Instagram Reels now has ads

Instagram is introducing adverts to its TikTok clone, Reels, after testing them out on users in a handful of countries like India, Germany and Australia. Similar to those slotted in Stories, these too will be vertical, full-screen ad breaks that appear between Reels and can be up to 30 seconds long. Also in the same vein, you’ll be able to skip or interact with the ads by commenting, liking, saving or sharing them. Though, most brands would probably prefer if you hit the shop button and actually purchased something. Instagram says that you’ll see the ads wherever you view Reels, including in the Reels tab, in Stories, in Explore and in your feed.

Upon its launch, Reels naturally drew comparisons to TikTok, the short-form video app that recently avoided a Trump-imposed ban in the US. In a nutshell, the feature lets you record and edit 30-second multi-clip videos with audio and effects. To gain more views, Instagram moved Reels from the Explore tab to their own dedicated section on the main screen in November as part of a redesign that also ushered in a Shop tab.

Alas, digital advertising is Facebook’s main source of revenue, so it’s no surprise to see it launching ads in more places. Earlier this year, it began testing sticker ads in Stories on its main platform and has also previously dropped ads into Instagram’s Explore feed.