Quick answer: Instagram ads vs Facebook ads is rarely either/or. Run both through Advantage+ placements, with creative made for feed, Stories and Reels.
Instagram and Facebook ads are bought in the same place, from the same budget, with the same targeting. The question isn’t really “which platform?” It’s “which placements should my ads appear in, and does my creative suit them?”
How they differ
- Skews older. A large share of Australian users are 35 and over, which often lines up well with homeowners, business owners and decision-makers.
- People read more. Longer text, links and lead forms feel natural in the feed.
- Facebook Marketplace and groups mean people already use it to find local services and recommendations.
- Skews younger, and very visual.
- Most attention goes to Reels and Stories, which are full-screen vertical video.
- Text is secondary. Captions get less attention, so the visual has to carry the message.
- Strong for industries where looks sell: design, renovation, landscaping, beauty, hospitality, fitness and events.
Why most businesses should run both
By default, Meta’s Advantage+ placements shows your ads across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Threads and the Audience Network, and moves budget to wherever you’re getting results most cheaply. Meta generally finds that more placements lead to a lower cost per result, because the system has more inventory to choose from.
Limiting yourself to one platform makes sense only when:
- Your audience is clearly on one (say, B2B services for older business owners on Facebook)
- Your creative only suits one format and you can’t produce the other
- Placement data clearly shows one produces junk leads
Make your creative fit both
The biggest mistake isn’t the platform choice. It’s running a horizontal image built for Facebook feed in Instagram Stories, where it shows up as a small box with blank bars around it.
- Feed (both apps): 4:5 vertical, 1080×1350
- Stories and Reels (both apps): 9:16, 1080×1920
- Use placement asset customisation in the ad setup to give each placement its own version of the image or video.
- Keep text and faces away from the top and bottom of 9:16 video, where buttons and profile names appear.
Check the breakdown, then decide
After two to four weeks, open Ads Manager, choose Breakdown → By delivery → Placement, and compare:
- Cost per result by placement
- Lead quality by placement (does your CRM show a pattern?)
- Link CTR and landing page views by placement
If one placement produces cheap leads that never convert, exclude it. A common candidate is Audience Network (ads shown in other apps), which can produce accidental clicks for some businesses. Don’t exclude placements just on cost per click, though. Judge on cost per qualified lead.
What about Messenger and Threads?
- Messenger placements are small. For many service businesses, the more useful Messenger feature is click-to-message ads, where the ad opens a conversation.
- Threads ads are newer. They come along automatically with Advantage+ placements and use your existing creative.
The short answer
Run both through Advantage+ placements, build creative in 4:5 and 9:16, and let the placement breakdown tell you whether to narrow it down. The platform rarely makes or breaks a campaign. The creative and the offer do.
Sources and further reading
- Meta Ads Guide – specs for every placement
- Meta Business Help Centre – search “Advantage+ placements”
- Meta: Instagram for Business
Written by Gregory
20 years building websites and running lead generation, mostly with my own money on the line. Based in Sydney, working with clients worldwide. How I work →