Video Specs Music Ads

Video specs for music ads define the technical requirements for video advertising content. Understanding these specifications helps musicians prepare video creative that meets platform standards and displays correctly across placements.

What Are Video Specs

Video specs encompass the technical parameters that video files must meet for advertising use. These include resolution (image quality), aspect ratio (shape), duration (length), file format (encoding), frame rate (smoothness), and file size (data limits). Each platform establishes requirements based on their delivery systems and viewer experience standards.

Video advertising offers significant engagement potential for music promotion because it combines visual and audio elements that showcase the artist and their sound. However, the technical complexity exceeds static images, making spec compliance more important for avoiding rejection or quality degradation.

Musicians benefit from understanding specs before video production begins. Shooting and editing with final specs in mind produces better results than attempting to reformat footage after the fact. Planning for multiple aspect ratios during production enables efficient multi-platform advertising.

How Video Specs Work Across Platforms

Resolution standards center on 1080p (1920x1080 pixels) as the baseline quality level. Higher resolutions like 4K work but file sizes increase substantially. Lower resolutions may be accepted but appear inferior on high-quality displays. Matching resolution to aspect ratio produces proper pixel dimensions: 1080x1080 for square, 1080x1920 for vertical, 1920x1080 for landscape.

Aspect ratios determine video shape. Square (1:1) videos work well in social feeds and offer versatility. Vertical (9:16) videos fill mobile screens and perform strongly in stories, reels, and TikTok. Landscape (16:9) suits YouTube and certain display placements. Creating multiple aspect ratio versions of the same content expands placement options.

Duration limits vary by platform and placement. Stories placements typically max at 15 seconds. Feed videos commonly allow 15-60 seconds. Longer formats exist but attention typically drops after 30 seconds. For music advertising, 15-30 second durations often balance message delivery with viewer attention spans.

File format requirements typically specify MP4 container with H.264 video codec and AAC audio codec. These formats balance quality and file size while ensuring broad compatibility. Maximum file sizes range from 1GB to 4GB depending on platform, though smaller files upload faster and stream more reliably.

Frame rate should match source footage, typically 24, 30, or 60 frames per second. Avoid mismatched frame rates that create stuttering. Most advertising works well at 30fps.

Key Considerations

• Plan for multiple aspect ratios during video production rather than cropping after
• Audio quality matters significantly for music advertising
• Shorter videos typically achieve better completion rates
• Compression settings affect quality and file size tradeoffs

Common Questions

What video length works best for music advertising?

Optimal length depends on platform and objective. For awareness campaigns, 15-30 seconds often works well, providing enough time to establish artist identity and showcase music without losing viewer attention. Stories placements limit content to 15 seconds maximum. Longer videos of 45-60 seconds can work for engaged audiences or detailed messaging but risk declining completion rates. Testing different lengths reveals what performs best for specific audiences.

Should musicians create separate videos for each platform?

Creating platform-optimized versions produces better results than using identical content everywhere. At minimum, preparing square, vertical, and landscape aspect ratios covers most placement needs. Ideally, content itself adapts to platform norms: faster pacing for TikTok, different hooks for stories versus feed. However, budget and time constraints may necessitate starting with one versatile version and expanding over time.

Summary

Video specs for music ads include resolution, aspect ratio, duration, format, and file size requirements that vary across platforms. Standard baseline specs include 1080p resolution, H.264/AAC encoding, and 15-30 second duration. Creating multiple aspect ratio versions from production footage enables broad platform coverage while maintaining quality standards.