Instagram Statistics: Strategic Implications for Your Brand and Our Agency’s Perspective

Ioana Cozma
July 17, 2024
January 29, 2024

Instagram statistics show that this social media platform is still relevant.

Businesses have a large captive audience who use Instagram not just for entertainment but also to engage with companies, products, and influencers.

This article shares the most recent and relevant Instagram statistics, but we won’t stop there:

  • We’ll tell you how to leverage those insights to improve your social media marketing strategy.
  • We’ll share how we’ll use these insights for our own clients’ advertising campaigns.

Let’s dive in.

TL;DR:

  • Relevance of Instagram: Still a key platform for businesses, with a large audience engaging with companies, products, and influencers.
  • User base and demographics: Over 2 billion monthly users globally, with a significant portion under 35. India is the largest market.
  • Economic impact: Generated an estimated $51.4 billion in revenue in 2022, nearly 45% of Facebook’s total revenue.
  • User engagement: High user interaction with features like Stories and Reels. Notably, 70% of users view Stories daily.
  • Content trends: Photos dominate, but video content is gaining traction. High engagement for Reels and Carousel posts.
  • Business use: Over 200 million businesses on Instagram. High interaction with business accounts, with many users following at least one business.
  • Instagram ads: Potential reach of 849.3 million users. Video ads see higher engagement than photo ads.
  • Strategies for brands: Leverage user demographics and content trends. Utilize Stories and Reels for effective engagement and targeting.
  • Agency perspective: InBeat emphasizes data-driven campaigns, targeting specific demographics using Instagram Business tools for maximum ROI.

1. Instagram at a Glance

Here’s a quick overview of Instagram courtesy of Business of Apps:

  • Launch and Leadership: Instagram, a popular photo-sharing app, began its journey on October 6, 2010. The app operates from its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, under the leadership of CEO Adam Mosseri. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the co-founders, played pivotal roles in its inception.
  • Ownership and Business Structure: As a subsidiary, Instagram is a significant part of the social media landscape, owned by parent company Meta Platforms. Under the overarching guidance of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram has evolved into a leading social media network.
  • Economic Impact: In 2022, Instagram marked a significant milestone, generating an estimated revenue of $51.4 billion. This figure represented nearly 45% of the total revenue of Facebook, Inc., highlighting Instagram’s substantial contribution to the social media industry.
  • User Base and Popularity: Instagram is the fourth most-used social media app globally, with over two billion monthly users. This vast audience size underscores its status as a popular platform.
  • Regional Dominance: India emerges as Instagram’s largest market in terms of active users, boasting over 300 million engaged individuals. This number highlights the app’s global reach. Businesses targeting this region can safely include Instagram in their social media marketing strategies.
  • Demographics: A striking characteristic of Instagram’s user demographics is that over 70% of its users are under 35. Therefore, Instagram is a vital channel for brands and influencers aiming to connect with a younger population.

Strategic Implications for Your Brand: Our Agency’s Perspective

These Instagram statistics reflect a significant revenue generation and a massive, young user base, painting a promising picture for future businesses considering advertising on this platform.

With over two billion active monthly users, predominantly under 35, Instagram offers unparalleled access to a youthful, engaged audience. This demographic is crucial for brands aiming to tap into current trends and consumer habits.

Our Agency’s Perspective

We’ve used Instagram to turn many brands into Gen Z phenomena. One example is Phone Loops, for which we increased ROAS by 80%:

Source

2. Instagram User Demographics and Reach Statistics

Social Media Perth gave us these numbers for Instagram user demographics:

