Creative Specs

YouTube (Google Ads)

Horizontal 16:9, :15 and :30

Spec	Detail
Aspect ratio	16:9 (horizontal)
Resolution	1920×1080 recommended (1280×720 minimum)
Duration	Skippable in-stream covers :15, :30, and :60, with a skip button appearing at 5 seconds. Non-skippable in-stream is generally capped at :15–:20 in the standard auction tier, with a separate longer non-skippable tier available on YouTube TV/reach-focused buys.
File format	MP4 (H.264) recommended; MOV and AVI are also accepted
Max file size	Very generous (Google states up to 256 GB) — not a practical constraint for typical creative
Audio	AAC or MP3, 44.1 kHz or higher

Which duration and format (skippable vs. non-skippable, in-stream vs. YouTube TV) is right depends on the plan; confirm with your Punch contact before production.

Google now also allows a video file to be uploaded directly in-platform, without hosting it on a YouTube channel at all. Our recommendation is still to connect it to the candidate or organization's YouTube account, so people who want to learn more have somewhere to go. If that's not feasible, the MP4 file can be used directly in-platform instead.

Meta

Newsfeed and 9:16 vertical (Stories & Reels)

Newsfeed

Spec	Detail
Aspect ratio	4:5 is our default recommendation for feed: it takes up more of the screen than a square 1:1 crop. 1:1 can also work.
Resolution	1080×1350 (4:5) or 1080×1080 (1:1)
File format	MP4 or MOV (H.264)
Max file size	Up to 4 GB, though keeping well under 1 GB is recommended for smoother delivery
Duration	Technically anywhere from 1 second to 240 minutes. :15–:30 is the practical range for a standard spot; a :06 cut is also worth having on hand; see note below.

Vertical, 9:16 (Stories & Reels)

Spec	Detail
Aspect ratio	9:16, full-screen
Resolution	1080×1920 recommended
File format	MP4 or MOV (H.264)
Max file size	Same as feed: up to 4 GB, aim well under 1 GB
Duration	Reels cap at 90 seconds; :15–:30 is the sweet spot

Safe zones aren't symmetric: keep key text, logos, and captions out of the top ~14% and the bottom ~20–35% of a 9:16 frame (the bottom overlay is bigger, covering likes/comments/share/caption stacking), plus roughly 6% on each side.

A short :06 cut is worth producing alongside the standard length: it's an efficient way to build reach and frequency rather than relying solely on the longer version.

Programmatic: StackAdapt

Horizontal 16:9, :15 and :30

Spec	Detail
Aspect ratio	16:9 recommended (1:1, 4:5, and 4:3 are also accepted)
Resolution	1920×1080 recommended
Duration	:15 and :30 are the standard lengths we run
File format	MP4 or MOV
Max file size	1 GB

Programmatic: Beeswax (FreeWheel)

Horizontal 16:9, :15 and :30

Beeswax is the actual DSP we traffic through; FreeWheel is the premium CTV/video supply it connects to (Hulu, NBCUniversal, ESPN, Roku, Netflix, and other premium publishers). Because that inventory is bought publisher-by-publisher, the bitrate, resolution, and duration options that actually matter are set by each individual publisher, not by Beeswax itself. The table below shows how much that can vary.

For planning purposes, 16:9 at 1920×1080, MP4 (H.264), in :15 or :30, is a safe baseline to produce to. Confirm exact bitrate and resolution with your Punch contact once the specific publisher(s) in the plan are known; a lower-bitrate cut that looks fine on one publisher may get rejected or downgraded on another.