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by Mike Vestil 

How To Advertise With Instagram: Key Considerations For IG Ads

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When it comes to using social media for advertising, Instagram is one of the best platforms right now. It has a large user base, and its users are engaged and active.

In addition, Instagram offers several powerful features that can help you reach your target audience while getting the most out of your advertising dollars.

With that said, failure to use Instagram advertising effectively can be costly. The last thing you want to do is waste your time starting an Instagram blog and then spending money on a campaign that doesn't produce results.

In this article, I'll explore how to create an Instagram advertising campaign that delivers results so that you can get the most out of this powerful platform.

Let's jump right in.

Types Of Ads You Can Run On Instagram

Gone are the days when only photo ads were allowed on Instagram. Now, businesses can run several different ads on the platform, including those I'll review below.

Video Ads

Video ads are a great way to capture attention and create an impact. They're also more likely to be remembered than other types of ads. With the ability to visually and aurally engage people, videos are perfect for telling a story or showcasing a product.

Carousel Ads

Carousel ads are another great way to show off your product or tell a story. They allow businesses to include multiple images and videos in a single ad, which can help increase engagement. Additionally, you can use carousel ads to drive website clicks or conversions.

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Image Credit: http://newsfeed.org

Stories Ads

Create Instagram stories ads when you want to drive awareness, website clicks, or conversions. Instagram Stories ads are the perfect way to reach people already engaged with Instagram Stories as they allow businesses to create full-screen ads that appear between their followers' stories.

Explore Ads

Ads in Explore are a great way to reach people who aren't already following your business on Instagram. These ads appear in the Explore tab, and you can use them to drive website clicks or conversions.

Shopping Ads

Shopping ads are a great way to promote products on Instagram. They allow businesses to showcase products with images, descriptions, and prices. Shopping ads also include a "Shop Now" button that will enable people to buy the product directly from the ad.

Reels Ads

Reels ads are a new type of ad that Instagram recently introduced. They allow businesses to create short, cinematic videos that one can use to tell a story or promote a product. Reels ads are perfect for building brand awareness and driving website clicks or conversions.

Collection Ad

A collection ad is a hybrid of carousel advertisements and shopping ads. Collection advertising presents items from your product catalog immediately on Instagram, which means that potential customers can learn about your product range without clicking away from the platform.

Explore Ads

Explore ads appear within the Explore tab on Instagram, and they allow businesses to promote posts from their account to people who don't already follow them. With more than half of Instagram's users looking at the Explore tab every month, this can be a great way to reach new people.

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Image Credit: http://newsfeed.org

IGTV Ads

Finally, there are also IGTV ads, which show up as videos in this relatively new section of Instagram. With up to 15 seconds in length and a vertical full-screen design, IGTV ads are perfect for grabbing attention.

Now that you know about the different types of Instagram ads, let's look at the top reasons for using them.

Reasons To Advertise On Instagram

While the Instagram app is free, advertising can be pretty expensive. So, why should you advertise on Instagram when there are so many other platforms out there?

Inspire New Audiences

Instagram users are more engaged than users of other social media platforms. With many people using Instagram to discover new products and services, advertising on Instagram can help inspire new audiences to check out your business.

Easily Turn Your Instagram Posts Into Ads

Creating an Instagram ad campaign is easy. You can use the same images and videos that you post on your Instagram account and turn these into ads with one press of a button (more on this later).

Build Multi-Platform Campaigns With Ads Manager

Creating Facebook ads and Instagram ads in the same campaign builder can help improve your ads' performance. Facebook and Instagram use similar algorithms to determine who sees your ads, so using both platforms can help to reach more people.

In addition, once you understand how to set up ads on one platform, you can use the same interface to create ads on the other platform. This can save you time and money when creating ad campaigns over the long term.

Set A Budget That Works For You

Unlike traditional advertising platforms, such as TV and radio, you can set a budget for your Instagram ads that works for you. You can choose how much you want to spend on each ad, and you can stop and start your campaign at any time. This makes Instagram advertising a flexible option for businesses of all sizes.

Measure The Performance Of Your Ads

Like other social media platforms, Instagram offers detailed analytics that allows you to measure the performance of your ads. This data can help you determine whether or not your ads are effective, and it can help you make changes to improve their performance.

With various reporting functionality, Facebook Ads Manager (where you can set up your Instagram ads) lets you see how your ads perform over time. You can see the number of impressions, clicks, and conversions your ads receive and information about who's seeing your ads and where they're located.

How Much Do Instagram Ads Cost?

If you want to create Instagram ads, you need to consider your budget. The cost of advertising on Instagram varies depending on several factors, such as the region you're targeting and the type of ad you want to create.

Here are a few factors to consider when it comes to the cost.

Targeting Options

Your targeting options will determine who gets to see your Instagram ads. The more specific your targeting is, the higher the cost of your ad will typically be. For example, if you want to target people who live in a particular area, the cost of your ad could be higher than if you target all people in a specific country.

