Last Updated on August 1, 2022 by rabiamuzaffar
Since its founding in 2010, Instagram has exploded.
It feels like there’s hardly anyone who doesn’t use Instagram. People who’ve been on the social media site since the beginning know it’s changed quite a bit, too.
Instagram is no longer a simple platform for sharing casual, everyday photos. Rather, it’s now a place people post polished personal content or sponsored ads to bolster their business.
That’s why we’re going to look at fifteen facts about Instagram that have not only shaped the landscape of social media but the culture at large.
1. The Founder Loves Photography
Kevin Systrom’s creation of Instagram was born out of a love for photography.
Although he majored in management science and engineering at Stanford University, photography soon became one of his favorite pastimes.
Other than studying photography for a semester in Florence, Systrom built a site for his fraternity brothers that allowed them to share photos.
2. Instagram Was an Insta-Success
In the early stages of his creation, Systrom had named the photo-sharing app Burbn. The name didn’t change until October 2010, when Systrom cleverly decided to mesh the words “instant” and “telegram.”
Soon after its launch, the fresh-faced app acquired more than 25,000 users. The unexpected influx of traffic caused Instagram’s servers to crash.
One million people joined Instagram the next month. Nine months later, they had accrued seven million users.
3. There Are Over 1M Advertisers on Instagram
If you’re on Instagram often, you probably don’t scroll for very long before seeing an ad. As of 2017, over one million advertisers occupy Instagram.
Although its parent company Facebook had five million advertisers at the time, Instagram had seen exponential growth in the months leading up to this.
Six months prior to this announcement about one million advertisers, Instagram had only 500,000 advertisers. Seven months before this, they had 200,000 advertisers.
These Instagram statistics prove that advertising on Instagram has become a non-negotiable for most businesses.
4. 600 Million Instagram Users Follow a Brand
It’s no wonder so many businesses are drawing out plans for advertising on Instagram. The effort pays off!
Of the 600 million users who follow brands, about 120 million of them browse a brand’s site or get contact information via Instagram.
These Instagram facts should be a reminder that businesses establishing their online presence need to have their website URL, directions to their location, and their phone number listed in the bio.
5. Instagram Is the Make-It or Break-It for Buyers
As the number of advertisers on Instagram makes it a competitive space, there’s no underestimating its influence.
Here’s one of the most important Instagram statistics to know if you’re a business person: 54 percent of consumers research products through social media.
Secondly, 71 percent decide to buy the product or service because of social media. After seeing the product pop up on their feed, 29 percent will buy it the same day.
6. Nike Is the Most Followed Brand
This one’s probably not too much of a surprise. For decades, Nike has delivered a countless number of memorable ads that stick with us for a while.
Their advertising domination on Instagram is no different.
If you scroll through their Instagram page, you’ll see that, just like their commercials and print ads, Nike knows exactly how to connect with their audience on an emotional level and motivate them for greatness.
After Nike, Victoria’s Secret, Chanel, and Gucci and the most followed brands.
7. The Average User Spends 28 Minutes on Instagram
With the growing popularity of social media in the last two decades, people are spending more and more time online.
Globally, the average person spends about two and half hours on social media every day. Of those two and half hours, roughly 28 of those minutes are spent on Instagram.
Time spent on social media as a whole has increased dramatically over the years. In 2012, people averaged 90 minutes on social media, whereas that number has jumped to 152 minutes in 2021.
8. Most People on Instagram Are Under 30
If you’re a marketer trying to reach a younger audience, Instagram is a great place to focus your attention.
Nearly two-thirds of adults aged 18 through 29 report using Instagram. Conversely, only forty-seven percent of adults between 30 and 49 use Instagram, and 23 percent of people 50 to 64 use the app.
9. People of All Income Brackets Use Instagram
The number of people from each income bracket using Instagram is relatively even.
Households making over 100,000 dollars a year make up the largest group at 60 percent. However, 44 percent of households making less than 30,000 dollars use Instagram, too.
This just goes to show that the appeal of Instagram supersedes class. No matter which group a marketer chooses to target, there’s a good chance that around half of them have an Instagram account.
10. Instagram Users Like Honesty
With all the advertisements crowding our timelines, sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between an ad and a personal post.
Most will know that content from a brand is an ad, but it gets a little blurry around sponsored content.
That’s why it’s always best to be honest. Clarify that the sponsored content is an ad by including #ad in the post. You’ll be sure to gain more engagement on these posts if you do!
11. Advertisers Should Post on Weekdays
Although Instagram enjoys engagement from its users every day of the week, weekdays are the ideal time for advertisers to post.
Facts about Instagram prove that the sweet spot is Tuesday through Thursday, especially in the middle of the day. Avoid low engagement by skipping out on Sundays, though.
12. Over 400 Million People Post to Their Stories Every Day
Since its launch in August 2016, the popularity of stories has absolutely blown up.
With over 400 million people using this feature every day as of 2019, all advertisers should consider posting content on their stories.
This is especially true if you’re targeting Millennials. Sixty percent of this age group, which was born roughly between 1980 and 1996, watch stories.
Further, you’ll pique the interest of 58 percent more people by posting content to your stories.
13. Posts on the IG Feed Are Still More Popular
Stories may be gaining momentum, but they hardly compare to the Instagram feed. This, at least, is how U.S. marketers think about it.
On average, marketers allocate nearly 70 percent of funds for the business’s feed, and thirty percent for stories. This makes sense, considering stories vanish after 24 hours.
Another advantage of posting content to your story is being able to see who’s viewed it. Although this feature isn’t allowed when it comes to our feed, you probably want to see who searched you on instagram.
This is true for people with both personal accounts and business accounts. On the other hand, posting content on feeds helps visitors find information about a person or brand. This, in turn, helps them get a sense of the overall aesthetic of the brand.
14. Instagram Has Influence Outside of the United States
One of the most fascinating Instagram statistics is the breakdown of usage in other countries.
As expected, the United States has the most number of users at 89 million. That’s thirty percent of the entire population.
In second place is Russia, with 28 million users. This makes up twenty percent of their population.
Brazil, Turkey, and the United Kingdom come in at third, fourth, and fifth place respectively.
15. #love Is the Most Popular Hashtag on Instagram
Although the use of hyperlinked hashtags originated on Twitter in the late 2000s, Instagram adopted the trend a couple of years later.
As of now, #love is the most popular hashtag, followed by #photography, #travel, #instagood, #usa, #art, and a few others.
To stay relevant in your industry – or simply to gain more exposure to your page as an individual – follow hashtags. If you keep an eye on the hashtags that are trending, you can try them out in your posts to get more followers.
This is so effective, posts that use just one hashtag may see a huge increase in likes and comments.
Use These Facts About Instagram to Get You Started
There’s no denying the power Instagram has had on the world in the past decade. This is true for both established brands, new businesses, and individuals trying to connect with the world around them.
That’s why these facts about Instagram should serve as a great springboard to both inspire you and set you on the path toward increasing engagement.
Who knows what kind of connections you could make by simply adding one hashtag to a post, for example? You’ve got nothing to lose.
Keep reading our site for more business tips and inspiration.
Read More: How To Get Followers On Instagram Easily
