Instagram has launched a YouTube-like paid subscription model in EU countries. Users who pay €8 per month will now be able to enjoy an ad-free experience. Although not yet active in our country, this innovation opens up a whole new area of discussion for brands in the social media ecosystem. That is because a user base that does not want to see ads requires a rethink of direct access strategies.

The existence of this audience, which will be excluded from ads, will force brands to be more creative and value-focused in their content production. Organic content, collaborations, and community management will become powerful tools that can partially fill the void left by ads. In short, the way to overcome the ad blocker is to establish a more sincere and content-focused connection with the user.

This development is not a threat to advertisers, but actually a new opportunity. Because the audience that blocks ads can become the most valuable community that demands brands be followed “voluntarily.” When it comes to Türkiye, the most critical question for brands will be: Does our content impact users enough that they will want to see us even without ads?