Weekly Prompt: Instagram partnership ads get 'testimonials' and other news

Instagram adds "Testimonials" to enhance partnership ads

Instagram has added "Testimonials" to its Partnership Ads, offering creators a new way to collaborate with brands and earn money. These short, sponsored comments (up to 125 characters) appear pinned to the top of comments on Feed posts and Reels, showcasing creator endorsements prominently. Pricing and payment for these endorsements are negotiated directly between brands and creators, outside the Instagram platform.

For long-term collaborations, brands can secure account-level permissions from creators, granting access to all previous content where the brand is tagged. Alternatively, for more targeted campaigns, brands can utilise single-use "ad codes" to leverage specific creator posts for individual Partnership Ads.

This system also offers creators greater transparency and control. Through their Creator Settings, creators can monitor how their testimonials are being used and retain the ability to withdraw their endorsement if necessary. Instagram has stated that the Testimonials feature will be available to all creators in the near future.

Sources: MediaPost, Social Media Today, TechCrunch

Additional prompts

Substack monetises video content. Substack now allows creators to monetise videos directly within its platform. This update enables creators to publish and paywall video posts directly from the Substack app, giving them more control over their content and revenue streams. Previously, videos were limited to the non-monetised Notes feature. Substack is emphasizing direct audience reach and subscription-based revenue as key advantages of its platform. Creators can track post views, subscriber growth, and estimated revenue. Future plans include partial paywalls for video content and enhanced editing tools. Substack reports significant revenue growth for creators utilising video and audio. Read more on TechCrunch

TikTok expands e-commerce reach. TikTok is expanding its shopping platform, TikTok Shop, to more regions globally, including Italy, Germany, and France, with plans for Japan and Brazil later this year. This expansion follows recent launches in the UK, Ireland, and Spain. TikTok is focusing on livestream shopping, mirroring the success of its Chinese counterpart, Douyin. The company reports growing interest in livestreaming on the platform, with millions of creators going live and billions of users watching live content. This move positions TikTok to capitalise on the projected growth of the social commerce market. Read more on MediaPost

YouTube “Premium Lite” on the horizon. YouTube is reportedly launching a cheaper "Premium Lite" subscription in the US, Australia, Germany, and Thailand. This new tier targets viewers primarily interested in non-music video content and offers an ad-free experience for most videos. Pricing details remain unconfirmed, though previous tests in other regions suggest a lower price point than the standard YouTube Premium subscription. YouTube has confirmed testing this new offering and expressed hopes of expanding its availability with partner support. The exact features and final pricing are yet to be officially announced. Read more on The Verge