Generate Ad Previews
Generate preview URLs for your Meta Ads to see how they appear across different placements
The Generate Ad Previews node creates preview URLs for your Meta Ads, allowing you to see how your ads will appear across different placements like Facebook Feed, Instagram Stories, and more.
When to Use It
- Preview ads before launching campaigns
- Quality check ad appearance across different placements
- Share ad previews with clients or stakeholders for approval
- Verify ad creative displays correctly on various devices
- Document ad variations for reporting and analysis
Inputs
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account | Select | Yes | Select a Meta Ads account |
| Ad ID | Dynamic-text | Yes | Enter the Ad ID you want to generate previews for |
| Placement | Select | Yes | Select the placement for the ad preview |
Available Placements
- Desktop Feed Standard - Facebook desktop news feed
- Mobile Feed Standard - Facebook mobile news feed
- Instagram Standard - Instagram feed placement
- Instagram Reels - Instagram Reels placement
- Facebook Reels Mobile - Facebook Reels on mobile
- Instagram Story - Instagram Stories placement
- Facebook Story Mobile - Facebook Stories on mobile
- Right Column Standard - Facebook desktop right column
- Audience Network Instream Video - Video ads in Audience Network
- Marketplace Mobile - Facebook Marketplace on mobile
Output
Returns preview URL and placement details:
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| preview_url | Direct URL to view the ad preview | https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/preview/?id=abc123… |
| placement | The placement type for this preview | DESKTOP_FEED_STANDARD |
| ad_id | The original ad ID used for the preview | 120210543987640123 |
Credit Cost
- Cost per run: 1 credit per preview generated
FAQs
How do I get Ad IDs for preview generation?
How do I get Ad IDs for preview generation?
You can obtain Ad IDs from several sources:
- Get Report node: Use Meta Ads reporting to fetch ad IDs
- Create Ad nodes: Ad creation nodes return ad IDs in their output
- Meta Ads Manager: Copy ad IDs directly from the platform
- Structured data: Import ad IDs from spreadsheets or databases
Connect the output from these sources to the Ad ID field for automated workflows.
Do preview URLs expire?
Do preview URLs expire?
Yes, Meta ad preview URLs have expiration dates:
- Valid for: 24 hours from generation
- Usage: Preview URLs are meant for immediate review, not long-term storage
- Best practice: Generate previews when you need them, don’t store URLs long-term
- Regeneration: Run the node again to get fresh preview URLs when needed
Can I generate previews for multiple placements at once?
Can I generate previews for multiple placements at once?
No, this node generates one preview per execution for a specific placement. To get previews for multiple placements:
- Use multiple nodes: Connect the same ad ID to multiple preview nodes with different placements
- Loop through placements: Use flow control nodes to iterate through placement options
- Bulk processing: If you have multiple ads, use structured data with ad IDs and desired placements
Each preview requires a separate API call to Meta.
What if the ad ID doesn't exist or is invalid?
What if the ad ID doesn't exist or is invalid?
The node will return an error if:
- Ad ID not found: The ad doesn’t exist in the selected account
- Access denied: You don’t have permission to view the ad
- Invalid format: The ad ID format is incorrect
- Deleted ad: The ad has been deleted from Meta Ads
Troubleshooting:
- Verify the ad ID exists in Meta Ads Manager
- Ensure you’re using the correct Meta Ads account
- Check that the ad hasn’t been deleted
Why would I need different placement previews?
Why would I need different placement previews?
Different placements show ads differently:
- Desktop vs Mobile: Different screen sizes and layouts
- Feed vs Stories: Vertical vs horizontal orientations
- Instagram vs Facebook: Different user interfaces and contexts
- Video placements: Specialized formats for video content
Previewing across placements helps ensure your ad creative works well everywhere it will appear.
Can I automate preview generation for quality control?
Can I automate preview generation for quality control?
Yes! Automate preview generation by:
- Post-creation workflow: Generate previews immediately after creating ads
- Scheduled reviews: Use Scheduler to generate previews periodically
- Approval workflows: Send preview URLs to stakeholders via Email or Slack
- Quality checks: Combine with AI Analyze Image to automatically review creative quality
- Reporting: Include preview URLs in campaign reports for easy access
Do I need special permissions to generate previews?
Do I need special permissions to generate previews?
Preview generation requires:
- Ad account access: You must have access to the Meta Ads account
- Ad visibility: You need permission to view the specific ad
- API access: Your Meta Ads connection must have proper API permissions
Most standard Meta Ads API connections include preview generation capabilities.