Instagram in 2024 is a dynamic and rapidly growing social media platform. It is used by millions of users worldwide, and it has become an essential platform for businesses to reach their target audience. The continuous introduction of new features makes Instagram one of the most adaptable social media platforms out there, but it can be quite demanding to stay updated. 

This is where Instagram statistics become valuable. Since its 2010 launch, Instagram has surged to over 2.4 billion active users, ranking it among the world’s top 5 social networking platforms. In fact, about a quarter of all active internet users worldwide use the platform each month!

As Instagram approaches its 14th anniversary this October, it remains vibrant and innovative, consistently rolling out fresh features and refining its algorithms. Furthermore, Instagram recently introduced a social media platform called “Threads”. 

To craft an effective marketing strategy for Instagram, it is essential to remain well-informed about its present conditions and emerging trends. In this article, we have explored a wide range of topics, including Instagram’s user demographics and optimal posting times on the platform.

Instagram Statistics 2023 (Highlighted Insights)

1. Currently, Instagram boasts a user base exceeding 2.4 billion, and it’s anticipated to reach the 2.5 billion mark by the conclusion of 2024.

2.  In 2023, India led with 359 million Instagram users globally, followed by the United States with 158.5 million and Brazil with 123 million. Indonesia, Turkey, and Japan rounded out the top six positions.
   
3. As of 2023, about 31% of global Instagram users were aged 18-24, 30.3% were 25-34, and 15.7% were 35-44.
   
4. An estimated 95 million Instagram users could be bots, resulting in an annual cost of $1.3 billion for marketers.

5. As of August 2023, in the United States, 27.4% of Instagram users were 25-34 years old, 25.1% were 18-24 years old, less than 6% were 13-17 years old, and those 65 and older made up 5.2% of users.
   
6. On a typical day, the average Instagram user invests 33.1 minutes of their time on the platform.

7.  In January 2023, about 17% of active global Instagram users were males aged 18-24. 61% of Instagram’s audience is aged between 18 and 34.
   
8. In January 2019, Instagram had 500 million daily active Stories users, up from 400 million in June 2018. By 2022, over 900 million people were interacting with Instagram Stories.
   
9. Based on the information provided by Meta, their newly launched Threads app acquired 2 million users within the first two hours of its release.
   
10.  As of January 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo leads as the individual with the highest number of followers on the platform, amassing an impressive 617+ million followers.
    
11. As of January 2024, Virat Kohli is leading with 265+ million Instagram followers in India, while Priyanka Chopra Jonas holds second place among actors with nearly 90.2+ million followers..
    
12. Presently, India’s ruling political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, has approximately 6.8 million followers on Instagram. Following closely is the Indian National Congress, with about 2.5 million followers.

Instagram Monthly Active Users (MAUs)

Instagram currently boasts a staggering 2.4 billion monthly active users, solidifying its position as the fourth most popular social media platform worldwide in terms of MAUs.

Projections indicate that by the close of 2024, Instagram’s user base is expected to surpass 2.5 billion. Remarkably, 35.71% of the world’s 5.6 billion smartphone users engage with Instagram.

Instagram’s Monthly Active User Statistics:

13.  Instagram has 2 billion monthly users, accounting for 45.28% of the world’s internet users. By 2025, it’s expected to reach 1.44 billion, making up 31.2% of global internet users 

14. India led the world with a staggering 359 million Instagram users, making it the largest Instagram audience globally, followed by the USA with 158.5 million and Brazil with 123 million.
    
15.  Instagram is utilized by around 29.62% of the world’s population.

Here is the table displaying Instagram’s Monthly Active Users since 2013:

Year	Instagram Monthly Active Users
2013	110 million
2014	200 million
2015	370 million
2016	500 million
2017	700 million
2018	1 billion
2019	1.1 billion
2020	1.3 billion
2021	2 billion
2022	2.3 billion
2023	2.4 Billion
2024 (projected)	2.5 billion

Instagram’s Monthly Active Users (MAUs) Over the Years:

Since its launch in 2010, Instagram stands as one of the world’s most successful social media platforms. As of January 2024, Instagram has over 2.4 billion monthly active users. 

16. Instagram achieved the remarkable milestone of 1 million users in a mere 67 days.
    
17. Instagram reached 10 million MAUs in 2011.
    
18. In February 2011, Instagram’s valuation reached $25 million with the support of investors.
    

Daily Active Users (DAUs) on Instagram

Meta(formerly Facebook) recently revealed that a staggering 500 million people engage with Instagram every day, equivalent to one of every eight internet users checking in at least once within a 24-hour period. 

Key Insights on Instagram’s Daily Active Users (DAUs): 

19. Instagram, with over 500 million Daily Active Users (DAUs), holds the second position in daily logins, just behind Facebook.
    
20. Approximately 6.32% of the world’s population engages with Instagram on a daily basis.
    
21. Every one of the 500 million users engages with Instagram Stories.

Instagram Users By Country

India leads with 359 million users, making it the country with the highest number of Instagram users globally. Following closely are the United States with 158.5 million users and Brazil with 123 million users. Together, these three nations comprise over 50% of Instagram’s worldwide user base.

