SOCIAL MEDIA

How Do I Create Ad Mockups? Best Strategies + FREE Tools

Did you know Bing boosted its ad revenue by 12% just by testing different ad variations?

Before reaching that testing stage, you need solid ad mockups. They allow you to preview, tweak, and perfect designs—so you’re not testing or publishing ads that miss the mark.

But how do you create ad mockups that are both effective and hassle-free? This guide covers everything you need to know, including:

• A brief overview of ad mockups and its benefits
• Different types of ad mockups
• Top 3 ad mockup-creating tools
• A complete guide on how to generate ad mockups

P.S. Looking for an easier way to create ad mockups? inBeat.co offers free mockup generators for various social media platforms. It helps you test different formats, refine elements, and perfect your designs effortlessly.

TL;DR:

• Ad mockups provide a visual preview of ads before launch, helping refine designs and ensure accuracy.
• Key elements include structured layouts, engaging copy, platform-specific formatting, and engagement metrics.
• Mockups improve ad performance by testing variations, maintaining brand consistency, and reducing costly revisions.
• Types of ad mockups include social media, display, search, video, and native ads, each catering to specific platforms.
• Top tools for ad mockups include inBeat.co, Canva, and Meta Ads Manager, offering free and user-friendly design options.
• Best practices involve maintaining brand consistency, optimizing for mobile, A/B testing, ensuring compliance, and using high-quality visuals.
• Mockup generators save time and money by identifying design issues before ads go live, leading to better campaign performance.
• inBeat.co offers free ad mockup generators for various platforms and additional tools for influencer marketing and performance tracking.

What Is an Ad Mockup?

An ad mockup is a visual preview of how an ad will appear before it goes live. It shows the design, layout, and placement across different social media platforms, search engines, and content networks.

Key Elements of a Strong Ad Mockup [Yes, Add Them All]

Your ad mockups should include the following elements:

• Visual composition: A well-structured layout with consistent colors, branding, and high-resolution images.
• Ad copy & CTA: Clear, engaging copy with a strong call to action that drives action. A tagline can be included if needed.
• Platform-specific guidelines: Ensuring correct dimensions and formats for each platform.
• Captions & engagement metrics: Including captions, likes, and other engagement elements for a realistic preview.

Why Use Ad Mockups

Ad mockups are a must-have for a number of reasons, including:

• Testing different creative variations: A mockup creator lets you compare multiple ad designs in one place. Viewing them side by side makes it easier to identify which version stands out and connects best with your target audience.
• Ensures brand consistency: Every ad should maintain a consistent look and feel across platforms. A detailed mockup helps ensure that colors, fonts, and layouts stay uniform, whether the ad appears on Facebook, Google, or video platforms.
• Allows for stakeholder approval before running ads: Getting approvals can be a hassle when teams can’t visualize the final ad. A mockup generator makes collaboration (and negotiation) easy by providing a clear preview.
• Provides a realistic ad preview: You don’t want any surprises after launching an ad. A mockup gives a full preview of ads before you publish them. Whether it’s a clickable image carousel ad or a dynamic mockup video, you can see exactly how it will look on any social media platform and make adjustments before spending a penny.
• Reduces revisions post-launch: Fixing ads after launch wastes time and money. With a mockup maker, you can lock in the final design before publishing the ad. Checking image size, high-resolution image files, and custom audience creation strategies upfront means fewer revisions later.

Types of Ad Mockups

Ad mockups come in different types, with each serving a unique purpose, such as:

1. Social Media Ad Mockups

Every platform has its own ad specs, and getting them right can make or break engagement. A mockup generator reduces the efforts for formatting by showing exactly how your ad will appear on platforms like:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest.
• Twitter

This means no post-publishing surprises like awkwardly cropped text, blurry images, or misaligned elements.

2. Display Ad Mockups

Display ad mockups are mainly used for two platforms:

• Banner ads: A Google Display Network mockup helps ensure your ad fits seamlessly into different websites while still catching the viewer’s attention. Precisely, it prevents issues like text getting cut off or images appearing too small.

