Social media is one of those fields you never really master – it’s constantly changing, so as soon as you “get it,” there’s something new to learn. Ever-changing, often-innovating, and singly satisfying, Instagram specifically is the one platform that works for almost any brand or business, if you know how to leverage it.
It’s where you want to be.
That said, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to Instagram. Your brand, your niche, your market, your everything: You and your consumers define how Instagram will work for you.
You’re not completely in the dark, though. Thanks to Instagram’s popularity and efficacy, there’s a whole world of statistics out there to inform your Instagram marketing decisions. Here are 50 of the most impressive, most informative, and most influential to know in 2019:
- Instagram user demographics & behavior statistics
- Instagram for business statistics
- Instagram marketing statistics
- Instagram photo & video statistics
- Instagram engagement statistics
Instagram user demographics & behavior statistics
A big part of understanding Instagram and how it works for you, is understanding who’s on Instagram and how the platform works for them. While your specific market, user segment, and other data will vary by your niche, country of business, and other details, these global demographics and stats on user behavior can inform your Instagram behaviors and strategies.
1. Instagram has 1 billion monthly active users. You read that right: one BILLION. That means that only Facebook (at 2+ billion monthly active users) and YouTube (1.9 billion monthly active users) surpass the platform. What’s more, of Instagram’s 1 billion monthly active users, an impressive 500 million users are active every day. Yes, a full 50% of Instagram users scroll their feeds every, single day.
(Pro tip: Want a low-effort, high-reward way to get more of those active Instagram users to follow your brand? Here’s how.)
2. And, 88% of those users are located outside the U.S. If you’re a 100% local florist, that may not be music to your ears but, if you offer products or services to a global audience, it’s great news. If you’ve ever wondered how you can expand your market into Brazil, India, Japan, and other big-revenue international markets, then welcome to Instagram: hundreds of millions of Instagram users hail from these countries, including 66+ million from Brazil and 64+ billion from India.
3. A reported 71% of Instagram users are in the under-35 age group. What’s more, it’s a relatively even split between men and women. And that means, if your service or product is popular among Millennials and Gen Z, then chances are good you can market to them on Instagram.
4. And speaking of age groups, a staggering 72% of U.S. teens (Gen Z) use Instagram. They’re moving up in the ranks – the oldest Gen Z’ers are already in their 20s and looking to spend their newly disposable income – and as of fall 2018, Instagram is their preferred platform, even over former favorite Snapchat.
5. Generation X uses the platform, too. In fact, 35% of all U.S. adults use Instagram. That’s all adults, across all ages. In other words, no matter your audience, if they’re adults and in the U.S, you have the chance to reach a statistical third of them on Instagram.
6. And, young consumers – that is, future adults – are overwhelmingly Instagram users. In fact, almost two out of every three adults aged 18-29 are on the platform. That’s the oldest of Gen Z and the youngest of the Millennials – in other words, the two consumer groups moving from paid-for into paying-for-themselves status. Get in on the ground floor by catching their interest – and building brand loyalty – now.
7. Okay, fine. They – ALL the theys – are on the ‘gram. In fact, while a good half of all monthly active users are also daily active users, what’s even more interesting is that a solid 38% of Instagram users check in multiple times a day. And that means you have plenty of opportunities to wow ‘em, provided you’re uploading wow content. (Pro tip: Boost your odds of getting seen by choosing best time of day to post on Instagram.)
8. More important than age, decision-makers are on Instagram. And by that, we mean women. You probably know that women drive 70-80% of consumer purchases, so you should be happy to also know that 31% of womenregularly use Instagram (vs. 24% of men). All told, Instagram is 58% female and 42% male.
9. And yet, interestingly, the largest demographic group on Instagram is actually males 18-24 years old. Of course, it helps that an estimated 60%+ of all Instagram users fall into that same age category.
10. Okay, more important than both age and decision-making, Instagram users have money. While about 44% of the sub-$30K crowd uses Instagram, the platform captures even more interest from almost every other income grouping, including 60% of people who earn $100K+. Here’s the breakdown:
- Less than $30K: 44% use Instagram
- $30K–$60K: 45%
- $60K–$70K: 36%
- $70K–$80K: 55%
- $80K–$100K: 46%
- $100K+: 60%
11. And your followers are educated. An impressive 32% of Instagram users are either in college or have attended college. They’re willing to learn all about you, too.
