Think your brand wouldn’t benefit from a presence on Instagram? Think again. The social media behemoth boasts more than 500 million daily active users. Let that sink in for a second. That means that there are 500 million potential people who could interact with your brand every single day. Are you currently tapping into that? Of course, keep in mind that as with any social network, the brands that are getting the most out of Instagram are the ones who are smart about what they post, when they post, how often they post, and whom they’re targeting.
But how do brands decide what’s a “smart” post for their business? That’s where the data comes in. In this article, you’ll learn about 25 Instagram stats that’ll help you get ideas on how to improve your brand’s Instagram marketing strategy.
1. Instagram Has More Than 1 Billion Monthly Active Users
Instagram started as a humble photo-sharing platform in 2019. Today, the gram is a part of monthly life for one in seven people.
2. There are 500 Million+ Instagram Accounts Active Everyday.
That places Instagram well ahead of Twitter (326 million active users) Snapchat (150 million active users), and Pinterest (250 million active users).
3. Instagram is Worth $100 Billion.
When Facebook bought Instagram for a cool $1 billion in 2012, the decision raised plenty of eyebrows. However, it’s now clear the gamble paid off. Today, Instagram is worth $100 billion, and it’s estimated that Instagram may produce 20% of Facebook’s sales by 2020.
4. 64% of Users are Between the Ages of 18-64.
If your target audience fits that age bracket, you need to be on Instagram.
5. Instagram is the 3rd Most Popular Social Network.
Although Instagram is growing at a phenomenal pace, it’s still dwarfed by Facebook which has over twice as many users. As of July 2018, Instagram was the 3rd most popular social network – but that’s only if you count YouTube as a social network. Otherwise, it’s number two:
- Facebook: 2.2 billion
- YouTube: 1.9 billion
- Instagram: 1 billion
- Twitter: 336 million
6. Having at least 1 Hashtag will get you 12.6% More Engagement.
Hashtags are great for getting new eyes on your content and having at least one in your post can generate 12.6% more engagement than not having one.
7. 70% of Users Look Up a Brand on Instagram.
This is another BIG reason why brands need to be on Instagram. Your potential customers are actively looking out for you on Instagram and if you don’t have a business page ready yet, you are already losing out on their business.
8. Brands Post an Average of 27.9x Per Month.
Brands show up on Instagram every single day of the month, which is why it’s imperative for your business to keep producing quality content regularly and keep a posting schedule ready for Instagram.
9. More than 200 Million Users Visit a Business Profile at Least Once a Day.
From boutique furniture to craft beer and cruelty-free makeup, people are checking out business profiles on a regular basis to check out fresh new products and services.
10. 7 out of 10 Instagram Hashtags are Branded Hashtags.
Branded hashtags are easy to track, and more importantly, encourage the use of user-generated content. People are more likely to follow or purchase your product or service if their friends are talking about your brand.
11. 11 is the Magic Number for Hashtag Usage.
Although Instagram allows for the use of up to 30 hashtags per post, the magic number seems to be 11, according to the data. It’s a good idea to use at least 10-15 hashtags to allow your Instagram post to be discovered from various niches, which ultimately leads to more brand exposure and brand equity.
12. There are 4.2 Billion Instagram “Likes” Per Day.
This massive number proves that Instagram’s users aren’t just there to passively consume content, but to regularly engage.
13. Caption Length Does Not Significantly Affect Engagement.
There’s little correlation between caption text length and engagement rate on Instagram.
14. Every day, Instagram Users Upload an Average of 100+ Million Photos.
How many of those include your brand?
15. There are 400 Million Users Watching Instagram Stories on a Regular Basis.
Which means that 80% of all daily active Instagram users watch Instagram stories, just as often as they’re checking their feeds. If your business is using Instagram, it’s a good idea to jump on the Stories bandwagon.
16. Photos Showing Faces Get More Likes.
There’s a reason behind the Selfie trend. Photos showing faces get 38% more Likes than photos not showing faces.
17. Instagram Users Like Lots of Negative Space.
Images with a high amount of negative space generate 29% more Likes than those with minimal negative space.
18. Users Are All About Your Location, Location, Location.
Posts tagged with a location see 79% higher engagement than posts not tagged with a location.
19. Instagram Users Love Hearts.
The red heart is the most frequently shared emoji on Instagram, which is shared 79% more than the next most popular symbol, a smiling face with heart eyes.
20. Thursday Morning is the Best Time to Post.
To get more specific, the best time to post on Instagram is Thursday between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. in your respective time zone.
21. Video Posts Have Higher Engagement Than Photos.
In fact, video posts have a 38% higher engagement rate than image posts.
22. 75% of Users Take Action.
…like visiting a website after looking at a brand’s post. Have good looking products? Instagram is the place to show them off.
23. 80% of Instagram Users Live Outside of the U.S.
Instagram is a promising marketing channel for brands based outside the U.S. or businesses looking to expand internationally. Despite being an American company, according to Instagram, 80% of the platform’s user base lives outside of the U.S.
24. 66% of Visits to Instagram Business Pages Are From Users That Don’t Follow Them.
Don’t be discouraged if your brand’s page doesn’t immediately amass followers. Even if people aren’t following your Instagram account, they may well be checking in and taking a look around. According to research, two-thirds of visits to Instagram business profiles are from people that don’t follow them. So keep on posting the good stuff as you never know who might be looking!
25. 80% of Instagram Users Follow a Business
More good news for businesses looking to harness Instagram’s power: According to Instagram, 80% of users say they follow at least one business on the platform.
Shameless plug: For more marketing tips and design inspiration, follow @EXMedia.co on Instagram!