Instagram is testing “ad breaks” that unit you to extremity and look astatine an advertisement for a play of clip earlier you tin proceed scrolling. Several X and Reddit users reported seeing nan feature, and Instagram spokesperson Matthew Tye confirmed to The Verge that advertisement breaks are being tested. Tye said Instagram would “provide updates should this trial consequence successful immoderate general merchandise changes.”
One Redditor spotted nan characteristic erstwhile scrolling done stories and posts. After a definite magnitude of scrolling, Instagram prevented them from going further until they looked astatine an ad. As shown successful nan screenshot, Instagram displays an “ad break” icon pinch a countdown timer that shows really agelong until you tin commencement scrolling again.
When nan personification tapped nan icon for much accusation astir nan feature, Instagram showed a connection saying, “Ad breaks are a caller measurement of seeing ads connected Instagram. Sometimes you whitethorn request to position an advertisement earlier you tin support browsing.”
Instagram already displays sponsored posts and ads betwixt nan contented you’re scrolling through, whether it’s your location provender aliases Reels. But sticking unskippable contented betwixt posts takes this to different level — and seems beautiful disruptive. “We’re ever testing formats that tin thrust worth for advertisers,” Tye says.
Aside from Instagram, YouTube besides shows unskippable ads earlier and during videos. It moreover expanded unskippable, 30-second commercials to its TV app past year. Both YouTube and TikTok besides slot ads betwixt their shortform videos, but you tin still swipe correct past them.