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20+ Instagram Statistics Every Marketer Should Know
Instagram has transformed from a photo-sharing app into a retail powerhouse. It’s no longer just a space for sharing beautiful images; today, it’s a social commerce platform where brands build their identities and customers discover their next purchase. It serves as a tool for businesses to connect with an engaged, visually-driven audience.
With over 2 billion monthly active users, Instagram is the world's third-largest social media platform. This vast reach makes it a potent catalyst for conversions. But how do you turn casual browsers into engaged followers and, ultimately, repeat customers? The answer lies in staying on top of your Instagram statistics.
In this blog, we’ll explore essential Instagram statistics that will help you refine your marketing strategies, anticipate trends and stay ahead in the competitive social media landscape. Read on to discover how these insights can elevate your brand’s presence and performance on Instagram.
Why are Instagram statistics important for marketers?
Understanding your audience
Instagram statistics provide insights into user demographics such as age, gender, location and interests of your Instagram followers. This helps to create tailored content that resonates. For instance, 32% of total Instagram users worldwide are between the ages of 18-24, with a significant portion being millennials and Gen Z. This information allows marketers to tailor their content to resonate with the specific interests and behaviors of these age groups.
For example, Starbucks ran its hashtag campaign #RedCupContest on Instagram, by understanding its audience’s love for creativity and the holiday season. The result? 35k+ Instagram posts linked to the hashtag and a massive organic reach.
Here are the top Social Media Demographics every marketer must know!
Content optimization
By analyzing Instagram's wealth of interaction data — likes, comments, shares, saves and video views — marketers can identify content that resonates more effectively, leading to greater reach and exposure. Additionally, Instagram can be a testing ground for varied content formats.
Statistics show that videos generate 67% more engagement than photos on Instagram, highlighting the importance of incorporating video content into marketing strategies. For example, a fashion brand might witness higher audience engagement with an Instagram Reel showcasing the BTS footage against a static product picture. With such conclusive insights, brands can tweak their social media content strategy, creating more Reels for audience engagement.
Improving ROI
Targeted advertising based on demographic insights and optimal engagement timings can help brands improve customer segmentation, optimize spending, and achieve higher ROAS. Infact, 25% of marketers believe Instagram delivers positive social media ROI. Moreover, with 44% of users shopping on Instagram weekly, the platform is a hotspot with significant conversion potential.
💡 Pro Tip: Use social signals to drive audience segmentation so you don’t get lost in the noise. Sprinklr's AI-powered audience intelligence platform transforms raw social data (likes, shares, follower count, etc.) into actionable insights to create hyper-targeted audience segments. This way, you can create personalized CX with a few clicks, offer exclusive discounts to loyal members and watch conversions grow.
Curious to learn more? Grab a free demo and see how you can improve your ROI on Instagram. ⬇️
Fine-tuning marketing strategies
Instagram statistics enable marketers to fine-tune their strategies based on performance data. For instance, if a brand notices that posts made during certain hours yield higher engagement — say between 9 AM and 4 PM on Wednesdays — they can adjust their posting schedule to maximize visibility and interaction. This strategic adjustment can lead to improved engagement rates.
On another note, if a particular type of post consistently receives higher engagement, marketers can adjust their content calendar to include more of that type. This iterative process helps to stay relevant and effective in a dynamic social media landscape.
Read More: 11 Best Instagram Strategies for Business Growth
Budget allocation
Understanding which aspects of Instagram marketing yield the best results allows for more effective budget allocation. For instance, if statistics reveal that product-tagging increases sales by 37%, brands can prioritize resources towards creating shoppable posts.
A practical case is seen with companies like Kulfi Beauty, which effectively utilizes product tagging in its posts to drive direct sales through Instagram, allowing to allocate more budget towards influencer partnerships that leverage this feature.
Instagram statistics for 2024
From eye-catching posts that capture attention to interactive reels that drive conversations, Instagram is the perfect platform for your brand to shine. Leverage these Instagram statistics to refine your marketing strategy and unlock the full potential of the platform for your brand:
User statistics
These provide insights into the total number of users, user growth trends and account types (personal vs. business). Marketers can use this data to gauge platform popularity and tailor their outreach strategies.
- Instagram has over 2 billion monthly active users (1 billion increase in 4 years).
- 39.68% of social media users use Instagram.
- 24.69% of the world’s population use Instagram as of 2024.
📌 What does this mean for marketers?
- Audience potential: With over 2 billion monthly active users, brands have access to a vast audience, significantly increasing the chances for brand exposure and engagement.
- Diverse targeting: Knowing the size and demographics of the user base allows marketers to tailor their messages to specific segments, ensuring higher relevance and impact.
