Your Instagram could become just like YouTube, Meta says 'testing formats'

Instagram may get unskippable ads as Meta tests out such a setup, which only a few users of the platform have witnessed so far.

Updated on: Jun 5, 2024, 14:54:24 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Abhyjith K. Ashokan

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Meta is testing out unskippable ads for Instagram in a strategy similar to YouTube, which requires non-paying users to view ads before watching videos, Business Insider reported.

The Instagram app on a smartphone (REUTERS)

“We're always testing formats that can drive value for advertisers,” a Meta spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Business Insider. “As we test and learn, we will provide updates should this test result in any formal product changes.”

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Currently, only some users can see this feature, according to posts on X and Reddit, but Meta said the feature could become a permanent addition to the app, Business Insider wrote.

Over the past few years, Instagram has experimented with new features. Reels for short-form videos in a TikTok-like fashion, and Threads for competing with X. And now, the social media giant may be taking a page out of YouTube's book, with its new ad format.

According to social media posts from users who have been served the new unskippable ads, they see a small counter at the bottom of their screen that says “ad break.”

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"Sometimes you may need to view an ad before you can keep browsing," a text box explaining the feature on the Instagram app says, per a screenshot captured by Morning Brew.

The change could potentially benefit the app, as in 2023, Instagram, with an engagement growth rate of 9% beat TikTok’s 8%, according to another Business Insider report.

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HT News Desk
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