  • Gender Distribution: The user statistics reveal a balanced gender distribution on Instagram, with 50% female users and 50% male users.
  • Age Groups: The average user demographic leans younger, with 30.3% of users being 25-34 years old. Within this age bracket, 16.4% are male and 14.8% are female users. The 18-24-year-old segment constitutes 31% of the user base, split into 17.9% male and 13.1% female users.
  • S. User Base: In North America, specifically the U.S., there are 168.6 million Instagram users, with 22.5% aged 25-34. Astonishingly, 87% of Instagram’s user base resides outside the U.S., indicating a vast worldwide audience.
  • Global User Statistics: 29.62% of people worldwide use this popular platform. 73% of U.S. teens prefer Instagram for brand communications, emphasizing its potential in social media marketing strategies.
  • Geographical Distribution: The app’s reach extends globally, with the highest user numbers in countries like India, the USA, and Brazil.
  • Ad Reach: The countries with the highest advertising reach compared to their population in 2023 include Bahrain (88.6%), Cyprus (84.3%), and Turkey (83.2%), among others.

Strategic Implications for Your Brand

These Instagram statistics signify a goldmine for target audience engagement. The balanced gender distribution and the dominance of the 18-34 age group highlight the importance of crafting relevant content that resonates with a young, diverse audience.

Utilizing different ad formats, like Instagram Stories, Reels, and Carousel posts, can significantly enhance engagement rates.

Pro tip: Leverage the 86% completion rate of Stories ads and the visual appeal of image posts to maximize impact.

Additionally, recognizing Instagram as a social media network with a vast active user base outside the U.S. opens up opportunities for global campaigns, especially in high-reach countries. Tailoring strategies to these demographics and leveraging popular features can dramatically boost social media marketing strategy effectiveness.

Our Agency’s Perspective

At inBeat, we harness these insights to refine our influencer marketing tactics. We create authentic, relatable campaigns that resonate with users by engaging with micro – influencers who embody our target audience. With their loyal follower count, these influencers act as catalysts, enhancing our brand’s visibility and credibility.

Besides, we leverage Instagram Business tools heavily to gain a detailed breakdown of our audience demographics, optimizing our social media marketing strategy. For paid ads, we typically focus on Instagram Reels and Stories ads to capitalize on high user engagement and average reach rate.

This targeted approach ensures that every campaign is data-driven, maximizing ROI and effectively driving customer acquisition.

3. Instagram Usage Patterns and Trends

Current trends in Instagram usage patterns also paint a neat picture of this social network’s evolution.

How Instagram Users Interact with the Platform

  • On a global scale, Instagram captures an average of 12 hours per month per user, which breaks down to about 30 minutes daily in 2022.
  • In the U.S., Android users spend approximately 7.7 hours monthly engaging with Instagram.
  • A staggering 100 million individuals tune into Instagram Live each day.
  • In 2021, around 14% of marketers utilized Instagram Live for broadcasting live videos.
  • The record for the most-liked Instagram image as of December 2022 goes to a celebratory photo of Lionel Messi and his team post their victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, amassing over 61 million likes.
  • A quirky 2019 picture of an egg is the second-most liked image, with 55 million likes and 3.5 million comments.
  • Instagram’s monthly active user base is as vast as the European Union and North America combined populations.
  • An estimated 95 million users (9.5% of the platform) could be bots, potentially leading to a $1.3 billion impact on marketing budgets.
  • Nearly 30.94% of the 4.48 billion active internet users globally engage with Instagram on a regular basis.
  • User login patterns vary: 21% check Instagram weekly, while 16% log in less frequently.
  • 38% of Instagram’s users access the app multiple times a day.
  • A significant 70% of the platform’s users view Instagram Stories daily.
  • Photos remain the dominant content type, with 71.9% of all posts being photo posts.
  • 130 million users engage with shopping posts each month, indicating the platform’s influence on consumer behavior.
  • About 40% of Instagram users are active in creating Stories daily.

