2022 - Is it the Right Time for Brands to Invest in Instagram Ads?

by Social Sensei Social Sensei

Does your social media strategy include Instagram ads? Want to know how Instagram ads are different from conventional advertising? If so, you have come to the right place!

In 2019, Burger King received backlash because of its Instagram ad promoting its Vietnamese Sweet Chili Tendercrisp burger. The ad showed patrons finding it difficult to eat the burger with giant chopsticks. People accused Burger King of cultural insensitivity and racism, adversely impacting their sales. The example clearly shows the importance of having a clear and well-strategized Instagram ad strategy. Since Instagram ads impact sales on a large scale, firms need to hire an expert social media manager to ensure ads are in synergy with the brand's values and audience needs.

The reach and impact of social media ads, especially Instagram ads, are incredible. Half of the Gen Z customers and 42 % of millennials consider social media the most important and relevant social media ad channel. Also, according to Smartly.io, 38 % of leaders from global retail organizations increased their spending on Instagram in 2021.

With as many as 25 million brands having active profiles on the social network, investing in Instagram ads is not a luxury but a necessity to reach out to the active audience.

Why Investing in Instagram Ads is a Great Catch?

Want to reach a certain buyer demographic and overcome market saturation? If so, it's time to invest in Instagram ads. Here are some of the reasons to invest in paid Instagram marketing.

Flexible Ads to your Rescue

In Instagram ads, there is no set price for launching your ad campaign. You get the option to create a bid for your placement. You have to pay somewhere between 20 cents and $2 per click(CPC) on an Instagram campaign. If you run ads on a cost per mile, you will have to pay $4-$8 per 1,000 visits on an average. The cost of Instagram ads is based on three factors:

The amount you want to bid on the campaign

Ads relevance score
Estimated action rates

Numerous Ad Formats

Instagram offers various optimization options for budget, ad placement, and goals. Social media account managers can use any of the following ad formats.

Carousal
Video
Collection
Image ads
Stories ads
IGTV ads
Explore ads
Shopping ads
Reel ads

Choose the ads format that matches your specific business goals. Every ad type has its advantages and selection of call to action options.

Build an Entire Sales Funnel Around IG Ads

Want to operate a business online or run a brick-and-mortar store? You can use Instagram ads to boost your comprehensive sales funnel. In the case of the top funnel, you can use story ads. In the middle sales funnel, where the customers show interest in your brand, product, and services, use giveaways or webinars to initiate conversions. Use live chat or link to the product, website, or landing page in the bottom-funnel. Hire a social media expert who will do the work for you, giving you freedom from the administrative tasks.

Tell Brand Story through Instagram Stories

If you think ephemeral content works only with Snapchat, it's time to think again. Brands can feature stories to convey their success. Since half a billion is watching stories every day, it’s necessary to include stories in your organic and paid advertising strategy. Brands can captivate users through stories and get people up to their sales funnel.

Boost your Engagement Rate

Engagement rates for Instagram are higher than for any other social media platform. But, that doesn’t mean you can post any content and it will hit the right spot. According to experts, engagement rate is higher for photo posts, followed by carousels, than videos. But again the engagement rate will vary according to the content you want to promote and industry and audience you are targeting. According to Yotpo, people are 58 times more likely to engage with branded content on Instagram than on any other social media platform.

Include Instagram Ads In Your Marketing Strategy

Businesses can use Instagram to promote their products on a daily basis to launch a new product with new features to attract your audience. For e-commerce retailers, Instagram can be the gold mine for success as it’s the most popular and shopping-centric social media platform. Hence, it’s a need of the hour for businesses to include social media in their marketing strategy as it’s not going anywhere. Keep a tab on the new features the platform introduces now and then and adapt to the new trends to kickstart your campaign.

So, are you all set to build your Instagram followers? If so, it's time to invest in Instagram ads. But, wait, you don’t have the resources and skills to nail the Instagram ads. Fret not! Hire a social media manager who will do the heavy work for you while you sit back and enjoy the results.