Vkontakte Advertising: Key Formats and Technical Specifications

In our previous article, we delved into the intricacies of placing creatives on Yandex.Direct. Now, let’s dive deeper into the diverse advertising formats available on the VKontakte platform.

Advertisements on VKontakte can be strategically positioned within communities or implemented through targeted campaigns. When opting for the former, the published content closely resembles standard network posts, with the addition of an “Advertising” label below the message. Targeted ads seamlessly blend with user-generated content, bolstering brand visibility and attracting potential customers. Moreover, there are multiple placement options to consider. Ads can be showcased on VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, and other sites within the VK network project.

Please note that the specific requirements for creatives depend on the type of advertising publication and the VKontakte advertising dashboard being used. Currently, there are two main platforms available. The first is VKontakte PRO, which has been in operation for several years. The second is VK Advertising, which was launched in 2022 in beta mode. Additionally, there are plans to potentially merge VK Advertising with the myTarget platform into a unified system in the future. As a result, certain features of myTarget, such as mobile application promotion, have already transitioned to the new platform.

Now, let’s delve into a more detailed examination of each service.

Diverse Formats Offered by VKontakte PRO

Despite the introduction of the new VK Advertising service, VKontakte PRO cabinet continues to operate normally. The developers have not yet disclosed the future plans for the platform. As VK Advertising is still in the testing phase, many advertisers are still utilizing VKontakte PRO for their campaigns.

The specific requirements for advertising creatives in VKontakte PRO are directly dependent on the format of the promotional publication.

The Versatile Carousel Format

The format is compatible with both desktop and mobile versions, enabling users to upload multiple images to showcase the benefits of products, a wide range of options, and more. The carousel format proves highly effective for retargeting, presenting users with several previously viewed products in a single advertisement. Additionally, you have the option to include “old-new price” variations and multiple links to third-party resources.

Technical requirements:

• Body text: Limited to 220 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks), excluding links, emojis, hashtags, and references to accounts or other companies.
• Title length: Each line should be between 3 and 25 characters.
• Allowed number of images: 3 to 10 cards, each sized at 400×400 pixels.
• Image format: JPG, PNG, GIF (without animation).
• Text in images: Should occupy no more than 20% of the creative.

A snippet featuring an advertising post accompanied by a clickable button

This is a concise post comprising of an image or video accompanied by a button directing users to either the VKontakte community or external platforms. The format is compatible with both desktop and mobile devices. The button’s text is automatically generated from a list of system-suggested options. For instance, if a phone number is provided, the system may suggest “Register” as the button text.

Technical requirements:

• Body text: Limited to a maximum of 2 line breaks, 220 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks), and no more than 12 emojis. Avoid including links, hashtags, or references to other accounts or companies.
• Title: Can be up to 80 characters in length and can be placed alongside the button.
• Image format: Acceptable formats include JPG, PNG, and GIF (non-animated).
• Image size: The image should be sized at 537×250 pixels.
• Video format: Supported formats are AVI, MP4, 3GP, MPEG, MOV, FLV, F4V, WMV, MKV, WEBM, VOB, RM, RMVB, M4V, MPG, OGV, TS, M2TS, MTS, with an aspect ratio of 16:9.
• Visual text limit: The text displayed in the visual part of the content should occupy no more than 20% of the creative.

Versatile feed post

The universal feed post follows a familiar format like standard user-generated content, consisting of a text block accompanied by an image, video, or GIF animation. It is compatible with all devices. Its unique characteristic is the ability to include an extensive longread, providing a detailed description of the product or service’s advantages. Typically, the universal feed post commands a higher price compared to other formats, but it effectively engages the target audience.

Technical requirements:

• Body text: Can contain a maximum of 16,384 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks), excluding emojis.
• Additional tools: You have the option to include one snippet, GIF animation, video, or up to 10 images.
• Snippet text: Limited to 80 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks).
• Image format: Acceptable formats include JPG, GIF, TIF, or PNG.
• Visual text limit: The text displayed in the visual part of the content should occupy no more than 20% of the creative.
• GIF animation: Should be uploaded as a single file with a size limit of 50 MB. The dimensions should not exceed 1000 pixels on the long side, and the frame interval should range from 0.01 to 1 second.
• Video: Should not exceed 2 GB in size and have a maximum resolution of 1080 pixels. It should support content from video hosting platforms.
• Video format: Supported formats include AVI, MP4, 3GP, MPEG, MOV, FLV, F4V, WMV, MKV, WEBM, VOB, RM, RMVB, M4V, MPG, OGV, TS, M2TS, MTS.

