How Instagram advertising works
Su Instagram it is possible to sponsor content using multiple tools and numerous types of advertisements. As for the tools, the photographic social network offers the possibility of creating advertisements both through its official app and through some advanced tools that allow you to conduct real advertising campaigns. Among these I point out Ads management e Power Editor, which I have already told you about in the tutorial in which I explain how to advertise on Facebook and which I will talk about in a little more detail in the chapter dedicated to managing ads, also in this post.
Instagram also offers various types of advertisements, one more interesting than the other for those who need to promote their business.
- Ads with photos - it is the simplest type of ad that can be adopted on Instagram, but also one of the most effective. Using photo ads, you can use both horizontal and square images.
- Ads with videos - if a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth even more. Ads with videos, in fact, combine images, sounds and movements that create a strong visual impact in the users who watch them. On Instagram you can create ads with videos in horizontal or square format with a maximum duration of 60 seconds.
- Carousel Ads - this type of advertisement allows you to insert multiple photos and videos in a single advertisement. To view them all, the user simply scrolls through the contents with a simple swipe.
- Ads in stories - Inserting ads within Instagram stories is a very smart strategy, given that millions of users create and view this particular type of content every day. To insert an advertisement within a story, however, specific guidelines must be respected regarding the size of the files used, the format, the maximum duration of the video and so on (click here for more info on the specifications to be respected ).
As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, to sponsor content on Instagram it is necessary to have a Facebook page and use a company Instagram profile (if you do not know how to create a Facebook page or how to create a company Instagram profile, do not hesitate to read the guides that I have dedicated to both topics).
Once you've completed these two preliminary steps, you need to set up your ad, budget, and finally publish it. How? I'll explain it to you right away: find all the information you need to create your first ad right below.
How to create a promotion on Instagram
Promote a post on Instagram it's very simple: all you have to do is choose the post you want to advertise and press the button Promote present under it. Now I'll explain how to proceed, but know that currently the operation is feasible only in the official Instagram app for Android and iOS, not in the Instagram app for Windows 10 or in the web version of the service.
That said, start the Instagram app on your Android or iOS device, log into your account (if necessary), press thelittle man to view the posts you have published on your profile, tap onpreview of the post you want to advertise and press the button Promote, located in the lower right.
Now, select the goal you want to achieve with the promotion you are running (eg. Get more profile and website visits, Get more website visits o Reach people close to an address) and, in the screen that opens, complete your advertisement by indicating the destinazione (e.g. your company's website). Then choose a call to action button to invite users to action, select yours public, define the budget you have available and, finally, specify the duration of the promotion.
At this point, if you have not yet added a payment method, press the link Add a new payment method and follow the wizard to set it up. On Instagram, you can use various payment methods, such as credit and debit cards e the bill PayPal. Finally, press the blue button Create promotion And that's it. The content you have just decided to promote will be shown to a larger number of users and will carry the “Sponsored” label.
Ah… I almost forgot! The Instagram staff, before actually promoting the post you have decided to sponsor, will verify that it complies with its advertising regulations. Generally the analysis process does not last more than 24 hours (with some rare exceptions), but you still need a bit of patience.
How to manage Instagram ads
As I told you a moment ago, Instagram (or rather, Facebook, which as you surely know holds the ownership of Instagram) has made available to advertisers some tools that allow you to better manage their advertising campaigns.
The tools in question are especially designed for Web Agencies and professionals who need to conduct rather important advertising campaigns, so it is unlikely that you will be able to use them if you sponsor a post from time to time or if you are approaching the world of advertising. Be that as it may, I urge you to read the next few lines anyway and thus acquire a general understanding of the characteristics of these useful tools.
- Ads management - this tool allows you to use the same advertising tools that can be used on Facebook. Thanks to Ads Manager, you can analyze the results of your advertising campaigns, make changes to your ads, change their settings and duplicate them quickly and easily. Ads Manager can be used both from the computer and from startphones and tablets (via the app available for Android and iOS). If you want to have some more details, read the support page on Facebook.
- Power Editor - thanks to this tool it is possible to control precisely adverts, ad groups and even entire advertising campaigns: indispensable function for those who invest huge resources in advertising on social media. Unlike the Ads Management tool I mentioned earlier, Power Editor is usable only from PC. If you want to have some more details about how it works, please read the support page on Facebook.
What to do in case of problems or doubts
Should they arise problems or concerns with regard to the content you sponsor on Instagram, do not hesitate to visit the Support Center of the photographic social network and, above all, the Advertising Support Center containing detailed information on the use of the tools that can be used to conduct advertising campaigns on Instagram.
If the information contained in the support pages that I have just linked to you do not help you, try to expose your problem in the support forum on Facebook or, alternatively, contact the social network for further support.
How to advertise on Instagram
