Instagram has introduced ads to its Explore Feed, a move that pushes it further in its pursuit to become an “online mall”.
The ads themselves won’t be placed on the initial Explore page, but will appear once a user taps on an image or video. As they scroll through they may begin to see ads while browsing.
The decision has been welcomed by social media experts who say it’s a more natural placement for ads compared to other sections of Instagram.
Natalie Giddings, MD at The Remarkables Group, says users in the Explore Feed are actively looking for new products to discover.
“Surely seeing an ad in Stories would have been the most jarring because the content there is often raw behind-the-scenes style footage,” Giddings says. “But ads there aren’t phasing anybody. Instagram Story ‘Views’ are rapidly climbing.”
How the new ads appear on Instagram
Maria Casas, social business director at Social Soup, says while the move risks overpopulating the platform with ads, waiting until users select content from their Explore Feed ensures they’re matched with more relevant ads.
“Instagram is quickly becoming an online mall, continuously finding new ad placements will be an ‘always on’ strategy for the people at Facebook who own the platform, case and point, the Fakebook platform itself that is always evolving and trailing new ad formats, so it’s no surprise that Instagram would follow the same evolution,” Casas says.
Casas says its the responsibility of brands to understand the aesthetic of the platform and expectations of consumers to provide them with valuable and engaging ads. Still, she says Instagram needs to be very careful to not damage the authenticity of the platform.
“Social platforms are the furthest thing from static, so the ‘authentic feel’ today will be very different to the one next year or even in a couple of months,” she says. “They need to focus their efforts in being very diligent in always striving for the balance between revenue and great user experience, that will always be the key.”
But Giddings says users already understand revenue is part of Instagram’s model.
“The initial resistance will surely be much lower than other major moves on the platform, as ads are in every other part of the channel,” Giddings says. “Consumers have come to understand that to enjoy their favourite online spaces, revenue is a part of that chain. I’d be surprised if this update doesn’t fly under the radar.”
The move comes after Facebook revealed its plans to launch its digital wallet Calibra next year. If successful, Calibra will allow users to make online payments from around the world, meaning people could make purchases from ads they see on Facebook’s platform much more seamlessly.
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