Instagram to ad adds, world could possibly end
Instagram has finally announced that it will begin to serve ads on its iOS and Android apps, after months of speculation on the move. In December of last year, an insider hinted that ads were coming, and by the reactions on Twitter, you would think that the literal apocalypse had been announced, thus, in 2012, we created the parody image above of what Instagram ads could look like (according to the rage tweets littering the internet). The reaction today to confirmation that ads were coming were similar to those last year, complete with people threatening to leave.
While the ads will become a part of the free app with over 150 million users, and most people that are in business understand, they will appear right in your Instagram feed as a full sized image, not a pop up ad or something you’ll be forced to close.
“We have big ideas for the future, and part of making them happen is building Instagram into a sustainable business,” the company said in a blog statement. “In the next couple months, you may begin seeing an occasional ad in your Instagram feed if you’re in the United States.”
You can hide ads you don’t like
Given that the app now offers 15-second videos with filters, some ads could very well be videos, according to Instagram. The native advertising will allow brands to pay for high quality photos and videos to appear in users’ feeds, likely based on user preferences and locations, appealing to advertisers. Additionally, users will be able to hide an ad that is not relevant to them or that they do not like.
The advertising will be part of the core experience, or what is called native advertising. Brands and companies will pay for their “high-quality photos and videos” to appear in your feed. Similar to Facebook, which bought Instagram last year for $1 billion, users will be able to hide an ad they don’t like or isn’t relevant to them.
So will your face pop up in ads after all?
Facebook acquired Instagram for $1 billion, and on the heels of Twitter announcing its IPO filing, the social media giant is in a position to make sure advertisers are enthusiastic, promoting their value proposition to investors.
Alluding to the Instagram exodus early this year (in response to a change in the app’s Terms of Service that gave Instagram permission to use all images without pay, permission, or age verification), the company said on their blog that all photos and videos belong to you and will not be used in any advertisements.
Although people took to Twitter to complain that they might see ads, it is a ridiculous overreaction, as your television still has ads, heck, even your Hulu Plus account has ads. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Business News
