It is important for marketers to deeply understand the platforms they want to use for their next marketing campaign. Despite now being part of the old guard, Instagram is still one of the biggest social media platforms. However, the statistics are constantly in flux.
This article features the latest stats for 2024. We've included the most important data for brands plus sources!
In 2024, Instagram released a few new features. Most of these changes have been modest, such as adding Notes for Instagram Stories, the ability to edit Instagram DMs for up to 15 minutes, pinning chats, and using promo codes directly on Instagram. Creators can also now add collaborators after they post a Reel - helpful for influencer marketing!
However, Instagram is trying to keep up with the AI trend. It is rolling out two new AI capabilities: AI creators and AI characters. Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, shared on his Instagram account, "Creators are going to have the option to build an AI as an extension of themselves to answer common questions over DM, helping them reach more people. And anyone is going to be able to create an AI character based on their interests to entertain or inspire."
If you want to read more about Meta’s new features, go to the Kolsquare blog.
Guiding creators, he also stated, "When you’re creating content, think about creating something that people would want to send to a friend. Don’t force it, but sends are one of the biggest signals we use in ranking and can help your reach over time."
These new features and algorithm insights are valuable. But now, let’s take a look at the statistics from 2024 that show marketers what to look for in campaign planning this year. To give you a better overview, the stats in this article are categorised into three sections: General Stats, Demographics, User and Usage Behavior Stats, and finally, Content Stats, including details about Instagram Stories.
Just like a large portion of its users, Instagram is now in its teens. Today, it's no longer just a “square photo-sharing app,” as Mosseri said; it is among the leading social media platforms where users, influencers, and brands connect.
In the UK, Instagram has 35 million users. However, that is only a small portion of its global user base, which currently amounts to 2 billion monthly active users.
Here are a few more stats about Instagram's global popularity:
-Instagram.com is the 3rd most-visited website in the world
-It's the third most-used social platform (behind Facebook and YouTube)
-"Instagram" is the 27th most-Googled search term in the US
-Instagram was the most downloaded app in 2023, with 696 million downloads
In the UK, Instagram places fourth in popularity, with almost 60% of the online population using the app. It is only beaten by WhatsApp, Facebook, and Facebook Messenger.
As a result of these successes, Instagram's value is growing. Meta—Instagram and Facebook's parent company—is soaring to new heights on the stock exchange. It's now worth four times more than it was in 2018, and its ad revenue is predicted to reach $71 billion by the final quarter of 2024
Statista has also suggested that Instagram's user base will continue to grow, projecting that the platform will gain another 361.1 million users by 2028.
47% of brands choose Instagram for influencer marketing. It's only beaten by TikTok. So, what's special about its offering? Let's investigate.
The majority of Instagram's UK monthly users are between 18 and 44 years old, with a fairly even distribution within that age group. 24.5% are 18-24, 29.7% are 25-34, and 20.2% are in the 35-44 age group.
This presents brands with a fantastic opportunity to reach Gen Z and Millennial audiences.
The final 25% of the app's users are from more mature age groups, with 12.7% being 45-54 years old, 8.4% being 55-64 years old, and 4.6% being 65+.
The UK audience is pretty evenly spread, with 55% female and 45% male users.
Statistic via Statista
Globally, Instagram demographics look similar, with over 60% of users sitting in the 18-35 age bracket.
Although Gen Z and Millennials consequently make up the majority of users, Instagram is one of the preferred apps for teens in the United States. However, YouTube is by far the most popular platform for these younger generations.
In terms of location, Push Group found that Instagram is most popular in London. Over half of the capital's population uses the app at least once a month. It's also popular in Northern Ireland and the East Midlands. On the other hand, only around a third of those in the Northeast and Wales use the app monthly.
Worldwide, the country with the highest number of Instagram users is India, with 358.55 million users. India tops the table, followed by the US, Brazil, and Indonesia. The UK has the ninth-highest Instagram population.
The average person spends 2 hours and 23 minutes on social media sites every day. The average Instagram user spends around 29.7 minutes daily--or 3 and 3/4 hours per week--on the app, which is lower than YouTube, X, and TikTok.
Instagram’s focus on video content is evident from its usage data, as nine out of ten users watch videos on the app on a weekly basis.
