Instagram Tests New Ad Features in Explore & Interactive AR Content
Instagram has revealed it is experimenting with new advertising solutions in an effort to increase its revenue and give brands more opportunities.
New ad formats in Explore and home feed
To begin with, Instagram is updating Explore with new ad formats, and the first page of Explore will soon include a new ad unit in the content feed.
As shown below, the new ad format is very prominent. Instagram hasn't said if all of these new Explore ads will be presented as dominantly as this, but it will provide advertisers with another way to target Instagram users “in the earliest stages of discovering new content they care about.”
A positive aspect is the potential for products to be showcased in the app's primary discovery feed, so it's worth taking into account. Also, when you visit another user's profile and tap on a post, you will be taken to what Instagram calls the "feed experience,” where users can scroll through content.
Users can now be offered ads in this dedicated stream of someone's material, therefore introducing ads into another surface in the app.
Instagram is looking into the possibility of using this feature to pay content creators since it will be connected to a specific profile and content.
Multi-Advertiser Ads
Instagram is also trying out a new ad format it calls "Multi-Advertiser Ads," which would show users more ads from businesses after they've interacted with them.
Instagram claims that with the help of AI, when a person demonstrates commercial intent by engaging with an ad, they will receive more advertising from other businesses that may be of interest.
In light of this, Instagram intends to flood users’ feeds with ads for similar businesses. In theory, it should help put businesses in front of users who are more likely to be interested in them based on their past interactions with their ads. However, we can't predict how well this will actually work.
AR and interactive content
Last but not least, Instagram's open beta of its augmented reality advertisements (AR ads) has begun rolling out throughout the app's feed and Stories.
Instagram's Spark AR technology is the foundation for its augmented reality advertisements, which will allow users to do things like move virtual furniture around their homes and try on makeup and apparel. This, according to Meta, will facilitate brands’ adaptation to changes in consumer engagement.
"We'll help businesses prepare for the metaverse by giving them the tools they need to develop more personalized and immersive experiences today."
The creation of 3D items will definitely play a part in that next stage and could assist in improving the way brands and advertisers consider advertising methods.
While these are novel approaches to advertising, they will inevitably result in an influx of promotional content into Instagram feeds, something that users may not appreciate.
As the pressure of TikTok mounts, Instagram does need to shake things up. However, the usage and engagement statistics will ultimately reveal whether or not betting on Reels and forcing in more ads is the best move.
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