There are many ways you can use Instagram as a student or as a business owner. You can use it to build your online persona, network with potential employers and business partners, share your passion with others, or simply to become more creative.
Over a billion people use Instagram on a monthly basis, and the platform has much higher engagement levels than either Twitter or Facebook. And that’s why we’ve put together this little guide to advertising to help you get comfortable advertising on Instagram, no matter what you intend to do on the platform.
What is an Instagram Ad?
Instagram first began offering ad services on a limited scale after they were purchased by Facebook in 2013. However, the floodgates were really opened sometime in 2015 for everyone to advertise on Instagram. It was a boon for many businesses and individuals.
The best part was that Instagram was connected to the Ad Manager on Facebook, which means you could use the wealth of information on Facebook about its users to target your audience well.
The Cost Involved
The cost of running ads on Instagram isn’t standard but varies from one individual to another. Your cost will therefore probably be unique to you. On average, however, an Instagram ad has a CPC (cost per click) of between $0.70 and $0.80. This is the average, however, and you might end up paying more or less depending on the factors unique to your ad.
Types of Instagram Ads
The first step in this guide to ads is to understand the different types of ads you can run. There are 5 main types of Instagram ad formats:
- Photo Ads
- Video Ads
- Carousel Ads
- Story Ads
- Collection Ads
Each of these types are well integrated into the normal user experience so users do not feel any disruption from ads. There are also different types of calls to action that you can use to generate leads on your ads. The options available depend on the type of ad format you chose and we’ll have a look into these as we move along.
Photo Ads
Photo ads allow you to use the power of imagery to showcase your services and products. If your visual content is already top-of-the-line, then Instagram photo ads allow you to reach even more people with it. Below are some of the calls to action you can use on your photo ads:
- Book now
- Apply now
- Call now
- Contact us
- Learn more
- Get directions
- Get showtimes
- Download
Video Ads
Videos are an absolute darling among Instagram users. In fact, in 2017 alone, there was an 80% growth in time spent watching videos on Instagram. Instagram has made it easy for advertisers to utilize this feature and advertise their brands with videos. Video ads have been used successfully by many different individuals and businesses and you should consider trying them as well, especially if your video making and editing skills are already top-notch. Here are some calls to action you can use on a video ad:
- Book now
- Apply now
- Download
- Contact us
- Call now
Carousel Ads
A carousel ad lets you swipe through a series of media, either photos or video or a mixture of both, giving the impression of going round and round like in a carousel. They also include a call to action to connect users directly to your website.
Carousel ads are pretty cool because they allow you to do a number of things: you can share a story that comes in multiple parts easily, you can highlight multiple products easily, and you can also deep dive into a single product or service since the carousel allows you to post up to 10 videos or photos.
Here are some calls to action you can include in your carousel ad:
- Download
- Call now
- Contact us
- Book now
- Apply now
Story Ads
Story ads are full screen and appear in the users’ story feeds. There are over 500 million users watching stories on any given day. That means you can reach a lot of people through story ads and should consider taking advantage of this advertisement format.
Story ads allow you to choose how often your audience can see your ad. They are also perfect for limited time promotions and offers since they expire after 24 hours. You can add text, video effects, and face filters to create brilliant and fun promotions. You have the power to make the story ads feel like normal posts and can include a call to action in the form of a swipe up feature that links audiences to your website. Here are some calls to action you can use:
- Download
- Call now (this only works for video)
- Contact us
- Book now
- Apply now
Collection Ads
Collection ads are new to the game, seeing as they were introduced in 2018. A collection ad allows users to purchase products directly from your ad when they see it. It combines videos, photos, and direct-response marketing in your advertising, saving users time and allowing them to do everything from within Instagram. Calls to action used in collection ads include the following:
- Purchase
- Learn more
No matter which ad option that you choose, you’ll have to ensure that you are using the right messaging and storytelling strategies to make sure your advertising resonates with your target audience. If you need help finding the right copy for your ads, consider finding a freelancer or an online essay writing service to help you find the right words or storytelling techniques for your paid media strategy. Instagram is a bit more challenging platform to advertise on when it comes to copy because you have to be creative yet direct and succinct with your text in order not to lose a potential customer.
How to Advertise on Instagram
There are two ways to do this: Facebook Ad Manager and Instagram itself.
Facebook Ad Manager
With this method, your ad can run on both Facebook and Instagram. You can also customize different features and your audience and monitor the performance of your ads. The first step is to set up a Facebook Page. Once you’re done with that, connect it to the Facebook Business Manager. The next step is to link your Instagram Page.
- Open your Facebook Business Manager and click on the top left menu that looks like a hamburger.
- Click on Business Settings and then Instagram Accounts.
- Click Add to add your Instagram account. You can then add your username and Password. Click Next.
- You can authorize whichever ad account you would like to use the Instagram account by checking their boxes. Once you’re done, click Save Changes.
- Now go to Ad Manager and click on the Create button.
- You can choose either Guided Creation or Quick Creation depending on your preferences.
- Choose an ad campaign objective from the ones presented to you.
- Decide who you want to target with your ad.
- Select your ad placements.
- Choose your schedule and budget.
- Create the ad.
- Click Confirm once you’re done with the whole process. You can also add a call-to-action button and a URL that people will be directed to once they click on the call to action.
All you have to do to advertise on Instagram using Instagram is to promote an already existing post on your profile. If you have a post you think is doing particularly well, why not promote it to help it reach even more users.
All you have to do is go to the specific post and click Promote. You may be required to log into your Facebook account. Once there select your promotion goal, choose a call to action, create a special audience, choose your budget and ad duration, and click on Create Promotion. You can now monitor how well the ad is doing in your Facebook Ad Manager.
Instagram is an awesome place to build your online persona and have fun while you’re at it. With this simple guide, you should be able to take advantage of Instagram advertising to promote yourself or your products while you’re still in school!
Some people use bots, take a read of this guide: 61 Best Instagram Bots for Followers, Likes & Views (2020)
