Promoted Ads (Image and Video)
Image and video ads that look like posts in the X timeline, with Website Card for site traffic and App Button for app installs.
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X ad format
X Collection Ads and Carousel Ads Management
One image is enough to present one product. When you need to show an outfit, a collection or six features of one product, we use two formats on X: Collection Ads and Carousel Ads. Both carry up to 6 images and can link each image to a separate page. The difference is how the user sees the products, and that decides which creative goes into which format.
Purpose and appearance
What do we use this format for?
We use Collection and Carousel ads to show products sold together on an e-commerce site, or several features of one product, in the same ad. At a season launch we link an outfit, and in a sale week five hero products, to their own product pages; by measuring which card gets clicked and which one sells, we shorten the path to the cart.
Funnel stages it serves
- Awareness
- Consideration
- Conversion
- Loyalty
X Collection Ads vs. Carousel Ads: which to use
Collection Ads have a fixed hero image at the top and small images below that scroll horizontally. The user sees all products at a glance without swiping card by card. According to X's creative specs, they use a hero image and up to 5 additional images; images are 1:1, at least 800x800 pixels and up to 3 MB.
Carousel Ads offer 2 to 6 horizontally swipeable cards. Cards can be images, videos or a mix. Each card can go to the same page or to different pages. Because swiping creates a sequence, we prefer Carousel for storytelling setups: problem, solution, product, proof, offer.
- Outfit, set or collection: Collection
- Explaining a product's features in order: Carousel
- Setups where video is essential: Carousel
- One clear main product with complementary items: Collection
Card order is a decision, not an accident
In the Carousel campaigns we manage, most clicks land on the first cards; few users swipe to the end. We put the strongest product or clearest offer on the first card and a category page link such as "See the full collection" on the last. In Collection, the hero image carries all the weight: small images get attention only if the hero image stopped the user.
In creative tests we do not change all cards at once. We test the hero image or first card first, lock in the winner, then move to the next cards. When six variables change at the same time, you cannot tell which change moved the result. We also compare which images stop the scroll with results on other channels through ad creative analysis.
Card-level tracking: six links, six measurement questions
When each image goes to a different page, you need to see separately which product gets clicked and which one sells. We add a separate UTM content value naming the product to each card and read results at card level in GA4. That way we can spot when one card carries all the sales, or when a card never gets clicked, even if the ad as a whole looks fine.
The pages the cards link to need the same care. If a user taps a product image and lands on a category page, they have to search for that product. We link directly to product pages and replace out-of-stock items before the campaign. In sale periods we avoid printing prices on images of products whose price changes. For catalogs with hundreds of frequently changing products, Dynamic Product Ads fit better than these hand-built formats.
Collection and Carousel Ads: when do we recommend it?
We recommend it
- Categories where products sell together, such as fashion, home decor and beauty
- Tech and automotive brands that want to explain several features of one product in order
- E-commerce sites that want to show a few hero products in one ad during a sale
- Brands that want to send several services to separate landing pages
We don't recommend it
- Timely posts that need to say one idea quickly; a single-image ad is enough there
- Large catalogs where price and stock change daily
- Brands without six good images that would fill cards with weak visuals
How we manage Collection and Carousel Ads
- Collection or CarouselWe choose based on whether products should be shown together or in sequence.
- Image preparationWe prepare 1:1 images of at least 800x800 pixels for Collection and match image and video ratios for Carousel.
- Links and UTMsWe set a direct product page link and a separate UTM content value for each card.
- Sequential testingWe test the hero image or first card first, then move on to the next cards.
- Card-level reviewEach week we replace cards that get no clicks or sales.
Collection and Carousel Ads: metrics and requirements
Metrics we track
- Click-through rate per card
- Cost per link click
- Landing page view rate
- Sales by card
- ROAS
What you need to get started
- At least 6 product images at 1:1 for Collection
- 2-6 images or videos for Carousel
- A separate, direct product or service page for each card
- A UTM structure and GA4 e-commerce tracking
Official sources
The Brand Move X Team
Contact us nowTo learn more about Collection and Carousel Ads or other X ad formats, contact The Brand Move X team today.
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ExploreFrequently asked questions
Collection and Carousel Ads: frequently asked questions
What are X Collection Ads?
A format with one hero image and up to five smaller images that scroll horizontally below it, all visible in one view. Each image can link to its own page, which makes the format suited to outfits, sets and collections.
Do the small images in a Collection ad get clicked?
They do, but much less than the hero image. We put the best-selling or most eye-catching product in the hero and use complementary products in the small images. Card-level UTM data shows which small image is working.
Can we mix images and video in an X Carousel?
Yes, X supports mixed media in Carousel. Making the first card a video and using product images on the following cards is a setup we use often. The video stops the scroll on the first card, and the images present the products one by one.
Can each card link to a different website?
Each card can go to a separate destination, but for measurement and brand consistency we recommend linking all of them to pages on your own domain. With different domains, pixel and UTM data lose consistency.
How many cards can an X Carousel ad have?
Between 2 and 6. Most clicks go to the first cards, so we put the strongest product or offer first and a "See the full collection" category link last.
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