Types of Instagram Ads & Campaign Objectives

If you are interested in investing in a paid strategy on social media, you can’t do much better than Instagram ads. 83% of users have stated that they use the platform to discover new products. Another 87% say they have taken action after seeing a product that appealed to them on Instagram.

That’s great, but how do you get started? That depends on exactly what you are trying to accomplish. There are several types of Instagram ads available to choose from and more Instagram ad objectives.

9 Types of Instagram Ads

When you start an advertising campaign on Instagram, you have nine different types of Instagram ads to choose from, such as:

• Image ads
• Video ads
• Collection ads
• IGTV ads
• Reels ads
• Stories ads
• Carousel ads
• Explore ads
• Shopping ads

Brands can select the types of ads on Instagram that best align with their campaign objectives and their audience.

Image Ads

Image ads are among the most popular ad types on Instagram. As the name implies, they are a single image used to represent the product or brand being advertised. Image ads work very well if you have visuals with high production values that are compelling enough to grab your audience’s attention.

Video Ads

Video ads allow brands to show customers how their products work and can also be used to demonstrate how people wear or use the items they are selling.

A video ad in a company’s feed can be up to an hour long. However, the most effective Instagram ad type using video are usually much shorter than that.

Collection Ads

ECommerce brands often use a collection ad to sell items directly from their product catalogs. These brands can create product catalogs that are connected to their IG accounts. When they run a collection ad, followers simply click to be taken to the product catalog. With collection ads and product catalogs, customers can make a purchase without ever leaving the Instagram platform.

IGTV Ads

An IGTV ad is an advertisement that users see when they click to watch an IGTV video. Most of these ads are around 15 seconds long, and it’s best practice to format these for full-screen viewing.

Viewers see these ads in the middle of the videos they choose to watch, and they have the option to skip these ads after a few seconds.

Reels Ads

Reels ads are another video ad format that should be filmed in full-screen mode, and these are currently a hot commodity. The short format videos featured on reels have become exceptionally popular, likely due to the rise of TikTok and YouTube shorts.

Reels can be up to 30 seconds long, and brands should incorporate viral music and other sound effects to get the full effect.

Stories Ads

Stories ads appear to users as they are watching Instagram stories. These are full-screen ads that can be either videos or images. The most effective of these will be ads that are as organic as possible, and they should look like other stories, not stand out as advertisements.

Carousel Ads

Carousel ads are a collection of images or videos that IG users can swipe through. These are often used to showcase a collection of similar products and can also be used to tell a visual story.

Explore Ads

The Explore tab on Instagram serves up new content for users based on their behaviors and preferences. When users see an interesting image or video on their Explore grid, they can click on it to see more. Once they do, they will see ads that have been created for Instagram’s Explore experience.

The benefit of using Explore Ads is that brands can ensure their products are seen alongside trending content. Additionally, this is a perfect opportunity for recycling other ad content, as there is no need to create entirely new ads for the Explore tab.

Shopping Ads

Shopping ads are special posts used by brands that have created a catalog connected with their IG account. These take advantage of the eCommerce features that Instagram has added to its platform over the past few years. When users click on shopping ads, they are taken to an IG storefront where they can purchase the product that interests them.

Now you know the different types of ads on Instagram. Before choosing the right ones for your campaign, it’s important to understand your objectives.

Types of Instagram Ads Campaign Objectives

You’ll have better luck selecting the best types of Instagram ads when you know your objectives ahead of time. When you set up your ad campaign, you’ll be able to select the objectives you want. Here are your choices:

Brand Awareness

Select this objective if you want new people to become aware of your brand and the products you sell.

Reach

Reach gets your ads in front of as many people as possible, which is ideal if you want the largest possible volume of potential customers to see your products.

Traffic

Use this objective if you want IG users to click on an ad to visit your website, app, or other URL.

Engagement

Engagement includes likes, shares, comments, offer claims, and responses to your events. Your ads must be compelling and have a great call to action to achieve this objective.

App Installs

The App Installs option is a must for brands with an app for users to download.

Video Views

Select this option if you want as many people as possible to view your video ad.

Lead Generation

Lead generation ads offer data collection. Your goal here is to gather name and contact information from IG users that you can use for further sales efforts.

Messages

Encourage users to answer your call to action by sending a direct message to your brand account.

Conversions

Increase sales or sign-ups through your company website.

Catalog Sales

Boost sales of items in the product catalog associated with your Instagram account.

Store Traffic

You will select this objective if you have a brick-and-mortar location and want to increase foot traffic.