Instagram's New Branded Content Ad Integration

The social media marketing landscape is always changing, and when it comes to Instagram, influencers with high follower counts rise to the top. According to Instagram, 68% of people come to the app to interact with influencers, which has caused many brands to hire them to promote their products and services with the hashtag #ad.

As of today, according to an article on CNN Business, brands will have the ability to broaden the reach of such ads—formerly known as “paid partnerships” that pop up in the feeds only of followers—placing them in broader audience newsfeeds as “branded content ads.” These ads will also appear in users’ Instagram Stories, regardless of whether they follow the influencer or not.

The article points out that ads positioned as personal recommendations from influencers often bear more weight because of the greater feeling of authenticity. "Their audiences trust them and their opinion," CNN Business quotes Beca Alexander, founder and president of Socialyte. "They feel like they have this personal connection with these influencers because the influencers give them a view into their day-to-day lives."