Prepare to start seeing ads in Instagram Reels.
In August 2020, Instagram released their Reels feature, which allowed users to create short video clips and share them publicly with friends. Now that the company have got the organic experience right, they have decided to release ads for Reels, to businesses and advertisers worldwide.
“We see Reels as a great way for people to discover new content on Instagram, and so ads are a natural fit. Brands of all sizes can take advantage of this new creative format in an environment where people are already being entertained.” – Justin Osofsky, Instagram Chief Operating Officer
According to Instagram, Reels ads will appear in the most popular places that users view Reels content; the Reels tab, Reels in Stories, Reels in Explore and Reels in your Instagram Feed.
The ads will be up to 30 seconds in length, be full screen and vertical, similar to ads in stories, and appear between individual reels. Users will be able to identify these ads by a small “sponsored” tag below the name of the advertiser’s account.
Instagram has yet to have shared any official numbers on Reels usage, but according to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, the option is growing with regards to both sharing and consuming of content.
Similarly to all other ads on Instagram, the tech giant will provide people with controls on Reels ads they see.
“Taking advantage of new and innovative formats like Reels ads is a top priority for our clients, so we’re excited about this new opportunity for brands to reach potential customers.” – Amanda Grant, Global Head of Social Media, GroupM
