11 Instagram Statistics Every Marketer Should Know in 2021

We need to talk about Instagram—no, not how many followers Kim Kardashian has—we need to talk about Instagram statistics for your business.

Maybe you’re a small business owner. Perhaps you’ve heard other business owners talk about how much money they are making on Instagram.

“My Instagram is exploding!” they exclaim. They’re connecting with prospects and making sales right and left.

But you know how much work a social media platform can be. Facebook’s already more than enough, and it’s moving at a snail’s pace.

Can you really find more buyers on Instagram?

These Instagram stats will tell you who’s on the platform, what they’re doing, and what that means for your business.

1. How Many People Use Instagram?

• One billion+ active users
• 500+ million daily users
• 140 million US users

Instagram hit 1 billion users in June 2018. That’s nearly one-third of Facebook’s last user count. And over half of them (500+ million) are using the platform every day.

What might surprise you is that 88% are outside of the US. That’s right. Only 140 million Instagram users are in the US. But it’s also the largest number of users in any country (tied with India).

And while 140 million is a lot, when you break it down, only 37% of US adults use Instagram. And 14% have never even heard of it.

2. The Use of Instagram Hashtags

Hashtags are a vital part of Instagram’s marketing strategy (if you’re trying to get more followers and buyers, that is). It’s how new people can find you. Think of hashtags as keywords that an Instagram user can follow on the platform.

The Instagram rules for branded hashtags are simple. You can use up to 30 on most posts (but an Instagram Story only allows 10). The average Instagram post has 10.7 hashtags.

Instagram experts recommend you use as many hashtags as you’re allowed. They can’t hurt your reach, and they can help increase it (in combination with other recommended Instagram strategies).

If you’re wondering, “how do I check my stats on Instagram?” Just look at your business or creator Instagram profile, you’ll see a button called Instagram Insights. Tap it, and you’ll get your account’s up-to-date stats.

But if you’re asking yourself, “ how do I see someone’s Instagram analytics?” Well, if it’s not your account (and they don’t give you their login info), you can’t.

3. Who Uses Instagram?

• 37.1% of Instagrammers are under 25
• 71% of Instagrammers are under 35
• Slightly more women use the platform than men

Not a big surprise to anyone, Instagram is known as the social media platform for Millenials (that’s anyone born between 1981 and 1996). But you may be surprised to hear that 37.1% of Instagram users are under 25.

And yeah, 71% are under 35. But if you think Instagram usage is female-dominated, you’re only slightly correct. Globally, women do beat out their male counterparts on Instagram (but only by a teensy margin). 51% female vs. 49% male.

So if you’re wondering about Instagram demographics, you’ve got your answer—men and women under 35.

4. How Much Time Do People Spend on Instagram Daily?

According to Emarketer, Instagram users spent an average of 30 minutes per day on the platform in 2020. You can thank the Stories and Live features on Instagram for that.

And even more good news for social media marketers, 63% of Instagram users log into the platform every day, making it the number 2 platform for frequent usage. Facebook is still the number one social media platform (with 74% of users logging in every day).

5. How Many Use Instagram Business?

• 8 million+ businesses have an Instagram business account
• 76% of businesses use it to promote their products and services
• 83% of users discover new brands on Instagram

According to Adweek, over 8 million businesses have a profile on Instagram.

If you have a business that targets Millennials (or their younger friends in Generation Z), Instagram could be your best friend. 76% of businesses say they use Instagram to promote their products and services.

It’s no surprise that 94% of marketers say they use Facebook (which makes Instagram the number two platform for social media marketing).

And why wouldn’t they?! 83% of Instagram users say they love using it to discover new brands and services.

With Instagram’s newest features that help shoppers buy products directly on the platform, you can see why businesses invest in Instagram (especially businesses selling physical products).

Already 79% of users say they searched for more information after seeing a product or service. And 46% say they made a purchase.

6. How Do Influencers Affect Instagram Marketing?

• 87% of users say an Instagram influencer inspired a purchase.
• 89% of marketers say Instagram is their #1 platform for influencer marketing.
• 69% of marketers plan to spend more on Instagram than other platforms.

When you hear that 50% of users are more interested in a brand after seeing an ad for it on Instagram, you might think, “Fantastic! Let’s go buy some ads.”

But savvy marketers know that tapping into an already warm audience through influencers works wonders on Instagram. 87% of users say that influencers have inspired them to make a purchase.

And according to surveyed marketers, Instagram is the number one preferred platform for influencer marketing.

So you won’t be surprised to hear that 69% of marketers planned to spend more money on Instagram than other social media platforms in 2020.

