The Ultimate Guide to Paid Ad Specs: Paid Search, Display, DemandGen, Paid Social, & Affiliate

Looking to get more from your ad spend? In a fast-moving digital landscape, running effective ads means more than just great creative. You need the right specs, formats, and placements to ensure your campaigns perform across every platform.

This updated index, current as of August 2025, is your go-to guide for paid media asset requirements. It covers everything from Google Ads formats like image extensions, Performance Max, Responsive Display, uploaded banners, DemandGen, and YouTube to social platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Snapchat. You will also find key details for affiliate placements to help you stay organized and ready to launch.

Planning your next campaign? Be sure to check out Revel’s latest blog, 28 Engaging Paid Social Ad Ideas: Creative Themes to Stop the Scroll, for inspiration that captures attention and drives results.

PAID SEARCH

Image Extension Ad Specs

Google Ads image extensions enhance your ads by allowing you to include visual elements, such as photos and graphics, alongside your text ads. These extensions capture attention, improve ad relevance, and can boost click-through rates by providing a more engaging experience for potential customers.

Performance Max Ad Specs

Performance Max ads from Google Ads are designed to drive conversions across various Google platforms. They use multiple asset types like images, videos, and logos to maximize reach and performance.

 

DISPLAY

Responsive Display Ad Specs

Responsive display ads utilize various assets, which are individual components of an ad like headlines, descriptions, images, or logos. To create these ads, you'll need to provide these assets: headlines, descriptions, images, and logos. Google’s machine learning algorithms then combine these assets in countless ways across the Google Display Network, optimizing them in real-time for the best performance.

Uploaded Banner Ad Specs

Display ads using uploaded banners effectively capture attention across the Google Display Network's extensive reach of 2 million websites and apps. Google Ads offers multiple options for creating responsive display ads and custom uploaded display ads, making it easy to engage your audience.

YouTube

YouTube ads focus on engaging viewers with video content that fits within the platform’s diverse ad formats. The goal is to create compelling content that drives brand awareness, consideration, or action based on your campaign objectives.

 

DEMAND GEN

Demand Gen campaigns enable you to connect with up to 2.9 billion users across multiple platforms. Your ads can appear on YouTube, including the YouTube feed, In-Stream ads, and Shorts, as well as in the social promotions tabs of Gmail and within the Discover app. Leveraging Google AI, Demand Gen campaigns optimize your reach and engagement.

 

PAID SOCIAL

Meta (Instagram & Facebook) Ad Specs

Meta ads for Instagram and Facebook aim to increase visibility and interaction through a variety of formats. Whether using images, videos, carousels, or collections, these ads are optimized to engage users in their social feeds.

TikTok Ad Specs

TikTok ads are designed to blend seamlessly with user-generated content while capturing attention with short, dynamic videos or images. These ads leverage TikTok’s creative tools to engage a younger, trend-savvy audience.

Pinterest Ad Specs

Pinterest ads are crafted to inspire users with high-quality visuals and ideas. These ads utilize vertical images and videos to fit the platform's visual discovery environment, aiming to drive interest and clicks.

LinkedIn Ad Specs

LinkedIn is a professional network ideal for B2B advertising, targeting professionals based on job title, industry, and skills. It's hosted on its website and mobile app, making it a prime platform for career-oriented ads and industry-specific promotions.

Reddit Ad Specs

Reddit offers unique advertising opportunities through targeted ads in user-created forums (subreddits) that align with specific interests and communities. Reddit allows advertisers to reach niche audiences with relevant content.

Snapchat Ad Specs

Snapchat provides engaging ad formats like stories and filters, targeting a younger audience with interactive, visually appealing content. It’s a go-to platform for dynamic, short-lived advertising campaigns.

 

AFFILIATE

Affiliate Ad Specs

Affiliate ads are used by partners to promote your brand through high-quality images and clear CTAs. These ads are optimized to drive traffic and conversions from affiliate networks by providing engaging and actionable content.

 

CONCLUSION

Remember bookmark this guide so you can quickly reference it as you build and launch new campaigns. With the right tools and attention to detail, you can bring precision and creativity to every ad you run and stay ready for whatever comes next.

If you have questions or want to talk through strategy, the Revel team is here to help. Whether you need expert insights, creative ideas, or just a second opinion, we’re ready to support you. Let’s keep your campaigns sharp, effective, and ahead of the curve.

SOURCES

Photo: © Iuliia Pilipeichenko from Getty Images