
Instagram Advertising Guide
Instagram advertising has become an affordable, highly effective way of getting your brand and its message in front of your target audiences. One in four social media users claim to find new products and services through seeing ads on platforms like Instagram.With this Meta owned social medium having over two billion monthly active users (one fourth of the world’s population) you can bet a large portion of your audience is spending time on it. Dive into our Instagram advertising guide for a detailed look at how to advertise on Instagram:
Social spending rose by 13.1% in
2021 and is set to rise by a
further 10.1% in 2022
A bit about Instagram
No Instagram advertising guide would be complete without a bit of a backstory. Instagram gives people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. With new features constantly being added, users can build influence by creating compelling content that is uniquely theirs. Through Instagram ads, brands can do the same – building a community of loyal followers and regular customers. Here are six things every business should know about Instagram:
Instagram posts with at least one hashtag produce 12.6% more engagement
Instagram posts with at least one hashtag produce 12.6% more engagement
With 84% engagement, Instagram is the second-most used platform
50% of Instagram’s active users are checking Stories every day
100 million users watch or broadcast live Instagram videos daily
Over a fourth of the world’s population is using Instagram
How to reach Instagram audiences
Successful Instagram advertising campaigns aren’t those with the most striking visuals. The best advert ever made in front of the completely wrong audience isn’t going to achieve much. It’s not the ad’s fault, though. It comes down to how you reach audiences, and there are a few ways to do so on Instagram:
Location-based targeting
Demographic targeting
Interest-based targeting
Types of ads you can run on Instagram
Audience targeting is vital for Instagram advertising success, and so too are visuals. But it’s also about the style in which you present your brand, products and services to the world. In other words, the format your Instagram ads will be built in. There are nine types of ads you can run on Instagram:
78% of your target audience is likely to buy from your brand after experiencing a positive interaction on social media.
- Carousel
- Stories ads
- Image ads
- Video ads
- Collection ads
- Explore ads
- Shopping ads
- Reels ads
Carousel Ads
An Instagram Carousel ad is a collection of images or videos that users can swipe through. Appearing both in-feed and within Instagram Stories, Carousel ads can include a call-to-action button or swipe up link leading users directly to your website. You’ve got a 10-image limit to tell multi-part stories or showcase collections of your best products.
Story ads
An Instagram Carousel ad is a collection of images or videos that users can swipe through. Appearing both in-feed and within Instagram Stories, Carousel ads can include a call-to-action button or swipe up link leading users directly to your website. You’ve got a 10-image limit to tell multi-part stories or showcase collections of your best products.
Image ads
Instagram Image ads are ideal for campaigns with compelling visual content conveyable in one picture. Use one image to tell a thousand words about your brand, products and services. Instagram recommends limiting on-image wording as much as possible for best results, so details should go in the accompanying advert text.
Video ads
Video ads on Instagram also give users an immersive look into what your business can offer them. In-feed Instagram video ads have a 60-minute limit, with shorter videos considered more effectual. Video ads take more time and effort than Image ads, but will yield substantially more engagement.
Collection ads
Collection ads are combine Carousel ads and Shopping ads, showcasing products directly from your Instagram product catalogue. They’re best suited to ecommerce brands, since users can buy products directly from the advert. When someone clicks, it directs them to an on-app storefront where they can learn more about the product and buy it.
Explore ads
Instagram users discover new content under the Explore tab, which is another chance to capture your target audience’s attention and where Explore ads pop up. Instagram Explore ads can comprise both images and video, and, with more than 50% of users accessing the Explore function every month – it’s a fantastic place to get brand exposure.
Shopping ads
After setting up an Instagram Shopping catalogue, you’re able to advertise to the 130 million users tapping on Instagram shopping posts each month. After clicking on Instagram Shopping ads, users land on a product description page within the app, and can then complete the purchase on your ecommerce website.
Reels ads
Reels are all the rage, so it’s no wonder Instagram is letting brands advertise on this content format. Instagram Reels ads are short, full-screen videos (max. 30 seconds) that show up between a user’s Reels. These ads should ideally include sound so as to integrate seamlessly with the preceding and upcoming organic Reels
Looking for a more detailed social media strategy?
78% of your target audience is likely to buy from your brand after experiencing a positive interaction on social media. The trick is to consistently publish positive, pertinent content that will add value to your followers’ social media experiences.
We have partnered with leading social media software makers, Sprout Social, becoming the first listed agency partner in South Africa to achieve the Platinum Partner ranking.
We’re privileged to have partnered with many respected clients and continue to add value to their social media efforts. Connect with us to discuss a detailed, results-driven social media planning strategy.