One billion

One billion is an incredibly large number, and it is also the figure which represents how many active users Instagram has. In July of 2018 it hit the magical mark, having increased from a mere 800 million in the previous September, which is phenomenal growth. Of course there is a limit to where these sorts of numbers can go, but the potential reach is almost inconceivable. One billion. It is worth repeating that number several times just to consider the magnitude of it all.

80

Building a brand is an integral element to digital marketing and, ultimately, a successful business. Utilizing social media platforms for this end is therefore a key practice, yet what you want to discover is that your hard work is paying dividends. 80% of Instagram users follow at least one business, revealing that it is not just friends and family that are piquing users’ interest. Get users to follow you with memorable and relatable posts that are just crying out to be shared, and you are well on your way to building a formidable brand.

80

Another meaningful 80 is the fact that the time spent watching videos on the platform is going up 80% year-on-year. Of course the platform started out as a place for sharing pictures, but innovation is key in digital circles and videos quickly became a key ingredient to the channel’s success. “With these types of increases, it is clear that videos are an integral aspect to marketing approaches aimed at Instagram, and should be ignored at the peril of a business seeking active engagements” states Carrie Bellows, a marketer at Academized and Australian Help.

72

A particularly eye-catching statistic for digital marketers is that fact that 72% of Instagram users state that they have bought something seen advertised on the medium. Add to this the platform’s Shoppable product — a dream for marketers — then you really do have the perfect platform for making hard sales.

59

59% of 18–30-year-olds who actively use the internet also use Instagram. When looking at the older market (30–49), that number drops by almost half to 33%. What do these numbers tell us? Simply that Instagram is an immensely attractive method of communication to younger people, but is also not to be discounted for older users. The likes of Facebook and Twitter, however, have a slightly more significant reach towards those older demographics, so if your target audience is those college kids, then Instagram is definitely the medium for you.

53

The average Instagram user spends 53 minutes each day on the platform, which is an incredibly high proportion of their day. That’s a lot of time to see the videos and adverts you are strategically placing on the platform, even though it still sits slightly behind Facebook’s 58 minutes. Staggering numbers nonetheless.

39/30

These particular numbers represent the gender split between adult users on Instagram, with the larger number favoring women. With the remaining 31% taken over by the younger market, that’s an incredibly well-balanced audience which promises to unlock potential for any business wishing to target their social media approach on the platform.

37.4

“37.4% of all US internet users will visit Instagram this year. That is a statistic that requires no more explanation,” points out Jeff Shaw, a social media writer at State of writing and Paper Fellows.

22

By sheer numbers of user accounts, Instagram is already a major player in the world of social media. But what these numbers do not reveal are the numbers of active users, as anyone can open an account: it’s using it which really counts. Following that thread, 22% of Instagram users check the site every single day. So if we extrapolate on the one billion figure above, that’s 220 million people checking the site daily, which is an incredibly big active user base.

2

Instagram, by sheer numbers, is the second most popular social media site globally. If it’s not part of your digital marketing strategy, it might just be about time to think again. “With the types of numbers it is boasting, and with such an active engagement rate, especially among young people, if you are brand seeking to penetrate the younger market, quite simply it is folly if you are not utilizing Instagram.

Nora Mork is a marketing journalist at UK Writings. She enjoys speaking at online marketing conferences, and write posts for Essay Roo and Boom Essays