Instagram has recently launched new advertising surfaces and tools to provide more opportunities for brands to reach potential customers on the platform. Read more on what these tools and surfaces are and why this news matters.
Instagram recently announced the release of new advertising tools and surfaces, including a multi-advertiser format and immersive features, to help businesses reach more customers. According to a company releaseOpens a new window , the photo and video-sharing social media platform has been introducing ads to new surfaces and tools over the last month. The platform has introduced four major surfaces and tools as part of its release.
Music optimization for Reels ads
According to a recent study by HubSpotOpens a new window , short-form video is still the most popular and effective content format on social media. They continue to capture the audience’s attention. As such, more people and businesses continue to create Instagram Reels on the platform. Ads on Instagram Reels give businesses new opportunities to reach out to customers.Â
The platform announced rolling out free songs from its Meta Sound Collection library, which businesses can use for Carousel Ads on Reels. Brands can select a song from the library manually or allow the application to automatically select the right music for the ad based on its content.
Ads in profile feed and Explore home
Instagram is attempting to introduce people to the brands in more places in profile and Explore. According to the platform, Explore home will now feature ads as people try to discover more content they care about. The platform is further testing ads in profile feed for non-teen and public profiles. Ads in profile feed enable advertisers to expand their reach using existing feed assets. At the same time, they can also give users the same personalized ad experience they get in their main Instagram feed.
Ads in profile feed and Explore home
Source: InstagramOpens a new window
The platform is also planning to experiment with monetization opportunities as part of this test. These monetization opportunities can allow eligible creators to earn extra income from the ads displayed in their profile feeds.
See more: YouTube Starts Testing New Search Insights Features for Content Creators
AI-driven multi-advertiser ads
The platform’s multi-advertiser ads are expected to make it possible for businesses to be discovered by users who are in a shopping mindset and have recently engaged with relevant brand content in the feed. When a user indicates commercial intent by engaging with a brand’s advertisement, the platform delivers more advertisements from other brands that may be of interest. According to the platform, adding multi-advertiser ads to campaigns led to improved efficiency in incremental conversions for every dollar spent.
Augmented reality ads
The platform has also launched an open beta of augmented reality (AR) Ads. These ads are available in feed and Stories and are expected to offer an immersive ad experience. The AR experience is powered by Spark AR, and brands can use it to encourage users to interact with the effect through their surroundings.
AR Ads
Source: InstagramOpens a new window
Why This Matters
Instagram has constantly added new tools and features to attract more users, businesses, and creators to its platform. The platform faces stiff competition from other platforms, like TikTok. According to StatistaOpens a new window , Instagram had about 1,478 million monthly active users in January, while TikTok had 1,000 million monthly active users. Another study by Pew Research CenterOpens a new window showed that TikTok was the second most popular social media platform among American teenagers, followed by Instagram. This means Instagram has to continuously experiment with new tools and features to beat its competitors.Â
Earlier in August, TikTok launched Shopping AdsOpens a new window , which aimed to simplify product discovery and browsing for the platform’s users. Instagram’s latest additions may be seen as an attempt to compete with TikTok’s offerings. Further, the platform seems to be trying to make the social shopping experience seamless for its users.
For example, AR Ads could contribute to enhanced brand awareness through immersive experiences, making it possible for users to place virtual products within their spaces, leading to better engagement.
It is yet to be seen how much these new features and tools will deliver seamless experiences to the platform’s users while improving its own and advertisers’ revenues.
How do you think these new advertising tools and surfaces will help brands and users? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .
Image Source: Shutterstock
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