Platform guide
Story Ads for Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat: 9:16 Product Ads
Make story ads at 9:16, the full-screen vertical size that Instagram Stories, TikTok and Snapchat all use, and keep text away from the top and bottom, where each app places its own buttons. In Lahjty (لهجتي), choose 9:16 in Image mode and attach your product, and you get a full-screen ad built on the real product photo with a caption in your customers' dialect.
Already have a 4:5 ad you like? Edit it and choose 9:16, and Lahjty extends the scene to the taller frame instead of stretching the product.
First 3 ad images freeNo card needed
Written byShadi Al MilhemFounder of Lahjty
Updated
Example ads made from one product photo
These are fictional products from Lahjty's own library of ad styles. Each ad was made from one photo of its product. They show what the styles look like, not results from customers.
SAAH
Saudi ArabicStory, 9:16Example caption:
ساعة ترافقك من الدوام للعشا. SAAH ستيل بميناء أزرق مرة أنيق، اطلبها من الرابط.
In English: A watch that goes with you from work to dinner. SAAH: steel with a blue dial, very elegant. Order it from the link.
BUZA SAFFRON
Emirati ArabicStory, 9:16Example caption:
الجو حر؟ BUZA SAFFRON آيس كريم بالزعفران والفستق، وايد بارد ولذيذ. اطلبه اليوم.
In English: Hot out? BUZA SAFFRON is saffron and pistachio ice cream, really cold and tasty. Order it today.
RAAD
Egyptian ArabicStory, 9:16Example caption:
عايز ريحة رجالي تقيلة للسهرات؟ RAAD هيعجبك أوي. اطلبه دلوقتي من اللينك.
In English: Want a deep men's scent for evenings out? You'll really like RAAD. Order it now from the link.
How to make a story ad that works on all three apps
Start in 9:16
Attach a saved product and choose 9:16 in Image mode. For several products, Sets can add a 9:16 story beside each 4:5 post.
Keep text in the middle band
Ask for a short headline in the upper middle and keep the bottom of the frame free, because that is where captions and buttons appear.
Check each app's safe zone
Nothing important should sit in the top 14% or bottom 35% for Instagram, or the top 150 and bottom 330 pixels on Snapchat. TikTok publishes safe zone templates, including a right-to-left version for the Arabic region.
Write a short caption
TikTok lists up to 100 characters of ad text in most languages and Snapchat headlines go up to 34, so write one hook and one call to action in your buyers' dialect.
Add sound for TikTok
TikTok's ad policy says the ad must contain audio, so pair a still ad with a voiceover in your dialect or with music in TikTok's editor.
One vertical size, three different screens
All three apps fill the phone screen at 9:16, but each covers a different part of it. Meta suggests leaving roughly 14% of the top, 35% of the bottom and 6% of each side free of text on Stories and Reels images. Snapchat asks you to keep the top 150 pixels and the bottom 330 pixels of its 1080 × 1920 canvas clear. TikTok's safe zones come as downloadable templates.
The area that works for all three is the middle of the frame: the product in the centre, the headline in the upper middle and nothing important at the bottom.
Still image or video
A still 9:16 ad works as an Instagram or Snapchat story. Snapchat turns a still image into a 5-second video and recommends keeping ads around 5 to 6 seconds. TikTok requires audio in every ad, so a still ad there needs a voiceover or music. Lahjty makes the still ad and the voiceover; you combine them in the app's editor or any video app.
Dialect on a small screen
A story is seen for a moment, so the caption should sound like a friend talking, not a brochure. Lahjty writes captions and headlines in Saudi, Emirati, Egyptian, Levantine and Iraqi Arabic, Fus'ha or English, and keeps product names exactly as printed.
Check before you post
- The product and headline sit in the middle of the frame.
- Nothing important in the top 14% or bottom 35% (Instagram).
- The top 150 px and bottom 330 px are clear (Snapchat).
- Checked against TikTok's right-to-left safe zone template.
- Audio is added for TikTok.
Sources
Platform specs were read on the official pages below on 15 October 2026. Platforms change their specs, so check again before you launch.
- Meta Ads Guide: Instagram Stories image ads
- Meta Ads Guide: Instagram Reels image ads
- TikTok Ads Help: auction in-feed ads
- TikTok Ads Help: reservation in-feed ads
- TikTok for Business: video advertising guide
- TikTok ad policy: ad format and functionality
- Snapchat Business Help: single image or video specs
- Snapchat Business Help: creative best practices
Questions sellers ask
What size are story ads on TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram?
All three use 9:16. Snapchat specifies 1080 × 1920 pixels, TikTok recommends exporting at 1080 × 1920 or higher, and Meta lists 1440 × 2560 pixels for Instagram Stories images. Make the ad at 9:16 and it fits all three.
Where should text go on a story ad?
In the middle of the frame. Meta suggests leaving about 14% at the top, 35% at the bottom and 6% at the sides free of text, and Snapchat asks for the top 150 and bottom 330 pixels to stay clear.
Can I use the same ad on TikTok and Snapchat?
Yes. The 9:16 image works on both, but check each safe zone and caption length: Snapchat headlines go up to 34 characters and TikTok ad text up to 100 in most languages. TikTok ads must also contain audio.
How do I turn a feed ad into a story?
Open the finished ad in Lahjty, edit it and pick 9:16. Lahjty recomposes it for the tall frame and extends the background instead of stretching or cropping the product. Read the text yourself afterwards, because edits are not checked the way new ads are.
Do TikTok ads need sound?
Yes. TikTok's ad policy says the ad must contain audio. Lahjty can make a voiceover in your dialect to go with your 9:16 ad.