List of Instagram statistics and key figures
1. Instagram's Global Impact: Overview
- With 2 billion monthly active users, Instagram ranks 4th among the most popular social networks behind Facebook, YouTube and WhatsApp.
- In terms of users, India is ahead of the United States with 358 million Instagramers compared to 158 million.
- 35.7% of mobile users in the world are on Instagram every month, which is more than the combined population of Europe and North America!
- With a penetration rate of 85.9% of people aged 18 and over, Turkey is the country where Instagram is the most popular, ahead of Brazil (75%).
Second social network in the world, Instagram confirms its status as a global monster.
Present in the 4 corners of the world, the platform appeals to almost all audiences, from young connected urban people to seniors.
A vast and varied audience that is bound to arouse the desires of brands.
2. Who Uses Instagram? Typical User Profiles
- 51.8% of Instagram users worldwide are men versus 48.2% of women.
- Instagram is more popular among 18-34 year olds, who represent over 60% of users.
- In the United States, 75% of 18-24 year olds are on Instagram compared to only 13% of those aged 65 and over.
- 43% of Americans with higher education use the app compared to 33% of those with high school or lower.
Instagram remains the preserve of the younger generations, in particular 18-34 year olds who are the core target of the application.
But the audience is tending to diversify with the rise of thirty-somethings and forty-somethings.
On the other hand, the The digital divide persists among seniors and the least qualified.
3. Commitment and Popularity: Key Figures
Every day, millions of likes, comments and shares are generated by an ultra-active and loyal community.
- On average, users spend 29.7 minutes per day on Instagram, behind TikTok (53.8 min), YouTube (48.7 min), and Twitter (34.1 min).
- The average number of followers per Instagram account is less than 1000 for 26% of users and between 1000 and 10,000 for 50% of them.
- Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed individual in the world with 614 million subscribers, ahead of Lionel Messi (495M) and Selena Gomez (429M).
- The most liked post in the story is Chris Godfrey's egg with 58.7 million hearts.
Influencers and “people” trust the top of the ranking of the most followed accounts in the world.
4. Winning formats on Instagram: Stories, Reels, and Ads
- The reach rate of Reels reaches 30.8% on average, which is double the other formats. It is also the type of post that generates the most impressions.
- The retention rate for Stories drops significantly after the 7th frame, falling below 75%.
- 80.8% of marketers plan to use Instagram for their influencer marketing this year.
- The The average conversion rate for Instagram ads is 1%. It is higher for accounts with less than 10K followers (1.3%).
Ephemeral stories, dynamic Reels, neat posts...
Brands understand that the key to success on Instagram is the variety of content and the balance between strong and weak times.
On the advertising side, while performances can still be improved, Instagram is establishing itself as the queen platform for finding the rare pearl in terms of influencers.
5. Perfect Timing: When to Post on Instagram?
Publishing Strategies: A Global Approach
Here are some key stats to optimize your posting hours on Instagram:
- Monday : Post at 12:00pm to get attention during the lunch break.
- Tuesday : The optimal time range is 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., with a peak at 9 a.m.
- Wednesday : The most engaging day, choose 11:00am.
- Thursday : Post at 12:00. The 11h-14h period remains very buoyant.
- Friday : 14:00 is the most auspicious time. The commitment is constant from 7 am to 2 pm.
- Saturday : Prefer 9:00am before the weekend is in full swing.
- Sunday : The commitment is stable from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The peak time is at 7 pm.
Reels can boost your engagement up to 300% depending on the time of publication!
Of course, adapt these general recommendations according to the behavior of your audience.
Optimizing Timing
The great popularity of Reels is well established: 58% of people plan to use them in their marketing strategy.
But when exactly?