7. How Many People Use Instagram Stories?

• 500 million accounts use Stories every day.
• 58% were more interested in a brand after seeing it in Stories.
• One-third of the most viewed Stories are businesses.

Stories came on the scene on Instagram back in 2016, and Instagrammers love them.

500 million Instagram accounts use Stories every day. And the best part is one-third of the most-viewed Stories are from businesses.

If your business isn’t using Stories to connect with your Instagram followers, consider this. 58% of people surveyed say they have become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in an IG Story.

And if that doesn’t light a fire under your butt to start doing them, did you know that 50% of Instagrammers say they have visited a website to buy a product or service as a result of seeing it in Stories?

8. How Many People Follow Brands on Instagram?

• 90% of Instagrammers follow one or more businesses.
• 83% say Instagram is where they find new brands.

90% of Instagram users follow one or more businesses.

Facebook may be the social network where you make friends. But Instagram is where you find new brands and services. At least that’s what 83% of users said.

That may be why the #ad hashtag increased 133% from February 2018 to February 2019 on Instagram.

One-third of all #ad hashtags were for Stories on Instagram, according to Emarketer. People are spending more time on the platform because of the Stories feature, and advertisers are spending more money (23% more) there too.

But it’s not just about the Stories feature. 50% surveyed said they’re more interested in a brand when they see ads for it on Instagram.

You can grow your business or creator profile with or without ads. Most Instagram experts recommend organic growth strategies with some ad spend.

So what is a good growth rate on Instagram? The average growth rate is around 1.5%, according to the top Instagram experts (but those who know their audience can shoot for 6% or more with no ad spend).

9. Does Instagram Engagement Matter?

• Instagram generates four times more interactions than Facebook
• Instagram’s median engagement rate is 1.60%

Oh boy, does it matter.

People who engage with your profile on Instagram say they are interested in your message (and maybe your products and services too).

According to Socialbakers, Instagram can generate 4X more interactions compared to Facebook. And if you’ve got a Facebook business page, you know how tough it can be to get engagement sometimes.

If you’ve had trouble getting engagement on FB, you’re not alone. The median engagement rate for brands on Instagram was 1.60% versus .09% for Facebook.

If you’re wondering how to track your Instagram analytics, the easiest way is directly from your Instagram account on your phone. Just tap the Insights button, and you’ll have it.

You can also use the native Instagram stat tracker in Facebook’s Creator Studio on your computer. It helps if you’ve got a Facebook business page too. But even if you don’t, connecting your Instagram account is a pretty simple process.

And if you want ALL the Instagram analytics, try an Instagram analytics app (like Later, Tailwind and Planoly). Most of them offer a free trial or a free basic account to test out all the features.

10. What is the Impact of Instagram on Consumers?

• 55% of fashion shoppers made a purchase after seeing it on Instagram.
• 50% said they’re more interested in brands after seeing Instagram ads.
• 79% searched for more information after seeing it on the platform.

Instagram says that 55% of fashion shoppers have purchased a fashion item after seeing a creator promote it.

And another 50% of users surveyed said they are more interested in a brand when they see ads for it on Instagram. It’s not just fashion. B2C, B2B, physical products, digital products, and service businesses are finding buyers on Instagram.

And now, with the latest Instagram Shopping feature, consumers can go to town. They can discover, get more details and even buy the product right there in the Instagram app.

79% of Instagrammers said they searched for more information after seeing a product or service, while 46% said they made a purchase.

11. What is the Impact of Social and Political Activism on Brands?

• 70% of consumers want brands to take stands on social issues.
• 55% say they’ll boycott a brand if they disagree with its actions.
• 36% say they’ll buy more when they agree with a brand’s actions.

70% of consumers want brands to take a stand on social issues, according to a study done by Sproutsocial.

This percentage represents liberal, moderate, and conservative views, although it varies more from generation to generation than a political stance.

Millennials (80%) and Generation Z (75%) are far more adamant than Generation X (58%) and the Baby Boomer generation (68%) about social and political activism.

An average of 55% across the board say they would boycott a brand if they disagreed with its actions. When a brand takes a stand in line with its values, 36% said they would buy more from the brand, and 37% said they would strongly recommend the brand to others.

Is Instagram the Social Media Platform for Your Business?

Those stories you hear about making money on Instagram? They’re true. If the people who buy your stuff are on the platform—hint, they probably are.

Instagram will keep bringing you new ways to make connections with people (probably using an off-the-cuff video post and photos).

Hey, it’s social media.

And if you don’t want to do it yourself, you’ve got tons of influencers who’ll be more than happy to do it for you.

So, what are you waiting for?