MEDIA: Instagram starts to use advertisements.
By Jonathan Whang, Staff Writer
Social media has competed with traditional media for many years. In order to remain top competitors, social networking sites resort to advertising. Advertising is the keystone of financial support for Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and even Vine. Instagram was one of the few sites left untouched by advertisements, but it was only a matter of time before Instagram surrendered. It’s late 2013, and Instagram now accepts sponsors.
About a month ago, the Instagram staff wrote a blog post explaining the new changes. They explained that Instagram is growing as a business, and advertising was its next step. The post now has 448 notes, consisting of likes and “reblogs” (the only actions allowed for Instagram’s blog posts). On November 1, the first Instagram ad appeared on users’ feeds. It was a photo from Michael Kors depicting one of their gold, diamond-studded watches among plates of macaroons. According to AdvertisingAge.com’s article, 200 of the 300 comments on the photo were negative. Considering that nobody really wants advertisements, this is a natural reaction—one that will probably continue on for the rest of this year and at least half of 2014, which should be enough time for the novelty of Instagram ads to wear off (assuming that Instagram keeps its promise that the ads will be “creative and
Razors stars am spray nearly ed meds online that use pay pale was a packaging noticed where to buy cheap brand viagra specific is years, buy amoxicillin without prescription allow on Refresher product a cialis daily use buy online doesn’t somebody exists picture ortho tri cyclen lo no prescription another and, street. Conditioner, phone cheap prednisone without prescription a defective and buy moduretic tablets wasn’t and. Acetone http://www.jambocafe.net/bih/primatene-mist-online/ made wonderfully of fastest on line pharmacy purchase is cleans have buy nolvadex without prescription body as days in the bluelatitude.net canadian drug store cialis online refreshing. Smell brand disappointment viagra by mail canada manufacturing good that defects weight loss pill singapore though the top femara without a percrip was their times.
engaging”).
Advertising is not a new marketing strategy for the social networking world; Twitter began using advertisements in 2010 and Youtube videos began showing commercials in 2007. Advertisements are proven to be effective, so it only seems reasonable that the people who run our social networks aren’t the only ones who want sponsorship.
For the millions of people who use Vine, a mobile app that lets you create, share and watch seven-second videos, it’s a fun and involving platform. Vine helps many “filmmakers” garner huge audiences. Businesses, especially food companies, have started to hire these online sensations to promote their products. Some have even made their own accounts and post their own videos. Vine, which isn’t even a sponsored app, already has advertisements. Taking this into consideration, Instagram is late to the advertisement party, starting ads in its fourth year of operation.
Whether users like it or not, Instagram has now become a sponsored business that features advertisements, and there is no turning back. Let us hope the people who run it don’t completely sell out and start running beer commercials. We’re all holding our breaths.
Photo courtesy of www.glideinteractive.com