For the Reels, the hours optimal averages per day are:
- Monday : 3 am, 7 pm, 7 pm
- Tuesday : midnight, 1 am, 6 am
- Wednesday : 4 am, 6 am, 9 pm
- Thursday : 6 am, 4 pm
- Friday : 2 am, 11 am, 1 pm
- Saturday : 9 am, 4 pm, 5 pm
- Sunday : 5 am, 8 am, 1 pm
On the Stories side, bet on the lunch break during the week, between 11 am and 2 pm. This is the best time to enjoy a commitment 2 to 3 times greater than a traditional post!
Daily Scheduling: Best Days to Post
Is there a perfect day of the week to post on Insta? Here is a breakdown of the best slots by day (Pacific Time):
- Monday : 9 am to 10 am
- Tuesday : 9 am to 10 am
- Wednesday : 5 am, 11 am and 3 pm
- Thursday : 12 pm and 5 pm
- Friday : 9 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 6 pm
- Saturday : 8 am to 12 pm
- Sunday : 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Remember to adjust these time slots according to the habits of your community and their engagement behaviors.
6. Mastering Instagram Stories
Ideal Rate of Publishing Stories
With 1 billion monthly users, Stories continue to rise.
Influencers are more and more active there, with an average of 6.6 Stories/day compared to 5.3 on Snapchat, according to Mediakix.
These figures show real enthusiasm, especially when you know that Stories bring in +500M daily active users.
In addition, 1/3 of Instagrammers say they are more interested by a brand after seeing it in Story. D
What to give ideas for influencers and advertisers.
The ultimate proof of the success of Stories are these few edifying stats:
- Stories have become as important as the classic feed.
- 400M users post a Story daily.
- 100M users adopted Stories within the first two months of launch.
- Since then, their number and frequency of use have continued to grow.
As you will have understood, neglecting Stories in your content strategy means missing out on a powerful lever for engagement, reach and conversion. It's up to you to play!
Stories as a Business Tool: Best Practices
Businesses are not left out when it comes to Stories. We thus learn that:
- 50% of the 25M businesses on Insta had published a Story in July 2017.
- 20% of organic business stories receive a private message.
- Many industries use Stories features to boost customer engagement.
All these insights prove the strength of Stories as a communication and loyalty channel for brands. By focusing on interactivity (surveys, stickers, etc.), they create a unique proximity.
7. Maximizing ROI: Ads and E-Commerce on Instagram
Visual Ads: Photo and Video
Unsurprisingly, images are king on Instagram and photo ads are the most common. But be careful, the engagement rate is quite low: count only 1 comment for every 1000 followers on a sponsored post.
To increase the impact, opt for video: according to Jumper Media, video ads arouse 3x more interest than photo ads. Enough to boost the transmission of your message in record time!
Collectible Ads: Boosting Sales
Collection ads, which mix several product visuals, are on the rise.
By allowing direct purchase from the post, they boost conversions by 6.3% while reducing their cost by 42% compared to other formats, according to Jumper Media. Enough to boost your ROI!
Social Shopping: The New Era of E-Commerce
With its integrated shopping tools and its multiple partnerships with e-commerce companies, Instagram is on the way to becoming the new 2.0 marketplace.
- For 70% of shoppers, Instagram is the ideal place to find their next purchase.
- 62.7% of users actively follow and search for brands and products on the app.
- Instagram is the number one platform for finding and following brands, ahead of Facebook and others.
- In-feed ads have a click rate of between 0.22% and 0.88% compared to 0.33 to 0.54% for Stories.
A trend that will accelerate with the rise of Generation Z, who are ultra-keen on seamless social shopping experiences. Enough to give brands ideas.
8. Instagram Key Figures: Overview
Instagram on Application Platforms
Here are a few Instagram stats:
- YouTube is the platform with the highest number of downloads, closely followed by Instagram.
- Snapchat, Messenger, and Facebook are also popular in terms of app downloads.
- These numbers reflect the continued growth of Instagram over the years.
According to Hootsuite,
- Instagram is the 7th most visited site in the world with over 1.1 billion monthly active users.
