Meta expands advertising formats on Threads with catalog ads

Meta announced expanded advertising capabilities for Threads on October 28, 2025, introducing Advantage+ catalog ads alongside carousel formats and enhanced aspect ratio support. The updates mark the latest development in the company's ongoing monetization strategy for the text-based social platform.

According to Meta's Threads API changelog, Advantage+ catalog ads became available on October 28, supporting only images and image carousels. Slideshow, video, and entry cards remain unsupported. The implementation builds on carousel ad support introduced earlier in October, which arrived on the platform October 6. Placement customization and dynamic media are not supported for carousel ads.

The technical specifications for image ads expanded on October 28 to accommodate a 4:5 aspect ratio. Assets taller than 4:5 will be cropped and vertically centered to maintain this format. Video ads, which received support on August 15, accept all aspect ratios from 1.91:1 to 9:16. Videos exceeding 4:5 undergo cropping and centering, while those between 1.91:1 and 4:5 remain unaltered.

Threads added Placement Asset Customization (PAC) to its capabilities on August 15, enabling advertisers to customize creative image and video assets displayed on the platform. The feature does not yet support carousel ad formats. Threads appeared as a publisher platform in the customization_spec for this functionality.

The platform's API documentation shows additional features rolled out in recent months. Spoiler support arrived October 3, allowing developers to add spoilers to single or carousel posts containing text, image, or video media types. Text attachments joined the API the same day. GIF support became available October 17, expanding content creation options.

Meta began testing advertisements on Threads in January 2025 with a limited number of advertisers. The company disclosed at that time the platform had accumulated more than 300 million monthly active users, with three out of four users following at least one business account.

The advertising program expanded globally in April, introducing inventory filter capabilities that allow advertisers to control content sensitivity levels adjacent to their advertisements through artificial intelligence. The Threads feed placement activated by default for new campaigns using Advantage+ or Manual Placements, requiring advertisers to manually opt out through placement settings if desired.

September brought news of additional format testing. According to digital marketing sources tracked by PPC Land, Meta planned to test carousel ads and the 4:5 aspect ratio for single image and video ads alongside Advantage+ catalog ads and app ads. These developments represented a substantial expansion from the platform's earlier single image and video format limitations.

Advantage+ catalog ads utilize machine learning capabilities to automatically display relevant products from a business's catalog to users most likely to make purchases. These ads dynamically pull product information, images, and pricing from connected catalogs, reducing manual campaign management requirements. The format has proven effective on Meta's other platforms, where automated product showcasing has improved conversion rates for e-commerce advertisers.

The carousel format enables advertisers to showcase multiple products or services within a single advertisement. This format has generated higher engagement rates compared to single image advertisements across Meta's ecosystem. Brands can tell more comprehensive stories and present diverse product ranges through the multi-image structure.

Technical implementation for Threads advertising leverages Meta's existing infrastructure. According to Meta's official documentation from the initial testing phase, businesses can extend existing Meta advertising campaigns to Threads without creating new creative assets or dedicating additional resources. The system allows advertisers to participate by selecting options in the Ads Manager interface.

Brand safety measures incorporate Meta's established Monetization Policies, which determine content eligibility for advertisement placement. These policies explicitly prohibit placement of advertisements next to content that violates Community Standards. The platform's inventory filter employs artificial intelligence to assist advertisers in controlling the context of their advertisement placement.

Current specifications for primary text on Threads ads suggest 80 to 160 characters, with headlines limited to 40 characters. Hashtags and URLs are not supported in primary text. Not all call-to-action buttons are available for Threads placements, distinguishing the platform's capabilities from Meta's more established advertising surfaces.

The Threads API underwent significant expansion throughout 2024 and 2025. Meta opened the API to all developers on June 18, 2024, during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. That initial release provided basic functionality including post publishing, content retrieval, and reply management capabilities.

Major enhancements arrived July 25, 2025, introducing polls for interactive content, location tagging capabilities, and webhooks for real-time notifications. Webhook support expanded in phases, with publish webhooks arriving August 15, delete webhooks on August 1, and mentions webhooks on July 15.

User profile functionality received several updates. The verified status field joined the API on July 7, alongside two new reply audience options: parent_post_author_only and followers_only. Topic tag support arrived July 14, allowing developers to create posts with topic tags and search for content by topic. The API added click metrics on July 2, indicating the number of times URLs were clicked on Threads posts.

The platform eliminated the requirement for a linked Instagram account on September 23, 2025. Threads profiles without Instagram connections can access all API functionalities except followers_count and follower_demographics user metrics.

Accessibility features expanded August 21, 2024, with alt text support joining the platform. Carousel posts increased their capacity from an initial limit to 20 images, videos, or mixed media on September 19, 2024. Quote posts and reposts gained API support October 9, 2024.

Search capabilities broadened September 9 with support for filtering public posts by media type through keyword search. The search endpoint also supports timestamp filtering using since and until parameters. Keyword search functionality initially launched December 9, 2024.

Delete functionality arrived March 6, 2025, enabling programmatic removal of posts. Polls became available April 14, 2025, allowing developers to create posts with poll attachments. Location tagging support followed May 27, 2025, with capabilities to search for locations and retrieve location objects by individual ID.

For marketing professionals managing Threads campaigns, the expanded format options provide additional tools for product promotion and brand storytelling. Carousel ads enable sequential narrative development, while Advantage+ catalog ads automate product selection based on user behavior and preferences. The machine learning optimization may improve relevance for users while reducing manual campaign management overhead for advertisers.

