Over the past decade or so, Instagram has evolved. It has become more than just a sharing app for square photos. However, its business features, algorithms, and technological capabilities have also developed by leaps and bounds. So as you continue to tweak your marketing strategy, you must know the latest about everything Instagram-related. Here are some of the most essential Instagram stats you need to remember this year.
General Instagram Stats
1.) Instagram is turning 12 years old this year!
Our beloved photo-centric social media platform went live on October 6, 2010. So, in simpler terms, Instagram is on the verge of becoming a teenager…scary. Your marketing team needs to move on and accept that Instagram is here to stay.
Naturally, the platform has evolved quite a bit since it first launched with a filtered pic of the founder’s dog, and it will continue to do so. On that note, you’ll want to stay up-to-date with the latest Instagram trends & features as the platform ventures into its second decade of existence.
2.) Instagram is the 4th Most Visited Website in the World
This is likely one of the more jaw-dropping Instagram stats out there, but it really shouldn’t be. According to SimilarWeb, Instagram is among the top five most visited websites in the world with roughly six billion visits during January 2022. That’s a lot of views if you ask me. It is worth noting that this figure accounts for users on both mobile and desktop devices. So make sure that your graphics are looking crisp at any scale.
3.) Instagram is the 11th Most-Googled Search Term
I mean, it’s pretty easy to type “Instagram.com” into your browser, right? Well, 413.94 million internet users would disagree according to SimilarWeb. Facebook, YouTube, and Netflix all topped Instagram. However, this is an impressive showing nonetheless. It is also strong evidence that your audience may prefer to view Instagram via a browser, whether that be a mobile or desktop browser.
4.) Instagram is the 4th Most Used Social Media Platform
Only Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp outrank Instagram in terms of monthly active global users. According to Statista, Instagram attracts nearly 1.5 billion monthly active users…that’s a lot of users no matter how you slice it. As of January 2022, Instagram is outperforming TikTok, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Twitter. This Instagram stat provides ample evidence that the photo-centric platform is a prime candidate if you’re looking to get the most bang for your buck in terms of audience reach.
5.) Less Than 1% of Instagram Users Only Use Instagram
The odds that an Instagram user also has an account on another social platform is 99.99%. Roughly 83% of Instagram users also use Facebook and 55% also use Twitter.
What does this mean for us as marketers? Simple, you’re likely reaching the same people across different platforms. This means that you cannot repeat yourself on all platforms. You need to ensure that your content is unique and engaging no matter where your followers encounter it.
6.) Instagram is the 2nd Most Downloaded App in the World
Only TikTok beat out Instagram for total downloads in 2021. This is rather impressive considering that Instagram has been around for twelve years and still has it going on. You likely already assumed that most of your Instagram audience experienced your content via their phones, so please, sit back and enjoy this Instagram stat that proves just that.
Instagram User Stats
7.) Instagram has More Than 2 Billion Monthly Active Users
In case this isn’t obvious, Instagram is very, very popular. However, this is still only half as many people that access Facebook and Youtube each month.
8.) 18 to 34 Year Olds Make Up the Largest Share of Instagram’s User Base
According to Statista, 31% of users are between 18-24 years of age, and 21.2% of users are between the ages of 25 and 34.
9.) Instagram is Still Gen Z’s Preferred Social Media Platform
According to Ypulse, 67% of Gen Z prefers Instagram over all other social media platforms, with the lone exception of Youtube. Even TikTok falls short of Instagram’s hold on Gen Z even if it’s only by a 3% margin.
10.) Gen X Males are the Most Dominant Instagram Audience
Statista reports that males between the ages of 18-24 make up the majority of Instagram’s total global audience with 17.9% of the pie. If that isn’t enough to knock your socks off, the second most dominant segments are males between the ages of 25 and 34 with 16.4% of Instagram’s total audience base. Female users between the ages of 25-34 prevent a totally male podium and comprise 14.8% of Instagram’s audience.
11.) Instagram’s Audience is Split Evenly Between Males & Females
As of the publication of this post, there are no statistics that account for users who fall outside the gender binary. However, Statista reports that the two traditional genders are evenly represented with 51.6% of Instagram’s users self-identifying as male.
12.) India has the Most Instagram Users
This is a great reminder that Instagram is a great way to reach a global audience. India leads the way with 230.25 million users and the United States comes in at a distant second with 159.75 million Instagram users. Brazil, Indonesia, and Russia round out the top five nations. It is important to keep these figures in mind when crafting your target audience on Instagram and the content you intend to share on the platform.
