Instagram is one of the most influential social media platforms in the world. In this article we shed light on its impact, use, and potential for business in the world today.
Key Takeaways:
- Two-thirds of the user base is Millennial or Gen-Z
- Business accounts have average follower growth of 0.98%
- 0.6% average engagement rate is the second-best of major social media platforms
General Instagram Statistics
1.6 Billion Instagram Users
Instagram user numbers for the same period last year stood at 1.45 billion, meaning user numbers have increased by 168 million.
Over 1 Billion Daily Instagram Stories Users
Instagram stopped publicly releasing data on the number of users actively using Instagram Stories a while back, but its last publicly released data showed that more than 1 billion users were enjoying the feature.
Southern Asia Has 354.2 Million Active Users
Instagram’s biggest region in terms of active users is Southern Asia, with India contributing the most. South America is second with 224.5 million.
Photos with Faces Get 38% More Likes
This finding has been consistent across multiple studies carried out over multiple years.
Instagram Account Has the Most Followers
Instagram’s own Instagram account has the most followers of any account with 597 million followers.
26.6% of Over 18’s on the Platform
Although Instagram is one of the most used apps in the world, it is currently used by only about a quarter of the planet’s adult population.
Instagram Demographic Statistics
Two-Thirds of Users Are 18 – 34 Years Old
Millennials and Gen-Zers make up the largest proportion of Instagram’s total users, as over 1 billion users fall in this age range.
32% of Instagram’s Audience Is 18 – 34 Years Old
Over 517 million users fall into this age group, making it the largest demographic on the platform. With over 488 million, the 25 – 34 age group is the second largest group of users at 29.6% of users.
Males & Females Equally Represented on Instagram
There is a 49-51 male-female split in users, making Instagram one of the most equally represented social media platforms.
Over 80% of Users Are from Outside the U.S.
While many people think of Instagram as a uniquely American creation, most of its users are located outside of the nation that gave birth to it, approximately 87% of users in fact.
Instagram Statistics by Region & Country
Africa
Less Than 6% of the Region’s Population Is Using Instagram
While you may think this low reach is because of poor internet infrastructure, the latest data actually shows us that just 14% of the region’s internet users are using the platform, meaning there is definitely room to grow.
12.4% Year-on-Year Ad Reach Growth
The region added an additional 9.2 million users over the last year which represents healthy growth of 12.4%. Quarter-on-quarter growth was 28.7%.
Djibouti
-18.2% Growth
The African state posted one of the worst growth rates of any country in the world with an 18.2% year-on-year decline in users.
Ghana
0% Growth
This is one of the only nations to experience no year-on-year change in user numbers at all.
The Americas
Half the Regions Internet Users Are Using Instagram
To be precise, 55.2% of the region’s total internet users can be reached through the social media platform.
Females Are More Likely to Use Instagram
In this region of the world (North & Central & South America), females are more likely to be Instagram users than males. 62.3% of the region’s adult females are on the platform vs 51.9% of males.
Brazil
132.6 Million Instagram Users
Brazil has an extra 10 million users compared with the same period last year, which has helped it maintain third place on the list of countries with the most users.
Canada
Half of All Adult Internet Users Have an Instagram Account
To be precise, 56.1% of the country’s internet users can be reached through the platform with slightly more females (58.7%) present on the platform than males (50.7%).
U.S.
168.6 Million Active Users in the U.S.
The United States has the second-largest number of active Instagram users and gained 13 million users last year for year-on-year growth of 8.3%.
45% of Urban Dwellers Have Used Instagram
Urban dwellers are more likely to use the platform than suburban (41%) and rural (25%) residents.
Asia-Pacific
677.6 Million Users
This many users make the region the largest by user number by a distance, and yet, it still only represents 15.4% of the total population.
The Fastest-Growing Region
The region had year-on-year growth of 17.7% and added 102 million new users, making it an important region for Instagram and businesses to focus on.
Bhutan
Ad Reach Shrank by 2.9%
The tiny nation of Bhutan, positioned between India and China, was one of the few places where Instagram experienced negative year-on-year growth.
China
4.25 Million Users Despite Being Banned
Even though foreign social media platforms are blocked by the “Great Chinese Firewall,” over 4 million people have found a way around the blockade with 550,000 new users joining in the last year.
India
India Has the Most Active Instagram Users
With 326.6 million, India has 158 million more active users than any other country in the world.
Japan
Highest Engagement Rate per Post
The average engagement rate in Japan is between 5.6% and 11% (depending on the data source used), meaning it’s at least 5x the global average!
Europe
Gender Representation Almost Equal
Around half of the region’s male and female adult population is on the platform, with there ever so slightly more female representation (45.3% of adult females vs 43.5% of adult males). This is 1 of 2 regions where the platform users are more likely to be female.
