Short answer
X sells promoted ads (image, video, carousel, text), vertical video ads, Amplify pre-roll and sponsorships, Timeline and Spotlight takeovers, X Live, Dynamic Product Ads and Collection Ads, plus add-ons like website and app cards and branded hashtags.
Key takeaways
- Promoted image, video and text ads are the self-serve basics.
- Takeovers buy the top of the timeline or Explore for a day.
- DPA and Collection ads connect a product catalog.
X's ad menu has grown into a dozen formats. Most advertisers use two or three. Here's the whole list as X describes it in 2026, and when each fits.
What are promoted ads?
Regular-looking posts you pay to show to more people, marked "Ad".
| Format | What it is |
|---|---|
| Image ad | One photo with your post text |
| Video ad | A video, optionally with a website or app button |
| Carousel ad | Up to six swipeable images or videos |
| Text ad | A plain post promoted beyond your followers |
You can mock up how any of these would look in the feed with the generator's Ad label in Advanced mode.
What are the bigger formats?
Vertical video, Amplify, takeovers and Live.
- Vertical Video Ads: full-screen, sound-on ads in X's vertical video feed, with an optional call-to-action button.
- Amplify Pre-roll: your video plays before videos in content categories you choose.
- Amplify Sponsorships: pairing with one publisher for a moment (sales-led).
- Timeline Takeover: the first ad people see when they open X that day.
- Spotlight Takeover: ads and immersive video next to trends in Explore.
- X Live: a livestream promoted for launches and events.
What are the shopping formats?
Dynamic Product Ads and Collection Ads.
- DPA Retargeting shows products someone viewed or abandoned on your site.
- DPA Prospecting shows relevant catalog products to new people.
- Collection Ads show a hero image with thumbnails linking to up to six products.
More in selling on X.
What add-ons exist?
App cards, website cards, branded hashtags and branded notifications.
Cards add buttons to image and video ads. Branded hashtags add a custom emoji to a campaign tag. Branded notifications let people opt in to reminders.
Which should I start with?
A promoted image or video post with one clear objective.
Then follow how to run X ads.
Questions people ask
What's the cheapest X ad format?
Promoted text or image ads on a small daily budget are the usual starting point. Costs depend on audience, competition and objective.
Are takeovers self-serve?
Takeovers are typically sold through X's sales team, with fixed reservations, rather than set up casually in Ads Manager.
What's the difference between Amplify pre-roll and sponsorships?
Pre-roll places your video before content in chosen categories; sponsorships pair you with one publisher at a chosen moment and aren't available to self-serve advertisers.