Instagram Engagement and Interaction Trends

  • Instagram experiences a colossal volume of likes per post, with a daily total of 4.2 billion likes.
  • The average engagement rate is 0.71% for all types of posts. Delving into specifics, photo posts see an engagement of 0.59%, while Carousel posts and Instagram Reels achieve higher rates of 1.26% and 1.23%, respectively.
  • Business account posts with under 10, 000 followers have an average post engagement rate of 0.98%. Accounts with follower counts between 10, 000 and 100, 000 see a rate of 0.68%, and those with over 100, 000 followers experience 0.57%.
  • Remarkably, Instagram accounts with less than 5, 000 followers record the highest Reels engagement rates, averaging up to 3.79%.
  • Reels outperform standard video posts by 22% in terms of interaction.
  • An 80% surge in time spent watching videos on Instagram highlights the platform’s growing focus on dynamic content.
  • An average of 10.7 hashtags are typically utilized in Instagram posts, enhancing discovery and engagement.
  • Comparatively, Instagram boasts 58% more engagement per follower than Facebook.
  • User engagement peaks at night, especially around 8 pm, and Sunday emerges as the most engaging day with an average rate of 6.47%.
  • Content featuring faces gains almost 38% more engagement than those without.
  • Instagram videos secure 21.2% more engagement compared to static images.
  • Each month, 2.35 billion interactions are recorded with Instagram Reels.
  • Weekday engagement, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday, surpasses other days.
  • Posts with tagged locations garner 79% more engagement than those without location tags.

Strategic Implications for Your Brand

Instagram’s expansive advertising audience offers you a fertile ground for outreach.

However, the platform’s nature as a hub for content creators leads to a competitive environment with potentially diluted views and engagement per post.

This scenario challenges brands to stand out amidst a sea of visual content and regular users who are also creators.

The key lies in strategizing to capture the engagement rate and follower count effectively, balancing between quantity and quality of interactions.

Brands have to craft relevant content that resonates, not just adds to the noise.

Increase your reach and grow your audience by including a link to your Instagram profile on your digital business card.

Remember: Ensure your message reaches active internet users efficiently. That brings us to the next point:

Our Agency’s Perspective

inBeat addresses this challenge by collaborating with highly engaged influencers across social media campaigns. These influencers, often micro-influencers with a dedicated follower count, cut through the clutter by generating relevant content.

This approach ensures that the brand’s message is not only seen but also acted upon. Our clients can effectively navigate the crowded space of Instagram, ensuring that their target audience is reached with precision.

Pro tip: This strategy harnesses the power of authentic, engaged voices to elevate brand presence and influence buying decisions among Instagram’s vast user base.

That’s the strategy we used for Dormani Group, increasing their website traffic by 250% MoM:

Source

4. Instagram Stories and Reels Statistics

Social Media Perth has unique insights into how Instagram users interact with Reels and Stories.

  • Every day, 500 million users engage with Instagram Stories.
  • 62% of users report increased interest in brands after seeing them featured in an Instagram Story.
  • The most popular Giphy sticker in Stories is the heart love sticker.
  • Between 15% and 25% of viewers swipe up on links in branded stories.
  • A substantial 70% of Instagram’s user base watches stories daily.
  • An impressive 86.6% of users create their own Stories.
  • 36% of businesses utilize Instagram Stories for product promotion.
  • 49% of Gen Z consumers discover products and services through stories.
  • The majority of Stories, 70%, are viewed with sound on.
  • Brands with large followings experience an average reach rate of 12% for posts and 2% for Stories.
  • Instagram is a staple for the fashion industry, with about 98% of fashion brands using the platform.
  • Instagram Reels ads can reach an audience of 758.5 million people.
  • Business Accounts see an average Reels engagement rate of 1.21% relative to their follower count.
  • The audience for Reels ads comprises 45.0% female and 55.0% male users.
  • 87% of Gen Z TikTok users agree that Instagram Reels and TikTok are very alike.
  • Many respondents don’t believe TikTok offers anything unique whether they use Instagram Reels daily or weekly.
  • 61% of Gen Z TikTok users intend to increase their time on Instagram, potentially replacing TikTok.

Strategic Implications for Your Brand

The staggering engagement with Instagram Stories and Reels offers marketers a powerful tool for brand storytelling and customer engagement. The high daily user interaction with Stories and Reels highlights their effectiveness in capturing audience attention.

Insider tip: Focus on creating immersive and interactive content that leverages the completion rate and link clicks features of Stories and the dynamic visual appeal of Reels. Using these formats for branded Stories and product showcases can significantly enhance your average engagement and reach rate.