• YouTube thumbnails: A YouTube thumbnail plays a crucial role in whether viewers click or scroll past. Using a YouTube thumbnail mockup, you can experiment with different layouts, colors, and text overlays to create a design that grabs attention in a crowded search feed.

3. Search Ad Mockups

Search ads might be text-based, but how they’re structured makes a big difference. This is where a search ad mockup guides you by offering a clear preview of how your ad will look in Google Ads and Bing Ads. It helps you fine-tune the wording and adjust the elements, like headlines, display URLs, and extensions, to make sure the key details stand out.

4. Video Ad Mockups

Video ads need to be formatted correctly for each platform to look professional and perform well. With a video mockup generator, you can see your TikTok ads, YouTube ads, and Instagram Reels to confirm the following things are on point:

• Sizing
• Layout
• Playback

In this way, it’s easier to adjust aspect ratios, trim unnecessary frames, and make sure the final version meets platform requirements.

5. Native Ad Mockups

Before launching a native ad, it’s important to know how well it blends with its surroundings. For this, you can use a native ad mockup that offers a preview of how the ad will appear within blogs, news sites, or media feeds. It helps optimize placement, formatting, and design so the ad feels like a natural part of the page rather than an interruption.

Read more about Native Video Advertising to maximize your results.

Which Software Is Best for Creating Ad Mockups?

There are multiple tools that let you generate ad mockups seamlessly. Some of the top ones include:

1. inBeat Mockup Generators

Whether you're a marketer, brand, or social media manager, inBeat.co’s free ad mockup generators make it easy to check if your ad is well-formatted and ready for different social media platforms, including:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• TikTok
• Snapchat
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

Features

inBeat.co’s Mockup Tool offers a range of features like:

• Fully customizable fields such as captions, branding elements, CTA buttons, etc.
• Support for different ad formats for each social media platform, such as:
• Instagram: Square, portrait, landscape, and story
• Facebook: Square, landscape, tall video, and carousel
• TikTok: Story and story with CTA
• Snapchat: Story and full-screen story
• LinkedIn and Twitter: Square, landscape, and carousel
• Easy-to-use interface with simple design tools
• Download-ready designs in high-quality formats
• Free access

Step-by-Step Guide

Follow the below steps to use inBeat Ad Mockup Generators:

1. Choose the platform and format: Select the right platform and format from available options based on where you want to run the ad.

1. Add brand details: Input your profile and display name, caption, likes, sound name, website link, and tagline. Then, select a relevant CTA. These details depend on the type of the format you select.

1. Insert the ad design: Upload or drag and drop your ad image to preview the final look.

1. Preview and download: Once everything looks right, download or copy the ad mockup.

1. Perform A/B testing: We recommend making multiple mockups with slight changes in elements like text, CTA, tagline, etc. This will help you run A/B tests and select the best-performing version.

2. Canva – Beginner-Friendly Design

Canva makes creating ad mockups easy, even if you’re not a designer. Its customizable mockup templates and drag-and-drop interface make it simpler for you to experiment with different layouts, images, and CTA placements.

3. Meta Ads Manager – Native Preview Tool For Facebook and Instagram Ads

If you’re running ads on Facebook or Instagram, Meta Ads Manager is the tool you need to get everything right before launch. The Creative Hub of this tool works as a mockup generator, which lets you see the final look of your clickable image carousel ads, video ads, and single image posts.

How to Create an Ad Mockup Step-by-Step

The process of creating an ad mockup includes the following steps:

1. Choose Your Platform

Before anything else, think about where your audience spends the most time. The platform you choose will shape everything: your ad format, design style, and messaging. Whether you're creating a Facebook ad mockup, a Google Ads preview, or a TikTok video ad, selecting the right platform from the start helps streamline the entire design process.

2. Upload or Create Your Ad Design

Now, bring your ad to life. We suggest creating your ad design using platforms such as Canva Pro, as they offer powerful design tools.