Brand safety tools expanded October 16 when DoubleVerify announced post-bid brand suitability measurement coverage across Threads feed globally. The independent verification capabilities provide transparency into content and context surrounding advertisements on the platform.

The advertising developments occur as Meta's broader business demonstrates strong performance. The company reported 22% advertising revenue growth in Q2 2025, reaching $46.6 billion. Ad impressions across Meta's family of apps increased 11% year-over-year, while average price per ad rose 9%.

Platform measurement capabilities improved October 7 when Google Analytics launched native integrations for Meta cost data import, including specific support for Threads source configuration. The integration enables automated import of cost data, clicks, and impressions directly into Google Analytics properties.

Threads reached 100 million daily active users in December 2024. The platform continues developing features beyond advertising, including communities launched October 2 for topic-based conversations and direct messaging introduced July 1 with safety restrictions.

The October 28 announcement represents continued iteration on Threads' advertising capabilities. New formats arrive regularly as Meta tests various approaches to monetizing the platform while maintaining user experience. The company has not disclosed specific performance metrics comparing different ad formats on Threads.

Advertisers seeking to implement the new formats can access them through Meta's Ads Manager interface. Existing campaigns using eligible placements will automatically gain access to Threads if the placement is included in campaign settings. Manual placement controls allow exclusion of specific formats or the platform entirely.

The development trajectory suggests Meta intends to gradually achieve feature parity between Threads and its more established platforms. However, technical limitations remain, with certain features like slideshow ads and dynamic media for carousels not yet supported. The company has not announced timelines for additional format expansions beyond the October 28 updates.

Timeline

• October 28, 2025: Meta announces Advantage+ catalog ads support for Threads, limited to images and image carousels
• October 17, 2025: GIF support becomes available for Threads posts through the API
• October 16, 2025: DoubleVerify extends brand suitability measurement to Threads feed globally
• October 7, 2025: Google Analytics launches Meta cost data import with Threads source configuration
• October 6, 2025: Image carousel format launches for Threads ads without placement customization or dynamic media support
• October 3, 2025: Spoiler and text attachment support added to Threads API
• October 2, 2025: Meta announces communities feature for Threads with custom Like emojis
• September 23, 2025: Threads API becomes available to profiles without linked Instagram accounts
• September 9, 2025: Media type search filtering added to keyword search functionality
• August 15, 2025: Video ads and Placement Asset Customization launch for Threads; publish webhooks added
• August 12, 2025: Total votes field added to poll attachments
• August 1, 2025: Delete webhooks support introduced
• July 25, 2025: Meta expands Threads API with polls, location tagging, and simplified publishing
• July 21, 2025: Topic tag field added to media retrieval endpoints
• July 15, 2025: Mentions webhooks support launched
• July 14, 2025: Profile discovery and topic tag creation support added
• July 7, 2025: Verified status field and new reply audience options introduced
• July 2, 2025: Clicks metric added to Insights API
• July 1, 2025: Meta announces direct messaging feature for Threads
• June 25, 2025: Query limit for keyword search modified
• June 18, 2024: Meta opens Threads API to all developers during Cannes Lions
• April 23, 2025: Meta rolls out ads to Threads globally with default placement activation
• April 14, 2025: Poll creation support added to Threads API
• March 6, 2025: Post deletion functionality introduced
• January 26, 2025: Meta begins testing advertisements on Threads with limited advertisers

Summary

Who: Meta introduced expanded advertising formats for Threads, affecting the platform's 400 million monthly active users, advertisers managing campaigns through Meta's Ads Manager, and developers utilizing the Threads API. Marketing professionals managing campaigns across Meta's family of apps gain additional creative options for reaching audiences on the text-based social platform.

What: Meta announced support for Advantage+ catalog ads on Threads on October 28, 2025, limited to images and image carousels. The update includes carousel ad format support introduced October 6 and expanded aspect ratio capabilities enabling 4:5 rendering for single image and video ads. Placement Asset Customization allows creative optimization for Threads, though carousel formats remain unsupported. The company excludes slideshow, video, and entry card formats from catalog ad implementation. Additional features rolled out in October include GIF support, spoiler functionality, and text attachments.

When: The announcement occurred October 28, 2025, through Meta's Threads API changelog. Carousel ad support arrived October 6, 2025, with GIF support following October 17. Earlier developments included video ads and Placement Asset Customization on August 15, 2025. The advertising program launched in testing during January 2025 before global expansion in April 2025.

Where: The updates apply to Threads feed placements across Meta's advertising platform, accessible through Ads Manager. Advertisers globally can implement the new formats for campaigns targeting Threads' international user base. The platform operates as part of Meta's family of apps, integrating with existing advertising infrastructure used for Facebook, Instagram, Audience Network, and Messenger.

Why: The format expansion addresses advertiser demand for diverse creative options on Threads while advancing Meta's monetization strategy for the platform. Advantage+ catalog ads enable automated product promotion using machine learning, reducing manual campaign management. Carousel formats facilitate multi-product showcasing and sequential storytelling. The developments aim to improve advertising effectiveness while maintaining user experience on a platform that reached 400 million monthly active users. For the marketing community, these updates provide additional tools for reaching engaged audiences through authentic conversations, potentially improving targeting precision and campaign performance across Meta's expanding ecosystem.