Los Angeles, California – Instagram users may soon find it harder to avoid ads, as Meta is experimenting with a new type of non-skippable advertisement on the platform. The company is testing these “ad breaks” within the Instagram feed, which prevent users from scrolling past until the ad has finished.
Initial reports suggest that these ad breaks last only a few seconds, but it is unclear if the duration will change if Meta decides to officially roll out this new format. Users have already started encountering these ads, prompting mixed reactions regarding the intrusive nature of the non-skippable format.
While non-skippable video ads are common on platforms like YouTube, this marks a more aggressive approach for Instagram. What sets this apart is Meta’s decision to test the ads within the main feed itself, rather than limiting them to Reels or Stories where video ads are typically more prevalent and skippable for the time being.
Meta has confirmed that they are indeed testing this new ad format but did not provide further comment on the matter. The company stated that they will update users if any changes are implemented based on the feedback from this trial period.
The move towards non-skippable ads raises concerns among Instagram users who have grown accustomed to bypassing ads on the platform. This shift in advertising strategy could potentially impact the overall user experience and engagement on Instagram, as users may react negatively to the more intrusive ad format.
As the discussion around these ad breaks continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Instagram users will adapt to this new advertising approach. The evolving landscape of social media advertising reflects the continuous efforts of platforms like Instagram to maximize revenue streams while balancing the user experience.