Ads Headed to Instagram Explore Feed
The next time you're browsing the Explore section and click on a photo or video then start to scroll down, you may see ads in the feed.
Get ready to start seeing more ads on Instagram. The Facebook-owned social network on Wednesday announced plans to start introducing ads in the Explore feed.
The next time you're browsing the Explore section and click on a photo or video then start to scroll down, you may see ads in the feed. These posts will say "Sponsored" at the top and have a "Shop Now" button at the bottom.
Instagram said it plans to introduce ads in Explore "slowly and thoughtfully in the coming months." The company already displays ads within the main feed and stories.
Explore is a popular section of the app. Instagram said more than 50 percent of Instagram users browse it every month.
"It's where people go when they want to see photos and videos related to their interests from accounts they may not already follow," the company said. The move to introduce sponsored posts in the Explore feed gives advertisers "an opportunity to be part of what's culturally relevant and trending while reaching new audiences who are looking to discover something new."
If you see an ad that is inappropriate or you simply don't like on Instagram, you can report or hide it by tapping the three dots at the top right of the post. For more information on how to adjust your Instagram ad preferences, head here.
Meanwhile, the social media app is currently mulling a major change: hiding photo and video like counts. The company is also experimenting with downplaying follower counts on profile pages.
"We don't want Instagam to feel like a competition," Instagram Head Adam Mosseri said at Facebook's annual developer conference in April. "We want to make it a less pressurized environment."
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