Instagram has implemented a series of updates to UGC policies in a move that will directly affect digital businesses and affiliate marketers operating on the platform.
The biggest change is to Branded Content Ads, which have now been renamed as Partnership Ads. Along with a new name, these ads will now offer brands and creators more partnership opportunities which should help fuel growth and collaboration on Instagram.
In addition, brands will now have the ability to use more types of UGC, rather than being limited to just paid Partnership Ads. This will include things like Collab posts, people and product tags, mentions, and other types of non-paid partnership content.
This is a major update to UGC policies that should maximise the potential for creator–brand collaboration and see much more engagement on the platform.
Instagram is also allowing for new account-level marketing opportunities. Brands will now be able to generate ads using a creator’s handle without the need for an existing post and create new ads from existing creator posts in which the brand is tagged.
Furthermore, brands will now have more control over ad reach, with the ability to exclude creator-defined custom audiences.
Research has revealed that social media campaigns that use both Partnership Ads and standard ads see a 53% uptake in click-through rates and a 19% decrease in cost per actions. Instagram is an increasingly attractive option for digital businesses and is at the forefront of the brand–creator collaborative landscape.
The news follows a trial of new UGC policies and features launched last week, where select brands were given the option to add user-generated images and videos to product pages. This update is designed to make it even easier for brands to connect with creators and offer new opportunities for partnerships. Currently in a trial period, this new feature is expected to be rolled out officially in the near future.
