How to Turn an Instagram Post into an Ad from Within the App
Business Instagram users can turn an Instagram post into an advertisement from within the app. Instagram offers businesses the option to “promote” a post to increase the number of viewers who see the post.
A “promoted post” is an ordinary organic, sometimes called “earned.” post that the account owner pays to gain increased visibility. More views mean conversions. Promoted posts are part of the ad platform, are available on both Instagram, and parent Facebook platforms. However, on Facebook they are referred to as “Boosted posts.”
Any organization that elected to change from a personal to a business Instagram account is eligible to promote posts.
Instagram, which launched in 2010, has 500 million active users each month. Fifty percent of Instagram users follow at least one business. Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012. In 2013, Instagram introduced ads to its social media channel. At that time, ads were only open to a select number of global budget brands. Instagram ads are now open to advertisers of all budgets. Advertisers must have a Facebook business page to advertise on Instagram.
To turn a post into an ad from within Instagram, log into the account. Select the post to promote. Tap the blue “Promote” button [Figure 1] in the lower right corner under the photo. If there is no “Promote” button, then the account must be converted to an Instagram business account first.
Below is a photo I took from the stage when I spoke at Pubcon on Las Vegas this month. The photo earned a lot of engagement, and is a good candidate for a social media advertisement.
After selecting which post to promote, advertisers can chose an objective: drive traffic to their website or prompt users to call or visit a retail location. Other parameters to configure in this form if Instagram ad include target audience, call-to-action button text, duration of the ad, and budget, of course!
It’s best practices to put money behind top-performing organic posts. The logic is that posts that resonated with your followers will likely appeal to those in a targeted ad campaign. Instagram business pages offer limited insights on posts to help users refine their content and social media strategy. Another way to spot a winning post is to look at the engagement the number of hearts, video views, and comments.
The only other asset needed is a Facebook business page to get started! Contact and payment information can be transferred from Facebook to the photo-sharing app.
Facebook and now Instagram have reshuffled the timeline on both apps, changing the order users see content. In many instances, especially on Facebook, followers may not see a post at all. Creating ads is one way to break through the restrictive algorithms. Although many feel it is a “pay to play” strategy, social media ds can help a brand increase its customer base.
