Instagram Announces New Branded Content Capabilities Including Expansion To Reels & Instagram Live
Source: Instagram
Instagram announced several new capabilities for Branded Content, including the expansion of the Branded Content Tag for Reels and Instagram Live, a new creation flow for Branded Content Ads, the introduction of shoppable Branded Content Ads, and much more.
Here's a breakdown of all of the new capabilities:
Expansion Of The Branded Content Tag For Reels & Instagram Live Content:
Instagram is expanding access to the Branded Content Tag to Reels and Instagram Live, which will enable creators to disclose partnerships clearly for its short-form and live streaming formats. This will also give brands the ability to amplify sponsored content with Branded Content Ads. The Branded Content Tag is available for Reels now but Instagram will be testing it for Instagram Live over the coming weeks.
A New Creation Flow For Branded Content Ads That Enables Advertisers To Amplify Content From Creators' Handle Without Existing Posts:
Through a new creation workflow, brands can create Branded Content Ads without creators needing to post the content organically first. Instead, advertisers can create and get approval to run Branded Content Ads from the creators' handle. Instagram says the process was designed with the creator in mind since creators have the ability to approve and pause any ads coming from their handle at any time.
“Until today, Branded Content ads could only be created by promoting the existing posts from creators. Instagram is now launching a new workflow where advertisers can create Branded Content ads without the need for creators to post organically on Instagram first. Now brands have more flexibility with fewer constraints when they want to run Branded Content ads.”
The process works as follows:
Advertisers send a request for Ad Creation Access
Creator accepts Ad Creation Access (Notification sent to the advertiser upon acceptance)
Creator receives the notification of the created ad for their approval
Branded Contents Ads Can Be Run For Stories With Tappable Elements:
Advertisers previously had the ability to run Branded Content Ads in Stories; however, there could be no tappable elements such as @mentions, locations, and hashtags. Now, advertisers can run Branded Content Ads for Stories that gave tappable elects. As a result, brands will be able to leverage the authentic Stories experience, which often features creators using @mentions and hashtags.
Introduction Of Branded Content Ads With Product Tags:
For the first time ever, advertisers have the option to amplify Branded Content with product tags. Previously, this type of content wasn't allowed to be amplified. However, advertisers can get additional reach for Branded Content with product tags while also allowing them to leverage Instagram's seamless shopping experience to drive conversions directly in-app.
New Age Restriction Options For Branded Content:
Lastly, Instagram is giving brands and creators the option to set a minimum age for Branded Content. They can set a default minimum age for their content or a minimum age for specific countries or do a combination of both.
Insights & Analysis:
These new capabilities give brands and creators greater flexibility and control with Branded Content. The expansion of the Branded Content Tag to Reels and Instagram Live and the new Branded Content Ad creation workflow are the most notable and significant.
Due to the emergence of short-form video and live streaming, more creators are putting efforts towards creating and sharing content across these formats. In these cases, where brands and influencers have come together for sponsored content on Reels and Live, influencers had to solely rely on in-copy disclosures like #ad or #sponsored, and brands were limited when it came to amplifying this type of content.
Now that the Branded Content Tag is available for Reels and eventually coming to Live, influencers will be able to be more transparent with their paid partnerships for these formats and brands will have the ability to get additional reach and awareness for these sponsored posts through Branded Content ads. Since brands can now amplify Reels and Live and optimize performance, more brands will look to activate influencers for Reels and Live campaigns. This is especially true for brands that typically incorporate a paid strategy into their influencer marketing efforts and were previously hesitant to run Reels and Live campaigns due to the Branded Content ads limitation.
The new creation workflow for Branded Content Ads gives brands and creators greater flexibility and control with Branded Content Ads. Since content doesn’t need to be posted first anymore in order for it to be amplified, brands have the ability to create ads that come from influencers’ handles and leverage the benefits of it being their “voice” without the previous requirement that the content is published on their feed first. The added flexibility gives brands and creators the opportunity to work with each other on Branded Content Ads in new ways such as collaborating on Branded Content Ads focused campaigns.
For example, a brand could have influencers create content featuring their product. However, instead of influencers publishing on their feed, the brand can instead take that asset to create a Branded Content Ad that is run from the influencers’ handle. Due to targeting parameters that can be set for Branded Content ads, this process may be more effective and efficient for brands especially those with specific campaign objectives and niche audiences they are trying to reach. Instead of having to worry about the organic reach of influencers and their specific audience demographics, brands can focus on getting quality assets from influencers and optimize performance through paid. This can help with cost-savings since brands only need to compensate influencers for the assets and permission to run the ad from their handle.
With Branded Content Ads and paid social in general, continuing to be a big part of influencer marketing, these capabilities will enable brands to get more value out of Branded Content and provide creators with more revenue opportunities around Branded Content.
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SOURCE: Instagram
