Are unskippable ads coming to Instagram?
A feature which first appeared in tests over a year ago is still being spotted by users for the first time.
Instagram’s ad test
Instagram has been quietly experimenting with unskippable ads, dubbed “ad breaks”, for over a year now. While The Verge first reported these tests in June 2024, users are still spotting the feature for the first time as recently as this week. At least, according to posts from both The Verge and Reddit.
So, what are the new ads like? These ads interrupt your scroll or story swipe with a five-second pause. There’s no skipping, just a countdown timer telling you when you can get back to your feed. They pop up between posts, stories, and reels just like regular ad placements. However, these ads seem far more disruptive.
NEW GARBAGE FEATURE IS BEING TESTED
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Users aren’t thrilled
It’s unclear whether Meta is rolling out these ads or still testing them. However, it is clear that the feature is highly frustrating for users. Thomas Ricker for The Verge wrote that seeing three of these unskippable ads in the span of two days is accelerating his “desire to quit the platform”.
Meanwhile, after already being inundated with ads every second post or story, one Reddit user said the feature was the “point at which I uninstall the app”.
Could the music industry benefit?
For artists and marketers, this controversial ad format might be worth noting. If ad breaks become standard, they’ll offer a unique slot for promotional content that users literally can’t skip.
Five seconds isn’t much, but it might just be a large enough window for a catchy hook, striking visual, or a memorable lyric.
There is still a risk though. If users grow increasingly frustrated and actually leave Instagram, that means fewer fans to reach in the first place.
What happens next?
There’s no official news of a rollout, or whether they’re still being tested. It might stay a niche experiment, or it could be a new way for Instagram to monetise its platform.
On one hand, these five seconds could turn out to be valuable for advertisers and musicians alike. Alternatively, it could just be a reason that annoys people into leaving the app.