Stories ad script templates (3-5 frames)

Quick Answer

A Stories ad is not a video, it is a sequence of full-screen frames the viewer taps through. The right structure is three to five frames, each between 2 and 4 seconds, and each one earns the next tap. The CTA frame is always last and always has the action target dead-centre with the swipe arrow visible.

The full script (frame by frame)

Product: A meal-prep service.

Frame 1 (3 seconds) Hook

• Visual: Photo of a fridge with takeaway boxes piled up. Diagonal red text overlay: "I cancelled UberEats this week."


• Caption: None. Hook does the work.

Frame 2 (3 seconds) Personal context

• Visual: Selfie video of the founder pointing at the same fridge, now full of glass meal-prep boxes.


• Caption: "Spent 412 last month on takeaway. This costs 89."

Frame 3 (3 seconds) Mechanism

• Visual: Top-down b-roll of meals being packed.


• Caption: "Five chef-cooked meals delivered every Sunday. No subscription. No fluff."

Frame 4 (3 seconds) Proof

• Visual: Three review screenshots stacked.


• Caption: "1,400 customers. 4.9 stars."

Frame 5 (3 seconds) Offer and CTA

• Visual: Pack shot. Offer card: "First box 25 pounds." Animated swipe arrow at the bottom.


• Caption: "Swipe up. First box 25. Cancel any time."

Why it works

Stories viewers tap through ruthlessly. The reason this template works is that every frame has a payoff before it asks for the next tap. Frame one earns frame two by being shocking. Frame two earns frame three by being personal. Frame three earns frame four by being credible. By frame five the viewer is invested enough to swipe.

The total runtime is 15 seconds, but it feels longer because the viewer is in control. Stories ads that play like a 15-second video and ignore the tap behaviour underperform by 30 to 50 percent in our tests.

Common mistakes

• Using the same image with different text on each frame. Boring; viewers tap straight out.
• Putting the CTA on frame one because you 'do not want to lose them'. You will lose them faster.
• Filling the frame edge to edge. The Stories UI eats the top and bottom 14 percent.
• Using horizontal photos. Tilt and resize before publishing.
• Forgetting the swipe arrow on the final frame. Even Meta's auto-arrow is not enough; add your own.

FAQs

How many frames is too many?
Five is the maximum for a cold ad. Six and beyond is for retargeting, where you have already earned the right to tell a longer story.

Should each frame have audio?
Optional. Stories viewers swipe so fast that audio rarely lands; treat audio as a bonus, not a requirement.

Where should the brand logo go?
Frame three or four, never frame one. Frame one is for the hook and only the hook.

Can I mix photo and video frames?
Yes, and you should. Mixing increases tap-through rate because each frame feels distinct.

What is the best CTA copy on the last frame?
'Swipe up' has been replaced by the link sticker, but a manual instruction still lifts taps. 'Swipe to claim' beats 'Shop now' for almost every offer we have tested.

Bring your video ads to life with Pix-Vu

Pix-Vu gives you a template-based Stories ad builder. Lock the structure once and generate sequences for ten products in an afternoon, with native vertical formatting and consistent on-frame typography.