Instagram – Yet Another Platform For Advertisers

Instagram has 300 million monthly active users and plans to open up the platform for advertisers. Jim Squires, director of market operations at Instagram, speaking with eMarketer’s Debra Aho Williamson, talked about how advertisers will be able to use Facebook data for targeting and how the ad buying process will change on Instagram.

What can marketers and advertisers expect going forward?

• Instagram will introduce direct-response ads, the ability to buy ads via an API (application programming interface) and enhance its specific targeting capabilities
• In addition to the video, photo and carousel ad formats, the new Action-oriented ad formats will allow users to take an action directly from an ad to sign up on a website or buy a product or download an app
• Instagram will maintain advertisement quality and creativity with a complex system using negative feedback rates, ad engagement rates and comments on those ads as input parameters
• Advertisers will be able to use ‘Custom Audiences’ to mix their information with the Instagram and Facebook platforms to get a holistic picture of their ad campaigns

Let us know your thoughts on how to fold Instagram into your social marketing strategy.