Before and after

What it is

A before-and-after ad shows a transformation and lets the viewer judge it. The simplest version is two stills. The better ones show the work in between: the old shower being ripped out, the roof going on in a time-lapse, a patient's face day by day as it heals.

Home services and aesthetics live on it, because what they sell is a visible change. A Houston injector has run a four-panel ad (her headshot with a real Google review, before-and-after lip photos, and her talking to a patient) for over a year. A bath remodeler in the Twin Cities runs the owner's face over a clip of a shower going from tile to finished panels.

It carries more rules than any other style. Meta allows before-and-after images for cosmetic products and procedures shown to adults, but bans language that makes someone feel bad about their appearance and tightly limits weight-loss imagery. Med spas need the patient's written consent and results that are typical. And because the change is the proof, generated or retouched "after" shots of a real service are false advertising.

Anatomy

1. 0–2sThe before, or the afterOpen on the worst of the before (the stained tub, the curling shingles) or flash the after first so the viewer knows the payoff is coming.
2. 2–10sThe workThe process, sped up: a time-lapse, three steps, or day labels ("Day 2", "Day 6"). This is what makes the result believable.
3. MiddleThe revealThe after, held longer than anything else, from the same angle as the before.
4. LateWho did itThe owner, the injector or the customer, briefly: a face and a line.
5. Last 3sCloseThe offer or the next step ("free inspection", "book a consult"), and "results vary" where it applies.

Length

15–30 seconds. The change should land in under 15.

Shot length

Fast through the process (under a second per step in a time-lapse), slow on the reveal.

Talking head

Low, 0–30%. The owner or patient appears as a witness, not a presenter.

Framing

Match the before and after: same angle, same light, same distance. A mismatched pair looks faked even when it isn't.

Captions

BEFORE and AFTER labels, day counts, and the one number that matters ("4 hours, not 4 weeks").

Music

An upbeat bed, often the only sound in a time-lapse. A voice is optional.

End card

Offer, phone or booking link, and any required disclaimer.

What it’s good for, and bad for

By business

Consumer brands

Works for cleaners, skincare with a visible result and home products. Keep the lighting and angle identical, and never fake the after.

Lenders & financial services

Not a fit. Use a testimonial for the before-and-after of a business, told by its owner.

Local & professional services

The core style for roofers, remodelers and med spas. Use your own job photos and patients who've agreed in writing.

Real examples

Real brands’ ads, cited for reference. We didn’t make them. Unless marked “ran”, each was still running in the Meta Ad Library on Sep 29, 2026. Days live is the only performance signal the Library shows, and an ad that keeps running is usually paying for itself.

• Willis Cosmetic Surgery & MedSpaMed spa, St. Louis

  384 days livesince Sep 10, 202531s · 9:16

  A patient's CO2 laser "healing journey": "Come with me on my CO2 laser healing journey" over the procedure, then "Immediately after" (a red face), "Next day", "Day 2" as a grocery-store selfie with her partner, "Day 6" peeling in the car, and finally side-by-side studio portraits of before and after. Plain white caption labels carry the timeline.

  Take from it: Day labels make the change believable and set honest expectations about downtime.

  View in the Meta Ad Library · ID 2890774574457107
• Injections by BraideeInjector, Houston

  376 days livesince Sep 18, 202525s · 4:5

  A four-panel collage around a round logo: the injector's smiling headshot with a real Google review pasted on, before and after close-ups of lips stacked top and bottom, and the only moving panel, the injector in scrubs talking to camera beside a patient in the chair. The post text is in her voice: "I'm here to hold your hand through it."

  Take from it: Pair the result with the person who did it and a review from a real client.

  View in the Meta Ad Library · ID 2196209084211323
• Trident Bath and ShowerBathroom remodeling, Twin Cities

  98 days livesince Jun 23, 202617s · 9:16

  The owner's face fills the bottom third, talking to camera, over a clip of a tech ripping out an old tiled shower that pans to the finished shower with a rain head. The offer is the hook: they're looking for five homeowners with outdated bathrooms to remodel at a discount in exchange for a before-and-after showcase, if they plan to remodel in the next 90 days.

  Take from it: The before-and-after itself can be the offer: a discount in return for letting you film the job.

  View in the Meta Ad Library · ID 2493831487735337
• DeLancey DIYGrout paint pen, sold on Amazon

  154 days livesince Apr 28, 202615s · 9:16

  A woman kneels on a dingy tile floor running a grout pen along the lines: "Magic grout fix. It's a special grout paint and sealer. Just apply and wipe off." Eight seconds in it cuts to a wide "Before" of the whole grimy floor and the price ("Less than $20"), then ends on bright white grout lines and "Tap to shop".

  Take from it: Fifteen seconds is enough when the change is this visible, and a low price makes the after feel reachable.

  View in the Meta Ad Library · ID 1405789581235775

Common mistakes

1. Mismatched shots. A dim before and a bright, wide after looks like a trick. Shoot both from the same spot in the same light.
2. Faking the after. A generated or retouched result for a real service is a false claim. Use your real photos and footage; generate only what's around them.
3. No process. Two stills side by side are easy to doubt. Showing the work in between is what makes the change believable.
4. Body-shaming copy. "Tired of your flabby arms?" breaks Meta's rules and puts people off. Talk about the result, not the flaw.
5. Brand names in regulated treatments. Med spas advertising neuromodulators should say "wrinkle relaxer", not a drug's brand name, which triggers Meta's prescription-drug policy.
6. Missing consent. A patient's or homeowner's written OK to use their photos in ads, kept on file. It's required for patients and good practice for everyone else.