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25 Instagram Marketing Statistics

Written by: Ana Gajic

Updated: October, 29, 2025

Instagram, the platform where you can reach over 1.2 billion people and an in-app shopping pioneer, is constantly reinventing itself. Boasting the highest engagement rates of all social media, Instagram is a must for any marketer. That’s why we compiled the latest Instagram marketing statistics, which will help you understand the best advertising approach on the platform that has been a major factor in popular culture for a while now. Read on! 

Instagram Marketing Statistics (Editor’s Choice)

  • There are over 1.47 billion Instagram users. (Hootsuite)
  • The average daily time spent on Instagram is 53 minutes. (Renolon)
  • 90% of Instagram users follow a business profile. (Instagram)
  • Over 80% of B2C and over 70% of B2B marketers are on Instagram. (Statista)
  • Instagram has the highest engagement rates of all social media. (Rival IQ)
  • Shoppable posts can boost brand traffic by over 2,600%. (Big Commerce)

General Instagram Usage Facts

1. There are over 1.47 billion Instagram users.

When Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012, there were only about 15 million people on the platform. The number of users started skyrocketing a couple of years later, with annual increases of at least 100 million. Instagram marketing stats show the most significant milestone happened in June 2018, when the company reported one billion users on the platform, which turned it into an essential marketing tool. The latest report as of December 2021 shows that Instagram reached 2 billion monthly active users.

(Hootsuite, Statista, ZDNet)

2. Over half a billion Instagram accounts worldwide are active daily.

Interestingly, over 500 million Instagram users also watch stories daily. The story feature allows capturing moments and sharing them for 24 hours only, after which they disappear. Text, photos, and videos can be shared as stories, with the option to add many details, such as music, stickers, GIFs, etc. 

(Backlinko)

3. Over half of Instagram users are young adults.

The distribution of the platform’s users by age shows that it’s most popular for people aged 18-34. Instagram marketing statistics reveal the group accounts for 61.9% of the total user base. While the younger crowd prefers other apps, namely, Snapchat and TikTok; Snapchat is the most popular among young adults (ages from 18 to 24) making them 39% of the total US Snapchat user base. TikTok is the most popular among adolescents (ages from 10 to 19) making them 25% of the total US TikTok user base.

(Statista)

4. Just over half of those that use Instagram are male.

The latest data points to a relative balance between female and male users. As of January 2022, Instagram demographics by gender show male users accounted for a slightly larger part of the platform’s audience (50.7%). The rest, 49.3%, were female users. 

(Statista)

5. Over 133 million Instagram users are based in the US.

As of February 2021, the US Instagram user count stands at 133,800,000. It’s an important channel for social media marketers stateside, with close to 40% of the US population using the platform. Instagram marketing stats show female users are prevailing by a larger share in the US than on a global level, accounting for 57.3% of Instagram’s US-based audience.

(NapoleonCat)

Instagram User Behavior Stats and Facts

6. The average daily time spent on Instagram is 53 minutes.

The evolution of daily time spent on social media is extremely important data for marketers. Worldwide, the average is 2 hours 27 minutes, meaning more than half of the world population can be reached through social ads daily. The latest Instagram ads statistics point to an average of 53 minutes each day when your brand can get noticed by over 1.4 billion users.

(Renolon, Hootsuite, Statista)

7. The average number of hashtags per post is over 10.

Even though it was Twitter that gave birth to hashtags, they have proven essential on Instagram as well. Hashtags are all about communities and people with similar interests, thus can help marketers significantly expand their reach. The latest analysis of over 81 million posts points to the average number of hashtags per post being 10.74. Half of the analyzed posts, however, had fewer than 6 hashtags.

(HubSpot)

8. Over 1,100 photos are uploaded on Instagram every second.

The platform’s users are prolific, and data from May 2022 points to a staggering figure of more than 1,100 photos being uploaded every second. 

(Internet Live Stats) 

9. The Instagram app had over half a billion downloads in 2020.

Instagram marketing stats show the platform ranked as the fourth most popular worldwide, with 503 million unique downloads. Data for the US only places it a spot higher as the third most popular with 62 million downloads. TikTok ranks first both worldwide and in the US. That doesn’t come as a surprise, as TikTok is the fastest-growing social network, the only one currently outranking Instagram in this category.

(Apptopia)

The photo and video sharing platform had its peak in 2014-2015 when it was the most popular among US teens. Soon after, Snapchat took the lead and still ranks at the top of the list with 35%, while 22% said Instagram was still their favorite one. TikTok is in between, ranking second (30%) but is expected to outrank Snapchat soon.

(Statista)

11. More than half of millennials discover fashion trends through social media content.

Millennial Instagram marketing statistics show that 57% of that generation discover fashion trends on the photo-sharing platform. Making decisions based on social media content leads to what is known as impulse purchases. Instagram demographics stats show that 82% of millennial users would buy a product the first time they see it if they like it enough. 

(Forbes)

12. Over 80% of millennials want to buy from brands that share their values.

As millennials are becoming increasingly dominant in their spending power, marketers are wise to prioritize their needs and expectations. If your brand is targeting millennials through Instagram advertising, stats show that 83% of that generation wants to buy from brands that share their values. So, use the platform to communicate your values and share opinions instead of exclusively promoting your products/services.

