Instagram is ruling the social media world right now. With more than 600 million active users, Instagram is the social media platform that faced a lot of growth in the past years. Instagram is not only a fast-growing social media tool with a lot of potentials, but it is also a fun platform to use. However, in comparison to Facebook and Twitter, Instagram is a very unique platform. Why? Check the reasons below:
- Instagram focuses a lot on visuals. 90% of your brand’s success on Instagram comes from choosing the right picture which sends the correct message.
- Instagram works perfectly on mobile. This means that, on one side, you will be able to address your messages to a wider audience. On the other hand, you need to pay attention to the complexity of your content.
Top 8 Awesome Instagram Ads
Have you ever wondered what makes an Instagram ad awesome? Even though you try to stay away from the traditional ads, this doesn’t mean that it will be awesome. Before you get started, you should keep in mind the rules below to experience success:
- Make use of stunning imagery. Your focus should always be to impress with the most unique, shareable, and amazing visuals.
- Bet on hashtags to get the attention of your target audience.
- Give your page visitors a strong reason to click on your posts by including compelling call-to-action ideas.
- Stay authentic and make your visitors part of the story.
- Adjust your posts in real-time and keep your users updated with the latest news.
- Pay attention to content. The Word Point advises marketing strategists to use simple and clear phrases so that it becomes easier to read.
Now, that you know how to build awesome Instagram ads, take a look at the examples below and get inspired.
- Taco Bell
Taco Bell used in one of their Instagram posts a photo where they remind their clients that they are open for breakfast. Why is this ad so amazing? First of all, the image sends a very powerful message to the audience inviting them to have fun and hang out with friends. What is more, they keep simplicity in their message and use the hashtag #WakeUpLiveMas connecting this ad to their other campaigns. Furthermore, the focus on the image is not actually the food. The idea behind this ad is the great feeling you have when you hang out with friends while eating a delicious and energizing breakfast. With this ad, Taco Bell targets the Millenials, encouraging them to experience something new. This ad is an invitation to a carefree and fun experience. So, keep this idea in mind when you create your next products for your customers.
- Levi’s
An amazing ad coming from Levi’s features a model wearing their denim jacket while feeling great in the middle of nature. Apart from promoting their famous products, Levi’s is also raising awareness on their Station to Station cross-country traveling art project. It is very easy to imagine what the message is. Levi’s breathtaking photo of the Grand Canyon gives a feeling of freedom and adventure. The entire ad is experience-oriented, keeping their product in the secondary plan. The most important lesson of this Instagram ad is that you can use an eye-catching photo and integrate your product in it. Your ad can still be successful even if you don’t use your product as the primary focus element.
- Carrera
Carrera leads the sunglass fashion industry for 50 years already. So, you would think that they don’t need too much ads to make themselves known. However, times are changing, and they need to keep the pace with the technology updates. Therefore, they created an ad on Instagram showcasting their interchangeable sunglasses frames. This is how they reached out to Millennials, showing their flexibility and adaptability in terms of fashion. They chose a fresh approach, letting their audience know that even though they are an established brand on the market, they are the perfect match for the generations to come.
- Absolut Vodka
Another well-established and popular brand, Absolut Vodka, invests in keeping their image fresh with an amazing Instagram ad. The idea was very simple, choosing an illuminated drink with a very clear message behind and took it to Instagram. The result? A 5 point increase in their brand awareness and 33 point lift in terms of ad recall. How did they do it? They shot short clips where they presented their legendary bottle, encouraging their audience to “spark up their night”. What is more, they chose the perfect time to do it. They launched this campaign on Labor Day weekend and they practically lit the fire for a sparkling weekend.
- KLM Airlines
Everyone knows KLM Airlines. Even though they didn’t change their name over the years, their marketing team managed not to stay behind the trends. They decided to expand their marketing campaigns beyond Facebook and chose Instagram as the perfect place to do it. What is more, for the oldest airline company in the world, simplicity was the idea that ruled the entire concept. They promoted their World Deal Weeks campaign simultaneously on Facebook and Instagram to reach a broader audience. The results were excellent thanks to following simple ideas and sending clear messages. They created a carousel with the breathtaking images of the places included in the deals campaign and showed their clients what they are missing if they don’t take advantage of this opportunity.
- HTC
HTC launched a new phone model in a series of colorful images. They selected pictures that could successfully stand out individually. However, they chose to combine them and have an even greater impact. Furthermore, they created a clear call-to-action by using the phrase “learn more” and make their visitors curious about their latest products. This ad does more than promoting a new phone. HTC actually invites its clients to experience a new feeling by using colors and artistic compositions. This is a nice example to encourage you to play with images and art.
- Nike
Nike chose a very suggestive picture to promote their running app which uses Google Street View to monitor your progress. Their image captures exactly the moment before a morning run. What is more, the details make the difference in this ad. In the secondary plan, the marketing team chose to invite the users to run, printing the message on the entrance carpet. They also use a powerful call-to-action button, showing their clients that they are at one click distance from the app which is going to change their lifestyle. The lesson you can learn from this awesome Instagram ad is that you can create your ad by choosing a particular moment in time and build emotions around it.
- T-Mobile
T-Mobile chose to promote their unlimited talk bonus campaign using a carousel of images that encourages the user to swipe and take part on the journey. The photos are specially selected to create a story around the entire journey and strengthen the campaign’s message with every element. T-Mobile offers bonus points for each small glimpse of pink color captured in each image. What is more, all the images show a person moving forward. Therefore, T-Mobile reinforces the idea of progress and cross-border experiences for their users. On the other hand, the idea of carousel has a lot of potentials. This format encourages users to swipe until the end, transmitting a feeling of progression and engage them in your story.
Now it’s your turn. You can find your inspiration in these successful Instagram ads and implement their concepts for your marketing campaigns. As long as you focus on visuals and keep your content compelling, you will see that your efforts will pay off. Give your users a good reason to follow and make them part of your stories.
Erica Sunarjo graduated from South Texas College majoring in Marketing and Creative Writing. She used her knowledge to make a difference in the realm of business copywriting and invested heavily in traveling and language learning. At present, Erica is fluent in French and Spanish, studying Chinese and working her way to being a multilingual copywriter. She keeps track of the latest trends in IT and technologies, blogs about efficient strategies in education and business coaching, holds educational webinars.