- According to Google Trends data, in 2022, the most popular searches on Instagram include hashtags like #love, #instagood, #photooftheday, #fashion, #beautiful, #happy, #cute, and #travel.
- Instagram is mostly used via mobile applications, with around 98% of users accessing the platform via their smartphone.
- The United States has the largest number of Instagram users, followed by India, Brazil, and Indonesia.
- Instagram is an important platform for businesses, with over 25 million business profiles on the platform.
Most Popular Instagram Hashtags
Hashtags are still the best way to boost your visibility on Instagram.
Real rallying points for communities of interest, they make it possible to bring together around a theme all those who share it in the four corners of the world.
- #Love (2.147 billion): Love is stronger than anything. This timeless hashtag is still the big winner, proof that Instagrammers still need to share this universal feeling.
- #Instagood (1.586 billion): Sometimes you don't need a specific reason to post. Just the desire to share a beautiful sunset or a comforting moment.
- #Fashion (1.073 billion): Fashion thrives on Insta. Influencers, brands and fashionistas use it to show off their style and find the latest trends.
- #Photooftheday (1.010 billion): The daily competition for the most beautiful photo where everyone tries to do their best to shine at the center of the stage.
- #Instagram (972.1 million): Unsurprisingly, the home hashtag is in the top. A simple way to join the global community of Instagrammers.
- #Art (964.4 million): Instagram, a paradise for artists and art lovers. This hashtag is full of creativity in all its forms, from painting to fine art photography.
- #Photography (958.4 million): At the heart of Insta, visual content. This hashtag celebrates storytelling through images, from pros to amateurs.
- #Beautiful (803.1 million): Beauty as a universal value. A tribute to aesthetics in all its aspects, from landscapes to faces.
- #Nature (748.1 million): With environmental awareness, Instagrammers are reconnecting with nature and immortalizing its splendors.
- #Picoftheday (703.2 million): The equivalent of #Photooftheday to share the most beautiful images of the day and build relationships with the community.
More than simple keywords, hashtags are real gateways to worlds of passion, creativity and commitment.
Indispensable to increase your reach and generate interactions, they also reflect the spirit of the times and collective aspirations.
9. Threads: The New Instagram Challenger That Is Maddening Counters
Launched in the summer of 2023, Threads quickly established itself as the new darling of social networks.
This application was designed to compete head-on with Twitter.
- A quick start: 1 million users in one record time, beating ChatGPT and Instagram himself!
- Exponential growth: 100 million registrations in just 5 days.
- A solid user base: 15.36 million active users at the end of 2023 despite the “hype” effect of the launch.
- India, market number 1 : 54 million Indians downloaded Threads in July, representing 33.5% of the app's users.
The instant success of Threads can be explained by several factors: a simplified user experience, a clean design in line with Instagram, and above all a powerful network effect linked to the huge user base of its parent company.
By allowing her Instagram account to be switched to Threads in one click, Meta succeeded in propelling her new baby into orbit.
It remains to be confirmed over time, to balance the economic model and to continue to innovate to avoid suffering the fate of the many “Twitter killers” who have failed in the past (example: Google Wave).
10. Fake followers on Instagram
Fake followers on Instagram are non-authentic accounts that artificially inflate the number of followers on a profile.
They can be:
- Of Instagram bots programmed to follow and interact automatically
- Inactive accounts created only to grow the numbers
- Identity thieves using fake profile photos
The presence of fake followers distorts engagement and reach metrics, making it difficult to assess the true popularity of an account.
Audit tools make it possible toanalyze in depth the authenticity of the audience from an influencer.
Their latest study reveals that only 39.98% of influencers are completely free of fraud.
For brands and agencies, they represent a real danger even if they are present in abundance even among the most popular influencers.
- Wasted advertising budget by targeting non-authentic accounts
- Decrease in the real reach of campaigns and in ROI
- Damage to the credibility and image of the brand
Hence the importance of spot these fake subscribers before collaborating with an influencer.
