Instagram announces updates to Branded Content

Instagram has made new additions and improvements to Branded Content surfacing on the platform across formats including feed posts and Stories.

The updates to Branded Content on Instagram are intended to create more monetized opportunities for creators and make the Branded Content ads veritable to the user experience.

Branded Content Tags

The Branded Content tag is now available to creators on the recently launched short-video format feature - Instagram Reels. The tags will also go through a testing phase in Live in the coming weeks.

New Creation Flow

Until now, Branded Content ads could only be run by promoting the creators' posts. With the new creation flow, advertisers can create branded content ads without needing the creators' organic posts.

Advertisers would first need to send a request for ad creation access, through the Branded Content settings tab. The creators would then receive a notification, with an option to respond to the request. The creator would then have to approve the ad created.

The ads would run through the creators' account with a disclosure of the paid partnership. Creators can approve and pause any ads published from their handle.

Also Read: Instagram to crack down on influencers engaging in hidden advertising

Stories

Tappable elements such as @mentions, location, and hashtags are now available for Branded Content ads in Stories, to make the Stories creative native to the Stories experience.

Product Tags

To boost more conversions, and get measurable results of posts that drive sales, Instagram has now introduced the ability to promote branded content posts with product tags.

As users would be able to shop directly from the creators' posts, brands can expect a higher number of direct conversions as opposed to branded content ads without product tags and also analyze downwards or upwards trends in sales in comparison to the creators they have collaborated with, to understand which collaborations turn out beneficial.

Age Restrictions

Brands and creators now have the option to set a minimum age limit for their branded content feed posts on Instagram. They can customize a default minimum age or a minimum age for specific countries, or a combination of both.

The updates would create a constructive impact on both parties involved for a branded content collaboration, with creators having more opportunities to monetize their content, and brands have increased possibilities of higher sales.

Recently, Instagram also announced a crackdown on influencers engaging in hidden advertising, i.e. not disclosing paid partnerships, and promoting a brand by portraying it as an organic post.

Instagram will be rolling out tools that comprise of a prompt requiring influencers to confirm whether they have received incentives to promote a product, and a new algorithm to detect potential advertising. The new tools would be rolled out over the next year.