Meet the Instagram Ads Everyone Is Going to Hate

Meet the Instagram Ads Everyone Is Going to Hate

How will users react to having their scroll stopped abruptly by an ad, and being forced to watch it before they can keep scrolling?

Today's News

• INSTAGRAM • Unskippable Ads Coming (Probably)

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• M&A • Shopify Buys ‘Checkout Blocks”

• THE BIZ • Ad Spending to Grow 5% in 2024

INSTAGRAM • Unskippable Ads Coming (Probably)

Instagram is testing unskippable ads that prevent users from scrolling lower until they’ve watched the full ad.

These ads display a countdown timer, and won’t let you browse more content until the ad finishes. You might recognize this from YouTube’s free version, which also requires users to watch ads.

The ad breaks were showing up in the Feed while watching video posts.

The new ad feature was first noticed by Instagram user Dan Levy, who posted it to social media. Levy said the app stopped him from scrolling past the ad, calling it a “bonkers move.”

Clicking the info icon next to the ad break reveals a message explaining the new feature.

Instagram confirmed the test to Techcrunch.

Many other users reacted negatively as well, with some threatening to stop using Instagram if the ads persist.

Over the last few years, Instagram has become more focused on video content—with features like Stories and Reels—and is exploring new video advertising formats as well.