Instagram Begins Testing Ads in Shop Function
The Instagram Checkout process for Gray Matters.
The new feature is the latest sign that the social media app is inching closer to becoming a commerce platform. Instagram announced the feature would roll out in the US first, before making its way to other regions.
The new addition allows brands to purchase ad space in Instagram’s Shop tab, which encourages in-app purchases or redirects users to a brand’s own e-commerce site. Instagram sponsored posts are now available on nearly every tool the platform offers, including feed posts, Stories and Reels. For brands, there are still some hiccups when using Instagram’s in-app shopping tool compared to direct sales through their own channels. But Instagram and parent-company Facebook are pushing for a greater share of the digital retail ecosystem.