12. What’s more, you have their attention. Have you heard how short the average attention span has grown?! That’s why it’s key that the under-25 set uses Instagram for an average 32 minutes per day. Their big siblings are also hanging around, averaging 24 minutes for the age-25-and-up crew.
13. And, FYI, Instagram for Android is on fire. We know that mobile consumers love Instagram, but it’s interesting to note that Android Instagram app users spend an average 53 minutes per day on the platform. A greater chance at engagement? Yeah, there’s an app for that.
Instagram for business statistics
You know – and if you didn’t know, the above stats have established – that the world’s consumers are on Instagram. It follows, then, that your brand should be, too. Not quite convinced you want to pour your energies into the platform? These stats will provide a bit more encouragement, if you still need it.
14. Sorry, Charlie, but if you’re not on Instagram, you’re way behind the curve. That’s because 71% of U.S. businesses – and, most likely, your direct competition – market on Instagram. The platform has even pulled ahead of Twitter, where numbers have plateaued.
15. 90% of the world’s top brands are on Instagram. Now, correlation does not imply causation – working your business Instagram account does not guarantee you a spot among the world’s 100 top brands, sorry! – but it does give us insight into how important Instagram is today. Again, we repeat: 90% of the world’s top 100 brands have an Instagram account.
16. But, there are also a lot of fakers and flakes out there. One recent study concluded that 8% of Instagram accounts are fake and nearly 30% of Instagram accounts are inactive (= they post one or fewer photos/videos per month). Glass half full? While the sheer numbers are vast, your competition isn’t quite as stiff as it may first appear.
17. Even so, there are 25 million business profiles on Instagram. Visual brands are some of the most present, with about 96% of fashion brands on the platform. Even more importantly, on Instagram, there’s little division between personal and business profiles, and so 200+ million users visit at least one business profile a day.
18. And, heads up! 80% of Instagram users follow at least one business. And not by accident. Sure, it helps that Instagram doesn’t make an obvious (or off-turning) distinction between personal and business accounts, but what’s more important is Instagram user attitudes toward brands: You’re not just tolerated, you are embraced. Users want to know more about your products and services.
19. Half of all businesses create at least one Story per month. In other words, standard photo and video posts are great, but you’re missing out to the competition if you’re not posting at least one Story every 30ish days. Do as 50% of Instagram business accounts do, not as the other half do.
20. What’s more, one-third of the most-viewed Instagram Stories are from businesses. Think about that: We know that savvy brands are telling Instagram Stories, and this stat proves they’re working, as a full third of the most-viewed Stories come from those savvy brands. They work if you work ‘em.
21. And, 95 million new Instagram posts are added every day. And that’s the stat for 2016, when it was last revealed. If you’re not one of those 95+ million posts, then you’re certainly missing out on a serious slice of the market’s pie.
22. You can do better with the content you have by choosing your time of day wisely. The problem is, the best time to post on Instagram varies by day, niche, and more. Do not apply a one-size-fits-all approach! That said, if you’re just starting out and there’s not enough information available in your niche, Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., consistently ranks as a window of high overall Instagram activity.
23. That said, don’t stress too hard. An egg is the most popular photo on Instagram. There’s nothing particularly statistical about that, but it is notable: Instagram is not an insurmountable challenge. With a good idea, a bit of gumption, and perhaps a dash of humor, you, too, could achieve 53+ million likes for a solitary egg.
Instagram marketing statistics
For many, Instagram is marketing gold. If you do it right. And the numbers can help you do it right. Here’s how:
24. It’s Money Central up in here. Instagram rakes in a quarter of all Facebook revenue. If you didn’t know that Facebook owned Instagram, they do. The social giant bought the photogenic little guy back in 2012 for just $1 billion – at the time, Instagram had just 30 million users – and in just five years, has grown to account for nearly 25% of all Facebook ad revenue, with projections reaching to 30% in 2020. That’s not only a monster of a statistic, but clearly demonstrates the power of Instagram marketing and advertising.
