Adobe unveils Express for Ads to help small businesses create & track ads

Adobe has introduced Adobe Express for Ads, a platform update designed to support small businesses in creating advertisements for digital channels including Google, LinkedIn, Meta, TikTok, and soon Amazon.

The update provides users with several tools intended to streamline ad creation and publishing, including built-in guidance for platform-specific safe zones, drag-and-drop templates, and AI-powered features such as image generation and a Clip Maker for videos.

Creative focus

Adobe Express for Ads targets small business users who may not have in-house agencies or specialist creative staff. The inclusion of "social safe zones" aims to ensure that key visuals and messaging are placed for optimal engagement by following platform guidelines. Safe zones for Meta Stories and Reels, as well as LinkedIn video ads, are available immediately, with additional formats planned for future updates.

The package draws on creative tools familiar from Adobe's other products, including elements drawn from Photoshop and Illustrator, to help businesses create professional content efficiently. A curated library of assets and templates is also provided, intended to simplify the design process.

According to an Adobe statement referencing Nielsen data, "50% of advertising ROI is driven by the quality of the creative." The company has positioned the new Express for Ads update as a potential solution for teams that need to design, launch, and monitor campaigns without the support of a creative agency.

AI-driven features support content production, even for users with little prior design experience. These allow for background removal, content generation, image and video creation, as well as rapid iteration and resizing of ads for multiple platforms through workflow automation.

Ad platform integration

Adobe Express for Ads allows for direct connection with leading advertising platforms. The release includes optimised templates for Google's Performance Max, workflow integration with LinkedIn for B2B campaigns, and video creation support for TikTok, with Amazon templates and compliance checks set to be added.

In the case of Google campaigns, "simply grab a template, insert your videos, images, or offering and export to your Google Ads account in minutes." LinkedIn users are given access to templates and export options designed to "drive engagement with B2B audiences on the world's largest professional network."

On TikTok, the Symphony Assistant add-on enables businesses to create content that includes pre-cleared music from the Commercial Music Library, and direct export to the TikTok Ads Manager will be enabled from June 16.

Monitoring and measurement

Adobe Express for Ads incorporates new Metricool and Bitly add-ons to support performance tracking within the platform. Metricool provides data on top-performing posts, hashtags, and engagement rates across networks such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, X/Twitter, and Google Business. The tool also enables users to compare competitor profiles and analyse content trends.

Bitly integration allows businesses to create QR codes and short links, along with real-time analytics and performance monitoring to inform campaign updates and strategic changes.

"With 50% of ad ROI tied to creative quality, Adobe Express for Ads makes it easier for time-poor teams to design, launch, and track campaigns from one place — no creative agency required."

Adobe Firefly AI tools are available within the platform, with safeguards for commercial usage of generated content. Additionally, brand consistency is facilitated through Custom Brand Kits that allow teams to lock in brand elements for use across all campaigns.

Video advertising is also a focus, with AI-powered Clip Maker tools able to generate short clips from existing video footage, alongside the Firefly-powered Generate Video capability. These tools enable small businesses to quickly produce new b-roll or background footage from text and image prompts, supporting teams to make video ads entirely in-house.

Expansion plans

Adobe Express for Ads has been developed to expand its support for Amazon advertising, currently in progress. The addition of tailored templates and compliance checks is intended to help ensure that ad content meets platform requirements and can be published successfully.

The integration of real-time analytics and cross-platform publishing aims to give small businesses greater control over their digital advertising from initial design through to post-campaign analysis, within a single application.