Guide: Accessing and Interpreting Instagram Statistics
In-depth analysis of your account statistics Instagram is crucial for evaluating the performance of your strategy of content and optimize your publications.
Here is a detailed guide to accessing and interpreting this valuable data effectively.
1. Switch to a business account
To access Instagram statistics, you must first convert your personal account into a business account (creator or business).
Here's how to do it:
- Go to your account settings by clicking on the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in your profile
- Select “Settings” then “Account”
- Scroll down to “Switch to a business account” and choose “Creator” or “Business” depending on your activity
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup
Once you have completed this step, a new “Statistics” tab will appear in your profile.
2. Explore global data
In the statistics section, you have access to an overview of the performance of your account.
Take some time to explore these key facts:
- Commitment : likes, comments, shares, recordings
- Reach and impressions : number of unique accounts reached and total number of views
- Subscriber growth : evolution of the number of followers over a given period
- Demographic Information : distribution of your audience by age, gender and location
These metrics give you a general idea of the health of your account and the interest in your content.
3. Analyzing publication statistics
To refine your understanding, dive into the detailed statistics for each publication. To do this, click on a specific publication and then click on “View statistics” under the image.
Here you will find accurate data on:
- Engagement (likes, comments, shares, recordings)
- Reach and impressions
- User actions (profile visits, clicks on the website...)
By comparing these metrics from post to post, you can identify the types of content that resonate best with your audience.
4. Review Story Statistics
Ephemeral Stories are a great way to stimulate interaction with your community. To see their stats, open your Story and swipe up.
You will thus discover:
- The number of unique and total views
- User responses and reactions
- Clicks on links or “Swipe Up” mentions
- The number of shares and the number of times you go to the next Story
These insights help you create stories that are even more engaging and engaging.
FIND OUT MORE: Tips for maximizing the reach of stories
5. Comparing performance to optimize your strategy
Now that you have access to all of this data, it's time to use it to improve your approach.
Compare the performance of your various posts and Stories to identify trends:
- What formats (images, videos, carousels) generate the most engagement?
- What themes arouse the most reactions and shares?
- What days and times are the most suitable for posting?
This will allow you to adjust your content strategy based on what works best for your audience.
6. Use third party analytics tools to go further
If you want to take the analysis even further, there are numerous third-party tools that offer advanced features:
- Hootsuite to manage and analyze all your social networks in one place
- Socialbakers to benchmark your performance against your competitors
- Sprout Social to automate your reporting and save valuable time
- UpGrow to gain weight intelligently in an organic way
These platforms will allow you to have an even more complete and actionable vision of your Instagram statistics.
7. Conduct A/B tests to optimize every detail
Finally, to really maximize the impact of your content, nothing beats A/B testing.
The principle is simple: you create two versions of the same post by modifying only one element (visual, caption, hashtags, time of publication...), then you compare their performance.
For example:
- Test two different visuals with the same caption to see which one gets the most attention
- Post the same post at two different times to identify the best time to reach your audience
- Try different caption lengths to find the right balance between conciseness and storytelling
By repeating this process over and over again, you'll refine every detail of your posts for maximum impact.
You now have all the keys in hand to fully exploit Instagram statistics and propel your content strategy! Do not wait any longer and dive into your account metrics to gain valuable insights. Your audience will no longer have any secrets for you.
Conclusion
The numbers speak for themselves: today, more than ever, Instagram remains an essential ecosystem for any brand that wants to reach a large, engaged audience and is ready to make a purchase.
The application to the 2 billion users of the Meta Group offers a limitless playground to deploy your creativity and tell your story.
However, succeeding on Instagram is a constant challenge.
Stay in sync with new uses, create content adapted to each format, identify the right influencers, optimize advertising investments...
The various parameters and the competition are constantly intensifying.
Only brands that can rely on the right statistics while showing originality and authenticity will do well.
