Playable Ads for Brands: Meta & Google Guide

Playable ads aren’t just for game studios anymore.

If you run a fashion brand, a fintech app, or even a travel service, you can make a quick, interactive HTML5 ad that lets people try before they buy – and watch your click-through rates jump.

Yes, even if you’ve never coded a game in your life, you can still make a playable that works on Meta and Google Ads. With tools like Rosebud AI, vibe coding a video game takes minutes. Then, you just need to adjust your project to meet playable ad specs. Let’s break it down.

What’s a playable ad (and why use it if you’re not in gaming)?

A playable ad is an interactive mini-experience that ends with a call-to-action: think 10–20 seconds of swiping, tapping, or dragging, and a CTA redirecting you to an app at the end.

Playable ads have been rising in popularity and are also reshaping TV advertising, with Samsung leading the way. They improve unaided brand recall by 36%, going even further if users see the ads more than once.

With playable ads, instead of telling people about your product, you let them experience it.

A skincare brand could let you “mix” a custom serum.
A finance app could run a “Beat the Budget” mini-challenge.
A travel brand could let you swipe through dream destinations.

The best part? If you keep it lightweight and follow a few rules, your ad will pass Meta and Google’s approval checks with no headaches.

How to build your first HTML5 playable ad

Here’s the simple version:

Pick one easy interaction. Something users can figure out instantly: tap, drag, swipe, or answer a quick quiz.
Design it mobile-first. Most ads run in portrait (320×480) or landscape (480×320). Keep important stuff away from the edges (skip buttons live there).
Hook fast. People can skip after ~5 seconds. Make the first visual frame instantly interesting.
Keep it short. Aim for 10–20 seconds of interaction, then get them to the end card.
Add a clear CTA. Your “win” screen should tell them exactly what to do next: Install Now, Shop Now, Learn More.

Meta & Google ad specs you need to know

If coding is intimidating to you, start with a vibecoding tool like Rosebud AI to start bringing your vision to life. Then, consider the following specs and best practices:

File size:

Max 5 MB total (Meta & Google).
Meta recommends index.html under 2 MB.

File types:

HTML, CSS, JS, PNG, JPG, GIF, SVG.
No unapproved external calls.

Orientation:

Meta: Flexible, but portrait works best for Stories/Feed.
Google: 320×480 or 480×320, or declare with <meta name="ad.orientation">.

‍Click behavior:

Meta: Use FbPlayableAd.onCTAClick() in your button code.
Google: Use exitapi.js + ExitApi.exit() to open the store or site.

‍Lead-in video:

Meta often requires a short teaser video (15s max) before the playable.
Google skips straight to the interaction.

You can also research detailed platform-specific requirements and code snippets for both Meta and Google.

Are you looking for code snippets to tailor your ads for Android versus iOS? Or finetune your code to make the viewer experience extra smooth? Consider these best practices.

If your CTA redirects your audience to an app, revisit Apple’s guidelines on supporting universal links for iOS App Store redirects.

Quick QA checklist before you launch

✅ Assets all embedded, no broken paths.

✅ Works on multiple devices & screen sizes.

✅ Loads in under ~2 seconds.

✅ CTA opens the right store or landing page.

✅ Audio muted until user interacts.

✅ Win & lose paths both end with the CTA screen.

A simple playable ad creative brief template

Before you start building, jot this down:

Goal: What are you driving? installs, sign-ups, purchases?
Concept: Quick description of the interactive idea.
Mechanic: Tap, swipe, drag, quiz, etc.
Instructions: How the user learns (visual cue > text).
Win State: Feedback when they succeed.
Lose State: Friendly message if they fail/timeout.
End Card: Branding, offer, and bold CTA.
Tech Notes: Orientation, file size, API calls.
Duration: 10–20 seconds total.

Examples of playable ads

In need of some inspiration? Check out some of our favorite playable ad campaigns:

Bringing your playable ad to life with Rosebud AI

If you have no or limited coding knowledge, get started with Rosebud AI. On Rosebud, you can:

Turn your concept into a working HTML5 playable in minutes.
Generate art, animations, and interactions without a game engine.
Export creatives already sized and spec’d for Meta & Google.

No dev team, and no endless QA cycles: just an idea, a prompt, and a ready-to-run ad.

Final Thoughts

Playable ads are about letting people play with your product, literally. Keep them light, keep them fun, and make sure the CTA is crystal clear.

Want to see how fast you can go from idea to playable? Jump into Rosebud AI and start building today.

Craft Worlds with Words.

How to Create Playable Ads for Non-Gaming Brands (that Pass Meta & Google Checks)