Sponsored photos and videos may show up in your feed from people you don't follow

Oct 4, 2013 07:21 GMT  ·  By

Instagram is taking its first steps towards monetizing the service. With Facebook's might and money behind it, Instagram could stay ad-free forever, but Facebook does need to ramp up revenue on all sides. For now, Instagram will experiment with "native" photo or video ads in the US.

Over the next couple of months, some users may spot a photo or video in their feed from people (brands) they don't follow.

Instagram says this won't happen too often since it's still trying to find the right number of ads to show. It looks like only a few companies will be invited to be part of the test, to ensure that the ads stay classy.

"We have big ideas for the future, and part of making them happen is building Instagram into a sustainable business. In the next couple months, you may begin seeing an occasional ad in your Instagram feed if you’re in the United States. Seeing photos and videos from brands you don’t follow will be new, so we’ll start slow," Instagram explained.

"Our aim is to make any advertisements you see feel as natural to Instagram as the photos and videos many of you already enjoy from your favorite brands," it added.

"After all, our team doesn't just build Instagram, we use it each and every day. We want these ads to be enjoyable and creative in much the same way you see engaging, high-quality ads when you flip through your favorite magazine," it said.

It remains to be seen whether that stays true. Facebook does try to keep ads from becoming annoying, though with so many advertisers it's not that easy, and that should translate to Instagram as well.

In any case, you'll be able to hide annoying ads in the Instagram feed and even explain why you didn't like it. Facebook, Google, and others are already doing the same or something similar.