In the ever-evolving world of digital advertising, brands are constantly debating: Should you use images or videos in your Facebook Ads?
While both formats have their merits, the answer isn’t always black and white. Different formats perform differently across regions, industries, and objectives.
Let’s explore global trends, performance data, and best-use cases — so you can make informed decisions that maximize your.
📊 Quick Stats: Global Performance Comparison
| Format | Avg. Engagement Rate | CTR (Click-Through Rate) | CPM (Cost Per 1,000 Impressions) |
| Image Ads | 2.3% | 1.4% | $8.50 |
| Video Ads | 3.1% | 1.8% | $10.20 |
Source: Meta Global Ad Benchmark Report 2024
As you can see, video generally outperforms image in engagement and CTR, though it comes at a slightly higher cost.
🌎 Regional Insights: Performance Varies by Market
| Region | Better Format | Reason |
| North America | Video | Strong video consumption culture |
| Europe | Image for B2B | Faster consumption, better on LinkedIn |
| Southeast Asia | Video (short-form) | Mobile-first users prefer reels/stories |
| Middle East | Image | High impact with bold visuals + text |
| South Korea & Japan | Video | Emotional storytelling resonates deeply |
🎯 Tailor your format to your market, not just the platform.
📷 When to Use Image Ads
- Launching a retail promotion or flash sale
- Targeting mobile users with slow data
- Creating carousel ads to display multiple products
- Running remarketing ads (image works better when user already knows your brand)
✅ Best Practices:
- Use minimal text (less than 20%)
- High contrast & bold call-to-action
- Square format (1:1) works best across devices
Simple, focused image ad with a clear CTA
🎬 When to Use Video Ads
- Explaining a complex product or service
- Building brand awareness or storytelling
- Capturing attention in competitive niches
- Showing real people (testimonials, behind-the-scenes)
✅ Best Practices:
- Hook in the first 3 seconds
- Add subtitles for silent autoplay
- Keep under 15 seconds for Stories/Reels
- End with strong CTA overlay
Engaging visual with real people & brand story
📌 Hybrid Strategy: Combine Image + Video
👉 Brands that test and rotate between image and video often achieve the best results.
For example:
- Video ad for awareness
- Image ad to retarget warm leads
- Carousel for product details
- Stories with both formats
SEO Keywords to Target
- image vs video in Facebook Ads
- which ad format works best globally
- video vs image ad performance
- Facebook ad strategy by country
- best performing ad types 2024
- image or video for ecommerce ads
Conclusion
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But understanding your audience, objective, and region can help you choose the right format.
