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10 Ideas to Improve Your Instagram Ads | Blue Fountain Media
Instagram remains one of the most powerful platforms for businesses looking to connect with highly engaged audiences. With billions of monthly active users and a visually driven format, it’s the perfect place for brands to showcase products, tell stories, and generate conversions. But with so much competition in users’ feeds, your ads must be strategic and optimized to stand out.
Whether you’re just starting out or refining an existing strategy, these 10 ideas will help you improve your Instagram advertising campaign and achieve better results.
Start With Clear Goals and a Smart Setup
Before launching any campaign, define exactly what you want to achieve, brand awareness, engagement, leads, website traffic, or conversions. Clear goals determine the ad format, placement, targeting options, and KPIs you’ll measure.
Be sure to install Meta Pixel or Conversions API and define events (add-to-cart, leads, purchases) to track and optimize real results.
Lead With Eye-Catching Visuals
In a platform built around scrolling, visuals matter most. Use high-quality images and videos with strong focal points, minimal text, and bold colors that stop the thumb.
For best results, follow Instagram’s ideal ratios:
- 4:5 for Feed
- 9:16 for Stories and Reels
- 1:1 for thumbnails
Remember, the first two seconds of your creative determine whether someone continues watching or scrolls away.
Test Multiple Ad Formats
Instagram offers a variety of ways to tell your story:
- Carousel ads for showcasing multiple product features
- Reels ads for dynamic, short-form video
- Stories ads for fast messages and time-sensitive offers
- Collection ads for seamless shopping
Testing formats side-by-side reveals what resonates strongest with your audience.
Use Stories & Reels to Drive Urgency
IGTV was discontinued in 2022, making Reels and Stories the primary vertical video formats. Both deliver high engagement and can create a sense of urgency.
Use:
- Countdown stickers
- Limited-time offers
- Tap-to-shop features
- On-screen captions for sound-off viewing
These formats feel native and authentic, increasing the chance of conversion.
Leverage Precise Targeting
Instagram advertising success depends heavily on targeting. Use a mix of:
- Interest targeting
- Custom audiences (website visitors, IG engagers, email lists)
- Lookalike audiences (modeled after your best customers)
- Geographic targeting for local businesses
- Exclusions to avoid showing ads to recent converters
The more precise your audience, the more efficient your ad spend becomes.
Incorporate User-Generated Content (UGC)
UGC builds trust, authenticity, and relatability, especially in competitive niches. Showcase real customers using your products, testimonials, or clips from everyday buyers.
Request usage rights and tag creators where appropriate. UGC ads typically outperform polished brand ads because they feel more “native” to the platform.
Partner With Influencers and Creators
Influencers remain a core part of Instagram culture. Partnering with creators who align with your brand values can expand reach, build credibility, and introduce your product to highly targeted communities.
Use whitelisting to run paid ads through the creator’s handle; this boosts relevance and improves performance.
Craft a Strong, Actionable CTA
Your call-to-action should be aligned with your campaign objective.
For top-of-funnel audiences:
- Learn More
- Watch More
- View Collection
For ready-to-convert users:
- Shop Now
- Get Offer
- Book Today
An effective CTA is clear, benefits-driven, and encourages immediate action.
A/B Test Everything
Instagram ads perform best when continuously tested. A/B testing helps identify what truly drives results. Test variations of:
- First 2 seconds of video
- Headlines and CTAs
- Hashtags and captions
- Color themes and visual styles
- Thumbnail images
- Placements (Reels vs. Feed vs. Stories)
Rotate 3–5 creatives at a time. Pause underperformers quickly and shift budget to winners.
Retarget Warm Audiences
Retargeting is one of the highest-ROI tactics on Instagram. Serve tailored ads to people who:
- Visited your website
- Engaged with your Instagram profile
- Added items to cart
- Watched a percentage of your video ads
Your retargeting strategy should address user objections and offer reasons to return, such as discounts, testimonials, or urgency-driven messaging.
Bonus: Caption & Hashtag Best Practices
Instagram captions allow up to 2,200 characters, but you should front-load the first 80–125 characters, since that is what people see before tapping “read more.”
For hashtags, use 3-10 relevant tags, even though Instagram allows up to 30. Stick to niche, non-spammy tags for better discovery.
Ready to Increase Your Instagram Ad Performance?
Improving your Instagram advertising campaign requires a blend of strong creative, precise targeting, and continuous optimization. With the right approach, you can reach the right audience, boost engagement, and ultimately drive conversions. These 10 ideas are a solid foundation for any brand looking to achieve better results and stand out in users’ feeds.
Contact us and let us help you elevate your Instagram advertising with better creative, smarter targeting, and data-driven optimization. Unlock higher ROAS, starting today.
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