What were Instagram's revenue streams in its early years?

In its early years, Instagram did not generate significant revenue, as the platform focused on building its user base and establishing itself as a leading social media platform. However, after being acquired by Facebook in 2012, Instagram began to explore monetization opportunities and introduced various revenue streams. Here are some of the revenue streams Instagram introduced in its early years:

1. Sponsored posts: Instagram introduced sponsored posts in 2013, allowing brands to promote their content to a wider audience. Advertisers could target users based on factors such as age, location, and interests, and users would see sponsored posts mixed in with content from people they follow.
2. Carousel ads: Instagram introduced carousel ads in 2015, which allowed advertisers to include multiple images or videos in a single ad, along with links to external websites. This format enabled brands to tell more engaging and interactive stories, driving higher engagement and conversions.
3. Video ads: Instagram introduced video ads in 2015, enabling brands to share 60-second video content in users' feeds. Video ads provided advertisers with a new way to reach users and engage with them through visual storytelling.
4. Shopping on Instagram: Instagram introduced shopping features in 2017, allowing businesses to tag products in their posts and stories, making it easier for users to discover and purchase products directly from the app.
5. Instagram Stories ads: Instagram began monetizing its Stories feature in 2017 by introducing ads between users' Stories. Advertisers could create full-screen, immersive ads with various call-to-action options, providing a new way to reach users and engage with them in a more personalized and interactive way.
6. IGTV ads: Instagram introduced ads in its long-form video platform, IGTV, in 2020, allowing creators to monetize their content and providing advertisers with new opportunities to reach users.
7. Reels ads: Instagram began monetizing its short-form video feature, Reels, in 2020 by introducing ads between Reels videos, providing advertisers with another avenue to reach users with engaging, vertical video content.

By introducing these revenue streams, Instagram has been able to generate significant revenue, contributing to its growth and success as a leading social media platform.