If you’re marketing on Instagram, have a brand account, or are just a casual user, knowing these essential Instagram statistics can help you on your journey. Also, learn how you can get more IG video views via ViralGrowing.

The Number of Users

How many people are on Instagram? As it turns out, quite a lot. In 2025, Instagram is projected to reach 1.44 billion users. That is one-fifth of the population and then some! This fact means that Instagram has a broad audience that you can reach. On the other hand, this fact also means Instagram is a competitive website.

How Much Content is Recommended By the Algorithm?

Back in the day, most content on Instagram was from the people you followed. Nowadays, algorithms recommend content that you may like. While some miss the days of seeing only what their followers posted, the algorithms are good at what they do and recommend content that the users will like, for the most part. Over half of the content seen by users is AI-recommended. This means that if you’re trying to grow your account, understanding and hacking the algorithm in your favor is essential.

What’s the Age of the Users on the Platform?

Knowing a demographic’s age is essential when marketing to them. Every age demographic has its own struggles, beliefs, and ideas about how it sees the world.

As of this writing, over half of Instagram users are 34 years of age or younger. Younger Millennials, Gen-Z, and even the emerging Gen Alpha are all on Instagram. The platform itself has managed to be evergreen in this regard, unlike Facebook, which is increasingly only appealing to an older audience. So, if your brand appeals to the younger crowd, you must be on Instagram.

What About Gender?

Instagram’s gender makeup consists of around half males and half females. Depending on what site you use and not taking into account other gender identities, the number may skew slightly more male or slightly more female. But if your business appeals to only one sex, you can still use Instagram, knowing that you have a wide audience.

How Much Time Are People Spending on Instagram?

In 2024, Instagram users spend an average of 16 minutes a day on the platform. This is an increase of one minute compared to 2023. Instagram is a slow-growing platform when it comes to time spent on it. This makes sense, as the platform is designed to open up, like a few pictures or Reels, then close. Though, this means you have less amount of time to capture the attention of your audience. Therefore, you should upload content that is going to catch some eyes as they are scrolling.

What Format Do People Use the Most?

Instagram has many ways to enjoy its app. Some people like to look at photos, but over half like to look at Reels. Reels are short-form videos that are Instagram’s answer to TikTok. The algorithm favors Reels more than other posts, though those are important as well. Therefore, your account should make plenty of Reels.

Why Do People Use Instagram?

People use social media for all sorts of reasons. For instance, if you’re on LinkedIn, you probably use social media to learn and find new jobs. But Instagram is a platform where over 60% of users go there for one simple reason: to be entertained.

Therefore, your content should be entertaining. You must study your audience to see what entertains them and create content accordingly. Even though your content should be entertaining, you should also make sure that it carries whatever brand message you want people to see.

What Two Countries Use Instagram the Most?

The answer is India, followed by the United States. India has over 229.5 million users, while the US trails behind at 149.35 million. So, if you run a business that appeals to Indians or Americans, then you should be using Instagram.

How Effective Are Ads?

If you want to grow your business, spending money on Instagram Ads is a good solution. But just how effective are ads? Instagram ads are quite effective, with a 12.2% increase in reach every year. This means that you get more bang for your buck if you advertise on Instagram compared to most other platforms.

How Effective Are Stories?

As you know, Instagram Reels are the best at reaching a new audience, but what about Stories? Stories are 24-hour posts that are designed to share personal stories, flash deals, or ask engaging questions such as polls.

Instagram Stories have declined in recent years, but they have seen a resurgence, with a 35% reach rate. So, while your posts should focus on Reels, adding Stories is also important.

Instagram and Influencers

If you want to grow your brand, you must use influencer marketing. It’s one of the most effective forms of marketing in recent years. People trust those they follow to recommend products rather than blatant ads.

Instagram is the biggest platform for influencer marketing, with over 80% of marketers saying they will use influencers.

With that said, you don’t need to spend money on the most significant influencer to have an effective campaign. Most influencers are nano, meaning they have 1k-10k followers. While these accounts are small, they still have loyal followers. And because they are smaller, they may charge less.

How Many Are Buying on Instagram?

Finally, how many users are buying on Instagram? As many as 46.8 million people in the US purchase products through Instagram, and this is just in the US alone. Therefore, selling your products on Instagram’s marketplace is a smart move. It cuts out the hassle of having to visit another website, possibly leading you to more sales.

These facts can give you some perspective on how Instagram works. If you’re a marketer, there’s a good chance that you should be using Instagram unless your products skew toward a different demographic. With that said, we hope this article was helpful to you.