Usage statistics
Usage statistics reveal how often users interact with the platform, including time spent and frequency of actions like posting or viewing content. These metrics help marketers to adjust their social media posting schedules and content strategies based on when users are most active.
- Instagram has seen a dramatic surge in daily usage over the past four years. Users who spent a mere 15 minutes on the platform in 2019 now dedicate an average of 33.9 minutes daily.
- 14% of all social media traffic in the US is directed towards Instagram. That’s a remarkable figure that highlights a significant opportunity for marketers.
- US Gen Zs spent an average of 512 minutes on the platform daily, allowing brands to create highly targeted campaigns for this demographic.
📌 What does this mean for marketers?
- Enhanced engagement: More traffic translates to higher social media engagement, making it an ideal platform for building brand awareness and a loyal customer base.
- Improved visibility: With users spending so much time on Instagram, brands have a longer window to make an impression through posts, stories, reels and ads, potentially leading to higher interaction.
Demographic statistics
Demographic statistics provide insights into the age, gender, location, and interests of Instagram users. This information is vital for targeting specific audiences effectively.
- Instagram is undeniably a platform dominated by the younger generation. A staggering 62% of its user base is Millennials and Gen Zs. Most Instagram users fall under the 18-24 age bracket, followed closely by 25-34.
- Instagram has a fairly even gender split, with women making up 49.4% of the user base.
- Worldwide, 47.6% of Instagram users aged 18+ are female, while 52.4% are male.
- India has the highest number of Instagram users (385.35 million), followed by the US (166.15 million) and Brazil (133.05 million).
📌 What does this mean for marketers?
- Targeted social media campaigns: Millennials and Gen Z are drawn to excitement and adventure, making them perfect for high-energy brands. Instagram’s user base largely consists of these generations, so the platform aligns well with this demographic.
- Localized marketing strategies: Understanding the number of Instagram users in specific countries allows marketers to tailor their campaigns to resonate with local cultures, preferences and trends.
- Inclusive marketing: Gender parity in Instagram usage is a major incentive to amplify female voices through your content. Dove’s Reverse Selfie campaign, for example, used Instagram to talk about body shaming and self-confidence. Such impactful campaigns benefit from Instagram’s highly engaged female audience. Source
Business and marketing statistics
Business and marketing statistics provide insights into how brands leverage Instagram for promotion, including user engagement rates and advertising potential. These metrics help marketers understand the competitive landscape and develop strategies that capitalize on Instagram's unique features to enhance brand visibility and drive sales.
- Over 200 million businesses are using Instagram for promoting their products and services.
- Instagram is fast closing the gap on Facebook as a top B2B revenue generator. A remarkable 33% of global B2B marketers are on Instagram to build connections with clients, prospects, employees and others in the industry.
- 62.2% of Instagram users actively follow and research brands and products. Already engaged on the platform, your target audience is simply waiting to discover your offerings.
- Instagram has evolved from a social media platform into a robust social commerce ecosystem. In fact, 90% of users follow at least one brand, while 70% of shoppers use Instagram for their next purchase.
- Instagram has a potential advertising reach of 849 million users.
- 80% of social media marketers use Instagram for their digital marketing campaigns.
- The cost-per-click for ads on Instagram averages around $1.23, which is competitive compared to other platforms and indicates effective advertising potential.
Deep Dive: How to Use Instagram for Business in 8 Ways [+ Expert Tips]
📌 What does this mean for marketers?
- Leverage Instagram Shopping: Optimize your Instagram strategy by using brand-specific hashtag strategies and sharing shoppable posts and product tags, to streamline purchasing and increase conversion rates directly within the platform.
- Extensive advertising reach: With the potential advertising reach, marketers can target specific demographics and interests, ensuring their ads reach the right audience effectively.
- Essential for digital campaigns: Given that 80% of social media marketers utilize Instagram, it’s clear that the platform is integral to modern marketing strategies. Brands that don’t engage on Instagram risk falling behind their competitors.
Engagement statistics
Engagement statistics measure how users interact with content on Instagram, including likes, comments, shares and saves. These metrics indicate the effectiveness of content in capturing audience attention and fostering relationships. Engagement statistics can be analyzed at the post level or across an account's overall performance.
- Instagram has one of the highest engagement levels, receiving 4.2 billion likes every day, with an average engagement rate of 0.71% for all types of posts.
- Instagram engagement is inversely proportional to follower count. Smaller accounts enjoy significantly higher engagement rates compared to larger ones. Businesses with fewer than 10K followers have nearly double the engagement rate compared to those with over 100K followers.
Read this blog on 15 Actionable Tips to Get More Followers on Instagram
- Reports suggest that in February 2024, the average engagement rate for followers on an Instagram business profile was 2.18% per post.