Lowest Growth Region
Instagram user numbers grew by just 6.6% last year, adding 20 million new users. This is the lowest growth rate of any region.
U.K.
33.45 Million Users
Roughly half of the U.K. population (49.4%) can be reached through Instagram, with 64.5% of adult females and 55.3% of adult males using the social media service.
The Middle East
Instagram Not Being Used by 69.9% of Internet Users
More than two-thirds of the region’s total internet users are yet to register to the Instagram platform, but it did have the 3rd best growth rate of all regions (12%).
The Region with the Smallest Number of Users
Only 62.5 million people from the region can be found on the social media platform, making it the smallest region in terms of registered user accounts.
Iraq
81.6% of Adult Males Using the Service
When you think of a place like Iraq you might not think that services like Instagram would be very popular; however, 64.1% of the nation’s population can be reached through the platform. 46.5% of adult females and 81.6% of adult males are registered users.
Instagram Usage & Engagement Statistics
23 Minutes per Day on Instagram
The average Instagram user spends approximately 11.7 hours a month on the platform, which when reduced to the average per day is about 23 minutes.
30 Minutes per Day for Americans
Compared with the global average, American users spend an extra 7 minutes per day on the platform for a total of 30.1 minutes per day.
90% of Users Follow at Least One Business Account
This statistic shows us that over 1.4 billion platform users are interested in learning about and engaging with the products, services, and brands that they’re interested in.
Average Engagement Rate of 0.6%
The platform’s average engagement rate continues to drop year over year but still offers the second-best rates compared with its nearest rivals.
Video Content Receives 2x Higher Engagement
The rise of video content continues unabated and Instagram users are on board with it. Video posts receive twice the number of comments and likes than static posts.
Instagram’s Explore Page Is Used by More Than Half of Users
Instagram hasn’t updated the numbers on this in a while, but the most recent data shows that over half of accounts use this Instagram feature.
42% of Users Check Their Accounts Multiple Times per Day
The surprising thing about this statistic is that more than half of users are checking their accounts less than twice a day!
User-Generated Content Receives 4x More Engagement
When compared against official brand-released posts and content, user-generated content (UGC) receives 400% more likes, shares, and comments.
Nearly Two-Thirds of 12 – 17 Year Olds Use Instagram Weekly
Slightly more of this age group report using Instagram every week than last year. This year, 61% say they use the platform weekly, which is a 4% increase from last year.
Time Spent on Reels Is Growing
By the end of last year, Instagram users were spending an average of 30% of their time on the platform browsing Reels. 6 months earlier, Reels had accounted for just 20% of a user’s time on the platform.
Instagram Traffic Statistics
4.5% of the Globe’s Web Traffic Referrals Come from Instagram
This puts Instagram in fourth place when looking at website referrals from social media platforms (discounting Chinese platforms).
More Than 130 Million Users Tap on Shopping Posts Every Month
Instagram’s most recent data on this area of the business indicates the revenue potential for businesses that offer products and services directly to consumers through the platform.
2nd Most Downloaded App of the Year
Across all regions and platforms, Instagram was the second most popular app of the year with 548 million downloads, only being beaten by TikTok.
5th Most Popular App Store Download
On the Apple side of the smartphone market, Instagram was downloaded 103 million times, making it the 5th most downloaded app in the App Store.
Number 2 on Play Store Download List
Over on the Android side, Instagram was downloaded 445 million times in the last year, placing it at number 2 on the most downloaded charts.
8th Most Visited Website in the World
Although you probably think of using Instagram on your smartphone, there are plenty of people that log in to the platform using desktops and laptops. So many, in fact, that it’s the 8th most visited website on the planet with 4.25 billion visits a month.
Instagram for Business Statistics
Up to 83% of Users Discover New Products & Services on Instagram
With such a large and engaged user base, Instagram is one of the best places to introduce consumers to the latest products and services. Sources estimate that between 60% and 83% of users learn about products and services this way.
Influencer Marketing Worth More Than $15 Billion
The most recent data released shows that the global influencer marketing industry is worth an estimated \$17.4 billion – \$21.1 billion, with Instagram contributing roughly 75% of that!
20.3% Potential Ad Reach
With over 1.6 billion users, advertisers, marketers, and businesses have the potential to reach one-fifth of the global population.
31.4% Real Ad Reach
When considering how many people use Instagram versus the total number of internet users, businesses can reach up to 31.4% of people through the platform.
