If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a 15-second video has to be worth more.
Recently, Instagram has launched its first video ads, adding another entry into the lucrative but increasingly crowded market. Disney, Activision and Banana Republic are among the first companies to have autoplay videos featured on the Facebook-owned platform.
Numerous brands have already been producing videos on Instagram that are seen only by those who follow their corporate accounts. Now, Instagram is pushing ads into feeds. The video feature itself has been added since June 2013 and has been very deliberate about using that tool for advertising. Instagram co-founder, Kevin Systrom, said that he had personally been reviewing every ad in hopes of setting a “higher standard” for marketing on the service. The video ads put on Instagram have been highly scrutinised to ensure they contain mostly fresh content, fit the vibe of the platform and are not simply repurposed TV/Web commercials.
Instagram’s caution in putting ads into the feeds of its users is quite understandable. However, online video service is a promising market among online marketers. Online video ads have a premium price compared to traditional display marketing with effective result.
On the other hand, Tumblr launched its video ads on Tuesday, while Twitter is developing promoted video and Facebook’s video ads are on the way.