Advertising Specs & Deadliness

Everything you need to deliver beautiful, on-brand campaigns across the City Mom Media network. Use this page as your reference for asset specs, deadlines, and the small-but-mighty details that make creative perform. If you're working with us on a campaign, you can find all specs, asset needs, and submission links below. Reach out anytime if you have questions — we're here to make this easy.

Campaign Details

    • Use the forms linked below for each campaign deliverable.

    • Name files clearly. Example: BrandName_Spring2026_IGPost1_1080x1350.jpg

    • Send everything by your asset deadline. Late assets push the campaign go-live date.

    • When in doubt, send more. Extra image options give us flexibility to make your campaign sing.

  • Spec Requirements

    • File format: JPG or PNG

    • Color mode: RGB (not CMYK)

    • Resolution: 72 dpi (web standard)

    • Max file size: 5 MB per image

    • Logo files: PNG with transparent background preferred (SVG also accepted)

  • All timelines are based on the deliverable go-live / publish date. Timelines are subject to change based on complexity of the ad.

    Email Advertising

    • Email Newsletter Feature: 6-Week Minimum Timeline | Preview Available

    • Email Display Ad: 2 Week Minimum Timeline | No Preview

    Website Display Ads

    • Banner Display Ad: 2-Week Minimum Timeline | No Preview

    • Leaderboard Display Ad: 2-Week Minimum Timeline | No Preview

    Client Provided Social Promotions

    • Facebook Promotion: 4-Week Minimum Timeline | Preview Available

    • Instagram Promotion: 4-Week Minimum Timeline | Preview Available

    Sponsored Editorial

    • Brand-Provided Article: 4-Week Minimum Timeline | Preview Available

    • Custom Article: 10-Week Minimum Timeline | Preview Available

    Custom Content Created In-House by Our Team

    • Sponsored Article: 10-Week Minimum Timeline | Preview Available

    • Instagram Content: 10-Week Minimum Timeline | Preview Available

    • Video Content: 10-Week Minimum Timeline | Preview Available

    Go-live dates are dependent on signed contract and completed invoice.

    Publish Dates depend on availability on our editorial calendar.

    Timelines are subject to change.

Deliverable Asset Needs & Submission Links

Email Newsletter feature Ad

A featured spot inside our weekly newsletter, sent directly to engaged parent subscribers in each region.

    • Image size: 1200 × 400 px

    • File format: JPG or PNG (RGB, 72 dpi)

    • Text: 50 words or less

    • Link: One destination URL

    • Image (1200 × 400 px)

    • Text write-up (50 words max)

    • Preferred URL

  • *Minimum 2-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

  • Lead with the hook, not your brand name. Subscribers skim. Open with the value prop or offer.

    Use bright, lifestyle imagery. Most subscribers read on mobile; warm photos with people land better than product flat-lays.

    Keep text closer to 30 words than 50. Tighter copy = higher click-through.

    Make the URL count. Send to a campaign-specific landing page when possible, not your homepage.

Submit Assets
Submit Assets 
Email display ad

A clickable display ad placed within our email newsletter. A clean, simple way to drive traffic.

    • Image size: 1080 × 1080 px (square) OR 728 × 90 px (banner)

    • File format: JPG or PNG (RGB, 72 dpi)

    • Link: One destination URL

    • Image (one of the two sizes above)

    • Preferred URL

  • *Minimum 2-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

  • Keep on-image text minimal. Moms skim. Keep the on-graphic messaging simple and to the point.

    Make sure your CTA is readable at thumbnail size. If you can't read it on your phone, neither can our subscribers.

    Lean on brand colors. Recognizable beats clever in this format.

Submit Assets
Submit Assets 
banner display ad

A medium-rectangle display ad placed on homepage and within articles on our selected site(s).

    • Image size: 300 × 250 px

    • Link: One destination URL

    • Image (300 × 250 px)

    • Preferred URL

  • *Minimum 2-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

  • One message, one CTA. The medium rectangle rewards simplicity above all else.

    Logo + headline + CTA is the proven formula. Skip the rest.

    Use high contrast. Your ad needs to stand out from the surrounding article content.

    Avoid small text. If a tip or fine print won't read on mobile, leave it off.

Submit Assets
Submit Assets 
leaderboard display ad

A horizontal banner ad placed at the top of our homepage, posts, and pages with high visibility for top-of-funnel awareness.

    • Image size: 728 × 90 px

    • File format: JPG or PNG (RGB, 72 dpi)

    • Link: One destination URL

    • Image (728 × 90 px)

    • Preferred URL

  • *Minimum 2-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

  • Keep copy to 5–7 words max. Horizontal real estate is unforgiving.

    Logo on the left, CTA on the right. This layout consistently outperforms.

    Strong visual hierarchy beats clever copy. Readers are scrolling — they need to "get it" instantly.

    Use bold, brand-recognizable colors. This ad lives at the top of the page where the eye lands first.

Submit Assets
Submit Assets 
FACEBOOK PROMOTION | BRAND-provided

A sponsored post published from our regional Facebook page, reaching engaged local parent communities.

    • Image size: 1200 × 628 px (landscape) OR 1080 × 1080 px (square) — image is optional and can be pulled from your URL if you'd rather not provide one

    • File format: JPG or PNG (RGB, 72 dpi)

    • Post text: 75 words or less

    • Link: One destination URL

    • Image (optional — see specs above)

    • Post text (75 words max)

    • Preferred URL

  • *Minimum 4-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

    • 1080 × 1080 (square) outperforms landscape on mobile feeds. Choose square when you can.

    • First line is everything. Front-load the hook before your brand name — Facebook truncates after a few lines.

    • Conversational beats corporate. Our audiences are local parents; write like a friend recommending something. Note: We will edit to fit our brand voice to help you get the most out of your promotion.

