Instagram has launched a new ad format dubbed ‘Carousel Ads’ that lets brands post a rotating number of images to boost the story-telling element of their campaigns.
The Facebook-owned social network said the new format will soon appear in user’s feeds, giving companies “more flexibility” in the storytelling of their ads.
Swiping left will reveal additional images, linking out to the appropriate website for further investigation.
Underneath the post, dots will show which photo is being viewed with a ‘learn more’ button.
For example, the carousel for Pencils Of Promise (shown above), a non-profit that builds schools lets people swipe through to see more photos of the students the organisation helps, and at the end, click through the Learn More button to donate.
Advertisers can also leverage the app’s video abilities to drive the intended message home.
Commenting on the launch, Joanna Parnell, director of planning at Unique Digital, said: “Instagram’s new advertising format is great news for brands with visually appealing products and campaigns, with the opportunity to boost conversion rates using the “carousel adverts” and the “learn more” button. However, it’s extremely important that as brands leverage ad spend opportunities on the platform, Instagram must still maintain its thirst for authenticity. In its fledgling years, founder, Kevin Systrom claimed to check each advert manually to maintain an unrelenting focus on beautiful images and an uncluttered experience.”
“Many Instagram users consider themselves as being a cut above your average social networker. With a sharp focus on creating and sharing moments of art, brands must still respect this with content planning on the platform,” Parnell added.
Use of the new ad format will be limited at first, as Instagram plans to make some tweaks once they go live in the “coming weeks.”