(Small Business Trends, McKinsey)

13. Posts with consistent engagement grow profiles 3× faster.

(Hootsuite)

A steady flow of likes and interactions signals quality to Instagram’s algorithm, helping posts reach a broader audience. Businesses aiming to boost their visibility can benefit from maintaining engagement consistency—services that let you buy automatic IG likes can help keep that momentum while focusing on content and brand storytelling.

Important Instagram Advertising Stats

14. In 2020, the median CPC for an Instagram feed ad was $3.35.

Instagram ads are proven to drive revenue. Paid ads on the platform are calculated by CPC in terms of ad impressions, and the median for Instagram feed ads in Q1 2020 was $3.35. The CPC was a whopping 118% higher compared to Q4 2019, reflecting an increase in the platform’s popularity. 

(HubSpot)

15. In 2020, the median CPM for an Instagram feed ad was $7.68.

Another important metric for social ads is the cost per mile, also known as cost per thousand. It represents the total cost that advertisers pay for a thousand impressions of their ad. Instagram business statistics show the median for Instagram news feed ads was $7.68 in Q1 2020, marking a 12% increase from Q4 2019.

(HubSpot)

16. In 2020, the median CTR for an Instagram feed ad was 0.22%.

The CTR refers to the number of times users actually click on your ad to visit the target page, compared to the number of impressions or people who saw the ad. The median CTR has been decreasing since Q2 2019, when it was 0.88%. In Q3, the decline was almost insignificant, with only 0.04%, followed by a 0.44% fall in Q4 2019.

(HubSpot)

17. The median CPC for Instagram stories was $1.83 in 2020.

The same research points to relevant Instagram statistics for business, analyzing over 30 million ad impressions on Instagram stories. The median CPC stayed almost the same in Q1 2020, at $1.83, dropping by only $0.01 compared to Q4 2019. The YoY increase (Q1 2019 vs. 2020) was 23%. 

(HubSpot)

18. The median CPM for Instagram stories was $6.25 in 2020.

The data from Q1 2020 points to a YoY increase of 53%, the median CPM being $4.08 in the same period of 2019. In Q2, it declined a bit to $3.91, then jumped to $6.85 in Q3 2019, only to continue growing over the following quarter. So, we have a high median of $7.95 in Q4 2019, dropping by 21% to equal $6.25 in Q1 2020.

(HubSpot)

19. The median CTR for Instagram stories was 0.33% in 2020.

The differences in stories vs. news feed posts can vary significantly, and for the CTR, stories are in the lead. Instagram story statistics show that the YoY increase was 27%, but the latest drop was at 20% on a quarterly basis. 

(HubSpot)

20. 90% of users on Instagram follow a business profile.

Nine out of 10 people who use Instagram follow at least one business profile on the platform. Given that it’s used as a discovery channel and that users won’t shy away from shopping through the app, you can’t afford to omit Instagram from your social strategy.

(Instagram)

Must-Know Instagram Stats for Business 

21. Over 80% of B2C marketers are on Instagram.

Experts agree that Instagram is one of the most important platforms in any B2C strategy, especially since the in-app shopping option was introduced. Instagram marketing data shows that, with 83% of B2C marketers on the platform, it’s the second-most used, after its parent company Facebook which remains the top choice for marketers with 96%. 

(Statista)

22. Over 70% of B2B marketers are on the platform.

The popularity of Instagram is at an all-time high for digital and content marketing companies as Instagram’s user base keeps growing and features are being added to the platform. It was already widely known for business-to-consumer relations, but B2B marketers have been embracing it for several years now. Instagram business stats show that 72% of B2B marketers report leveraging the power of the photo-sharing platform.

(Statista)

23. Influencer marketing yields the best results on Instagram.

As the very name of this marketing strategy reveals, influencers are there to impact users’ opinions, especially when it comes to choosing products and services. Instagram influencer marketing statistics reveal this is the top app in this context, boasting over a 90% higher engagement rate than influencer posts on Facebook. The data shows 0.67% as an average Instagram engagement rate, compared to 0.064% for Facebook. Twitter is far behind both, with only 0.037%.

(Rival IQ)

24. Almost 70% of marketers implementing the influencer strategy are on Instagram.

When it comes to preferred channels for influencers, statistics show Instagram ranks first, with 68% of influencer marketers establishing their strategy on the platform. TikTok seems to be catching up in popularity, now ranking second with 45% of influencer marketers on the platform. Facebook was pushed down to third place as a consequence, with 43% in popularity for influencer marketers.

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

25. Instagram marketing data shows over 80% of Instagram influencers are female.

The latest research on Instagram sponsored posts over the course of a year has gender as a variable of over 3 million posts labeled as an “ad”. Instagram influencer marketing stats show a whopping 84% of influencers on the platform are female.