Basically, Instagram can power your entire social media marketing strategy, allowing you to connect and captivate the active user base.

Our Agency’s Perspective

At inBeat, we leverage the high engagement of Instagram Stories and Reels to amplify our influencer marketing and customer acquisition efforts. We collaborate with influencers can create compelling Stories and Reels, ensuring our content resonates with the audience.

This strategy taps into these influencers’ high average engagement rate and solid follower count, driving authentic interactions and enhancing our clients’ presence. We specifically target these formats for our paid ads to maximize visibility and engagement.

Insider tip: We also optimize content for mobile because many social media users are Smartphone users. The result is reaching the right target audience and reducing ad fatigue considerably.

Get the most out of your paid media with inBeat TikTok Ads Agency

5. Instagram Business Stats

Instagram is home to businesses of all sizes, from local mom-and-pop shops to international corporations. Features like ‘Shop Now’ tags and sponsored stories represent just a fraction of its potential.

Here’s how brands use their Instagram presence to increase ROI (courtesy of Social Media Perth and Social Pilot):

  • The platform hosts over 200 million businesses promoting their products and services.
  • S.-based online retailers are at the forefront, with 86% having Instagram accounts, closely followed by 81% in the UK and 75% in Germany.
  • A notable 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business account.
  • 62% of users report increased interest in a brand after seeing it in a Story.
  • 81% of Instagram users research new products and services on the platform.
  • 87% of users report purchasing products seen on Instagram.
  • Major brands typically post on Instagram 1.56 times per day.
  • Instagram is a key marketing channel for 98% of fashion brands.
  • Each month, over 150 million people engage directly with businesses on Instagram.
  • 68% of weekly users visit the platform specifically to interact with content creators.
  • 93% of marketers have used Instagram to reach potential customers.
  • 74% of Instagram marketers aim to target a new audience, 69% strive to boost brand awareness, and 46% are focused on increasing sales.
  • 54% of Instagram influencers are nano-influencers, with 33% being micro-influencers.
  • 61% of consumers place more trust in influencer recommendations over brand content, which only 38% trust more.
  • Nano-influencers, in particular, are gaining traction with the highest engagement rates at 5%.
  • 67% of users engage with branded Stories, but only 36% of businesses leverage Stories for product promotion.
  • 73% of marketers prefer Instagram for conducting influencer marketing campaigns.
  • Business accounts on Instagram see an average monthly follower growth of +1.79%.

Strategic Implications for Your Brand

For savvy marketers, these Instagram Business statistics are a treasure trove for strategizing effective campaigns. The significant presence of businesses on the platform underscores the need for unique, relevant content that stands out. Besides, the high interaction rate with business accounts suggests that customers are not just browsing products, but actively engaging with them.

Aligning your social media marketing strategy with these insights will help you reach your marketing goals faster, especially if you want to increase brand awareness and follower count.

You should also create visual content that resonates with your audience, using features like Instagram Stories, Reels, and shopping posts to drive engagement and conversions. Tapping into these trends can effectively transform casual viewers into loyal customers.

Our Agency’s Perspective

At inBeat, we use these Instagram Business insights to refine our influencer marketing and customer acquisition strategies. Recognizing the high engagement with business accounts, we partner with influencers who align with our clients’ brand values and can genuinely influence buying decisions.

This approach ensures authenticity and trust among regular users and potential customers.

For our paid advertising campaigns, we leverage the detailed demographics and user behavior data offered by Instagram Business. That’s how we create highly targeted ads that resonate with specific active internet user segments, ensuring that our campaigns reach the most relevant audience with precision. As a result, we maximize ROI and drive effective customer acquisition for our clients.