Competitiveness Of Your Industry

Instagram ad campaigns can be competitive, and the cost of advertising can be high if many businesses are competing for attention. The industry you're in can also affect the cost of your ad. For example, the advertising cost for a luxury car brand is likely to be higher than the advertising cost for a local restaurant.

Time Of Year

The time of year can also affect the cost of Instagram ads. Advertising on Instagram tends to be more expensive during holiday periods, such as Christmas and Easter, because there is more competition for people's attention.

This is important to consider when setting your budget, as you may need to adjust it depending on when you're running your campaign.

Type Of Ad

The type of Instagram ad you choose will also affect the cost. For example, video ads tend to be more expensive than static image ads.

If you want to create an Instagram ad, it's essential to consider these factors and how they'll impact the cost of your campaign. You can use this information to set a budget that works for you and your business.

Placement

Finally, creating ads on the various Instagram placement options leads to different costs.

For example, creating Instagram feed ads costs 2.28% more than it did advertising in Instagram stories. This is another factor you need to consider when setting your budget.

In a nutshell, it's important to remember that the cost varies depending on several factors when it comes to advertising on Instagram. You can set a budget that works for you and your business by understanding the above factors.

How To Choose The Best Instagram Ad Type

Using engaging Instagram ad formats to connect with customers can help boost ROI. With so many different ad types to choose from, it can be hard to know which is the best for your business.

To help you decide, I've outlined some questions that you should ask yourself before creating your ad.

Who Is Your Target Audience?

The first step in creating an ad is to determine your target audience. You need to know who you're trying to reach before you can make an effective ad campaign.

When it comes to Instagram ads, you have a few different targeting options. You can target people based on their location, interests, age, and gender. If you want to get specific, you can also target people based on their purchasing behavior or what type of device they're using.

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Image Credit: http://sproutsocial.com

Once you know who you're targeting, you can create ads that specifically appeal to them. This will help improve the effectiveness of your campaign.

What Do You Want Your Ad To Achieve?

Your ad goal will also help determine the type of ad you create. Do you want to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, or get people to purchase your product?

Once you know what you want your ad to achieve, you can create ads tailored to reaching that goal. For example, if you're going to increase brand awareness, you might create an ad with a catchy slogan or image that will stick in people's minds.

What Is Your Budget?

The cost of advertising on Instagram varies depending on several factors, such as the region you're targeting and the type of ad you want to create.

Here are a few factors to consider when it comes to the cost.

Your budget is an important consideration when it comes to advertising on Instagram. You need to ensure that you're not spending more than you can afford and target the right audience with your ads.

When setting your budget, be sure to consider the various factors that can affect the cost of Instagram ads. By doing this, you can ensure that you're getting the highest return for your money.

What Has Performed Best On Organic?

If you're struggling to decide what type of ad to create, look at what's worked well for you organically on Instagram. You'll be able to create an ad that resonates with your target audience by using similar content.

This will help improve your campaign's effectiveness and reduce the amount of money you spend on advertising.

Creating successful ads on Instagram doesn't have to be complicated. By asking yourself a few simple questions, you can determine the correct type of ad for your business. And by using engaging formats, you can connect with customers and boost ROI.

How To Advertise On Instagram

Now that you know what to consider when advertising on Instagram, let's take a look at the steps you need to take when creating ads.

Creating Facebook ads is somewhat similar, so if you've made Facebook ads in the past, the process below (from step two onwards) should be familiar to you.

1: Promoting A Post In-App

This might be the easiest way to get started with advertising on Instagram. You can promote your existing posts in-app, which will allow you to reach a larger audience with your content.

To promote a post, open the post you want to feature and select "Promote."

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Image Credit: http://socialmediaexaminer.com

You'll then be able to set some basic targeting information for your ads, such as location and interests. You can also choose how much you want to spend on the ad.

Once you've set your targeting information, click on "Next," and Instagram will take you to the preview screen for your ad. Here, you can see how your ad will look when published.

If everything looks good, click on "Publish," and your ad will be live, pending approval from Instagram.

This advertising method on Instagram is specific to the platform and is different from using Facebook to set up Instagram advertising.

2: Creating A New Ad Campaign

If you want more control over your Instagram advertising, you can create a new ad campaign from scratch. Go to your Facebook Ads Manager and start a new campaign. You can then choose your objective. This will give you more options for targeting your audience and setting your budget.

You'll probably want to select traffic for Instagram ads, though other options include Engagement, App installs, Video viewers, lead generation, etc. This all depends on what you want to get from your ads.

3: Fill In Your Campaign Name

Next, you'll need to give your campaign a name. This is simply for your reference, so choose something that will help you remember what the campaign is for.

4: Selecting Your Audience

The next step is to select the target audience for your ad. You can do this by setting location, demographics, interests, and behaviors.

You can also use custom audiences to target people who have already interacted with your brand. You can do this by uploading a list of email addresses or phone numbers of people you want to target.

5: Setting Your Placement

In this section, remove all other options and leave Instagram switched on. That's all you need to do before moving on.

6: Choose Your Budget And Schedule

Next, you'll need to decide how much you want to spend on your ad and how long it will run.

