As many as 53% of Instagram users have bought a product at least once after seeing it on this platform, and 7% have done so more than 10 times.

Observations from the influencer marketing agency BrandLift indicate that more and more brands from various industries, including those previously inactive in social media, are deciding to use Instagram for advertising activities. What are the most effective forms of promotion on Instagram, says Karina Hertel, Managing Director of BrandLift.

Choose wisely

Choose wisely

Instagram offers a range of possibilities for presenting a product or service. Of course, regardless of the form, the key element of an effective promotional campaign is the right choice of the channel on which the content will be posted, and specifically a perfectly matched influencer – a person who becomes an advocate of the brand – explains Karina Hertel – Instagram users expect influencers to present a product in an unobtrusive way, specifically by skillfully incorporating it into a given profile. However, the creator has a range of options at their disposal for how to present it to their audience.

Effectiveness of advertising forms

According to research conducted for BrandLift, the form of advertising affects the recipient's purchasing decision. The most popular of these are: photo ads, sponsored carousels and product catalogs, video materials, and contests organized by influencers. Which of them are the most effective?

The data confirm that the most effective forms of advertising on Instagram are photos and product carousels – says Karina Hertel – 56% of respondents indicated a post with a photo of the product and information about it as the most useful in the context of a purchasing decision, 48% a product carousel, 42% a video story showing its practical use, and 40% an instastory.

Video and perception of ads

The slightly lower effectiveness of video formats results from the fact that sometimes the recipient does not have the opportunity to fully familiarize themselves with the content being conveyed, which may result, for example, from the inability to play sound while viewing materials at work or university. Interestingly, only about 12% of respondents considered ads on Instagram intrusive. This is unusual for the reception of advertising content in other media. People usually avoid ads and want to get rid of them. This proves that a thoughtful approach to communication on Instagram can bring very good sales results.

Instagram as a source of inspiration

Instagram is a source of inspiration for its users. Many brands have noticed this and are increasingly taking a strategic approach to communication through this platform. By far the most popular product categories using recommendation marketing are cosmetics and clothing, but dietary supplements and electronic accessories (phones and computers) are also appearing there more and more often.

Especially in the current reality related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Instagram, as well as other social media, will be the main sources from which knowledge about given products is obtained. This should be used skillfully.

Summary

The study conducted for the BrandLift agency shows that Instagram has become an important sales channel – 53% of users bought a product after seeing it on the platform. The most effective forms of promotion are photos (56% of indications) and product carousels (48%), as well as video materials and instastories. Importantly, only 12% of recipients perceive ads on Instagram as intrusive, which distinguishes this platform from other media. Expert Karina Hertel emphasizes that the key is the choice of influencer and the natural incorporation of the product into the profile.