Instagram Advertising

Instagram is a social media platform used by over 2.9 million people daily in Hungary. This is a significant number, making it an excellent channel for companies to consider for their marketing efforts. In this blog post, we will explore what Instagram advertising is, the different types available, and why it's beneficial to integrate them into the marketing plan.

About Instagram

Instagram is a popular social media platform that captures the attention of millions of people. The platform allows users to share photos and videos accompanied by various effects and expressive captions. As a social platform, users can follow each other, express opinions, and comment on other people's content.

Instagram Stories was launched in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. They achieved greater success than anticipated, boasting over 100 million users just three years later in 2013.

Today, there are more than 2.9 million users of the platform in Hungary alone, it is primarily popular among men and women between the ages of 25 and 45. Its audience is well-defined, making it suitable for placing social media advertisements. The advertising feature was introduced on the platform after Facebook acquired Instagram in 2013. By 2017, there were already over 1 million ads running on Instagram.

Now, let's take a closer look at why companies should embrace Instagram advertising!

Why advertise on Instagram?

For many, Instagram advertising may seem secondary rather than a primary focus. However, depending on the target audience and circumstances, it can become the main thrust of an advertising campaign. Let's examine the reasons to consider Instagram ads!

It’s easy access to the target audience

Thanks to the connection between Instagram and Facebook, ads can be set up through the Facebook Ads Manager. This also means that highly precise targeting options can be utilized for each advertising campaign. Age, gender, location, occupation, interests—these are just a few of the available ad targeting options.

It is possible to reach a new audience

Through Instagram, brands can deliver their message and promote their products to a new target group. Moreover, advertisements can reach not only existing followers but also those who have yet to follow the brand.

Suitable for creating flexible ad campaigns

One significant advantage is the ability to modify running ads based on results. For example, if an ad isn't delivering the desired results, there's no need to waste money; it can be stopped. Conversely, if an ad is performing exceptionally well, the budget can be increased.

Tracking

Similar to Facebook, Instagram also allows the tracking of users through embedded tracking codes. This means that ads can be shown to users who have previously visited the brand's website or shown interest in a specific product.

Wide reach

With 2.9 million users in Hungary, Instagram is already a significant platform and worth carefully considering how to incorporate Instagram advertising into the overall advertising strategy. It is particularly effective for targeting young adults, so if they are the primary target audience, it should not be overlooked.

Measurable results

The advertising manager interface is logically structured, easy to use, and provides abundant analytics. If someone takes the evaluation process seriously and dedicates effort to interpreting the data, they can further optimize their ads, making them more effective.

What types of advertising options can we choose from?

When it comes to Instagram ads, the most important aspect is engagement, which involves building a connection. When planning advertisements, we should always keep in mind what will help us reach and engage consumers and build a community. Let's explore the most popular types of ads that contribute to establishing this connection.

Types of Instagram Ads

Instagram ads can take various forms. Let's go through what these types of ads mean!

• Image Ads: The most common form of advertising, consisting of a single image, a description, hashtags, and a call-to-action button.
• Story Ads: Paid content that appears in the story section. 
• Reels Ads: Ads displayed among short videos. 
• Video Ads: Similar to image ads, but with video instead of an image. They can appear in both the feed and stories. 
• Carousel Ads: Variations similar to image ads, but they contain multiple images that users can swipe through.
• Explore Ads: Ads placed among the content in the Explore tab. 
• Collection Ads: These ads feature a mosaic layout with the option to display multiple images. 
• Shopping Ads: These ads direct users to product pages where they can make purchases.

How can ads be created on Instagram?

There are basically two ways to create Instagram ads. One is to choose the option to promote a post within the app, and the other is to create the ad campaign using the Facebook Ads Manager.

The simplest way is to create an Instagram ad within the app itself. All you need to do is highlight the ad with a single tap. While this is easy, it may not be the most effective solution as it lacks customization options.

Ads created using the Facebook Ads Manager can be much more precise. The interface is user-friendly, and you can track detailed results at any time. It is true that launching ads using this method may take a bit more time, but it can lead to better results.

To advertise, you need to associate your Instagram profile with your Business Manager account, and then you can start creating the campaign. You will need to set campaign objectives, name it, and set the budget. For each ad set, you need to define the traffic destination, scheduling, budget, target audience, and placement. Up to this point, the process of creating Facebook and Instagram ads is the same. If you want to advertise on Instagram specifically, you simply select the Instagram option. You will need compelling creative content, a description, a CTA button, and so on for your ad.

Advertising on Instagram with Meraki

For all social media advertisements, including Instagram ads, anyone can learn how to create an ad. However, in order for it to not only consume money but also bring real results, significant experience and expertise are required. If we want to manage marketing activities as a unified whole, where synergies and reinforcing messages and ads can be effective, then having an expert team is especially necessary.

At Meraki, we believe that marketing can be cost-effective and that digital ads can increase revenue. In line with this belief, we create strategies and campaigns for our clients.

Click here to learn more about digital campaigns!