Why Offering Self-Service Carousel Ads Could Attract More Marketers to Instagram 

Lift in ad recall looks promising

Touting strong early performances of its Carousel ads, Instagram has opened up the option to buy the multiphoto campaigns through its self-service interface. Carousel lets marketers use up to five still images in a single ad. Viewers can swipe through them like virtual magazine pages.

Instagram, which launched the offering in March, said multiphoto endeavors on average drive an additional 2.5-point lift in ad recall. If that kind of performance holds true, expect more brands to dip their toes in the expanding pool of Instagram marketing options. Carousel ads, which are sold on a bid-auction basis and are available through the company's Ads API, Power Editors and Ads Manager, can likely be tested for a reasonable amount of money.

Marty Swant

Marty Swant is a freelance journalist covering creativity and brands for ADWEEK