When Instagram released advertising to the public, I was a little excited. I started seeing all the ads that were smartly targeted to me, and even I was being influenced by them (I’ve bought several items from Instagram ads). I’m also a digital marketer, so when I click on ads I’m doing it consciously because I am aware of the costs associated with them. So the fact that a conscious digital marketer is clicking on ads and making purchases definitely tells me something: they work.
I’m a millennial, so I fall into that easily influenced target audience. If your business markets well to this audience, then Instagram can be a great fit for you. It’s also a new advertising platform. Before September, 2015 it was only available to a select group of brands in the US, and then became open to everyone. In fact, there are now over 200k Instagram advertisers who are using the platform. The number sounds a little overwhelming, but it’s important to note that only ads that are relevant to your interests are going to show up in your news feed.
Instagram ads give you different advertising display options (which in my opinion, look awesome), and you’re also pitching your ad to a massive audience which you can target effectively, just like you do with your Facebook ads. Facebook gives advertisers the ability to target to a very niche audience, which both advertisers and users can appreciate.
Here are some things to know about Instagram Ads:
- Advertisers can utilize videos that run up to 60 seconds long (average is 30 seconds)
- You can choose a standard image, or a carousel option, which allows users to swipe through several photos in the ad
- Ads can include 5 different CTA’s (Call to actions) including links to install new apps, or to shop
- Its owned by Facebook, so you get Facebook pricing
Now, let’s get to some facts. You can trust my personal statement above, knowing that a real-life millennial proves the ads work or you can check out these stats below:
To prove the ads work, Instagram cites some examples:
- Gilt Group’s campaign drove an 85% increase in app installs
- Furniture retailer Made.com saw a 10% increase in order value versus its benchmark
- Game developer Kabam was able to acquire users who played longer and spent more
Instagram ads can complement your regular social paid advertising and your PPC. I think it’s fun to run them all at once to see where your target audience is. It’s a great way to learn more about your audience’s activity and where you should focus most of your budget.
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