    • One or two emojis can lift engagement. More starts to feel spammy.

Submit Assets
Submit Assets 
instagram PROMOTION | BRAND-provided

A sponsored static post (single image or carousel of up to 5) published from our regional Instagram account.

    • Image size: 1080 × 1350 px (4:5 portrait) — up to 5 images for a carousel

    • File format: JPG or PNG (RGB, 72 dpi)

    • Post text: 75 words or less

    • Link: One destination URL (typically placed in profile link or stories)

    • Image(s) (see specs above)

    • Post text (75 words max)

    • Preferred URL

  • *Minimum 4-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

    • Use 4:5 portrait (1080 × 1350) — not square. It takes maximum feed real estate on mobile.

    • The first image must stop the scroll on its own. For carousels, lead with your strongest visual.

    • Hook in the first line of the caption. Instagram truncates after roughly 125 characters with "...more."

    • Authentic > polished on this audience. Over-produced creative tends to underperform with our parent communities.

Submit Assets
Submit Assets 
Sponsored article | BRAND-provided

A long-form article written and provided by your team, formatted and published by us on your selected site(s).

    • Article length: 600–900 words

    • Featured image: 1200 × 628 px

    • In-article images: Up to 5 supporting images; sizing can vary

    • Brand bio: 75 words or less

    • Article file format: Google Doc or Word document (editable format)

    • Image format: JPG or PNG (RGB, 72 dpi)

    • Article (600–900 words, in Google Doc or Word format)

    • Featured image (1200 × 628 px)

    • Up to 5 supporting in-article images

    • Brand logo (PNG with transparent background preferred)

    • 75-word brand bio

    • URL(s) to include within the article

    • Social pages and URL(s) for the bio

  • *Minimum 6-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

    • Lead with reader value, not brand promotion. Our audiences engage with articles that solve a problem or share useful expertise; overt sales copy underperforms.

    • Write conversationally. A knowledgeable-friend tone outperforms corporate blog voice with our parent communities.

    • Localize where you can. References to regional events, seasonal hooks, or local context drive significantly stronger engagement.

    • Place URLs naturally throughout the article. Two to three well-placed in-context links outperform a wall of links at the bottom or one front-loaded link dump.

Submit Assets
Submit Assets 
Sponsored article | custom (written by CMM)

A long-form sponsored article written by our editorial team and published on your selected site(s).

    • Preferred topic (we can collaborate to develop)

    • Completed questionnaire (our team sends this once topic is locked)

    • Brand bio (75 words or less)

    • Preferred URL(s) to include within the article

    • Featured image (optional — 1200 × 628 px; we can pull stock if you'd rather)

    • Up to 5 supporting images for use within the post

    • Featured image (1200 × 628 px)

    • Up to 5 supporting in-article images

    • Brand logo (PNG with transparent background preferred)

    • 75-word brand bio

    • URL(s) to include within the article

    • Social pages and URL(s) for the bio

  • *Minimum 10-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

    • Best-performing topics are educational or service-oriented, not promotional. Think "5 ways to plan a stress-free family vacation," not "Why our hotel is the best."

    • Provide a mix of horizontal and vertical images. Layout flexibility = a better-looking final article.

    • Local angles drive the strongest engagement. Tie-ins to regional events, partners, or context resonate with our readers.

    • Complete the questionnaire thoroughly. The depth of your answers directly shapes the quality of the article.

*Our team will be in touch with assets needed for your custom content.

instagram content | custom (created by CMM)

Our team designs the post for you — graphics, captioning, and all — using your brand assets and key messaging.

  • If our team is going on site, we will coordinate with your team separately.

    • For carousel content: Up to 5 lifestyle images (raw, unstyled images we can work with)

    • Logo (PNG with transparent background preferred)

    • Preferred messaging and key talking points

    • Preferred URL

    • Any non-negotiables (required mentions, hashtags, claims, disclaimers)

    • : Up to 5 lifestyle images (raw, unstyled images we can work with)

    • Logo (PNG with transparent background preferred)

    • Preferred messaging and key talking points

    • Preferred URL

    • Any non-negotiables (required mentions, hashtags, claims, disclaimers)

  • *Minimum 10-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

    • Send a range of vertical-friendly imagery. More raw images = stronger creative options for our team.

    • Skip heavily-edited stock photography when possible. Authentic lifestyle photos perform better with our communities.

    • Share non-negotiables up front. Required brand mentions, legal language, hashtags — tell us before we design, not after.

    • Trust our team's local audience knowledge. That's the value we bring; lean into it.

*Our team will be in touch with assets needed for your custom content.

PRESENTED BY Sponsor

A premium, evergreen sponsorship of one of our highest-performing existing articles. Your brand is featured as the article's "Presented By" sponsor, letting you leverage the proven organic traffic of our top-performing content.

    • Brand logo: PNG with transparent background (SVG also accepted)

    • Write-up: 100 words or less, used in the "Presented By" language and in cross-promotion

    • Link: One destination URL

    • Brand logo (PNG, transparent background)

    • 100-word write-up about your business

    • Preferred URL

  • *Minimum 4-week ad lead timeline based on publish date.

    • Use the 100 words to add reader value, not company history. Lead with what you do for parents and families in your area. Readers skim sponsorship blurbs the same way they skim ads — front-load the value.

    • Provide a clean, transparent-background logo. Logos with white or solid color backgrounds will not look right against the article layout.

Submit Assets
Submit Assets

Need Help?

Have a question about specs, deadlines, or what's possible for your campaign?
Reach out to your account manager or Alexia Martinez, our campaign coordinator,
at Alexia@CityMomMedia.com.

We're happy to help.

Contact Us
Contact Us