The budget can be daily or lifetime, and you can choose to have it run continuously or for a set number of days.

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Image Credit: http://quora.com

You can also decide to have (or not have) an end date, which is helpful if you're not sure how long you want the campaign to run.

7: Choose The Format

The objective that you set at the beginning of the campaign will determine the format of your ad.

For example, if you selected "Traffic" as your objective, you would create an ad that drives people to your website or landing page.

This Facebook Ad guide will give you more information on the different ad formats and how to create them.

8: Link Your Facebook Page To Your Instagram Account

Here, you can choose to run ads through your Instagram business account or your Facebook page.

The choice is totally up to you.

9: Create Your Ad

After that, it's time to create your ad. Here are some essential factors to consider:

  • Text limit: A maximum of 125 characters is the recommended limit for text in an Instagram ad, so be concise and to the point.
  • UTM tags: If you want to include tracking for your ads, ensure that the URL is appropriately tagged with UTM codes.
  • Format: The ad should be in the form of a post, aiming to blend in with other types of posts on the platform.
  • CTA: Ensure that the call to action is clear and stands out in the ad.

That's it. You're now ready to publish your ad and start seeing results.

Tracking Your Instagram Ad Performance

As with anything that forms part of your business marketing plan, it's essential to track the performance of your Instagram ads. This will help you determine whether the ads achieve their objectives and what changes you might need to make to improve results.

There are a few ways to track the performance of your Instagram ads:

  • Using UTM codes: This is one of the best ways to track the performance of your ads, as it allows you to see how many people clicked on the ad and where they went afterward (i.e., your website, landing page, etc.). To set up UTM tracking, you can use the Google URL builder tool.
  • Facebook Ads Manager Insights: This is another accurate way to track the performance of your ads. It provides data on reach, impressions, clicks, and more.

Whichever method you choose, make sure that you track the following metrics:

  • Reach: This measures how many people saw your ad at least once.
  • Engagement: This measures how many people interacted with your ad (e.g., liked, commented, or shared it).
  • Conversions: This measures how many people took the desired action from seeing your ad (e.g., visited your website, signed up for your newsletter, etc.).

Top Tips When Running Instagram Ads

To conclude this article, here are a few other essential tips to consider before advertising on Instagram.

Make Sure Your Images And Videos Are High Quality And Engaging

Using high-quality images and videos is essential when advertising with Instagram. People are more likely to stop and take notice of your ad if the visuals are appealing. Make sure your images are well-lit and in focus and that your videos are well-edited.

Write Clear And Concise Descriptions Of Your Products Or Services

When advertising on Instagram, it's essential to write clear and brief descriptions of your products or services. The people who see your ads may not have time (or desire) to read a long description, so make sure you get to the point quickly.

Target Your Ads To The Right Audience

Targeting your ads to the right audience when using Instagram is essential. Knowing your target audience, their pain points, and what they desire is key to running successful ads. If you target the wrong people, your ads will not be successful.

Monitor Your Results And Make Changes As Needed

Once you start running Instagram ads, it's essential to monitor the results and make changes. If one type of ad isn't performing well, try another variation. And if you notice that a particular image or video is getting more engagement than others, use that content in future ads.

Keep Your Branding Consistent Across All Of Your Advertising campaigns

When advertising with Instagram, it's essential to keep your branding consistent across your campaigns. This will help create a strong visual identity for your business and make your ads more recognizable.

Split Test Using Various Ads, Images, And Call To Actions

Split testing is the process of testing different versions of an ad to see which one performs better. This is a great way to find out what works and doesn't when advertising with Instagram. Try using different images, videos, and call to actions to see which ones get the best results.

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Image Credit: http://adespresso.com

Consider The Mobile Platform

When advertising with Instagram, it's essential to remember that Instagram is primarily a mobile platform. Many people who use Instagram are on their mobile devices, so make sure your ads are formatted correctly for these devices.

Use Sound To Your Advantage

Sound can be a powerful tool when advertising with Instagram. It can help to capture attention and create an emotional connection with viewers. Use sound intelligently, though, or you may risk overwhelming people and causing them to ignore your ad.

Use An Attention Breaker At The Start Of Your Ad - Especially Video

An attention breaker is anything that grabs the viewer's attention and makes them stop and take notice of your ad. It can be a powerful tool for getting people to watch your entire ad. If you're creating a video ad, make sure the first few seconds are especially eye-catching.

Conclusion

This article has taken you through some top tips for creating successful Instagram ads. Always remember to monitor the results of your ads so you can make changes as needed. And, most importantly, have fun with it. Instagram is an excellent platform for creativity and experimentation, so don't be afraid to try new things.

Finally, while Instagram ads can be a great way to fill your business pipeline, it's also essential to have a long-term social media strategy. This will help you reach your target market and generate leads and sales over the long term without depending on a single traffic source.

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About the author 

Mike Vestil

Mike Vestil is an author, investor, and speaker known for building a business from zero to $1.5 million in 12 months while traveling the world.

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