Expect more Instagram branded content ad opportunities in 2019

Instagram confirmed it is exploring more ways for brands to amplify content from influencers. The company has been testing a new branded content ad format since last year that allows brands to turn posts created by influencers into ads on the platform.

Why you should care

Brands on Instagram have long been cultivating relationships with influencers to promote content. But, brands are unable to use influencers’ posts featuring their products or services as ads that can be targeted beyond the influencer’s organic reach.

“We got great feedback from the brands that participated that this ad product is helping with some major limitations that can come with organic branded content including targeting and scale,” said an Instagram spokesperson.

While branded content ads are not currently available to all advertisers, an Instagram spokesperson said the company was encouraged by the feedback from the beta tests for the ads and is committed to rolling it out more broadly in 2019.

The top two most effective influencer marketing content formats across all social platforms are Instagram Posts and Instagram Stories, according to a recent report from the influencer marketing platform Mediakix. The same report found that two-thirds of marketers plan on increasing their influencer marketing budgets in 2019, with 89 percent saying Instagram is important to their influencer marketing strategies.

More on the news

1. Instagram launched a branded content tool in 2017, making it easy for celebrities and sponsors to identify branded content as a sponsored post. The company has since expanded its branded content program, opening it up to more creators.

2. While influencer marketing is a big win for brands on the platform, Instagram has had to monitor accounts by stripping out fake likes tied to third party apps to protect brands from fake influencers who claim to have more followers and engagement on the app than they actually do.

3. Last year, Mediakix estimated the total ad spend for influencer marketer will increase to $5 to $10 billion by 2020.