Instagram Introduces Ads to Explore Tab in Discovery Feed
Instagram brings advertisements to its Explore tab for the first time, placing them only in the scrolling feeds users see after tapping a post. The company plans a slow rollout to ensure the marketing feels natural to users in a discovery mindset.
Instagram introduces ads to its Explore tab for the first time, targeting the half of its billion-plus users who visit the section monthly. Instead of displaying marketing directly on the main Explore grid, the app only shows ads after a user taps into a post and scrolls through a contextual feed of similar content. This approach aims to monetize the space without disrupting the high visual quality of the grid or annoying users.
The company starts by testing these ad slots itself to promote its IGTV feature before opening the format to a select group of advertisers over the coming weeks. Both large corporations and smaller businesses use these placements to drive conversions, video views, and overall reach. Advertisers purchase the slots through the standard Facebook Ads Manager and API that they already use for Instagram feed and Stories campaigns.
Initially, advertisers must manually opt in to place their ads in Instagram Explore, though this placement eventually becomes the default with an option to opt out. Instagram describes the rollout as slow and thoughtful, indicating that the volume of ads increases gradually over time. The company hopes to make the format broadly available to all advertisers within the next few months.