When news broke about Instagram introducing ads into users’ photo streams, users fretted and advertisers rejoiced. Last week, we were given a glimpse at what we can expect from these ads and how they’ll flow in the photo stream as a whole, courtesy of the Instagram blog.
For users, this format is great news because it does little to disrupt the flow of the stream. For marketers, this format isn’t so great because, well, it does little to disrupt the flow of the stream. Although it’s less invasive, and less likely to annoy users, it forces marketers to produce really great content in order to be noticed at all. The vast majority of brands don’t have access to the ads service yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start forming an Instagram ads strategy now. Keep the following practices in mind to produce effective ads.
Experiment with video and photo ads.
Thanks to Instagram’s addition of video, ad formats will include videos and photos. Depending on your brand’s products and services (and your brand’s own experiences with Instagram) you might find that one is more effective for you than another. Take the time to determine that.
Keep it relevant and interesting.
Instagram users will be served ads based on their activity on both Instagram and Facebook. But, if a user feels an ad is irrelevant or inappropriate, they will be able to provide that feedback with just the tap of a finger. Make sure that your ad is relevant, interesting and attractive. On that note…
Embrace (the right) colors and filters.
You’re competing against a sea of photo filters and a palate that tends to emphasize certain colors. Although using no filter is the most popular artistic choice users make, the Mayfair, Lo-Fi and X-Pro II filters are also very popular. Keep this in mind. What colors and filters can you use that will help set your ad apart from the competition?
Return to the well.
If you’re embracing Instagram ads, it’s probably because your brand has already maintained a engaging presence on Instagram. Return to your most engaging posts and see what elements you can return to or explore further.
Need more guidance with your Instagram strategy? Find out the five big takeaways from Nitrogram’s Instagram report here.
