Popular photo sharing app, Instagram, announced recently that they would start incorporating advertisements and sponsored posts into news feeds. Some reacted negatively to the news, fearing it would clutter an application known for its simple, easy-to-navigate design, while others viewed it as an inevitability given our current digital landscape. For me, this move seemed like a natural progression after the addition of video in June of this year. Many brands latched on right away, viewing this new feature as a way to post 15 second commercial-like videos and serve them directly to millions of users. However, I was still incredibly curious about how it was going to be executed.
Well, Instragam fans will no longer have to wait for this answer. As I was scrolling through my Instagram feed, as I frequently do late in the afternoon, I noticed something different–a photo from Instagram themselves. I then noticed the right hand corner which said “Sponsored”. Accompanying the photo was a lengthy comment explaining the new change and what users can expect, and for additional info users need only click the “Sponsored” icon. An example of what the advertisement will look like is pictured below.
For now, the roll out of advertisements will be limited to a handful of companies. My initial impression is that the ad isn’t obtrusive at all–much like the addition of Instavideo. It is just as easy to flick past the ad as it is any other photo or video, and I don’t expect it to anger many users. I am excited to see how brands will get creative with advertisements on Instagram! Find out more here.
What do you think of the new advertisements on Instagram?