How to Create Product Mockups with Canva & Smart Mockups

After the design is ready, ensure it looks how you intended with all the elements, like text, CTA, and caption, in place. Free tools like inBeat.co Ad Mockup Generators lets you see exactly how your ad will appear before it goes live, whether it’s a carousel ad mockup, display ad mockup, or any other format.

3. Preview the Ad in a Realistic Environment

Now that your ad mockup is ready, it’s time to check how it actually looks in a real setting and get feedback from your team or stakeholders. Sometimes, a small change in image size, text alignment, or CTA positioning can make a big difference in engagement.

Best Practices For Ad Mockups

For effective creation of ad mockups, follow these best practices shared by inBeat experts:

1. Match Your Branding

If your ad doesn’t look and feel like your brand, people won’t recognize it, or worse, they won’t trust it. That’s why your ad mockups should use the same fonts, colors, and messaging your audience already knows.

2. Keep It Mobile-Friendly

With 92.3% of users engaging with ads on their phones, making sure your ad mockups are mobile-friendly is a must. When your ad mockup is optimized for smaller screens, everything stays clear, readable, and engaging. This way, it grabs attention instead of getting lost in the scroll.

3. A/B Test Variations

Try switching up your images, CTAs, and headlines in your ad mockups to see what grabs the attention. Running A/B tests on different versions helps you figure out the designs that actually work with your audience and can drive higher engagement and conversion rates.

A medium article precisely quotes how A/B testing should be performed:

One of the most important factors in A/B testing is that there should only be one difference between versions A and B of whatever it is that you’re testing. - Angela Rodriguez (How To Use A/B Testing to Save Money on Advertising)

4. Ensure Platform Compliance

Every platform, whether it’s Facebook, TikTok, or Google, has its own ad rules, and ignoring them can cause problems. Making sure your ad mockups follow these specs means your ads will display correctly, run smoothly, and avoid any last-minute hassles when it’s time to launch.

5. Use High-Quality Visuals

Nothing kills an ad’s impact faster than a blurry image. If your visuals aren’t crisp, your ad looks unprofessional, and people won’t even notice it. Using high-resolution ad files is the key here, as it keeps everything sharp, clear, and polished.

Create Stunning Ad Mockups in Seconds: Try inBeat’s Free Ad Mockup Generator Now

Ad mockups take the guesswork out of creating successful campaigns. They let you see how your ads will look in real-time by helping you test formats, adjust designs, and spot issues before going live. Whether you’re creating carousel ads, refining a call-to-action, or prepping for A/B testing, mockups ensure your ads are ready to deliver results.

Key takeaways

• Mockup generators like inBeat.co, Canva, and Meta Ads Manager make ad testing easy.
• A/B testing different mockups helps determine which version resonates best with your audience.
• Ad mockups reduce costly revisions by catching mistakes early.
• Realistic mockups improve approvals by making collaboration with stakeholders and teams easier.
• Platform-specific mockups ensure compliance with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Google Ads guidelines.

If you're looking to improve your advertising strategy, inBeat.co has you covered. Along with mockup generators, it helps you find the right influencers for your campaigns. Plus, it offers a free toolkit to track performance with key metrics like CPA, CTR, ROAS, and more. Book a demo now!

FAQ

What is the best mockup generator?

The best mockup generator depends on your needs. For example, if you require mockups for social media ads, inBeat.co free ad mockup generators can be your way to go. Similarly, for Google ads, platforms like Canva work.

Where to get images for mockups?

You can find high-quality images for mockups from stock photo platforms like Unsplash, Pexels, and Shutterstock. Some mockup tools, like Creative Hub, also provide a massive media library with customization options to fit different post types.

Can I make mockups in Canva?

Yes. Canva Pro and Canva Teams offer a mockup tool with customizable templates.

Does Adobe have free mockups?

Yes. Adobe Creative Cloud Express provides some free mockup templates, while Adobe Photoshop offers advanced editing options.