Instagram video ads ‘on the road map’ for UK, says head of marketing science Doug Fraser
Early Instagram video ads are currently being trialled in the US and are on the road map for the UK, according to head of marketing science at the network Doug Fraser.
Speaking at a Facebook event as part of IAB’s Digital Upfronts this morning, Fraser said currently the image-sharing platform has focused on ensuring its static image-based advertising, which it launched in the UK earlier this month, works seamlessly, before “ramping up” to video.
However, he conceded that video ad trials have kicked off in the US, and although there are no immediate plans to launch video ads in the UK, they are “definitely on the road map”.
He added: “In the UK we want to ensure we get the static ad image really right first before ramping up with video which could potentially be more effective but also potentially more intrusive.”
Fraser added that although the advertising products are in their early stages, the early results are “promising”.
He added that advertising on Instagram is designed to fit in with the native, organic content, although sponsored content is clearly labelled.
“Ads have been doing great so far, but it’s early still. We have done brand lift or resonance tests, and so far we know our average ad recall is has a 20 per cent lift," he said, explaining it is based on about 40 US campaigns.
He stated the platform’s aim to meet with brands to discuss their branding objectives as Instagram positions itself as a branding platform.
“We want ads to be a consistent experience and to do that we have a few rules. We tend to find that text overlays don’t work well. We have seen negative community reaction from brands that try and do this. Also it is not ideal to have logo stamped across it [an ad]. And make sure the timing of a post is right,” he advised marketers in the room.
Fraser could not share UK user breakout figures for Instagram, but said there are “many” and it has grown “considerably”.
He added that it hadn’t refreshed its global figures since the spring, but that its latest reach is 200 million global users, 70 million of which are in the US, while 130 million are from outside the US.
Instagram launched its first sponsored ads in the UK last month, with Channel 4, Rimmel, Waitrose and Cadbury on board as partners.