Instagram Tests Paid Testimonials in Comments | Social Media News

Instagram Launches Paid Testimonials for Creators

A novel monetization strategy is being rolled out by Instagram, enabling creators to earn revenue through product recommendations. Meta announced on Thursday the introduction of “Testimonials” to its Partnership Ads program.

How Testimonials Work

This new feature allows creators to receive compensation for providing written endorsements. These endorsements are displayed as comments on both the brand’s Instagram Feed posts and Reels, as well as within advertisements.

Addressing a Common Practice

The implementation of this ad format acknowledges a pre-existing trend. Numerous brands currently utilize paid commenters or incentivize positive reviews from customers.

Distinguishing genuine customer satisfaction from artificially inflated endorsements, often referred to as “astroturfing,” can be challenging for consumers researching products.

Transparency and Creator Accountability

By enabling creators to clearly identify themselves as paid promoters, brand perception among their followers could be improved. This also fosters greater transparency regarding the creator-brand relationship.

While these endorsements are financially motivated, creators assume a degree of responsibility for the products they promote. Selective recommendations are crucial to maintaining follower trust; indiscriminate endorsements could lead to a loss of credibility.

The Importance of Creator Recommendations

According to Meta, a significant 40% of Instagram users now rely on creator recommendations when making purchasing decisions.

Existing Partnership Ad Formats

Previously, creator recommendations were facilitated through branded content featuring a “paid partnership” label and collaborative posts, which credit both the creator and the brand as authors.

Testimonials: A Concise Endorsement

Testimonials offer creators a platform to share brief endorsements – limited to 125 characters – directly linked to the brand’s campaign or advertised product.

The process involves creators submitting their written endorsement to the brand, who then attaches it to the appropriate advertisement. Brands can collaborate with any creator meeting Meta’s established eligibility requirements.

Deal Negotiation and Payment

Meta has confirmed to TechCrunch that the terms of these partnerships, including pricing, are negotiated directly between brands and creators.

Financial transactions also occur outside of the Instagram platform itself.

Visibility and Control for Creators

These testimonials are prominently displayed at the top of the comments section on Instagram posts, increasing their visibility. Both the comments and the creators behind them receive enhanced exposure.

Creators can monitor their testimonials and other Partnership Ads within their Creator Settings on the app. This allows them to track content usage and, if necessary, retract their endorsements.

Note: This article was updated following publication to include additional details regarding pricing and ad placement as provided by Meta.