Advertising on websites and personal pages

These are concise posts featuring a button and a snippet. The distinction lies in the fact that one directs users to external resources, while the other leads them to a personal profile or a specific post within that profile.

The requirements for these formats are fairly consistent:

• Text: The title and subtitle near the button should range from 3 to 25 characters. The description for site advertisements should be between 3 to 90 characters, while the description for personal page advertisements should be within 3 to 220 characters.
• Additional tools: You can include a logo with a minimum size of 256×256 pixels, as well as a snippet from a video or image.
• Image parameters: The image should have dimensions of 1080×607 pixels with an aspect ratio of 16:9. It should be in JPG, PNG, BMP, TIF, or GIF formats (non-animated), with a maximum file size of 5 MB.
• Video parameters: The minimum width for videos should be 600 pixels, with aspect ratios of 16:9, 4:3, or 1:1. The maximum file size is 1 GB, and accepted formats include VI, MP4, 3GP, MPEG, MOV, FLV, F4V, WMV, MKV, WEBM, VOB, RM, RMVB, M4V, MPG, OGV, TS, M2TS, and MTS.
• Video duration: Videos should have a duration ranging from 3 seconds to 5 minutes.

Advertisement placement in clips and stories

This type of advertising is exclusively available to VKontakte users on the mobile version. It utilizes a vertical format and offers a range of AR effects as a distinctive feature. Advertisements can be posted simultaneously in two sources or selected for placement in a single source.

Technical requirements:

• Tools: Up to 3 images or videos can be used for this type of advertising. It is recommended to place labels and graphic elements in the central part to align with the application interface.
• Image parameters: Vertical images should have a size of 720×1280 pixels and be in JPG, PNG, or GIF formats.
• Video parameters for stories: Videos should have a minimum resolution of 720×1280 with a ratio of 9:16. The file size should not exceed 10 MB, and the duration should be up to 15 seconds. Accepted formats include AVI, MP4, 3GP, MPEG, MOV, FLV, F4V, WMV, MKV, WEBM, VOB, RM, RMVB, M4V, MPG, OGV, TS, M2TS, and MTS.
• Video parameters for clips: Vertical videos for clips must have an accompanying audio track. The minimum resolution is 720×1280 with a ratio of 9:16. The file size should be up to 2 GB, and the duration can range from 2 to 60 seconds. Supported formats include AVI, MP4, 3GP, MPEG, MOV, FLV, F4V, WMV, MKV, WEBM, VOB, RM, RMVB, M4V, MPG, OGV, TS, M2TS, and MTS.
• Description: The description for this type of advertising can be up to 200 characters (including spaces and punctuation marks). Hashtags can also be used.

Promotion of mini-applications and games through advertising

This format is exclusively available on VKontakte and offers four placement options: the main format for promoting local applications and games, a square image with a button, an application showcase (limited to a separate auction section), and a special format featured in the “For You” tab within the “Games” section.

Key technical requirements:

• Title: Should be between 3 to 25 characters, including punctuation marks and spaces.
• Description: Ranging from 3 to 220 characters, including punctuation marks and spaces.
• Body text: Under the description, it should consist of 3 to 25 characters, including punctuation marks and spaces, without emojis.
• Application icon: The minimum size should be 256×256 pixels.
• Images: Should have a 16:9 aspect ratio, a minimum size of 1080×607 pixels, and a maximum file size of 5 MB. Accepted formats include JPG, PNG, BMP, TIF, or GIF (non-animated). Additionally, the text on the image for the description should occupy no more than 20% of the total photo area.
• Video: Videos should have aspect ratios of 16:9, 4:3, or 1:1, a minimum width of 600 pixels, and a maximum file size of 1 GB. Supported formats include AVI, MP4, 3GP, MPEG, MOV, FLV, F4V, WMV, MKV, WEBM, VOB, RM, RMVB, M4V, MPG, OGV, TS, M2TS, and MTS. The duration should be between 3 seconds and 5 minutes.
• Additional requirements for application showcase: At least 50,000 installations of the advertised application, a budget of 5,000 rubles or 500 VKontakte votes, and a banner size of 560×315 pixels (up to 5 MB).

