Instagram today revealed how ads will look like on the social network when they finally come to the photo-sharing app. The Facebook-owned company is treading carefully and says it will gently introduce users to the concept by posting a one-time sample ad for its US-based users “within the coming week.”
Here is the ad in question:
Earlier this month, Instagram confirmed ‘occasional’ in-feed image and video ads were coming to the US. The company wouldn’t give timing details beyond “in the next couple of months.”
Today, the company still won’t give a specific date, or even a month, but it is starting to show off its design for the ads. Here’s another example (this one won’t be showing up next week):
Instagram once again reiterated the need for ads on its service:
Our focus with every product we build is to make Instagram a place where people come to connect and be inspired. Building Instagram as a business will help us better serve the global—and ever growing—Instagram community, while maintaining the simplicity you know and love.
As always, you own your own photos and videos. The introduction of advertising won’t change this.
As Instagram notes on its updated about ads page, there are two things that will differentiate ads from regular content. First off, there is a Sponsored label in the top-right corner which you can tap to find out more about ads on the social network. Secondly, in the bottom-right corner, there’s an option to hide the photo or video and provide feedback.
This gives Instagram users some control, although they won’t have the ability to turn off advertising. Just like on Facebook, if you see an ad you don’t like, you can hide it and provide feedback about what didn’t feel right, but that’s about it.
See also – Facebook doesn’t need ads to monetize Instagram and Instagram rolls back advertising section of Terms of Service to original, in place since 2010
Top Image Credit: Thomas Coes/Getty Images
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