Instagram's video carousel ads allow businesses to pick five videos or a combination of videos and photos that users can swipe through. This new function of the app can allow brands to tell a full story about their business and get consumers interested.
Businesses will have a new means of marketing on Instagram thanks to the app’s new video carousel ad format. This function allows brands to pick five videos or a combination of videos and photos for users to swipe through.
Instagram has become a powerful marketing tool for brands, as there are more than 400 million active users, who spend an average of 21 minutes a day on the app. James Quarles, Instagram’s global head of business and brand development, said the option of seeing more than one video or photo will help lend more depth to a brand.
"We think this combination of video and carousel is very powerful," Quarles told AdWeek. "The immersive nature of sequential video allows people to be inspired by a business and then progressively learn more about how it fits into their life."
The new video carousel format is an addition to Instagram’s existing photo carousel add format that was launched in March 2015. Quarles said swipeable carousel ads perform better among users, compared to a lone, static image. He points to Instagram’s internal studies that show swipeable ads, from a performance standpoint, have created a 58 percent lift in conversion rates. He said the new videos will allow brands to be more creative in their marketing efforts.
"The reason why we're excited for video carousel ads is this format gives marketers creative flexibility to tell richer stories on Instagram," Quarles said. "We consistently hear from businesses that the hardest thing for them to do – particularly as people spend so much time in digital and on mobile – is to capture people's attention."
The new video carousel ads offer an interesting opportunity for franchised brands, as they can reach a whole new audience. Instead of one static image, brands can tell a well-rounded story about their business, allowing consumers to have a better insight into what they do, which can lead to increased store traffic. Several brands, including Taco Bell, Hollister, Airbnb and IBM, are part of the video carousel ad launch.
There might even be a way to apply this function to franchise development. Imagine prospects having the ability to swipe through multiple location suggestions in a target market right from the convenience of their phone.
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