Today, social media apps are everywhere, and almost everyone uses them. Whether you’re scrolling through Instagram, watching videos on YouTube, or browsing posts on X (formerly Twitter) or Reddit, you can’t avoid seeing ads. These ads have become a big part of the experience, and it’s hard to find a moment when you’re not being shown an advertisement.
Take YouTube as an example. When you open the app, you immediately see an ad. This is just the beginning. As you scroll through videos, you’ll notice that ads pop up in between videos, and sometimes even during the video itself.
Before any video starts playing, you’ll usually see an ad. These ads often last a few seconds, but sometimes they can be skipped after 6 seconds or 15 seconds. However, you can’t avoid them completely unless you pay for YouTube Premium (price hike in September).
Instagram is also packed with ads. When you’re scrolling through your feed, sponsored ads appear after every 4-6 posts. It’s the same with Instagram Reels.
If you watch about 15 Reels, you’ll probably see at least three ads. These ads are often for products, services, or content from brands trying to catch your attention.
On X (Twitter) and Reddit, the situation is similar. On X, after scrolling through four or five tweets, an ad will pop up. Reddit also shows ads between posts as you scroll.
The frequency of ads might vary a little, but they’re hard to miss. Sometimes the ads blend in with regular posts, but they are still advertisements.
Left – X | Right – Reddit
In all of these apps, ads have become a normal part of the experience. While they help keep the apps free to use, many users find them annoying.
Whether you’re trying to enjoy a video, a post, or a Reel, ads are always there, interrupting the flow of content. It seems that as social media grows, ads are only going to become more common.