Instagram has introduced a new way for creators to boost Instagram livestreams, adding live video to the list of formats that can be promoted from inside the app. Until now, in-app boosts covered posts, Stories and Reels, so the update gives broadcasters a quicker route to a bigger audience and stronger engagement.
How the Livestream Boost Works
Boosting turns a live video into an ad, which Instagram says can appear in Feed, Stories and Reels to help more people discover the broadcast. Creators can start a boost just before going live or schedule it in advance. Instagram recommends scheduling at least two hours ahead to limit ad delivery delays. The promotion runs only while the stream is active, aiming to pull viewers into a broadcast that is already in progress.
Setup happens in the live composer. Creators tap Boost, then choose their own target audience or accept Instagram’s suggested one, and set start and end times for planned streams. After that, they can broadcast as usual while the promotion runs automatically. The setup keeps the process simple for creators who go live on short notice.
What Is Actually New
Livestream ads were already possible through Meta Ads Manager, so the capability itself isn’t new. The difference is convenience. Creators no longer need to work through a full campaign setup and can launch a promotion straight from the app in a few taps.
For creators and small brands, that lower barrier could make paid promotion of live sessions more practical, particularly for product launches, Q&As and events where real-time turnout matters. Because live video remains a key tool for building community and driving monetization, easier boosting gives broadcasters another way to grow their audience.
The update was reported by Social Media Today on September 30, 2026.