In the case of Bluehouse Salmon, this strategy led to a 500% follower growth, helping the brand reach its marketing objectives:

Source

6. Instagram Ads Statistics

Now, let’s analyze the Instagram Advertising statistics (courtesy of Social Media Perth and Social Pilot) and how you can leverage them:

  • Instagram ads boast a potential reach of 849.3 million users, indicating a vast audience for marketers.
  • 69% of Instagram marketing budgets are devoted to influencer marketing, with micro-influencers (creators with 50, 000-100, 000 followers) being a popular choice among businesses for product promotion.
  • India leads in Instagram ad audience size with 180 million users, followed by the United States at 170 million and Brazil at 110 million.
  • Revenue from Instagram Stories ads is projected to soar to $20.03 billion in 2023, accounting for 26.7% of the platform’s total ad revenue, a slight increase from 26.4% in 2022.
  • The 18-24 age group forms the largest segment of Instagram’s ad audience.
  • 83% of consumers use Instagram to discover new products and services.
  • Marketers face a significant challenge with bogus bot accounts, incurring an estimated loss of $1.3 billion annually within the advertising ecosystem.
  • Video ads on Instagram garner three times more engagement than photo ads.
  • The overall average engagement rate for all post types on Instagram is 0.97%.
  • Turkey stands out with the highest advertising reach of 76.0% among its population aged 13 and above.
  • Engagement rates vary by post type, with photos at 0.46%, videos at 0.61%, and carousel posts at 0.62%.
  • The platform hosts approximately 2 million advertisers monthly.
  • Instagram’s estimated advertising reach spans 1.60 billion users, capable of reaching 25.9% of the global population aged 18 or older.
  • The ad audience on Instagram is evenly split, with 50% female and 50% male.

Age and Gender Breakdown for Instagram Ad Audience Demographics:

  • 13 – 17 years old: Females – 4.2%, Males – 4.3%
  • 18 – 24 years old: Females – 15.4%, Males – 16.2%
  • 25 – 34 years old: Females – 13.9%, Males – 15.6%
  • 35 – 44 years old: Females – 8%, Males – 7.3%
  • 45 – 54 years old: Females – 4.6%, Males – 3.6%
  • 55 – 64 years old: Females – 2.6%, Males – 1.7%
  • 65+ years: Females – 1.5%, Males – 1.1%

Strategic Implications for Your Brand

Instagram’s expansive advertising reach and diverse user demographics offer a strategic advantage in targeting and engagement. The balance in gender distribution means campaigns can be tailored for broader appeal, maximizing impact across social platforms.

Moreover, the high engagement rates for video and carousel posts suggest a shift towards more dynamic, visually compelling content. This trend underscores the importance of creativity and innovation in social media marketing strategy.

Instagram’s varied content formats, such as Stories and Reels, can significantly enhance brand visibility and engagement. Remember to capitalize on peak engagement times and leverage the platform’s robust analytics to refine their targeting strategies.

Our Agency’s Perspective

At inBeat, we strategically harness these Instagram insights to enhance our influencer marketing and customer acquisition strategies. Understanding the high engagement potential of video and carousel formats, we’ll collaborate with influencers who excel in creating captivating, visually appealing content. This approach ensures our campaigns resonate deeply with both the active user base and professional account users.

Insider tip: Targeting influencers with high engagement rates within specific demographic segments optimizes reach and impact.

Additionally, our paid advertising strategies are fine-tuned using Instagram’s detailed analytics, allowing us to target potential customers more precisely. This data-driven approach ensures we effectively leverage Instagram’s vast monthly user base and rich content formats to maximize our campaigns’ impact.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, Instagram offers a fertile playground for marketing and advertising.

You have access to a wide, global audience, but you must leverage the right data before kickstarting your campaign.

Remember that, for example, only 36% of brands leverage Instagram Stories, though 67% of Instagram users engage with this type of branded content.

So, if you’re unsure how to leverage these insights, let’s set a free strategy call.

We’ll analyze your current market situation and devise the perfect plan to maximize your Instagram strategy.

Want more examples of successful influencer marketing strategies? Check out our case studies.

Love these statistics? Discover more must-know digital data statistics for 2024 here:

TikTok Statistics

UGC (User Generated Content) Statistics

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