(Statista)

26. Posts with tagged locations have 79% higher engagement rates.

There are several ways to increase your engagement rates, and Instagram marketing facts show one of them is adding geolocation to your posts. This way, your visibility increases, reaching a bigger audience, and engagement levels are reported to be a stunning 79% higher. Perhaps not surprisingly, Los Angeles is the city that people most frequently post about. Followed by London, Tehran, Sao Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro that complete the top 5 list. LA also ranks first in terms of engagement rates of geotagged posts.

(Socialinsider, Mention)

27. Instagram has the highest engagement rates of all social media.

The latest 2022 data points to a 25% increase in the median posting across all industries. Instagram engagement stats by social media type show the engagement rates are still the highest on this platform. When the data compiled across all industries was analyzed, the median per post was 0.67%. In comparison, the median was 0.064% for Facebook, and 0.037% for Twitter. 

The top 5 industries for Instagram engagement are:

  • Higher ed (2.99%);
  • Sports teams (1.84%);
  • Influencers (1.18%);
  • Non-profits (1.04%);
  • Alcohol (0.76%).

(Rival IQ)

28. Shoppable posts can potentially boost brand traffic by over 2,600%.

Instagram was a pioneer in setting up the feature which allows in-app shopping, meaning the links wouldn’t redirect them to other websites to make the purchase. Both brands and users love the option, and Instagram traffic stats reveal brands can see their traffic spike by a stunning 2,666%. Keep in mind though that not just any can achieve such results, so you’ll have to consult with branding experts to create demand and be extraordinary in your strategy.

(Big Commerce)

29. The average engagement rate by post type on Instagram is 0.85%.

Different types of posts drive different engagement rates. The rate represents the relation between the number of account followers and the number of likes and comments combined. Instagram engagement statistics show carousel posts have the highest average rate of 1.05%. For photo posts, it’s 0.88%, and it’s the lowest for video posts, 0.55%. 

(Digital 2021: Global Overview Report)

30. Short videos have the highest engagement rates on Instagram. 

This refers to posting pre-recorded videos, so we’re not comparing the engagement rates of Live and other types of videos. The maximum length is 60 seconds, but research shows that videos of up to 30 seconds have higher engagement rates. The “perfect” video is estimated to last 26 seconds — these see the most comments. These Instagram advertising statistics should make one thing clear — keeping your promotional videos short and sweet is the way to go.

(Big Commerce)

31. Instagram Reels is available in over 50 countries as of August 2020.

The feature was introduced in 2018 as a response to TikTok’s growing popularity. Short videos of about 15 seconds with numerous video editing tools, including AR, were quickly embraced by both users and advertisers. The latest Instagram Reels statistics show the feature is available in over 50 countries, soon to be expanded worldwide.

(Tech Crunch)

32. The most liked photo on Instagram is that of an egg.

By examining the most liked photos on Instagram, an interesting result pops up for the photograph with the most likes. You’ve probably imagined some celebrity or an influencer, but in reality, it’s an egg. We’re not even joking, the campaign explained they wanted to beat Kylie Jenner’s record of 18 million likes at the time, and they did it. The latest Instagram like statistics reveal the photo of an egg that gained the most likes has almost 56 million of them.

(BrandWatch)

The latest data point to #love having been used a stunning 1.2 billion times. Some other popular hashtags that complete the top 10 list are: #instagood, #photooftheday, #fashion, #beautiful, #happy, #tbt, #like4like, #followme, #picoftheday. As you can notice, most of them are quite generic. So, take notice that while it’s advised to use popular hashtags to reach more people, it can be challenging for your post to stand out with such broad topics. 

(Influencer Marketing Hub)

34. There are 4 types of videos on Instagram.

Since IGTV and Reels were introduced on the platform, Instagram video stats show there are 4 distinct types of videos. Besides the two we’ve mentioned, you can post pre-recorded videos and broadcast live ones. Stories are limited to 15 seconds, pre-recorded videos to a minute, IGTV to an hour, and Live to 4 hours.

(Later)

35. IGTV allows ads as of 2020.

IGTV was introduced in 2018 and for a couple of years didn’t allow monetization through commercial ads. This Instagram feature is an excellent way for brand promotion as it allows publishing longer content. Instagram video marketing statistics show as of 2020, vertical video ads of up to 15 seconds can be added to IGTV. Brands should exploit the option as users are highly immersed in IGTV videos they decide to watch.

(The Verge)

36. Instagram’s latest feature is Remix on Reels.

The audience worldwide seemed to love TikTok’s feature Duets, so Instagram delivered. As of April 2021, Remix is available on Reels. The feature allows users to be more interactive and connected by creating videos alongside the already existing ones made by other users. For video marketers, it’s the latest opportunity to engage audiences while creating a promotional campaign.  

(Tech Crunch)

Wrap-Up

Instagram’s game in keeping up with user expectations and the latest trends is strong. The platform is one of the most influential social media around and Instagram marketing statistics show that it also caters incredibly well to businesses and advertisers. This makes it an absolute must if you want to have a fighting chance promoting your venture in the digital realm.

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Table of Contents

Instagram Marketing Statistics (Editor’s Choice)

General Instagram Usage Facts

Instagram User Behavior Stats and Facts

Important Instagram Advertising Stats

Must-Know Instagram Stats for Business 

The Latest Trends on Instagram

Wrap-Up

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