25. All that ad revenue is worth it, though. Users like to discover new products on Instagram. In fact, about 60% of users – ahem, that’s a whopping 600+ million monthly active users! – say that they actively and purposely seek out new products on Instagram. Think about it: How rare is it for consumers to seek you out? Behold the power of Instagram.
26. And so, millions are using Instagram for ad purposes. Are you? Because if you’re not, you’re giving your competition a chance to pull ahead. A reported 2 million brands advertise monthly on Instagram.
27. There’s power in sheer numbers. Instagram’s @Instagramsports has nearly 300 million followers. Cristiano Ronaldo is sitting pretty at 164 million. National Geographic boasts 107 million. And, those numbers are growing every day. Join the hoard.
28. Instagram Stories are the rising star in social media marketing. If you’re looking at where to expand or concentrate your social efforts in 2019, Instagram Stories should be at the top of your list. Consider this: In just two years, the number of Instagram Stories jumped from 150 million to 500 million (January 2019). Consumers love Stories and brands do, too – because they work. Embrace storytelling.
29. So, do as good marketers do, and put your money into Instagram. Because, here’s an interesting statistic: more than two-thirds of marketers report that Instagram will be their biggest spend in 2019. In fact, they report that most of their budget will go toward the ‘gram, accounting for 6x more than the 11% of budget earmarked for YouTube.
30. But, looking to cross-promote? Try YouTube. That’s because an incredible 95% of Instagrammers are also on YouTube, followed closely by Facebook, where 91% of Instagrammers maintain a presence. Tell a coherent, cross-platform story, and your content could reach double or triple the eyes.
31. And, in case you didn’t know, Instagram is influencer marketing heaven. We’ve already established that Instagram has more than 1 billion monthly active users but, what’s even more significant is that social media marketers rank Instagram as the most important platform for influencer marketing. The accolade is due to the channel’s image-centric medium, which fuels high activity from influencers and micro-influencers, directly into the feeds of your niche market. As a lovely door prize, you also have access to a pool of micro-influencers more affordable to smaller brands and budgets.
32. Among influencers, Instagram Stories is the second-most popular post format. In fact, Instagram Stories reach more than 500 million Instagram users on a daily basis – that’s 15x faster growth than any other type of feed – due in large part to their more organic feel, which Instagram users report to be more “authentic” and “less staged.” In other words, all good things that improve the effectiveness of your Instagram Stories.
33. Instagram has twice the daily active users as Snapchat. That’s a big statistic, considering Snapchat’s rise to power. Still, due to past Snapchat limitations – changes were too little, too late for some users – the platform lost ground among influencers. Instagram Stories (note: Stories, not Instagram at large) has taken up the mantle, boasting a cool twice as many active daily Stories users as its snappy rival.
34. Conclusion: Instagram is a perfect place to get started with influencers. There’s a reason why 78% of marketers say this is their #1 choice for influencer marketing: It’s the most-used platform among sought-after influencers and, with just a photo-and-a-caption required for a post, it also has a relatively low barrier to entry. No professional video, no long-form content, no heavy investments required.
Instagram photo & video statistics
Photo and video are literally the cornerstones of Instagram, an entire platform dedicated to photo and video posts. Almost every stat on our list relates to photo or video, in some way. Still, there are a couple of important stats we need to call out:
35. Instagram video has quadrupled since 2017. Video posts to Instagram first launched in 2013 – with 5 million videos uploaded in the first 24 hours! – and since then, they’ve only increased in popularity. Do your brand a favor and run a video campaign. Tell moving (literally) stories.
36. Photos have higher engagement than video. Yes, you read that right! Photos are more engaging than video, at least on Instagram. That’s great news if video isn’t your thing. (Or if you don’t have a big video budget.) But hey, if video is your thing, take heart: Video ads drive more engagement than their photos-only counterparts.
Instagram engagement statistics
If you’re even remotely interested in social media and marketing, then you’re probably all too focused on your engagement: It’s one of, if not the most important metric, right? In that case, you’re going to want to know a few things:
37. Instagram is the KING of engagement. Wait, what’s better than king? The emperor? The supreme ruler? The sovereign of all things engagement? Because, Instagram’s 2.2 interaction rate absolutely destroys that of other social networks: It’s 10x higher than Facebook, 54x higher than Pinterest, and 84x higher than Twitter.
