Launch Meta catalog ads with product videos
Tolstoy adds a video to each product in your Meta catalog and builds a paused Advantage+ catalog campaign, so new shoppers see the product move, not a still image.
What you need
- A connected Meta Ads account with a product catalog
- Products that already appear in that catalog, with an image and a title in Meta
- A Tolstoy video template for your products, or time to design one during first-time setup
What you get
- Per-product videos on your Meta catalog, delivered through a Tolstoy supplementary feed
- A paused Advantage+ catalog campaign aimed at new customers
- A preview link and a summary of the audience, product set and copy for your approval
How it runs
Tolstoy runs this playbook in 5 steps.
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Check what is set up
The agent reads your Meta ad account, catalogs, feeds and video templates first, and walks you through any first-time setup that is missing.
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Add a video per product
A Tolstoy video template runs across your products, and a supplementary feed adds those videos to your Meta catalog; the agent waits for the upload to succeed.
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Limit the ad to videos
The agent scopes the product set to products that have a video, because a wide set shows a gray box for every product without one.
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Build the campaign paused
The agent builds the catalog ad for new audiences, with targeting you confirm or Advantage+ targeting, drafts the copy with you and shares a preview link.
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Confirm, then activate
Nothing spends until you confirm the audience, products and creative. Activation is a separate step that you approve.
Check the result
- The feed upload reads success, and two or three catalog items you spot-check carry a video, not only an image.
- Every product in the ad’s product set has a video, so no shopper sees a gray box.
- The preview plays a product video, and the summary names the exact audience sent to Meta. Meta picks the product in the preview, so judge the format, not the item.
Know the limits
- The campaign stays paused until you approve. Activation starts real spend.
- A product needs an image and a title in Meta, and must be published to the Facebook and Instagram sales channel in Shopify, before it can carry a video.
- Instagram placements need an Instagram account linked to your Facebook Page. Without one, the ad runs on Facebook, Messenger and Audience Network only.
When to use this playbook
Use it when your catalog ads show the same still packshots as every other store, or when your product videos only play on your product pages. Meta keeps choosing which product to show to which shopper, and that shopper sees the product move instead of a flat image. For more on making video from product images, read how to turn product images into videos with AI.
Get better results
- Design the video template on 5–10 products before you apply it to the full catalog. A problem in the template repeats on every product.
- Fix catalog errors first. Meta Commerce Manager lists the reason for each product under Catalog, Items, Issues.
- Start the product set with your top products by views. The agent lists which of them still need a video.
The prompt
“Run this playbook” opens Tolstoy with this prompt as a draft. Pick your products, edit anything, then send it.
Launch a new Meta Advantage+ catalog ad to reach cold audiences who do not know my brand yet. Use my Tolstoy catalog product video (CPV) templates so each shopper sees a video of the product the ad shows them. Check my Meta account, catalogs, feeds and templates first, and ask only for what you cannot find. If I have not published a CPV ad before, walk me through first-time setup. Scope the product set to products that have a video. If a feed or catalog is broken, show me the error and stop. Build the campaign paused and confirm the audience, products and creative with me before activating.
FAQ
How do I turn catalog images into video ads?
Apply a Tolstoy video template to your catalog. It builds a short video for each product from that product’s images and details, and this playbook adds those videos to your Meta catalog, so the catalog ad plays a video for each product it shows.
Do I need a video for every product in my catalog?
No. The agent shows which of your top products are missing a video. You can generate videos for them or leave them out of the product set. A pilot on 5–10 products is a good way to check a template before you roll it out.
How long until the videos show in Meta?
Meta processes feed updates on its own schedule, usually within minutes and sometimes longer. The agent checks the feed status and looks for the video on a catalog item instead of assuming it is live.
Run it on your own catalog
Start free, connect your store, and Tolstoy opens this playbook for you. You review every result before anything goes live.