Instagram is the latest platform to release advertising to the general public. It’s accessible for anyone to use, but creating ads can be a tricky process using Power Editor, especially if you’re not familiar with it. What do we need to keep in mind before we get started?
Before you get started creating Instagram ads, it can be useful to know what you need to prepare for your ad. This means that when you’re in Power Editor, you just focus on delivering your ad!

What are the key features of an Instagram ad?

1. The account

The account that you serve your ad from is the first thing to keep in mind. It’s something that is easy to overlook because it’s not technically part of the ad. The account that you serve you Instagram account is in the top corner of your post, so you need to ensure that you’re serving it from a relevant account. It’s not uncommon for people who the ad was targetted at to click not on the ad, but on your account to find out more about you. The first step is to ensure your account is looking sharp. Have a clear profile pic, username and description (which ideally links to your site). Have images on your Instagram account that relate to that audience.
The account that you serve you Instagram account is visible when you serve your ad, so you need to ensure that you’re serving it from a relevant account. It’s not uncommon for people who the ad was targetted at to click not on the ad, but on your account to find out more about you.
The first step is to ensure your account is looking sharp. Have a clear profile pic, username and description (which ideally links to your site). Have images on your Instagram account that relate to that audience. Don’t have an empty account, in the same way, that you wouldn’t invite guests to your house for a dinner party and forget the food!

2. The image

Instagram images are colourful, artistic and visually engaging. They usually don’t have text.
Keep the culture of Instagram in mind when you’re creating your images for Instagram ads – because you are targeting an audience of Instagram users.
The best image size for Instagram is a 600px x 600px square – so optimise your image for that size before posting.

3. The copy

The next this is the description that is associated with your Instagram ad.
It is plain text with no hyperlinks – but you can add hashtags. Keep in mind that if your message is a paragraph, it will be cut off with an ellipses around the 92 character mark, which people need to click to read more. In this case, it’s important to put your key message or takeaway at the front of your copy.
Otherwise, keep your message short and sharp!

4. The Call To Action button

The call to action button is the only place that clicks off to your designated website.
Think about where you are directing people – is it your homepage, or a particular landing page – or your booking form? Consider how you want people to travel through to your site and the first thing they will see.
There are also several options to choose from with your call to action button, like ‘Watch More’, ‘Sign Up’ etc. Keep in mind which is most relevant for your business; or whether you want to remove them entirely if your campaign is simply about branding.

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Want to work with Rachel?

Rachel Beaney is a writer and social media content specialist, helping businesses connect with their audiences.

She’s worked with local, national and global companies, in addition to not-for-profits and government bodies. She loves helping businesses tell their stories with creative and data-driven solutions.

She is based in Sydney, Australia.

Want to work together? Rachel would love to hear from you. Get in touch today.