Your Instagram feed is much more than a simple stream of posts these days. Using the app involves wading through an ocean of reels, stories, suggested posts from creators you don’t follow, and, more annoyingly, ads. Whatever corner of Instagram you may be browsing, you’re bound to see sponsored content every few posts. Lest you think we'd already reached advertisement saturation, Instagram has found a new place to show you ads within the app, and there’s a new ad format coming your way, too.

Instagram is testing the display of ads in your search results. We're not yet sure if these sponsored posts will show up even when you search for personal accounts, like those of your friends and family, or just for more explicitly commercial queries. When you click on a post from the search page, the feed generated below it will also start showing ads. Instagram is currently testing these paid placements, with plans to enable them globally in the months to come.

Additionally, Instagram has added a new ad format called reminder ads. If you see one of these in your feed, say for an upcoming event, you can choose to receive automatic reminders for the event within the app. Once you opt in, Instagram will notify you three times: one day before the event, t-minus 15 minutes, and as soon as the event begins.

Meanwhile, Instagram parent Meta is looking for even more ways to monetize its users and recently introduced the Meta Verified plan to get a blue checkmark on Facebook and Instagram for a monthly fee of $12 (or $15, if you sign up from a smartphone), following in the footsteps of Twitter Blue.