38. Instagram engagement metrics are through the roof. We know that Instagram offers social success for brands, but did you know that the most important success metric – engagement – has more than quadrupled in just two years?
39. Instagram is the happiest place on the internet. Users genuinely like to be here, in turn spreading their joy to “like” 4.2 billion+ posts per day. And that was in 2016, the last time these stats were updated. Instagram has nearly doubled since then, so the likes probably have, too.
40. And, hold on to your hats, but three-quarters of Instagrammers are ready to take action. Straight from the horse’s mouth, we know that 75% of Instagram users follow calls-to-action, visiting your website, clicking Buy, signing up, making a reservation, or performing some other action requested in your post. Make. The. Ask!
41. Add to that, Instagram users are a staggering 70% more likely to make a purchase while mobile. In other words, more than a third of Instagram users purchase products online, via mobile (where they typically access Instagram, natch), making them 70% more likely to make a mobile purchase than is your standard Internet user.
42. Which is excellent, considering that Instagrammers are more likely to follow your brand, than is any other social media user. That’s because, as statistics go, 50% of all Instagrammers follow a brand – the highest percentage of any major social network today.
43. Hey, want to drastically boost your engagement, easily? Link to another Instagram account. Sounds counter-intuitive, right? But, the stats hold up: posts that include another handle net 56% more engagement than their me-me-me counterparts. Spread the love, people!
44. Add a location, and you’re now rolling in engagement. Apparently, Instagram users like to know where you’re posting from, because posts with a tagged location are the proud recipients of 79% greater engagement.
45. Can’t stop, won’t stop? Then, try some video, too. 81% of marketers report that video posts receive better engagement of certain types, including a goals-worthy 2.1x the comments of photo posts. That’s more than twice the comments – a highly valued type of engagement – just for swapping out a photo post for video. So, why not try it and see how your audience reacts?
46. While we’re on the topic of boosting your engagement, use hashtags! Hold on to that #, because posts with at least one hashtag can yield 12.6% more engagement. Now, imagine deploying a select several, carefully selected hashtags. Oh, the places you’ll go!
47. Speaking of, BRAND YOUR HASHTAG. ASAP. Stat. Immediately! Because, great news: 70% of Instagram’s favorite hashtags are branded. Make yours next. But, don’t make it all about you. The best branded hashtags capture the heart and soul of your audience: for example, #IcelandTravelGoals, not #MyIcelandTravelAgency.
48. Here’s a tip: Instagrammers like food. Specific foods. But also, pretty much all food. Do you food? Unsurprisingly, pizza is the most Instagrammed food – you can’t knock perfection, can you? – with sushi and chicken not far behind. Well, except for all you UK ‘grammers: you love to photograph your curry.
49. But really, all you need is #love. Since their invention in 2007 – we know, the “pound sign” would beg to differ – the mighty hashtag has risen to fame both online and in everyday communications. Hashtags allow us to discover content that interests us, through the unification of common concepts and ideas. And so, it’s heartwarming (literally) to know that #love is the most popular hashtag on Instagram.
The only caveats: It can be hard to gain traction with popular hashtags so, if you must use it, be sure you’re deploying it on a post truly about #love. Not quite the right fit? No problem: Just peruse the list of the 100 most popular Instagram hashtagsand you’ll almost certainly find one that works.
50. All this said – or perhaps, based on the strength of all that has been said – Instagram’s not afraid to shake things up. As of early May 2019, Instagram is testing removal of two of its core features: “like” counts and video “views.” Not from you, though, just from your followers. The goal? According to Instagram, “We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get.” And, honestly? We can get behind a platform that is clearly behind us.
Now, you tell us: What’s your favorite, most shocking, or most useful statistic on this list? Will your Instagram strategy change or evolve in any new ways?
Make it easy for your readers and website visitors to join your Instagram community with the easy-to-install Instagram follow button. It takes just minutes to install, so you can start growing your Instagram following today!
Beyond that, if you’re looking for even more ideas on how to grow your Instagram following, we’ve also created a series of free Instagram resources, including: our guide to the Instagram post text limit, our guide to sharing a post on Instagram, and our answer to questions like how to make your Instagram profile picture fit.
Or, if you’re looking for giveaway caption ideas check out our post on Instagram giveaways.
