in your personal vault—ready to reference or recreate for your next campaign.

Powerful Search Algorithm

Search ads like a pro. Use popular phrases, keywords, or campaign terms to find highly engaging Instagram ads. Then sort by date, shares, or reactions to see which ones truly hit the mark.

Engagement-Oriented Insights

What’s working? What’s flopping? PowerAdSpy delivers Instagram ad insights with metrics on likes, shares, and comments to help you pinpoint the ads your audience will likely love too.

 Image + Video Ad Combos

Instagram thrives on visuals, and video ads are leading the pack. PowerAdSpy gives you access to both image and video ad formats. Download the top performers to inspire your own content strategy.

GEO-Targeted Data

Get hyper-local. PowerAdSpy reveals where your competitors are targeting their Instagram ads. Use this intel to zero in on high-intent markets that are already engaging with similar products or services.

CTA-Based Sorting

A great call-to-action can make or break your Instagram ad. PowerAdSpy helps you analyze which CTAs are driving clicks and conversions, so you can craft compelling prompts that work.

Now that you’ve made a compelling video, let’s make sure people know what to do next.

Primary Text, Hashtags, and CTAs: Guide the Scroll

Though visuals are key, don’t skip the caption.

Your primary text shows just two lines before being cut off. Make it count. Focus on the benefit for the viewer, not just the feature of your product.

What about hashtags? While they can improve visibility for organic content, for ads on Reels, they’re optional. Your reach is already paid for.

What really matters here is the call-to-action. Use a direct phrase that builds urgency:

• “Shop now”
• “Try free for 7 days”
• “Get 20% off”

Pair that with a clear destination using a target URL, so people land exactly where you want them.

Let’s go one step further now: making your content interactive.

Add Interactive Elements to Drive Deeper Engagement

Want your audience to do more than just watch? Make it easy for them to interact.

Here are some additions you can consider:

• Polls to collect feedback or preferences
• Clickable links to lead directly to landing pages
• Stickers and emoji sliders to make content more relatable

And if you’re eligible, the swipe-up feature can connect users directly to your product or service without them having to leave the app.

Interactive content isn’t just fun; it’s effective. And it opens the door for richer performance insights.

Measure What Matters: Use Ads Manager Wisely

Launching ads on Reels is only the start. Tracking is where campaigns go from good to great.

Meta Business Suite gives you access to full performance breakdowns. Key metrics to track include:

• Engagement rate
• Click-through rate
• Cost per engagement
• Impressions
• View time

Compare these across different creatives, audiences, and placements to see what drives results. When you find a winner, double down.

Sometimes, the best-performing Reels are already in your feed. That brings us to one final tactic.

Boost an Existing Reel for Easy Wins

Already have a high-performing Reel? You don’t need to start from scratch. Just boost it.

Boosting lets you turn any eligible Reel into an ad by setting a goal, defining your audience, choosing a budget, and running it.

This is especially helpful if your organic content already resonates. Just amplify what’s working.

If your boosted Reels follow the content policies, you’re good to go. If not, small tweaks can make them ad-friendly.

Final Thoughts

Reels aren’t just another placement — they’re shaping the way people consume content on mobile. With their native feel, immersive format, and high engagement potential, ads on Reels can help brands create lasting impact in just a few seconds.

The Meta-Reels-Ads-Guide has simplified how advertisers set up campaigns, but turning views into conversions still depends on how well your creativity aligns with clear purpose.

Here’s what makes Reels ads truly work:

• Content that feels genuine and relatable

• Messaging that delivers real value

• Clear, compelling calls-to-action

• Continuous monitoring and smart optimization

Now that you’ve got a complete playbook to build, test, and improve your Reels ads, it’s time to take action. Start small, experiment with intent, and evolve your campaigns based on data, not assumptions.

Want a quick reference?
Check out this infographic for Reels Ads — packed with practical tips and setup steps to help you get started.