Flexible Ads for Meta: The Modern Replacement for Dynamic Creative

For advertisers accustomed to Meta’s ecosystem, Dynamic Creative Ads were a staple tool for testing different combinations of images, videos, and headlines. However, for campaigns focused on Sales and App Promotion, Dynamic Creative is no longer available.

Enter Flexible Ads—an upgraded, more intelligent format designed to streamline creative testing and optimize performance by automatically adapting to the viewer.

What Are Flexible Ads?

Flexible Ads allow advertisers to upload multiple creative assets—up to 10 images or videos—within a single ad at the ad level (unlike Dynamic Creative, which operated at the ad set level).

Meta’s algorithm then analyzes the target audience and placement to determine the most effective format for each individual viewer. Depending on predicted performance, a single user might see your ad as a:

Single Image
Single Video
Carousel

This format is specifically designed to enhance performance for conversion-focused campaigns by removing the guesswork from format selection.

Key Differences: Flexible Ads vs. Dynamic Creative

While both formats share the goal of finding the best creative combination, Flexible Ads offer distinct improvements:

Ad Level Control: Assets are managed at the ad level, keeping campaign structures cleaner.
Automatic Carousel Creation: Meta can autonomously stitch your assets into a carousel if it predicts that format will drive better results.
Creative Grouping: You have more granular control over which assets appear together, preventing mismatched messaging.

How to Set Up Flexible Ads

Setting up Flexible Ads is straightforward and integrated directly into the standard Ads Manager workflow.

1. Initialize Your Campaign

Open Meta Ads Manager and click + Create.
Select a compatible objective: Traffic, Engagement, App Promotion, or Sales.
Note: If you choose Sales, ensure “Advantage+ Catalogue Ads” is toggled OFF.

2. Configure Ad Settings

Define your conversion location (e.g., Website, App, or Messaging apps) based on your objective.
Proceed to the Ad Setup section.

3. Select the Flexible Format

Under Ad Setup, choose Manual Upload as the source.
In the Ad Format section, select Flexible. This signals Meta to handle the delivery format dynamically.

4. Upload Assets

Add up to 10 images or videos. You can mix media types within the same ad.
Creative Groups: To maintain thematic consistency, you can organize assets into up to three “Creative Groups.” This ensures that specific images/videos are only paired with relevant text or destinations.

5. Finalize and Publish

Add your primary text, headlines, and descriptions. Providing multiple text options allows the algorithm to test different copy angles.
Use the Ad Preview tool (specifically “Advanced Preview”) to see how the ad adapts across Feeds, Stories, and Reels.
Click Publish to launch.

Best Practices for Success

To get the most out of the Flexible Ad format, consider these strategies:

Upload High-Quality Assets: Ensure images are at least 1080×1080 pixels. Use square (1:1) or vertical (9:16) aspect ratios to maximize screen real estate across different placements.
Leverage Creative Groups: Use grouping to keep your ads professional. For example, group “Lifestyle” images together and “Product Focus” images together so they don’t clash in a carousel.
Video Considerations: Keep videos short and engaging. Since many users watch with sound off, always include captions.
Diversify Your Copy: Input several variations of headlines and primary text. This allows the system to match the right tone (e.g., urgent vs. informative) to the right user.
Monitor Results: While the delivery is automated, you should still track which assets perform best to inform future creative production.

Why Switch to Flexible Ads?

Flexible Ads represent a shift from manual A/B testing to algorithmic optimization. By allowing Meta to decide whether a user converts better on a video or a carousel, advertisers can reduce creative fatigue, simplify account management, and ultimately drive more efficient conversions.

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