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Instagram Statistics That'll Make You A Better Marketer When it comes to using Instagram for marketing, you understandably have a lot of questions. And, when those uncertainties crop up, you have numerous different ways you can attempt to get some clarity. In
Instagram Statistics That'll Make You A Better Marketer
When it comes to using Instagram for marketing, you understandably have a lot of questions.
And, when those uncertainties crop up, you have numerous different ways you can attempt to get some clarity.
In some cases, you might ask a marketing expert for his or her advice on how you should proceed.
Other times, you’ll do some frantic Googling to see if you can find some best practices to follow.
In other circumstances, you probably decide to just trust your gut, take a total shot in the dark, and hope it all works out for the best.
But, here at Sked Social (formerly Schedugram), we believe there’s no better way to empower yourself to make wise Instagram marketing decisions than to leverage data to your advantage.
And, fortunately, there’s an abundance of Instagram statistics out there that you can use to do just that.
So, with that in mind, we’ve rounded up some of those Instagram questions that we hear again and again, combed through seemingly endless resources, and offered up our very best answers—all with statistics and data to support them.
Are you ready? Let’s dive right in.
1. What are the demographics of the average Instagram user?
We’ve talked numerous times about the importance of understanding your Instagram audience in order to craft content that resonates with them best. Of course, the interests and makeup of your own following can differ greatly from another brand’s following.
However, there are some general statistics out there that can help you get a greater understanding of what the average Instagram user looks like. Here’s what you need to know:
- More women use Instagram than men. In fact, 31% of women and 24% of men regularly use Instagram. What does this mean for the makeup of Instagram’s audience? It’s 58% female and 42% male.
- As you might suspect, Instagram also skews slightly younger. 59% of internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 use Instagram, making that the most prevalent age range on the platform. In contrast, only 8% of people over age 65 use Instagram. So, it’s a tool much better suited to speaking to younger audiences.
- In terms of location, Instagram is truly a global platform. 80% of Instagram users live outside of the United States, meaning you’ll find followers all over the world.
- Many Instagram users are also educated. 32% of users have attended or are currently attending college.
2. Should you post more photos or videos?
You know that short videos are highly engaging on other social media platforms. But, does the same hold true for Instagram? Or, are you better off posting photos—since that’s what the app was originally intended for?
While video seems to be king everywhere else, photos still experience higher engagement on Instagram—meaning you shouldn’t plan to do away with those more traditional images anytime soon.
However, when it comes to Instagram advertisements in particular, video reigns supreme. Utilizing video ads has been proven to drive more engagement (particularly in the form of comments) than just photo advertisements. For that reason, 25% of Instagram ads are single videos—and that percentage will continue to climb.
Needless to say, there isn’t necessarily a clear cut answer for this question. Your best bet is to continue to publish a healthy mix of both video and photo content and, of course, monitor your analytics to see what is resonating best with your unique audience.
3. How often should you post?
Knowing just how frequently to add a new image to your grid is a formula that many brands struggle with. Fortunately, you can take a queue from some of the top brands on Instagram, including:
- National Geographic
- Nike
- Victoria’s Secret
According to research, top brands like these post to their Instagram accounts an average of 4.9 times each week. So, aiming for five posts a week is a good place for you to get started.
When it comes to the best timing for your Instagram posts, you’ll find a lot of conflicting advice out there about mornings compared to evenings and weekdays compared to weekends.
Fortunately, SproutSocial compiled all sorts of research and found that weekdays (meaning Monday through Friday) are by and large the best days to post. As far as timing? You’re most likely to experience higher engagement at 2AM, 8AM, and 5PM.
TIP: Don’t worry—you don’t need to rip yourself out of bed at 2AM to post. Using an Instagram scheduler like Sked Social will make sure that gets done for you!
4. Should you use the same filter or switch things up?
People are attracted to beautiful feeds on Instagram. But, does that mean that your look needs to be cohesive? Or, is it better to play around and try different filters with your images?
Ultimately, this comes down to personal preference. However, the majority of brands on Instagram opt to stay consistent. 60% of the top brands use the same filter for each of their posts.
As far as the most-used filter on the platform? Clarendon takes the top spot.
TIP: Use our in-browser editor to add filters such as Clarendon to beautify your images in seconds when you schedule your Instagram posts.
5. Do hashtags actually help?
If you’ve ever spent time adding hashtag after hashtag to your Instagram post, you’ve likely had a thought like this one cross your mind: Is this even doing anything? Are these hashtags actually helping to reach new people?
Rest assured, the time you spend adding those search terms to your photos is well worth it. Posts that have at least one hashtag average 12.6% more engagement than posts without.
With that, it can be tempting to cram your post full with hashtags and meet Instagram’s maximum count of 30 on your post. However, other research has shown that 11 hashtags is the optimal number to include with your image.
If you really want to get more bang for your buck with hashtags? Consider creating a targeted one specifically for your brand. This will help you increase engagement and gather user-generated content for your own page. So, it comes as little surprise that 70% of hashtags on Instagram are branded.
Another smart tip would be to use Sked Social to add relevant hashtags to the first comment of your posts rather than the caption to drum up a conversation with your followers and target audience.
6. Should you add a location to your posts?
It might seem sort of strange to add a location to your Instagram posts. What if your followers are all over the world—can having a location tagged really help in that case? And, even further, isn’t it unsafe to share your location?
In short, it’s definitely worth adding this to your own Instagram posts. Photos that include a location experience 79% higher engagement.
If this strategy still makes you feel a little uncertain, consider adding locations to your posts only when you’re somewhere noteworthy. There’s no rule stating that you need to add this to every single one of your photos. So, sprinkle it in every now and then and watch your engagement skyrocket!
7. Is it worth being on Instagram?
There are so many different social media platforms and marketing initiatives that demand your time, attention, and resources. And, when you’re already feeling spread thin, it can be tempting to wonder whether or not Instagram is worth it.
Should you continue to post to this platform? Or, is it better to focus your attention on something like Facebook?
Call us biased, but we believe that Instagram is a totally worthwhile channel for brands who are eager to elevate their reputations and reach new audiences.
While you might think that Instagram users are only interested in following their friends and favorite celebrities, Instagram is actually an equally powerful platform for brands and businesses. Believe it or not, a whopping 80% of Instagram users follow at least one business account.
And, it doesn’t stop there. Instagram is effective at driving conversions as well. 75% of Instagram users reportedly take action after viewing a post—such as visiting a brand’s website.
Need further proof that Instagram is worth your time and energy? 30% of users have actually purchased a product that they discovered on Instagram.
So, in short, if you pass up on Instagram, you might just be passing up on potential sales.
Over to You
When there’s so much different advice and research overwhelming you, it can be tough to know what the best way forward is on Instagram.
But, much like any other marketing activity for your brand, leveraging statistics and data is one of the best methods for making smart and informed decisions about how to best use your brand’s Instagram account to your advantage.
Take heed of the answers (and the related data!) we shared above, and you’re sure to take your Instagram account to the next level, while simultaneously growing your audience and elevating your brand.-
If you're looking to carve out hours in your social media workflow, sign up for Sked’s 7-day trial. Our all-in-one Instagram scheduler allows you to automatically post images, carousels, Stories, videos and more. Tag locations, users and products and manage all your hashtags in one place to save 5+ hours every week.
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