Snapchat to Show Ads Between Stories

Sandwiched between face-swap photos and rainbow-barfing GIFs, Snapchat users can expect to start seeing third-party advertisements.

The ephemeral messaging service on Monday launched Snapchat Partners, an advertising API designed to expand marketing on the platform.

The umbrella program is split into two sections: Ad Partners connects brands to tech developers who can build software. Creative Partners, meanwhile, links organizations with creative agencies.

"Different marketers have different objectives, and we just want to make it easier for them to buy ads on the platform," Snapchat's Chief Strategy Officer, Imran Khan, told Adweek. "We want [brands] to have a place where they can tell their stories, you know, in a better way."

Unlike other social networks, Snapchat has, for the most part, steered clear of third-party advertising. In an email to PCMag, the company said it will soon roll out Snap Ads between Stories.

As their name suggests, the ads will appear "from time-to-time" between Stories, in an effort to not interrupt the user experience. A beta program will begin soon with 10 test partners, including Hollister, P&G, Verizon, and Warner Bros.

The full Snap Ads suite is now available to advertisers, who can tap into interactive features that allow users to swipe up or down to view long-form video, access a website, read an article, or install an app.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.