Although ads were expected, the decision has been made pretty soon. Instagram’s COO Emily White said in a statement that the company will start ads (photo and video) from next year, but seems like developments began sooner.
And in a blog post made on the official blog today, the company says:
We have big ideas for the future, and part of making them happen is building Instagram into a sustainable business. In the next couple months, you may begin seeing an occasional ad in your Instagram feed if you’re in the United States. Seeing photos and videos from brands you don’t follow will be new, so we’ll start slow. We’ll focus on delivering a small number of beautiful, high-quality photos and videos from a handful of brands that are already great members of the Instagram community.
Our aim is to make any advertisements you see feel as natural to Instagram as the photos and videos many of you already enjoy from your favorite brands. After all, our team doesn’t just build Instagram, we use it each and every day. We want these ads to be enjoyable and creative in much the same way you see engaging, high-quality ads when you flip through your favorite magazine.
Do remember that Instagram lost some users last year when it introduced new terms of service, and this new introduction won’t make things any better. However, we should also understand that the company can’t operate under a loss forever, and has to do something to come in profitability. However, the platform is also expected to lose some users after the decision.