- Instagram's median engagement rate is 0.43% across all industries, which is 20 times more than LinkedIn for B2B marketers.
- Video posts on Instagram typically generate an average of 150 comments, while image and carousel posts bring in 65 and 80 comments, respectively.
- Posts with a location get 79% more engagement than those without.
- Posts with at least one hashtag see 12.6% more engagement.
- The best times to post on Instagram are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 7 AM – 10 AM and 7 PM – 10 PM.
📌 What does this mean for marketers?
- Leverage live streams: Although the curtain has fallen on Instagram's live shopping feature, you can still boost sales through Instagram live streams. Leverage a combination of influencer takeovers, AMAs (Ask Me Anything), and product drops to generate excitement and drive purchases. Sweeten the deal with exclusive discounts, reward points, and community events.
- Strategic content creation: The insight that smaller accounts tend to have higher engagement rates underscores the importance of authenticity and niche marketing. Brands can focus on building engaged customer communities rather than just chasing follower counts.
- Focus on video content: While static images still have their appeal, video content has taken center stage on Instagram. Share user-generated content, live customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes footage, product demonstrations and influencer question-and-answer sessions. Swap traditional product carousels for how-to videos that can also be cross-promoted to build your networking funnel.
Quick Read: 50+ Important Social Media Video Statistics to Know
Reel statistics
Reels are short video clips that have gained popularity on Instagram. Metrics related to Reels help marketers assess engagement and reach compared to other content types.
- Instagram Reels ads can reach over 675 million people.
- With over 100 million tuning in for Live videos daily and 140 billion Reels views a day, video collaterals are cultivating deeper audience engagement than static content (images).
- Out of all video content, Reels get 22% more interaction than standard video posts.
📌 What does this mean for marketers?
- High engagement: Reels are more likely to capture the audience’s attention and encourage them to engage with the content, whether through likes, comments or shares. This can lead to increased brand awareness and customer engagement.
- Effective storytelling: Video content, especially Reels, allows for more dynamic and creative storytelling compared to static images. Marketers can use this format to showcase their products, share customer testimonials or provide behind-the-scenes looks, making their brand more relatable and engaging.
- Algorithm favorability: Instagram’s algorithm tends to favor video content, particularly Reels, which means that using this format can help your content appear more frequently in users’ feeds and the Explore page. This increased visibility can drive more organic traffic to your profile.
Learn More: How to Drive Instagram Organic Growth [+ Expert Tips]
Story statistics
Instagram Stories is a popular feature that allows users to share content that disappears after 24 hours. Story statistics include engagement rates, reach and viewer interactions, which help marketers understand the effectiveness of ephemeral content.
- About one-third of the most viewed stories come from business accounts, demonstrating the value of stories in brand marketing.
- Nearly 15-25% of story viewers swipe up on branded stories to access links, indicating strong engagement potential.
- Typically, the most active 25% of brands share Stories around every other day, which adds up to about 17 posts per month. In contrast, the least active 25% of brands post just over one Story weekly.
📌 What does this mean for marketers?
- High visibility: A significant portion of the most viewed Stories come from business accounts, underscoring the effectiveness of Stories in brand marketing.
- Engagement opportunities: The ability for viewers to swipe up on branded Stories highlights the strong engagement potential, making Stories a valuable tool for driving traffic.
- Consistent posting: Active brands that regularly share Stories can significantly enhance their visibility and connection with audiences.
- Strategic content: Leveraging Stories allows marketers to create timely, engaging content that resonates with their target demographic, fostering brand loyalty and interaction.
Learn More: Instagram Stories 101 for Brands
Influencer statistics
Influencer statistics highlight the dynamics of influencer marketing on Instagram, including the prevalence of different influencer types and pricing structures. Understanding these metrics allows marketers to identify the most effective partnerships and budget allocations for their campaigns.
- Instagram is one of the most used platforms for influencer marketing, with nearly 81% of marketers in the U.S. using it for their influencer campaigns.
- Nano influencers make up 65.39% of all influencers on Instagram, while micro influencers account for 27.73% of influencer accounts.
- Influencer pricing on Instagram is a tiered market. Mega influencers command premium rates, averaging $1,210 per post, whereas macro influencers are more affordable, with prices ranging from $370 to $5,000.
Read More: 25 Influencer Marketing Statistics and Their Implications for Your Brand
📌 What does this mean for marketers?
- Diverse influencer tiers: The presence of nano and micro-influencers, who make up a significant portion of the influencer landscape, offers brands the opportunity to collaborate with influencers who have highly engaged, niche audiences. This can be particularly beneficial for brands looking to target specific demographics or communities.
