New format: Discover sponsored testimonials on Instagram

40% of people who buy on Instagram base their decisions on recommendations from influencers. In the age of social media, word of mouth is evolving. Colleagues and friends no longer carry as much weight. Now, it is content creators who influence purchasing behaviour. Meta has long understood this with its various partnership options. But today, a new feature is strengthening collaborations between brands and influencers: sponsored testimonials on Instagram. So what are they? What are the advantages? And how can they be used?

What are sponsored testimonials on Instagram? 

Meta has announced a new content format: sponsored testimonials. In practical terms, brands create their advertisements in line with their editorial policy and graphic style. And to support this post, they can insert a comment from an influencer confirming the benefits of the product/service. 

So how do sponsored testimonials appear on Instagram? Here are the key points to remember: 

• This is a 125-character text that appears in the comments section. Please note that this is text only. For other formats (video, photo, carousels), content creators can still offer UGC or collaborative advertisements. 
• The sponsored mention is indicated in the publication and comment. 
• Publication statistics are only available for the brand. After all, it is the brand that creates the post. 

The aim of these comments is to help brands convince more and more consumers to buy their products or services. And what better guarantee of credibility than a testimonial (especially from a well-known person)?

What are the benefits of these comments? 

1. Increased credibility: Testimonials from influencers can strengthen consumer confidence in products, as they come from sources that are perceived as authentic and reliable.
2. User engagement: Comments from creators can spark user interest and interaction, thereby increasing engagement with the post.
3. Product visibility: By incorporating testimonials into advertisements, brands can better showcase their products and attract users' attention.
4. Effective targeting: Influencers often have a specific audience, allowing brands to reach specific market segments and optimise their advertising campaigns.
5. Ease of use: Short, direct comments make it easy to quickly understand the benefits of the products, which can positively influence the purchasing decision.

These testimonials aim to create a stronger connection between brands and consumers, while improving the effectiveness of advertising campaigns on the platform.

How do sponsored testimonials work? 

Sponsored testimonials on Instagram are based on a partnership between the brand and the content creator. Once the contractual terms have been defined, everyone gets to work. 

Brands publish a standard post to promote their product. This can be a photo, a Reel or a carousel. The only condition is that they must mention that it is a sponsored advertisement. As it is their publication, brands retain control. They can see the click-through rate, conversion rate, number of impressions, etc.

For their part, influencers must write a comment that complies with this new format (a text of no more than 125 characters). They will not be able to track the statistics for the review in question, but will have an overview of their current advertisements. 

Want to try out the new Instagram partnership formats? Feel free to contact our Social Ads agency to optimise your advertising campaigns.