When on the app, Instagram users are most interested in entertainment and connection. 86% use the app because it is entertaining, while 83% use it to keep up with friends and family, and 73% use it to bond with those with shared interests.
Only 26% of Instagram users visit the platform seeking political content, and a mere 33% use it for news. X is the most popular platform for news and politics, and even TikTok beats Instagram.
Importantly for brands, 44% of people use the platform to check product reviews and recommendations.
RivallQ found the median engagement rate on Instagram to be 0.48% per post across all industries in 2024. However, for the top 25% of brands, the median is 1.02%. As a result, this figure is the one brands should aim for. In addition, brands posted an average of 4.2 times per week.
Engagement rates for Instagram vary significantly by industry. Higher Education has the highest engagement rate, with a median of 2.43%. Sports teams also enjoy good engagement, with a 1.57% median engagement rate. Non-profits struggle, with only a 0.62% engagement rate. However, brands in this sector can benefit by posting Reels. This is likely due to the fascinating and captivating content most non-profits can produce about their work.
Instagram Reels tend to have slightly higher engagement rates in general, with Social Insider finding an average 1.43% engagement rate. They also found that Reels have the highest number of saves of any Instagram content format. Saves are important because they tell the algorithm that the content is deeply valuable to the audience.
Reels also gain the most reach and impressions, with a 33.83% impression rate, 2x more than any other format.
Although Instagram Reels are being pushed more and more, Stories should not be forgotten.
Smaller brands have the most reach on Stories. Those with under 10,000 followers can expect 6.5% of their audience to watch their Stories, while brands with 50,000+ followers can expect just over 1% of their audience to check-in.
Businesses also shouldn't expect high engagement. The median number of replies per 1,000 Story impressions is only 0.27. For the top 25% of performers, the average sits at 0.81. For the lowest, a mere 0.03 replies. These numbers have all lowered since 2022.
Stories, however, remain a lucrative business for Instagram, as the app generates $20 billion in ad revenue from the format.
Here are a few Instagram statistics about brand's perceptions of Instagram:
The most popular social media posts on Instagram as of 2024, ranked by likes, are Lionel Messi's posts after winning the 2022 World Cup.
The top 5 most popular hashtags on Instagram are:
While the stats above are incredibly valuable for brands, the most important data for influencer marketing is influencer data. These metrics tell you how connected an influencer is with their target market, whether their audience matches your niche, how credible their audience is, and more.
You can gain these insights on the Kolsquare platform. Kolsquare stores complex data about every UK influencer with over 5,000 followers. Its advanced search capabilities can turn the laborious undertaking of searching for influencers into a quick task. With a few clicks, discover which influencers are capable of driving a successful campaign.
Book in for a free demo today!
Here at Kolsquare, we constantly post reports and articles with the most recent data and trends. Whether you're looking for follower growth, engagement rates, or audience demographics, Kolsquare has the information you need.
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Kolsquare is Europe’s leading Influencer Marketing platform, offering a data-driven solution that empowers brands to scale their KOL (Key Opinion Leader) marketing strategies through authentic partnerships with top creators.
Kolsquare’s advanced technology helps marketing professionals seamlessly identify the best content creators by filtering their content and audience, while also enabling them to build, manage, and optimize campaigns from start to finish. This includes measuring results and benchmarking performance against competitors.
With a thriving global community of influencer marketing experts, Kolsquare serves hundreds of customers—including Coca-Cola, Netflix, Sony Music, Publicis, Sézane, Sephora, Lush, and Hermès—by leveraging the latest Big Data, AI, and Machine Learning technologies. Our platform taps into an extensive network of KOLs with more than 5,000 followers across 180 countries on Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat.
As a Certified B Corporation, Kolsquare leads the way in promoting Responsible Influence, championing transparency, ethical practices, and meaningful collaborations that inspire positive change.
Since October 2024, Kolsquare has become part of the Team.Blue group, one of the largest private tech companies in Europe, and a leading digital enabler for businesses and entrepreneurs across Europe. Team.Blue brings together over 60 successful brands in web hosting, domains, e-commerce, online compliance, lead generation, application solutions, and social media.
