VODOOAI Instagram ads: feed, Stories and Reels ads made in minutes, sized right
By VODOO AI · · 4 min read
Instagram has three places an ad can appear, and each one is watched differently. The feed is scrolled fast with the thumb; Stories are tapped through in a second each; Reels are watched full screen with the sound often on. An ad that works in one can fail in another simply because it was made for the wrong shape or pace.
AI makes it cheap to make a version for each. Here are the sizes and lengths, what stops the scroll in each place, how to test hooks without a big budget, and briefs you can copy.
Feed, Stories and Reels: what each needs
Feed
- Shape
- Square 1:1 or 4:5
- Length
- 6 to 15 seconds
- What works
- A strong first frame that works as a still
Stories
- Shape
- Vertical 9:16
- Length
- 5 to 15 seconds
- What works
- Fast, one idea, a clear tap or swipe
Reels
- Shape
- Vertical 9:16
- Length
- 7 to 30 seconds
- What works
- Feels native: movement, sound, a person
| Placement | Shape | Length | What works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed | Square 1:1 or 4:5 | 6 to 15 seconds | A strong first frame that works as a still |
| Stories | Vertical 9:16 | 5 to 15 seconds | Fast, one idea, a clear tap or swipe |
| Reels | Vertical 9:16 | 7 to 30 seconds | Feels native: movement, sound, a person |
Keep text and logos out of the top and bottom of vertical ads, where the app puts its own buttons. Check Instagram's current specs before you launch, as they change.
Feed ads: the first frame does the work
In the feed, the ad is a still until the thumb pauses. So the first frame has to work on its own: bold colour, a clear subject, nothing tiny. Then one movement that rewards the pause.
A single bright orange sneaker on a saturated cobalt blue background, centred, hard studio light with a crisp shadow; the sneaker drops into frame and bounces once, landing still. Square 1:1, bold and clean, no text.Make this in VODOO →
Stories ads: one idea, fast
People tap through Stories in about a second each, so the idea has to land immediately. One product, one action, one line of text added as a caption, and a clear next step at the end.
Close-up of a hand pressing a sleek white wireless speaker on a kitchen counter; it lights up and the room seems to brighten, morning sun through the window, quick push in. Vertical 9:16, bright and upbeat.Make this in VODOO →
Reels ads: look like a Reel
Reels ads work best when they don't look like ads. A person, natural light, a little handheld movement, a real moment. Polished studio work tends to get scrolled past here.
A woman in her twenties in a sunlit bedroom holds up a linen shirt to the camera and smiles, then turns to show the back; handheld phone camera feel, natural window light, relaxed and real. Vertical 9:16.Make this in VODOO →
For more on making Reels, see AI Instagram Reels; for creator-style ads, AI UGC ads.
Test hooks, not whole ads
Most of the difference between a winning ad and a losing one is the first two seconds. With AI, keep the middle and the end, and make three or four different openings. Run them side by side with a small budget, keep the one that holds attention, then spend on it.
- 01Write one adHook, product in action, proof, next step. See the AI video ad script structure.
- 02Make three hooksThe problem shown, the result first, a surprising moment.
- 03Cut three versionsSame middle and end, different opening.
- 04Keep the winnerSpend more on the one people watch longest.
Making Instagram ads in VODOO
Write the brief in Create and name the placement ("vertical for Reels", "square for the feed") so the shape is right first time. Every price is shown before anything runs, and "Try three stills first" lets you choose the opening frame cheaply. 300 free credits a month, no card. For the briefs themselves, the AI video prompt template works for every shot.
Questions people ask
- What size should an Instagram ad be?
- Square 1:1 or 4:5 for the feed, and vertical 9:16 for Stories and Reels. Keep text away from the top and bottom of vertical ads, and check Instagram's current specs before launching.
- Can AI make Instagram video ads?
- Yes. Write one brief per shot, name the placement so the shape is right, and make a version for each placement rather than one ad for all three.
- How long should an Instagram ad be?
- 6 to 15 seconds for the feed and Stories, 7 to 30 for Reels. Shorter usually wins; one idea per ad.