Unskippable instagram ads - what does this mean for PPC?

It’s official. Instagram has introduced unskippable ads, and they’re going to have an immediate impact on your PPC strategy.

This is pretty major news, it marks a significant shift from the usual skippable ads we’re all used to. But it reflects a broader trend in social media advertising that we’ve already seen recent changes in for platforms like YouTube and Netflix.

While Instagram are touting this update as progress, aimed at boosting ad visibility and engagement, we know that the reality of such a change will mean your PPC marketing will need to adapt quickly.

This guide will take you through the recent updates, and suggest how to upgrade your PPC strategy to reflect these changes without losing out on engagement or budget. Let’s get started!

• Why are unskippable ads significant?
• Their impact on social media
• Pros and cons for businesses
• How to integrate unskippable ads into your strategy
• Best practices for creating engaging ads
• Instagram vs YouTube - Which is better?

Why are unskippable ads significant?

Why should you care about yet another update? This one hits different, mostly because it’s changing the way that users interact with paid ads in a very noticeable and universal way.

What are they?
Instagram ads are short ads that are embedded within Instagram Stories or Reels. They pop up as part of a user’s feed, looking almost identical to organic content.

As per this most recent update, users must watch the entire ad before continuing to browse their preferred content. There is no way to skip these ads, and that totally changes the dynamic between content and user.

How do they work?
Unskippable ads on Instagram have a duration typically between 5 to 15 seconds in total. This ensures that you have ample time to get a swift message across to users, and the challenge of just a few seconds available to leave a lasting, memorable impact.

These ads blend seamlessly with organic content, so there’s no break in the scroll. The only difference with these ads is you cannot skip past them after a few seconds.

Their impact on social media

The impact of these unskippable ads is a bit of a mixed bag. Naturally, you’re going to see an increase in ad impressions and completion rates as users are forced to watch ads from start to finish. This means you’ve now got the potential for higher engagement and brand recall as more users will see your ads for a longer duration of time. Many users could get curious about your brand if your ads are genuinely engaging.

On the other hand, in the eyes of users, this change could lead to ad fatigue if your ads are overused, frustrating to watch or too similar to one another. Overall, this update forces a reevaluation of ad content quality and creativity.

Pros and cons for businesses

Impact aside, this update is going to require some speedy changes in your marketing to accommodate this ad format. Some are due to the improvements and benefits that you can enjoy as a result of these ads being unskippable. However, there are some cons we’d highly recommend you keep an eye on!

Pros:
The clue is in the name. Unskippable ads provide guaranteed ad views that increase the exposure of your brand. This could be ideal for brand awareness campaigns or new product or service launches. You’ll also have higher engagement rates due to mandatory viewing.

If users aren’t automatically skipping your ads, you’ve now gained more effective storytelling opportunities. You don’t need to grab someone’s attention in just 3 seconds any more; you’ve got the entire duration of the ad to get your message across. This calmer approach to storytelling through advertising could revamp your entire approach to marketing your brand online.

Cons:
The most important negative to this update is a lack of context to your impression count and engagement rate. Think of it this way: before the unskippable ads, if a user watched your ad from start to finish you knew that it was pretty likely that they were interested, entertained and engaged with your ad. But now, with everyone that the ad is shown to be required to watch the ad from start to finish, there’s no way of distinguishing who’s watching it with interest, and who’s switching off their attention and waiting for the ad to be over so they can get on with their scrolling.

There’s also a very real risk of annoying users, leading to negative brand perception. So you need to be very intentional in the tone and purpose of any ad content.

Finally, this isn’t really a negative if your strategy is on point, but there may be increased production costs for high-quality content. Something to keep in mind as you step into this change.

How to integrate unskippable ads into your strategy

Your first step to success within the realm of unskippable ads is to analyse audience preferences and behaviour. If you’re guaranteed to show ads that cannot be skipped, you need to be appealing to these preferences in a way that reflects what you know resonates with your audience.

Develop short, impactful messages tailored to target demographics. Don’t overthink it. Now’s the time to double down on what you know works. If you’re looking to try something new, A/B test your more data-driven campaigns alongside your newer, fresher approaches.

It's important to incorporate unskippable ads into a broader marketing mix. Remember, these ads aren’t the only way to engage with your audience and linking the rest of your more gentle marketing to your unskippable ads will make these ads seem less intrusive or out of place.

Monitor performance metrics and adjust your strategies accordingly. As this is a new way of presenting ads to your existing audience, those first sets of data from any new ads will be very informative for your future strategy refinements.

Best practices for creating engaging ads

Keep content concise and engaging from the first second - no one wants to wait for the punchline, especially when users are looking for content that is interesting right from the very start.

Create ads that are engaging, not annoying -these ads are going to be seen over and over, in full, so you can’t just use clickbait-style ads any more. Users will quickly get bored of your ads and build up a negative association with your brand if you’re not careful.

Use strong visuals and clear, compelling messaging -in this case, less is definitely more. Users are more likely to keep track of a few simple elements that are memorable. No need to confuse anyone through overly busy content.

Align ad content with the interests and values of the audience -you know them better than your competitors. So show it!

Test different ad formats and lengths for optimal performance - It might be that longer, or shorter ads bring in better metrics for your campaign overall. As time goes by, experiment with these differences to see where the true value lies.

Instagram vs YouTube - Which is better?

You may be wondering, aren’t these ads similar to what you’ve already seen on YouTube? Let’s dig a little deeper into these contrasting, but similar ad formats.

Instagram:
This platform is better for short, visually appealing content. There are often higher engagement rates due to the platform design and the infinite scroll of a user’s feed.

It is potentially more effective for reaching younger demographics, as YouTube has quite a broad range of users in comparison.

YouTube:
This platform is definitely more suitable for longer, more in-depth content. So if you have content that lasts a little longer than those super speedy ads, this could be a mix that enhances your brand’s memorability if you connect with the right audience.

Currently, YouTube has a larger audience reach and search capabilities. So you could drill down into your niche effectively on this platform.

In Summary

Unskippable Instagram ads represent a significant development in social media advertising; one that leans heavily on trends of unskippable ads that we’ve seen on other platforms already. 

While not all initial reactions to this change have been positive, it’s important to focus on what this new ad style can do for your brand strategy. But by focusing on creating ads that align with your key audience preferences and behaviours, you can minimise the risk of your ads being perceived negatively. 

Moreover, you can actually benefit from this update if you revamp your ads in a memorable way. You now have more of an opportunity to connect with your audience and make a lasting impression.

Stay responsive to consumer feedback and continuously refine your approach to maximise the benefits of this dynamic ad format.