Pro-Tip: Recognizing the Instagram Effect on Ads

Today, social media is at the center of everyday life. Even before we were all forced to lock ourselves up at home tech and social media took over our professional and social lives. 

Social media is no longer just a way for you to connect with old friends, it has a major influence on everything we do. Notably, it can popularize items and begin trends within hours, whether it is a viral video or a lipstick that teenagers just need

Nowadays, most teenagers and young adults use a lot of different social media apps, but Instagram seems to be one of the apps that’s most influential. The posting of pictures on carefully-planned grids has led to the birth of the Instagram aesthetic. Public figures now have access to platforms with an absurd number of followers. They have the power to influence others, especially teenage girls. Everywhere in the world, teenagers are changing their looks to fit into the Instagram influencer aesthetic. 

The idea of uploading a picture of a colorful, healthy meal, new flashy shoes, or a paradisiac hideaway with a cool caption and a hashtag is not foreign to teenagers.

That sleek, styled look of almost effortless perfection is revolutionizing everything from the fashion industry, to the advertising industry. Ads nowadays are influenced by this look; this is especially seen in campaigns by high-end companies. 

What is an example of Instagram’s influence on online advertising? Google Discovery Ads. 

There is an article by Gordon Donnelly that discusses the different features in this new ad type. Donnelly points out that one of the features that bring this “Instagram Effect” to mind is that Discovery Ads make for an immersive and interactive experience. 

With Google Discovery Ads, advertisers can now show images to “tell visual stories” about their product. If you take a look at the first point of the article linked above, you’ll notice the similarity of the ad to an Instagram post. Advertisers can now choose an image, or multiple images, in a format that allows users to swipe through. Does that sound familiar?

It is also interesting to note that, much like the way Instagram works, Google Discovery ads live in feeds as opposed to search. Since this search component is no longer present, it becomes more important than ever to be aware of the audience you want to target. With Discovery, you can now target these specific audiences while telling them a visual story. Donnelly says this makes them “tailor-made for brand awareness plays.”

Depending on the company or service that you want to advertise, it may be worth it to use the Instagram Effect to your advantage. But you have to keep in mind that it may be important to find a creative way to set your ads aside from the other companies that are scrambling to make use of this effect. It may even be interesting to consider creating some bizarre ads!

Tell us, what your experience has been with the Instagram Effect? Has it transformed the way you approach online advertising? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

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