Instagram Influencer Marketing

Types of Instagram Ads: How to Pick the Right One

With so many brands on the platform vying for your target audience’s attention, your ads need to stand out. That’s why choosing the right types of Instagram ads for your brand is essential. Instagram offers several different options for advertising that can help elevate your brand’s marketing.

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Including advertising on Instagram in your marketing strategy seems like a no-brainer. When 60 percent of users say they discover new products on Instagram, not advertising there seems like a missed opportunity. The market base is there, ready to be tapped into. So, where do you start?

With so many brands on the platform vying for your target audience’s attention, your ads need to stand out. That’s why choosing the right types of Instagram ads for your brand is essential. Instagram offers several different options for advertising that can help elevate your brand’s marketing.

Photo Ads

Photo ads are perfect for those beautiful, single images you have of products. These ads are simple and allow the product or feeling you are selling to speak for itself. The key here is to make sure the image is interesting enough to entice your audience, otherwise, you may not get the engagement you’re aiming for.

This type of ad is perfect for a bold, fun statement picture with a catchy caption. Once your target audience is intrigued, Instagram offers easy ways to create conversions with buttons on the post. Whether you want Instagram users to “Shop Now” or “Learn More,” Instagram has got you covered.

Video Ads

Video ads offer a nice change of pace compared to regular photo ads. Whether your video is a trendy Boomerang or a full-fledged advertisement with sound, Instagram can put your content in front of your target.

Be strategic. Instagram only supports videos up to 60 seconds, and in all honesty, we advise going shorter than that. Thirty seconds seems to be the optimal amount of time for great engagement on Instagram video ads. Any longer than that can lose your audience's attention.

Make sure to keep your video content clear, concise and colorful. Keeping these three C’s in mind will ensure your brand’s message easily translates to your audience. Representing your brand in a stylish video format can help capture the attention of new and loyal customers.

Carousel Ads

Carousel ads are the sisters of photo ads. They can create the same sort of statement, but with more detail and insight into your brand and products. If you can’t shell out the time or money to create video content worthy of the ‘Gram, but want more detail than a single photo, carousel ads may be your best bet. These ads allow you to post more than one image in a single campaign. You could use photos of a single product from different angles, or use photos of multiple products in a new line.

A fun way to use this type of ad is to show a step-by-step tutorial on how to use a product in multiple frames of the carousel. You can also split a wide shot into several different photos to highlight the details in multiple frames. Carousel ads can provide a lot more detail for your audience without the hefty budget that’s needed to produce video content.

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Story Ads

Instagram Story ads have completely changed the game for advertising on the platform. In general, Stories are seen as a more casual place to post content. Using Story ads allows your brand to be woven in between the Stories of users your target audience follows, and put your own relatable content in front of them.

This doesn't mean Story ads shouldn’t remain professional (to an extent) because they are still representing your brand. Here, your video and photo content can be a little more free without it coming off as cheesy. If you have any wacky ideas you want to try out, Story ads are the way to go. It’s also a great way to highlight the team behind your product if you wanted to do a “behind the scenes” kind of ad, or any kind of “sneak peak” reveal moments. Note: These ads can only be a maximum of 15 seconds long, meaning you have less time to make an impact on your audience.

Advertising on Instagram is a must for brands looking to reach their audiences where they hang out online. Utilizing the tools within the platform can help your brand grow and generate ROI. If you want to learn more about the best ways to utilize Instagram to grow your brand, our team here at Statusphere would be happy to help.

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