Instagram users prefer sponsored ads that mimic posts from their friends over traditional advertising, though this kind of advertising may seem sneaky or deceptive, new research shows.
Scrolling through posts on the social media
platform Instagram, a typical user probably sees
a cat or 2, selfies of
friends, vacation pics, memes and other day-to-day shots of their friends
and families’ lives. The question is: how many of those posts
from “friends” were really ads?
Probably a few. As companies have
adjusted to the new digital landscape social media offers, they have fine-tuned their creative efforts, too. Sponsored
ads on Instagram and other social
sites currently often mimic and mix in with posts from typical
users.
And, the researchers were surprised to find, people seem to be pleased with that.
