Traditional billboard advertising catches our attention on the highway, promoting everything from cookware to cosmetics. Digital advertising does the same across the information superhighway, with ads popping up in articles and feeds driving interest and brand recognition. Shoppable ads go a step further by featuring direct purchase links and in-app checkout, shortening the conversion path.
Imagine being able to instantly pull over on the side of the road to buy that razor, robe, or ring that caught your eye. Here’s what you need to know about shoppable ads to bring the experience to your online customers.
What are shoppable ads?
Shoppable ads let consumers click and buy products, or visit product pages directly from the ad itself, without leaving the app or platform. These shopping ads display products with tags, prices, and buy buttons to make it easier to purchase products featured in the promotion.
Ecommerce brands use relevant shoppable ads to move customers seamlessly from product discovery to checkout. Picture scrolling through Instagram and spotting sneakers—with a single tap, you’re whisked directly to the checkout page. These shoppable ads are everywhere, from Pinterest’s buyable pins to Instagram product tags, where you can quickly compare prices across different retailers.
Shoppable ads platforms
Brands have more ways than ever to turn their ads into instant sales opportunities:
Facebook’s ecommerce advertising solutions—within Meta’s larger ad ecosystem—enhance product discovery through shoppable photos, posts, Stories, and videos, letting online viewers buy directly from every piece of media. Plus, Meta’s precise targeting helps you reach shoppers most likely to buy.
Popular athletic wear brand Gymshark runs Facebook feed ads to promote its Whitney Legging collection relaunch. The carousel ad format shows multiple models wearing the leggings in different styles, with each slide featuring product-specific benefits alongside “Learn more” call-to-action buttons that link directly to product pages.
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Consider these features for your next Facebook ad campaign:
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Product tags and stickers reveal pricing and descriptions with a single tap.
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Collection ads create mini storefronts within users’ feeds.
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Integration with your product catalog for automatic inventory and pricing updates.
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Advantage+ Catalog ads target interested shoppers with relevant products.
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Shopping tags come in different formats, including feed posts and Stories.
Instagram shopping ads help brands expand their reach and boost conversions by placing shoppable ads in the social feeds of more than two billion monthly active users. Meta’s platform connects your product catalog to Instagram, letting you tag items in both organic content and shopping ads. Choose from photo ads, video ads, Stories, or collection formats that match your visual style.
Mansur Gavriel, a luxury accessories brand, runs Instagram Story ads to drive sales for its latest collection. The ad showcases four bags—the Flores, Everyday Soft Tote, Baci, and Swing—using a clean gallery-style layout, with product cards that link directly to shopping pages.

Explore these core Instagram ad features:
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Photo ads blend into users’ feeds with product tags and pricing.
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Story ads offer full-screen, immersive shopping experiences that disappear after 24 hours.
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Collection ads show multiple products in a scrollable gallery.
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Carousel ads allow up to 10 images or videos for deeper storytelling.
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Video ads are up to 60 seconds long to show products in action.
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Reels ads appear between organic short-form videos.
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Explore ads reach users while they browse new content.
YouTube
YouTube Shopping helps brands convert video content into interactive shopping experiences by tagging products viewers can discover as they watch. The platform lets you display shoppable products in video descriptions, share rows of your items as product shelves below or next to your videos and livestreams, and provide clickable product tags that appear throughout your content. Use YouTube’s direct Shopify integration to connect your product catalog and manage orders, returns, and payments from your Shopify admin.
Take note of these YouTube Shopping features:
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Product tags appear during relevant moments in videos.
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Dedicated product shelves of your merchandise display below or beside video content.
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Livestream shopping capabilities enable real-time product promotion.
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Shopping collections organize products by theme or category.
TikTok
TikTok ads offer a range of shoppable ad formats. These include Video Shopping Ads that direct users to your website, TikTok Shop Ads for in-app purchases, and Smart+ ads that automatically optimize product displays across the platform. The TikTok Shopify integration lets you manage all these shoppable ad formats, sync your product catalog, and track campaign performance from one dashboard.
Medik8 uses TikTok’s shoppable ad format to advertise its moisturizer through creator UGC content, featuring a close-up demonstration and product benefits with a direct “Shop now” call-to-action button.
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- Video Shopping Ads linking directly to your website.
- TikTok Shop Ads enabling in-app purchases.
- Smart+ ads for automated product recommendations.
- Live shopping ads during TikTok Shop broadcasts.
- Catalog integration for inventory syncing.
- Campaign management through Shopify.
Pinterest ads turn visual discovery into shopping opportunities with shoppable pins and a variety of ad formats. These include shopping ads with images, videos, or collections, showcase carousel ads, and quiz ads that help users find relevant products.
The Pinterest for Shopify app simplifies selling on Pinterest by syncing your store, automatically updating products, setting up conversion tracking, and offering potential ad credits.
Ruggable, the machine-washable rug brand, runs a Pinterest ad for its Elwood Forest Green Runner, naturally integrated into home décor inspiration pins. The promoted pin is clickable, leading directly to the product page for the entryway rug.

