A. Guttmann
Research Lead covering media
Instagram advertising and marketing - statistics & facts
Instagram has come a long way since its early days. In just over a decade, the app has not only expanded its square-shaped photo format but also grown its global user base at an impressive pace. Today, Instagram is the third -largest social network worldwide, with more than two billion users browsing the app each day. As social media ad spend is expected to keep increasing, it comes as no surprise that marketers are leveraging the app for marketing purposes more skillfully than ever.
Another selling point is that Instagram offers a variety of marketing formats, audience insights, targeting, and performance tracking options for companies of all sizes. By creating a free business account on Instagram, brands can promote themselves via photo and video posts, Stories, Reels, an integrated shopping tab, and other features. They can directly communicate with customers and receive feedback at the click of a button while staying up to date with the latest trends and developments in their respective industries. This bouquet of marketing opportunities helps explain why over 55 percent of marketers plan to increase Instagram use in the future.
Influencers frequently launch giveaways, offer their followers personalized promo codes, or even take over a company’s Instagram account for a day. Sponsored posts by mega-influencers have a broad reach and can now sum up to thousands of dollars in earned media value. However, many brands decide to work with nano- and micro-influencers who cater to niche audiences and boast the highest engagement rates on the platform. When it came to which brands were mentioned the most by influencers on Instagram, Instagram itself came out on top, followed by Zara and Barbie.
Instagram marketing at a glance
Instagram is the most popular social media platform used by marketers outside of Facebook. As of January 2024, almost 80 percent of marketing professionals integrated the photo and video sharing app into their digital marketing campaigns. Marketers flock to the app primarily because of its large global user base that spans audiences across many generations. While Instagram is arguably no longer as popular among teenagers as TikTok, brands can still reach millions of young online users and market their brand to tech-savvy audiences who look for shopping inspiration on their social media feeds.Another selling point is that Instagram offers a variety of marketing formats, audience insights, targeting, and performance tracking options for companies of all sizes. By creating a free business account on Instagram, brands can promote themselves via photo and video posts, Stories, Reels, an integrated shopping tab, and other features. They can directly communicate with customers and receive feedback at the click of a button while staying up to date with the latest trends and developments in their respective industries. This bouquet of marketing opportunities helps explain why over 55 percent of marketers plan to increase Instagram use in the future.
The blueprint for influencer marketing
The history of influencer marketing predates social media. Undoubtedly, Instagram has taken the concept of tastemakers to a new level. No other social media platform has boosted the influencer marketing phenomenon as vividly as Instagram, with thousands of brands tapping into the appeal and followings of the app’s most recognizable faces each day. Lifestyle was the most common Instagram influencer category in 2023, followed by music and beauty. What makes influencer marketing on Instagram so appealing is the app’s thriving influencer community and the variety of features these creators can use to promote a business.Influencers frequently launch giveaways, offer their followers personalized promo codes, or even take over a company’s Instagram account for a day. Sponsored posts by mega-influencers have a broad reach and can now sum up to thousands of dollars in earned media value. However, many brands decide to work with nano- and micro-influencers who cater to niche audiences and boast the highest engagement rates on the platform. When it came to which brands were mentioned the most by influencers on Instagram, Instagram itself came out on top, followed by Zara and Barbie.