13.) India is also Instagram’s Fastest-Growing Market
India’s Instagram audience has grown by 16% quarter-over-quarter, which earns India the title of Instagram’s fastest-growing region. The United Kingdom comes in at a distant second place with 10.7% quarter-over-quarter growth.
14.) 5% of US Children Under the Age of 11 Use Instagram
Among American children between the ages of 9 and 11, 11% of them use Instagram. This Instagram stat rings true even though Instagram’s user guidelines require users to be 13 years of age before they can create an account.
15.) 14% of American Adults Have Never Heard of Instagram
While Instagram does have a massive reach in the United States, it doesn’t reach everyone. This is why it’s essential to genuinely understand your audience.
16.) Brunei Leads the International Stage National Instagram Reach
Brunei leads the charge in terms of nationwide reach with 92% of Brunei citizens using Instagram. The nation with the next highest reach is Guam with 79% of citizens active on the Instagram platform.
Instagram Usage Stats
17.) 59% of American Adults Use Instagram Every Day
If that isn’t enough for you, you’ll likely love that 38% of those daily users check their Instagram accounts multiple times per day.
Since they will be there, you might as well fill their feeds with content that will make them stop dead in their tracks. If you can’t log on every day, you can employ scheduling tools such as Later to schedule content days, weeks, or even months in advance.
18.) Instagram Isn’t a Popular Source for News
Roughly 10% of American adults say that they seek out news via Instagram. Furthermore, 42% state that they flat out distrust Instagram as a source of information. That being said, if you’re in the business of spreading important (and valid) information, then you should definitely look to other social media platforms.
19.) Adult Instagram Users Spend Nearly 30 Minutes on the App Every Day
These high-use users are not just exploring their newsfeed. They’re scrolling through Instagram stories, viewing Livestreams, and watching Reels. Brands that have their acts together will deliver something that users can connect with across all the different features in order to entertain their followers regardless of where they spend those thirty minutes every day.
20.) 90% of Users Watch Instagram Videos on a Weekly Basis
This means that you need to expand beyond standard static images. Here are a handful of tips and best practices for creating Instagram video content that your followers will love!
Instagram Story Stats
21.) 500 Million Accounts Use Instagram Stories Every Day
Sadly, Instagram (and Meta) hasn’t released any updated figures since 2019, which is a lifetime ago in social media years. However, it is safe to assume that this figure has only grown since the last official count. Insta Stories started as a Snapchat-esque take on video content has become a staple of the Instagram platform. The real beauty of this element of Instagram is that there’s a lot of room for brands to flex their creative muscles. The Later team has put together a stellar resource for businesses looking to jump into the Instagram Stories game.
22.) 58% of Users Say They’re More Interested in a Brand After Seeing It in an Instagram Story
Instagram Stories are straight-up sticky! Of that 58% of users, 50% state that they’ve gone ahead and visited a website to purchase a product or service after seeing it in Instagram Stories.
23.) The Most Active Brands Post 17 Stories per Month
Story frequency is up across the board this year. So if you want to keep up with the top players and prevent your content from getting lost, you should plan to post a Story every other day.
24.) Instagram Stories Generate Around 25% of the Platform’s Ad Revenues
Even though Instagram stories do not have the same reach as standard static posts, eMarketer predicts that Stories will generate around $16 billion in global ad revenue.
25.) #Love is the Most Popular Hashtag
I dunno about you, but I like to think that Instagram users prefer to keep a positive state of mind…right?
Instagram Business Statistics
26.) 90% of Instagram Users Follow at Least One Business Account
Are you hesitant about getting your brand involved in social? Well, you shouldn’t be…basically everyone is doing it! Instagram introduces new business tools, such as shopping functionality and Instagram Live, on a regular basis.
27.) The Average Instagram Business Account Grows by Roughly 1.7% Each Month
**DISCLAIMER: Every business account and brand is different!** However, it’s helpful to know the general benchmark for growth. This is especially true if overall growth is a cornerstone of your brand’s social media goals.
28.) Business Accounts Post an Average of 1.6 Posts/Day
Let’s dive into that stat a bit further. For the average Instagram Business account, 62.7% of all main feed posts are photos, 16.3% are videos, and 21% are photo carousels. Again, every brand is different, but it never hurts to see what the average competition is doing.
