Digital Marketing
How Vertical Video Boosts Meta Ad Performance
Explore how vertical video enhances ad performance on Meta, driving engagement and ROI through immersive storytelling and mobile-friendly design.
By Mason Boroff
Apr 5, 2025
Vertical video is transforming how businesses advertise on Meta platforms, driving better engagement and higher ROI. Here's why it works:
Mobile-Friendly Design: Fits naturally with how people hold their phones, providing a full-screen, immersive experience.
Higher Engagement: Leads to longer watch times, better retention, and more interactions, like likes, shares, and comments.
Algorithm Advantage: Meta prioritizes vertical videos, giving them more visibility in Reels and Stories.
ROI Benefits: Businesses report significant returns, with examples like BlueRidge Company averaging $500k+ monthly through vertical video campaigns.
To succeed, focus on creating mobile-first, short, visually striking videos with strong hooks and clear messaging. Use tools like advanced tracking and performance dashboards to refine and optimize campaigns.
Meta Recommends 4:5 Aspect Ratio
The Effectiveness of Vertical Videos on Meta
Meta's vertical video format has reshaped how users engage on mobile devices. Its success lies in its mobile-friendly design and algorithms that promote content with strong engagement.
Mobile-Friendly Design
Vertical videos align perfectly with how people naturally hold their smartphones, offering a full-screen, immersive experience. Some key benefits include:
Full-screen focus
Easy-to-reach interactive features
No need to rotate the device
Engagement Insights
Vertical videos often result in longer watch times, higher retention, and better interaction rates across Meta's platforms. These strong engagement numbers encourage Meta's algorithm to give vertical videos a wider reach.
Algorithm Advantage
Meta's algorithms prioritize content designed for mobile users. Vertical videos, with their engaging format, perform well in features like Reels and Stories, leading to greater visibility and better results.
Main Advantages of Vertical Video Ads
Return on Ad Spend
Vertical video ads deliver strong returns on Meta by aligning with how people naturally view content on their phones.
Take BlueRidge Company, for example. Their marketing director, Walker, shared:
"We've been averaging $500k+ monthly with amazing returns. They consistently deliver quality work and results. Keep up the excellent work guys, looking forward to crushing this year."
Steel City Auto Spa also saw great results using vertical videos. Brett from Steel City Auto Spa said:
"If you're looking to level up your business, partner with Dancing Chicken. They deliver real results without wasting your marketing budget like other agencies."
These results highlight the potential of vertical video ads to drive strong performance and tell deeper stories.
Video Storytelling Impact
Vertical videos are perfect for storytelling on mobile. The full-screen format creates an immersive experience that grabs attention and keeps viewers engaged. Here's why they work so well:
Full-screen visuals draw viewers in right away
The format fits naturally with how people consume content on mobile
It minimizes distractions, keeping the focus on the story
Immersive viewing helps people remember your message better
Mobile User Experience
Vertical videos are designed for how we use our phones. They let users watch without flipping their devices, making the experience smooth and natural. This leads to:
More time spent watching
Higher rates of viewers finishing the video
Easier interactions, like likes, comments, and shares
These features make vertical video ads a powerful tool for grabbing attention, keeping viewers engaged, and driving conversions.
Making Effective Vertical Video Ads
Reels and Stories Best Practices
Create vertical ads with clear visuals and short, impactful messaging that matches your brand's tone. For example, Dancing Chicken uses a strategy that aligns creative content with marketing goals to improve Meta ad performance. Starting with a strong visual ensures you grab attention right away.
Length and Hook Guidelines
Get your audience’s attention in the first few seconds. Use a bold visual or message to encourage viewers to stick around for the full ad, much like Dancing Chicken's method. A strong hook is key to keeping people engaged.
Sound and Text Elements
Use a mix of audio, text, and visuals to deliver your message effectively, no matter the viewing environment. This approach helps maintain brand consistency while boosting engagement.
Dancing Chicken's Vertical Video Services
Dancing Chicken boosts Meta ad performance with services designed to capitalize on the power of vertical videos.
Vertical Video Strategy
Dancing Chicken creates tailored vertical video strategies that align with each brand's specific goals. With over 4 years of experience and more than $30M in ad spend managed, their approach focuses on data-backed campaigns that drive engagement and deliver ROI. They analyze key factors like brand voice, inventory, profit margins, and customer lifecycle to craft effective campaigns.
To ensure success, they use tools like custom dashboard columns, advanced UTM parameters, and detailed tagging systems. This meticulous process helps deliver results while keeping the brand's message consistent across Meta platforms.
Performance Measurement
Dancing Chicken uses advanced tracking techniques to monitor and improve vertical video performance. Their system includes:
Metric | Method | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
Custom Dashboard Columns | Tracks real-time metrics | Quick insights into performance |
Advanced UTM Parameters | Analyzes traffic in detail | Accurate attribution |
Third-Party Integration | Tools like Hyros/TripleWhale | Better data accuracy |
Custom Tagging System | Tracks granular performance | Detailed campaign insights |
This setup helps brands understand their video performance and make data-driven adjustments for improved outcomes. These insights also inform their creative execution for video production.
Video Production Services
Dancing Chicken offers two vertical video production plans:
Growth Plan ($1,500/month): Perfect for businesses needing regular content. Includes bi-weekly ad creative production, supports ad spending up to $30,000/month, and provides access to real-time analytics dashboards.
Enterprise Plan ($4,000/month): Designed for larger-scale operations. Offers unlimited design team access, supports ad spending up to $100,000/month, and includes advanced tools like AI-powered lead qualification and enterprise-level attribution.
Both plans include offer engineering focused on return on ad spend (ROAS) and dedicated support to help businesses maximize their vertical video campaigns on Meta platforms.
Maximizing Vertical Video Results
Vertical video has proven to be a powerful tool for driving results with Meta ads. Research shows that vertical video can significantly increase engagement and return on ad spend (ROAS). The key? Creating mobile-first content that grabs attention within seconds while keeping your brand message consistent across Meta platforms.
Mason Boroff, Founder & CEO of Dancing Chicken, shares his perspective:
"My mission is to empower businesses to scale effortlessly using data-driven advertising frameworks and automation".
Real-world success stories back this up. For example, Coach B Training generated over 400 webinar signups, and Baja Construction landed a $100,000 project - all within just two weeks of launching vertical video ads.
Key Factors for Success
Implementing the right strategies can make all the difference. Here's a breakdown of critical elements to focus on:
Factor | How to Apply It |
|---|---|
Data-Driven Decisions | Leverage custom dashboards and advanced UTM tracking to monitor ad performance. |
Creative Optimization | Refresh ad creatives every two weeks to keep content engaging. |
Technical Setup | Use accurate pixel tracking and build targeted audiences for better results. |
Performance Analysis | Employ enterprise-level attribution tools to measure and refine outcomes. |
These strategies offer a clear pathway for achieving better results with vertical video ads.
The rise of vertical video highlights a shift in how people consume content on mobile devices. Combining this format with a data-focused approach and fine-tuned creative execution is a proven formula for success.
John from Seakeeper sums it up perfectly:
"These guys are the real deal. No BS, just results. I rarely need to follow up because they're always on point with their deliverables and communication".