Teaser Advertisement

Teaser ads are rectangular advertisements positioned to the left of the VKontakte user main menu. This format is exclusively available for the desktop version and comprises a compact image accompanied by a title.

Updated Technical Requirements:

For the “Image+Text” option:

• Title: 3 to 33 characters
• Description: up to 70 characters
• Image: 145×85 pixels

For the “Large Image” option:

• Title: any length
• Description: not applicable
• Image: 145×165 pixels

For the “Community promotion” option:

• Image: 145×145 pixels (automatically includes the community name in the text)

General image parameters:

• Maximum file size: up to 5 MB
• Accepted formats: JPG, PNG, BMP, TIF, or GIF (without animation)

Text limit in the visual part:

• Should occupy no more than 20% of the creative

Vkontakte PRO offers advanced options, resulting in changes to the requirements for advertising creatives based on their types (title, text, images, video) and within each group. This flexibility allows for greater convenience by combining parameters, which is no longer available in VK advertising.

Versatile format: VK Advertising

One of the key distinctions between VK Advertising and PRO VKontakte lies in their ability to work with a versatile format for ad placement. This feature enables the service to automatically select the most appealing publication option for users and platforms.

The tool operates on the following principle: during the “Ads” phase, advertisers are required to upload various image and video options within a single ad campaign. Subsequently, the system generates potential ad formats for websites such as VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, and VK networks, as well as other projects.

The Feed publication format includes an image and is designed for advertising on VKontakte and Odnoklassniki newsfeeds.

Native advertising seamlessly blends in with the overall design of the placement site, resembling its main content. It can be presented in text, graphic, or video format.

In-Stream video refers to video ads that appear within VKontakte and Odnoklassniki video advertising units.

Full-screen video comes in two formats. The first format consists of a video that lasts up to 30 seconds, and users receive a bonus (e.g., in-game currency) for watching it. This type of ad cannot be closed or skipped. Additionally, Fullscreen interstitial is a full-screen ad unit that includes either a video or several images and is available for mobile and mini applications, as well as the web version. The video within interstitial ads also lasts up to 30 seconds, but unlike rewarded videos, interstitial videos can be closed or skipped.

Clips and stories advertising are exclusively displayed on VKontakte and have a vertical format. The length of the video depends on the section: up to 12 seconds for Stories and up to 1 minute for Clips.

Upon uploading an ad, automatic placement is enabled on the platform by default. However, advertisers have the option to manually limit the placement range if desired. Additionally, the technical requirements for creatives across all formats remain consistent.

Here are the technical requirements:

• Icon size: 256×256 pixels. The system automatically retrieves the default name from the store.
• Title: The app store name is automatically loaded, and the allowed size is up to 25 characters.
• Subtitle: Placed in the text alongside the button, with a maximum limit of 30 characters.
• Ad body text: A short description of up to 90 characters, with an expanded text of up to 220 characters (displayed only on VKontakte and Odnoklassniki). If both fields are filled out, the system will prioritize displaying the expanded text.
• Button: Selected from a drop-down list, with the default text “Install.”
• Company information: Displays legal details, with a maximum limit of up to 115 characters.
• Images: Maximum size of 5 MB in JPG or PNG formats, with aspect ratios of 1:1 (600×600 pixels), 4:5 (1080×1350 pixels), or 16:9 (1080×607 pixels).
• Video: Up to 30 seconds in duration and weighing up to 90 MB, with a resolution of 640×360 pixels (recommended: 1280×720, 1920×1080) and aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:5, 19:9, or 9:16. Supported formats include mp4, mpeg, avi, mov (H.264, AAC). Please note that videos containing buttons or misleading elements for the user will not pass moderation, and low-quality or highly compressed videos will also be rejected during the moderation process.

Irrespective of the chosen advertising cabinet, VKontakte offers a wide range of advertising formats to suit various campaign objectives. The effectiveness of promotion relies on skillful targeting settings and the development of compelling creatives.

In addition to VKontakte advertising cabinets, ad targeting can also be configured using the myTarget service. You can find more information about it in our upcoming article.

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