Instagram to expand access to branded content tool

Instagram will be testing a new way for brands to sponsor posts by celebrities and publishers, according to AdAge. In a statement to Marketing, an Instagram spokesperson clarified that it tested the ability for brands to run branded content as advertising last year, going beyond the reach of their organic audiences.The social media platform subsequently received feedback from participating brands that the ad product is helping with some major limitations that can come with organic branded content including targeting and scale. According to Instagram's spokesperson, this prompted the team to roll out the option more broadly. The social media platform also aims to expand the access for its branded content tool, which would then allow anyone to apply for access to the “paid partnership tool”.This feature was first introduced in 2017, and will be culminated in sub-headers being placed on posts and stories which declare when a commercial relationship exists between creators such as influencers, publishers and businesses. In addition, Instagram's spokesperson told Marketing that it recently launched an initiative to remove inauthentic likes, follows and comments from accounts that use third-party apps to boost their popularity, going one step further in its effort to remove fake accounts. The move aims to ensure that branded content partnerships deliver "real results".As part of Instagram's efforts in improving its platform, the team also began beta testing a set of tools made specifically with creators needs in mind. According to the company's spokesperson, these features include inbox tools that help them better manage all the inbound and to ensure messages from friends and family do not get lost while managing conversations with fans and potential business partners. The function also includes insights to understand the follower growth.Beginning of this year, it was reported that Facebook is looking to consolidate its Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp function under one product. According to an article first published on The New York Times, the services will continue to operate as stand-alone apps but the tech infrastructure will be unified, which will of course strengthen Facebook’s understanding of users.The article added that the merger of sorts is set to complete by early 2020. Facebook also told New York Times that it was aiming to build “the best messaging experiences” and was working to make the messaging apps “end-to-end encrypted” and considering ways to make it easier to reach friends and family across networks.