Instagram carousel ads are the buzz in the press again this week in as GM, CeaBrasil, Fido Mobile, and Lacoste all launched new campaigns. As of June 1, the company made the ad unit available in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, and Brazil. The new ad agency app became available last March in the U.S., introducing the ability to produce ad narratives of three to four consecutive shots in a single post. Cool. With phone advertisements trending, the idea is to create ads that can be swiped through briefly, yet also link to view websites and landing pages of more than 1,000 words to elaborate. Carousel ads are sold on a cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) basis. Not as cool, because no matter how much we explain it, many clients still are mystified by CPM, PPC, CPC, CPE, CPV, and anything that isn’t cost-per-insertion.
So why should we be so interested in the slide show narratives of Instagram ads? Aren’t they available on Facebook? Yes, but Facebook will not allow the brand posts to be seen on all interested follower’s news feed walls unless the brand pays into the service. And according to Adweek, the viewership of Facebook is at 208 million globally, whereas Instagram has trumped Twitter with 300 million users globally per month and is projected to have a viewership of 100 million plus users in the U.S. alone by 2018 – more than half the size of parent company Facebook’s U.S. users. Facebook currently owns Instagram and is gearing up for full advertising services through their Instagram venue. Newly available are shop now and sign up buttons as options to the Instagram business posts and an API that allows marketing partners to manage, track, and measure marketing campaigns while using Facebook data to target market segments.
We’re hired to be brilliant tellers of our clients’ stories — so this is right up our alley. Who better to produce photojournalistic-style advertisements for the appropriate client? This is not so much for our B2B clients, but think of what could be accomplished for a charitable organization, the direct sale of products or services, or short-term promotions for restaurants, hotels, entertainment, museums, and seasonal attractions.
Instagram carousel ads have the potential to spin into marketing gold. It broadens the menu of services offered and presents further proof of forward-thinking strategies. So, dare to include this creative tool when you present upcoming integrated marketing, public relations, social media, and promotional strategies. It’s good to have more business.
Click here to read Instagram’s story about its carousel ads
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– Lori Herrala
