Instagram, owned by Facebook, has announced the availability of new self serving advertising opportunities on its platform. These include expanding ad product offerings, more relevant and comprehensive targeting capabilities and opening up the platform to a self-service/biddable model.
Instagram’s expanded ad formats support website visits, app installs, and offline sales goals, among others. The expanded ad offerings will include more action-oriented formats, including a carousel unit, which will allow for advertiser storytelling through a horizontal swiping visual experience that culminates with a call-to-action in the final frame and includes a link to a branded page.
Through Instagram’s expanded targeting options, advertisers will now be able to reach people on Instagram based on demographics and interests, as well as information businesses have about their own customers. And Instagram will allow now be offering a self-serve self serve/bidding process initially offered through 3rd party technologies. Instagram will start by opening its Ads API to a group of Facebook Marketing Partners and agencies, and will expand globally throughout the year.