The topic on every social media marketer’s mind for the last six months is finally coming to fruition: Instagram ads! As the platform continues to expand accessibility to these features, users who are already capitalizing (the Goliath brands of the world) have started sharing their insider knowledge about how effective ads are created. Let us walk you through the creative process and features of an Instagram ad.
Connect Instagram to your Facebook
By connecting your Instagram to your Facebook, you can begin to create ads in Power Editor. First, go to your business page on Facebook. Click the settings button in the top right corner, then within the dropdown controls on the left side, click on Instagram Ads. With an existing account, all you need to connect your account is your username and password. If you don’t currently have an account, you can create one through Facebook.
Select a Type
As is true with normal Facebook ads, you have a handful of options when it comes to what type of ad you’d like to run. A standard image, a video, or a carousel ad are your three options; no word yet on which type gets the most interaction. You also have the ability to set an objective, although these options aren’t as varied as a standard Facebook ad. They are: clicks to your website, mobile app installs, and video views (up to 30 seconds in length).
Create Your Ad
As stated above, Instagram ads are created in Power Editor, the advertising tool associated with Facebook’s Business Manager. Because the ad creation is done within the framework of Facebook’s robust user data, the majority of the targeting and audience customization options are at your disposal. These include location, demographics, interests, actions, and more.
What This Means for Your Business
Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform, which means if you haven’t at least entertained the idea of setting up an account, you’re missing the boat. The biggest obstacle for small businesses on Instagram has been that they often can’t see a direct correlation in sales, yet this no longer presents a problem for businesses willing to pay a small amount for ads. If there is one overarching reason to embrace Instagram ads, it‘s that unlike regular posts, you can include a call to action button in your ad posts that can lead to conversions.
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