Transform visuals into buying opportunities with these Pinterest features:
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Feature your products through promoted pins, which display a “Promoted by” tag to boost visibility.
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Showcase ads display multiple products in carousel format.
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Quiz ads provide personalized product recommendations.
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Shopping ads come in static, video, or collection formats.
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Product pins provide pricing and availability information.
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Integrate with Shopify for catalog management.
Tips for creating effective shoppable ads
Your shoppable display ads deserve more than just a Buy Now button. Here are four key tips for crafting creative ads to drive action—from compelling copywriting to persuasive promos:
Integrate UGC content
While polished product photography has its place, user-generated content (UGC)—from customer reviews to social posts—often resonates more with shoppers. 2023 data shows customer reviews are particularly influential in purchase decisions.
Take advantage of this trend by featuring authentic customer content in your shoppable ads. If you run a skin care brand, share real before-and-after results; if you’re a fashion retailer, share try-on videos for shoppers. Luggage brand Monos shares travel influencer vlogs in its Facebook video ad to demonstrate its practical products in action.

Include a discount code
Discount codes in your shoppable social media ads can be the nudge potential customers need to make a purchase. For example, a shopper scrolling through their Facebook feed might spot an ad for sleek running shoes, made even more appealing with a “RUN10” code for 10% off.
Sustainable jewelry brand Linjer nails this approach in an Instagram Stories ad, showing a close-up of a ring set alongside a clear “20% Off Sitewide” holiday sale message to entice users to shop.

Craft persuasive copy
Flat, lifeless ad copy—like “Pans available in three sizes”—simply states facts without engaging the reader. Persuasive copy, on the other hand, connects with the audience by highlighting customer benefits, real-world applications, or even an inside joke familiar to your brand community, turning a basic product description into something relatable and desirable.
Cozy Earth takes this approach in its Facebook shopping ad, zeroing in on what matters most to its target customer: high-quality, ethically made bamboo bedding and loungewear designed to last.
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Explore video content
Shoppable ads often feature photos, but don’t underestimate the power of video.
Imagine a short video of someone using your product in their everyday life—like a student easily packing their books and laptop into your newly released backpack, or a dog happily playing with your durable new chew toy.
If in-house video production isn’t your strength, consider partnering with influencers for engaging video content with a built-in audience. Beauty brand Glossier does this in a Pinterest shopping ad, featuring a beauty influencer to showcase the key benefit of its Universal Pro-Retinol: achieving younger-looking skin.
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Shoppable ads FAQ
What is a shoppable ad?
A shoppable ad is a digital advertisement that lets consumers either purchase products directly within the ad interface or click through to the product page on the retailer’s website.
Where might consumers find shoppable ads?
Consumers find shoppable ads across social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok, as well as on entertainment platforms, search engine results, and websites.
What are shoppable posts?
Shoppable posts are social media content with integrated product tags, letting viewers tap items within the image or video to either instantly purchase or visit the product page.