Instagram is currently one of the fastest growing and most engaging social networks, and the recent introduction of ads on the platform raises an important question–can you find value in Instagram business ads?

Although Instagram advertising is fairly new, it has already proven effective. For example, Digiday claims that Mercedes-Benz saw a 560% increase in website traffic due to a coordinated campaign on Facebook and Instagram. In addition, L&F Capital has predicted that Instagram ad revenue will soon reach $5 billion per year, beating both Facebook and Twitter. So how do you know if your business should join in on the trend?

The first question you must ask is whether image-based advertising is a good fit for your business. For example, Instagram advertisements are likely a great fit for the food service industry, as images of food are popular on the network. On the other hand, if your products require significant explanation to be fully understood, you might find more success on text-based social networks like Facebook. Some of the industries that should absolutely be incorporating Instagram into their social media marketing plans include:

• Restaurants
• Retail
• Art & Photography
• Lifestyle & Fashion
• Cosmetics
• Architecture
• Personalities
• Luxury Brands

If you do decide that Instagram ads fit with your business’ goals, you’ll have a host of tools to fine-tune your approach. Instagram has recently enabled the use of call-to-action buttons, which allows to you to direct customer outside of the app through buttons labeled “shop now” and “learn more.” This system works great in conjunction with a well-designed online shop, allowing you to drive interested consumers directly to your e-commerce operation.

While a successful social media campaign requires a strong presence across platforms–and an effective e-commerce system to promote conversion rates–Instagram ads might become one of the most useful tools in your social media marketing repertoire.

To learn more about advertising on Instagram and other great ways to optimize your business page, check out the Instagram Business Blog!