Instagram to Test Ads in its Shop Tab in the US, Expansion to Canada and Other Regions to Follow

Instagram has confirmed that it will be testing ads in its ‘Shop’ tab, expanding its advertising reach on the social media platform.

Users of Instagram may soon begin noticing even more ads while navigating through Instagram. As reported by TechCrunch, Instagram has announced that it has begun testing ads in the Instagram Shop tab, with select US-based advertisers. Currently, the handful of advertisers working alongside Instagram and Facebook include Away, Donny Davy, Boo Oh, Clare paint, JNJ Gifts, DEUX and Fenty Beauty.

Although the testing is being contained within the US, with US-based advertising partners, Instagram’s goal is to roll this out to global markets, including Canada with non-US ads. Once implemented, users will begin to see a single image or carousel of images driving the user to a product or service. Much like Instagram’s current ads, users can engage with them in order to be directed to their page.

Instagram’s Shop ads will only be integrated into the mobile app as Shop is exclusive to mobile. Instagram has never been shy to integrate more ads into the app as much like its parent company Facebook, advertisements are a direct source of revenue for the company. Earlier this year, Instagram began featuring ads within its Reels, which has only been readily available to the public for a year, having launched in 2020.

As of now, there’s no indication of when Shop ads could make their way to Canada. Instagram has not vocalized a roadmap aside from a target of an expansion within the next several months.

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