HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ADVERTSIE ON INSTAGRAM

Instagram advertising can feel like a mysterious money pit if you’ve never dabbled in it before. One minute, you’re setting up an ad, feeling like a marketing genius, and the next, you’re wondering where your budget went while your ad barely got a glance. So, how much does it actually cost to advertise on Instagram? Let’s break it down.

The short answer is: it depends. The long answer is,it depends on a lot. Instagram ads work on a bidding system, meaning you’re competing with other advertisers for space in people’s feeds. Prices vary based on factors like audience size, industry and the time of year. Want to run ads during the holiday season? Get ready to spend more, because every business on the planet is fighting for attention.

On average, businesses pay anywhere from £0.30 to £2.50 per click and around £5 to £10 per 1,000 impressions. If your ad is set up to get conversions, expect costs to be a little higher, especially if your audience is in highdemand markets like fashion, fitness or finance. Instagram rewards engagement, so if your ad gets a lot of likes, shares and comments, you might see costs drop because the algorithm sees it as valuable content.

Your budget plays a massive role in how far your ad goes. Instagram lets you set a daily budget (how much you’re willing to spend each day) or a lifetime budget (a total amount spread over a set period). If you’re new to Instagram ads, starting with a small budget, say £5 to £10 per day—is a smart way to test what works without throwing money into the abyss.

Ad placement also affects the cost. Instagram offers different ad formats, including Stories, Reels, Feed ads and Explore ads. Story ads tend to be cheaper than Feed ads because they disappear after 24 hours, while video ads can cost more than image ads due to their higher engagement potential. If you’re unsure where to start, let Instagram’s automatic placements do the work, it’ll spread your budget across different placements and optimise where your ad performs best.

Targeting is where you can make or break your budget. The broader your audience, the more expensive it can be to reach them. The trick is finding a balance between being specific and not so niche that your audience consists of five people and a dog. Testing different audience sizes and refining your targeting based on performance will help keep costs down while improving results.

So, how much does it cost to advertise on Instagram? The real answer is that it’s as expensive, or as affordable, as you make it. If you experiment, keep an eye on analytics and tweak your approach, you can run effective ads without spending a fortune. Just remember: Instagram ads work best when they blend in with organic content, so the more engaging and authentic your ad is, the better bang for your buck.