Get ready, folks! Your Instagram feeds will soon be infested by ads!
The photo-sharing giant has confirmed that in-feed photo and video ads are on the way, so expect them to start appearing within the next couple of months.
In a blog post, Instagram shared, “We have big ideas for the future, and part of making them happen is building Instagram into a sustainable business. In the next couple months, you may begin seeing an occasional ad in your Instagram feed if you’re in the United States. Seeing photos and videos from brands you don’t follow will be new, so we’ll start slow. We’ll focus on delivering a small number of beautiful, high-quality photos and videos from a handful of brands that are already great members of the Instagram community.”
Instagram had before referred to ads being farther down the road, but that doesn’t seem to be the case now. It’s also interesting to see if Philippine users will be included in the future.
“Our aim is to make any advertisements you see feel as natural to Instagram as the photos and videos many of you already enjoy from your favorite brands. After all, our team doesn’t just build Instagram, we use it each and every day. We want these ads to be enjoyable and creative in much the same way you see engaging, high-quality ads when you flip through your favorite magazine.”
That said, Instagram users would still have control. You can hide ads you don’t like, as well as provide feedback on “what didn’t feel right” to you.
So what do you feel about this rollout? Care to share your reaction?