Perfect Crop for All Ad Formats

This guide provides an understanding of what to do if creative does not fit into all widget formats due to an incorrect image crop.

Introduction

It happens to the best of us: you've created the perfect personalized ad with all of your desired elements only to realize that the design only fits some image crops. 

While creating ads that work for all three image ratio crops in the system can be a real challenge, it's crucial for ensuring a consistent and compelling visual presence across various platforms. 

Below, please find some tips to help you design ads that can adapt to various crops.

Tip 1: Use centered designs

Identify the key message or element of your ad. This could be the logo, a specific product image, or compelling text. Position crucial elements closer to the center of the image to ensure that this core element remains prominent and safe from cropping. This trick helps prevent important information from being cut off when the aspect ratio changes.

Tip 2: Simplify and prioritize

Streamline your design by eliminating unnecessary elements. Prioritize the most critical components and ensure they are visible in all aspect ratios. Too much clutter can become problematic when adapting to different sizes. Establish "safe zones" within your design where critical information should be placed, which involves leaving some space around the edges that is less likely to be cropped. 

This would usually mean ensuring critical information remains within the 400x400 zone. 

Tip 3: Test it in the MGID Ads dashboard

Test your designs for each aspect ratio within the MGID Ads dashboard if you need clarification on the dimensions or want to check how the design will look. This will help you identify potential issues and make the necessary adjustments.

Tip 4: Adapt text

If your ad includes text, consider how different aspect ratios will affect it. Long text lines may need to be shortened or reformatted to fit in a square or horizontal format. Based on its formatting, some text may only appear in one or two crops.