Highlights

• Instagram now allows creators to earn money by writing Testimonials in the comments section.
• Creators will self-identify as paid partners making endorsements transparent.
• Paid testimonials will be pinned to the top of the comments section ensuring visibility.
• Creators can track and manage their testimonials through their Creator Settings.

Instagram is rolling out a new way for creators to earn money by recommending products in the comments section of brand posts.

Meta announced this update recently as part of its Partnership Ads program, introducing a feature called Testimonials. This feature allows creators to write paid endorsements in the form of short comments on brand posts and ads including Feed posts and Reels.

Brands already pay commenters or incentivise customers to leave positive reviews. However, for shoppers, it’s often hard to tell whether a comment comes from a genuine customer or a paid promoter.

Creators can now self-identify as paid partners with Testimonials. This makes the endorsement more transparent while also making creators accountable for the products they promote.

Since they are putting their names behind these products, they risk losing followers’ trust if they promote something that isn’t good.

Testimonials are short messages (under 125 characters) that creators submit to brands, which are then attached to relevant ads. Meta informed TechCrunch that the brands can partner with any eligible creator and all deals including pricing are negotiated directly between them. Payment happens outside of Meta’s platform.

Meta also explains the feature in a blog post, “Testimonials are text-only endorsements, which means that they’re fast to make and easy to stack on top of existing brand deals.[….] Write a short message (under 125 characters) that ties back to the brand campaign or a specific product. Send your written endorsement to the brand and they’ll make sure that it ends up on the correct ad.”

According to Meta, 40% of people on Instagram rely on creator recommendations when shopping.

These paid testimonials will be pinned to the top of the comments section once posted and the platform will ensure they stand out and get more visibility.

Creators can also track their testimonials under their Creator Settings, monitor how their comments are being used and even pull them if needed.

FAQs

Q1. What is the new feature Instagram has introduced for creators?

Answer. Instagram has introduced Testimonials, which allow creators to earn money by writing paid endorsements in the comments section of brand posts.

Q2. How do creators identify themselves in these paid endorsements?

Answer. Creators self-identify as paid partners with Testimonials, making the endorsement more transparent and accountable.

Q3. Where are these paid testimonials displayed on Instagram?

Answer. Paid testimonials will be pinned to the top of the comments section, ensuring they stand out and get more visibility.

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