Are Instagram Ads Effective In 2022?

It’s grown into as big of an advertising giant as Facebook, its parent company – or, if you want to get technical about it, Meta’s subsidiary. And if the reports are accurate, the number of users on the social network exceeded the one billion mark – with an estimated annual growth rate of 3.7% in 2021. That alone should be reason enough to consider making Instagram ads a part of your marketing mix. But of course, we won’t stop there. The question remains: Will Instagram ads be effective for your business? Before you allocate a portion of your marketing budget to Instagram ads, let’s see how effective this would be in the long run. 

A Quick Introduction To Instagram Ads 

These are, in short, paid ads on Instagram – just like the ones you would see on Facebook. You pay to promote your content and get it in front of your target audience. Most of you already know what Instagram ads are. Maybe it’s not because you’ve used them in your marketing strategy – but you’ve most definitely encountered at least one ad while you were scrolling through your IG feed. A 2019 study found that up to 77% of users viewed an ad at some point while scrolling through Instagram – which only proves our point. 

And here’s what makes them so great: 
They don’t scream “ad” the moment you see them. Sure, there’s the word “Sponsored” on top of each one, but at the same time, these posts tend to blend in with the other content on the user’s feed. More importantly, they deliver your message in the form of eye-catching, visual content.

Now, let’s get one thing straight: 
Instagram advertising can get expensive. However, before you decide that your business can’t afford anything “expensive” at the moment, you should know that the pricing is generally flexible and depends on a few different factors. For example, it depends on how long you want to keep your ads running and what demographic you are targeting. Furthermore, you can choose between cost per click (CPC) and cost per mile (CPM). On average, though, Instagram advertising can cost you anywhere from 20 cents to $2 for CPC and roughly $5 per 1,000 visitors for CPM. Instagram is proving to be a powerful advertising platform – and, as you’re about to see, it will be worth every penny. 

5 Reasons To Start Using Instagram Advertising 

Yes, an organic social media strategy could be a cost-effective alternative – but you must realize that it also takes up a huge amount of your time and generally relies on trial and error. And to be honest, the “organic approach” can only get you so far. Remember that you’re up against the ever-changing social media algorithms here. So, instead, we suggest developing a social media strategy that incorporates a little bit of both – organic and paid tactics. That’s the only way to get the best of both worlds. But we’re fairly certain that you already have the “organic” part covered. So, let’s focus on paid ads and discuss what makes Instagram ads so effective to show you that, yes, it is time for you to incorporate Instagram advertising into your marketing strategy. 

#1 Instagram Is A Massive, Ever-Growing Platform 

Instagram is growing – and it’s growing fast. In 2021, the social network saw massive growth. And at the moment, Instagram has more than a billion users – more than 1.393 billion monthly active users, to be precise. You have the potential to get your business in front of a massive – and still growing – audience. That rapid growth doesn’t seem like it will slow down any time soon. And to add to it, Instagram has been around since 2010 and still has ways to go before it’s deemed “outdated.” It would be silly for your business not to use that to its advantage right now – while the social media platform is beaming with promise. 

#2 Building A Significant Following 

We have made some bold claims about Instagram’s potential when it comes to advertising. Now it’s time to back that up with some actual numbers: 

• Roughly 80% of Instagram users report using the platform to check out new brands and research products and services. 
• Up to 90% of all users follow at least one business account on the platform.
• Shoppable IG posts get up to 130 million clicks each month. 
• Roughly 200 million people will visit at least one business account every day. 
• Up to 70% of shoppers report turning to Instagram for product discovery. 

So, while it’s true that social media networks are generally used for keeping in touch with friends and family – or following celebrities – there is no denying that they play a critical role in promoting your business, too. Millions of people are already using the platform to see what brands are sharing. And you have an opportunity to build a significant following, show off your products or services, and drive your revenue. 

#3 It’s Already Connected To Facebook Ads Manager 

Have you had a chance to use Facebook as an advertising platform for your business? If so, it’s safe to assume that advertising on Instagram will be a piece of cake. You see, Instagram and Facebook are connected through the Facebook Ads Manager, the most sophisticated social media advertising platform. And that means two things: One, advertising on Instagram will be almost effortless. You just have to connect your Instagram account to your Facebook Business Manager and add IG to your ad placement in Ads Manager – and you’ll be all set. And two, you’ll get access to the same advertising abilities that Facebook offers when it comes to reaching your target audience. You can specify things like demographics, location, behaviors, interests, and more to reach the right users. 

#4 Using Instagram Stories 

Your target audience might want to check out your brand and learn more – but their time and, more pressingly, their attention span is pretty limited. That’s where striking visuals come in to save the day: Instagram now has well over a billion users – and roughly 500 million of them will also check out Instagram stories every day. Up to 25% of the users viewing your stories are likely to “swipe up” and learn more if you include a link to your website, product page, or additional resources.That alone should be reason enough to incorporate Instagram stories into your organic and paid advertising efforts. Instagram is a visually-driven platform, so you can see how that could be advantageous for your business. You can create highly stimulating ads, grab their attention using the full-screen format, and get them into the sales funnel – all while catering to their shorter attention spans. One-third of Instagram’s most-viewed stories come from businesses; make sure yours is among them. 

Instagram’s Reels – a TikTok-inspired format of easy-to-consume, 15- to 30-second videos – also deserve mention. Like Stories, Reels ads will appear among organic, non-sponsored Reels – but they won’t disappear after 24 hours, allowing you to reach an even wider audience. 

#5 Higher Engagement Rates 

Instagram’s algorithm can be tricky at times – but if there’s one thing we can tell you for sure, it’s that it values (and rewards) higher engagement rates. One study reported that branded content on Instagram has engagement rates that are 58 times higher compared to Facebook’s – and up to 120 times higher compared to Twitter’s. Granted, it’s an older study; a lot has changed since, and engagement rates have dropped by 25% in 2021. But here’s the good news: Instagram remains the most effective platform for engaging audiences; user engagement rates are still higher compared to other social media networks. 

Final Thoughts: Are Instagram Ads Worth It In 2022? 

Yes, yes, and yes – you should make Instagram ads a part of your social media strategy sooner rather than later. Instagram is obviously the place to be – and setting up your first campaign won’t be that difficult, either. Of course, if you need help creating engaging Instagram ads that’ll reach your target audiences and entice them to learn more about your business, reach out to Pastilla. We’ll be happy to walk you through the process!