Top 5 Countries with the Largest Advertising Audiences
| # | Country | Total Reach | QoQ Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 326,550,000 | +42.3% |
| 2 | The United States of America | 168,600,00 | +17.6% |
| 3 | Brazil | 132,550,000 | +16.8% |
| 4 | Indonesia | 106,000,000 | +18.9% |
| 5 | Turkey | 56,350,000 | +15.8% |
Top 5 Countries with the Largest Penetration Rate of Adults
| # | Country | Reach 18+ vs POP 18+ | Reach Age 18+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahrain | 91.2% | 1,033,750 |
| 2 | Kazakhstan | 89.6% | 11,500,000 |
| 3 | Brunei | 86.5% | 288,250 |
| 4 | Cyprus | 85.9% | 876,900 |
| 5 | Cayman Islands | 83.9% | 46,800 |
Business Accounts Average 1.48 Posts per Day
This is limited to main feed posts only, but as you can see maintaining a small daily presence on the platform seems to be the ideal approach for most businesses.
Business Accounts Choose Photo Posts 45.7% of the Time
As a percentage of all main feed posts made by business accounts, 45.7% are photo posts, 35.7% are video posts, and 18.6% are carousel posts.
0.71% Engagement Rate Across All Business Account Posts
This is the average across all types of posts made by business accounts. Some types are more effective than others.
Carousel Posts Give the Highest Engagement Rates for Business Accounts
Carousel posts have a shockingly high engagement rate of 1.26%. For comparison, photo posts have a 0.59% rate, and video posts have an even lower 0.58% rate.
Business Accounts with Fewer Followers Have Better Engagement
The average engagement rate of business accounts that have fewer than 10,000 followers is 0.98%. Business accounts with 10,000 – 100,000 followers have a 0.68% rate, and business accounts with more followers than that average have an engagement rate of 0.57%.
At Least 200 Million Users Visit a Business Account Every Day
This is a good example of the reach of Instagram and demonstrates how businesses can gain exposure through an active presence on the platform.
Instagram’s Advertising Reach Growing Faster Than Facebook’s
Although Facebook has a larger user base and therefore a larger potential ad reach than Instagram, the latest numbers show that Facebook’s user numbers grew by 5% last year but Instagram’s grew by 11%.
Up to 62% of Users Feel More Interested in Products When Seeing Them in Stories
Featuring products, services, and brands on Instagram Stories can be an effective marketing tool. Surveys of users found that between 58% and 62% report being more interested in those products, brands, or services that they’d seen in Stories.
99.9% of Users Are on Other Social Media Platforms
The data shows that 83% of users are also on Facebook, 56% are on Twitter, and 52% use TikTok. This means that marketers may not need to advertise on all these platforms in order to reach their desired audience.
Instagram Trends & Predictions Statistics
Instagram Ad Revenues Continue to Climb
The platform’s ad revenues continue to climb, reaching an estimated $43.2 billion in 2022. That’s an improvement of around 2.3% over a year earlier, and a 148% increase from 2020’s total.
Instagram AR Filters Projected to Generate $13 Billion
Computer-generated effects are big business with users able to change their appearance, add layers, effects, and more. AR filters on Instagram are expected to generate a revenue total of $13 billion.
Fun Instagram Statistics
The Most Followed Person on Instagram is Cristiano Ronaldo
The famous soccer player has more than 500 million followers and comfortably leads the second-most-followed person, (also a soccer player) Leo Messi.
The Second Most Liked Instagram Post Is a Picture of an Egg
The egg photo was posted in January 2021 and encouraged users to like it as part of a world record attempt. It has 55.9 million likes and was later found to be part of a social media mental health campaign.
Leo Messi Now Has the Most Liked Photo
Leo Messi took the top spot away from the egg photo following Argentina’s victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final.
Over 10 Million Users Follow a Dog
A pomeranian dog that goes by JiffPom is the most followed pet on Instagram with more than 10.4 million followers.
#photography & #love Are the Most Popular Hashtags
Hashtags are a handy way of reaching your desired audience and boosting engagement. The most popular of the year so far are #photography, #love, #art, #fashion, and #music.
15 of the Most Used Instagram Reels Songs Are by Indian Artists
This statistic is likely being driven by the fact that India has the largest number of Instagram users in the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is a Good Instagram Engagement Rate?
The definition of a good engagement rate depends on the type of content you post and the number of followers you have. The global average across all content types is 0.6%.
How Often Should I Post on Instagram?
You should feel free to post whenever you choose to. If you’re posting for business reasons, the average number of posts the typical business account makes per day is approximately 1.5.
How Many People Use Instagram?
There are more than 1.6 billion active users.
How Much Money Does Instagram Make?
Instagram made an estimated $51 billion last year.
Is Instagram the Most Popular Social Network?
No. Facebook has more registered users, and TikTok is growing at the fastest rate.
Which Group of People Uses Instagram the Most?
18 – 34-year-olds make up almost two-thirds of the user base.
What Is Instagram’s Market Value?
More than $100 billion.
How Effective Is Instagram for Marketing?
Instagram has the second-best engagement rate of any of the major social media platforms, only behind TikTok.
Sources
Data Reportal, Earth Web, Statista, Hoot Suite, Sprout Social, Omnicore Agency, Instagram, Insider Intelligence.