- Measurable impact: Influencer marketing campaigns on Instagram can be tracked and measured, allowing marketers to analyze the performance of their campaigns and adjust strategies accordingly.
Industry usage statistics
Industry-specific statistics show how different sectors utilize Instagram for marketing purposes. These insights help businesses benchmark their performance against competitors within their industry.
- When it comes to Instagram, posting consistency is key. Media brands set a high bar with an average of 12 weekly posts, keeping their audience engaged with fresh content. Retail and beauty industries opt for a more balanced strategy, posting 5-7 times weekly. Sports teams, on the other hand, take a high-volume approach, sharing content 18 times per week to capitalize on fan engagement.
📌 What does this mean for marketers?
- Industry-specific strategies: Different industries have unique posting frequencies that resonate with their target audiences, highlighting the need for tailored approaches.
- Maximizing engagement: High-volume posting can enhance interactions, especially in industries like sports, where fan engagement is crucial.
How should marketers leverage these statistics?
Instagram statistics are a goldmine of information for marketers looking to optimize their strategies and drive better results. By understanding how to extract, analyze and apply these insights, brands can make data-driven decisions to increase engagement, conversions and ROI.
Here’s how marketers can use these statistics:
- Use Instagram Insights: Instagram Insights, a built-in analytics dashboard accessible directly from your business or creator profile, offers strategic insights on audience demographics, content performance and overall engagement. Use Instagram Insights to identify your most engaged audience segments and tailor content accordingly.
For example, if you observe high engagement from young fashion enthusiasts in urban areas, use Instagram trends such as OOTD (Outfit of the Day) and GRWM (Get Ready With Me) or showcase your influencers in festive attire.
- Monitor your social conversations: Instagram Insights can only give you a surface-level view of your social engagement. So, listen to social media conversations around your brand to gauge customer satisfaction, benchmark your brand perception against competitors and incorporate customer feedback into your next product drop.
💡Pro Tip: You can use social listening platforms to get granular visibility into user sentiments. Sprinklr’s Social Listening platform can be used to uncover hidden insights, analyze sentiment and to outperform competitors with real-time data at your fingertips. From emotional undercurrents surrounding your brand to trend spotting that helps you ride the next big wave, turn social noise into a strategic advantage.
You can now get a free demo of Sprinklr’s Social Listening platform and listen to those conversations on Instagram. 👇
Interesting Read: Mastering Instagram social listening: The Ultimate Guide to Brand Growth
- Extract and analyze data: Use social media analytics to identify correlations between different metrics and make informed decisions about content strategy, influencer marketing and social media advertising.
Sprinklr Social’s 360-degree analytics capabilities offer a unified view of your social media performance across 30+ platforms. This enables you to analyze organic and paid content and track metrics beyond Instagram’s official analytics.
- Utilize audience feedback: Engaging directly with your audience through polls, questions and feedback requests can provide qualitative insights that complement quantitative data from social media analytics tools.
- Use Instagram Stories’ polling feature to gather immediate feedback on content preferences or product ideas. This real-time engagement can inform future content creation.
- Promote UGC by encouraging followers to share their experiences with your brand. Track engagement metrics related to UGC campaigns to measure their impact.
- Regularly review comments on posts for recurring themes or suggestions that may indicate shifts in audience preferences or interests.
Give this article a quick glance to learn how Sprinklr Redefines Customer Feedback Management with AI-First Surveys
Final thoughts
Data might be the new oil, but it is actionable, refined insights gleaned from disparate data that fuel business growth. The digital landscape is rapidly moving towards its saturation point. To thrive in this scenario, brands should steer their marketing strategies using social media data.
Sprinklr Social can be your data-driven compass. Navigate complex Instagram stats and convert consistently with AI-powered sentiment analysis, competitive benchmarking and automated scheduling.
Measure the impact of your Instagram marketing with Sprinklr Social today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Marketers should review Instagram statistics at least monthly to track performance trends, adjust strategies and measure the effectiveness of their regular content. For targeted campaigns, weekly reviews are key to making data-driven adjustments.
The best times to post on Instagram lie in this window: 7 AM – 10 AM and 7 PM – 10 PM. Instagram statistics can definitely help determine the ideal posting time. Toolkits like Sprinklr Social provides a Smart Scheduling feature to reveal when your followers are most active and helps to test different posting times to see which yields the best results.
Instagram Reel statistics differ from regular post statistics, focusing on different metrics. Reels statistics include metrics such as views, plays and average watch time, highlighting engagement with video content. Regular post statistics focus on likes, comments and saves.
Analyzing which hashtags generate the most engagement and impressions can help marketers select hashtags that increase visibility and attract a broader audience.
By scrutinizing engagement rates, audience demographics and content performance, brands can accurately assess an influencer's reach and alignment with their target market.