Aside from Indonesia, Turkey, Japan, Mexico, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy, several other countries are also booming with Instagram users.

Below is a table displaying the countries with the highest number of Instagram users:

Countries	Instagram Users
India	359 million
United States	158.5 million
Brazil	123 million
Indonesia	105 million
Turkey	57 million
Japan	55 million
Mexico	46 million
Germany	32 million
United Kingdom	31.3 million
Italy	29 million

22. Approximately 87% of Instagram’s 1.31 billion users, who could potentially be targeted with ads, reside outside of the United States. 

23. It’s important to highlight that the Instagram user base in each country is experiencing rapid growth. For instance, the number of Instagram users in India has surged by over 50%.

Source: (Oberlo)

The Features of Instagram That Contribute to Its Growth

When we analyze Instagram’s Daily Active Users (DAUs) throughout its history, it becomes clear that the introduction of numerous exciting new features over the years has greatly contributed to the app’s user engagement. 

24. In the fourth quarter of 2016, Instagram boasted 550 million monthly users. Surprisingly, at that time, only 100 million users were Daily Active Users (DAUs), roughly accounting for 18% of the user base.

Fast forward to the present day, and the landscape has transformed significantly. Today, thanks to the introduction of several remarkable user-centric features, over half of Monthly Active Users (MAUs) now engage with the app daily.

Let’s briefly discuss these features below: 

• Instagram stories: A dynamic way to share photos and videos lasting 24 hours.
  
• Instagram Television (IGTV): It allows users to upload longer videos, eliminating previous restrictions and providing more diverse content options.
  
• Live Video: By live streaming videos, users can interact with and engage with their followers in real-time.
  
• Reels: As a response to TikTok’s popularity, Instagram introduced Reels, allowing users to create 15-second videos.
  
• Real-Time Translation: Instagram’s capacity to translate comments, captions, and bios in real-time has facilitated its expansion into non-English speaking countries, broadening its global reach.
  
• Ephemeral Messages: After being viewed, Instagram’s messages vanish, ensuring privacy and discretion.
  
• Feed Algorithm: Instagram’s feed is sorted using an algorithm that predicts which posts users will find most enjoyable, enhancing the user experience.

Instagram Stories Statistics

On August 2nd, 2016, Instagram introduced the Stories feature, taking on its rival Snapchat. It allows users to share video and photo sequences that vanish 24 hours after posting. Within a few months, 100 million users were using it daily.

Just 8 months after its launch, this feature surpassed Snapchat’s 150 million Daily Active Users (DAUs).

Below is the breakdown of Instagram Stories Daily Active Users:

Year	Instagram Daily Active Users
2016	100 million
2017	250 million
2019	500 million
2022	650 million
2023	Over 990 million

More Instagram Stories Statistics: 

25. When brands appear on Instagram Stories, 62% of people become more interested in them.
    
26. The most-loved Giphy in Instagram Stories is the “heart love sticker.”
    
27. Active brands typically share 17 Stories each month.

What does this mean for you? It’s fine to have some days without Instagram Stories on your content calendar.

To know more, head to Instagram Stories vs Posts: Which Works Best?

The growth rate of Instagram users over time

28. Every 4 to 9 months, the platform gains around 100 million new users (constant since 2014). 
    
29. Between September 2017 and June 2018, the company gained 200 million new users. In 2019, the rate slowed to 6.7% from 6.8% in 2018.

Instagram bots

30.  Instagram has 95 million bot accounts, indicating that 4.75 percent of its 2.3 billion MAUs are fake.
    
31. Marketers lose $1.3 billion a year due to Instagram’s fraudulent bot accounts.
    
32. Approximately 15% of influencers’ followers are fake.

Source: (Basic Thinking)

Top Nations With The Most Instagram Users

Nation	Percent Of Population
Brunei	89%
Kazakhstan	82.7%
Turkey	76.5%
Cyprus	75.7%
Cayman Islands	75.5%
Iceland	73.8%
Guam	72.8%
Chile	72.3%
Sweden	71.3%
Uruguay	71.2%

Instagram’s Rank Among the Social Media Giants

33. Instagram ranks 4th among the biggest social media networks globally with 2.4 billion active users.

Facebook’s parent company Meta owns four of the top six social networks (Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram).

Social Media Platform	Active users
Facebook	3.03 billion.
YouTube	2.7 billion.
WhatsApp	2.7 billion.
Instagram	2.4 billion.
FB Messenger	1.03 billion.
WeChat	1.67 billion.
TikTok	1.67 billion.
Telegram	750 million
QQ	606 million
Snapchat	750 million

Instagram Demographics

This section gives you access to Instagram demographics, such as gender distribution, age distribution, etc.

34.  Instagram users are primarily between the ages of 18 and 34:

A whopping 61.8% of Instagram users are between the ages of 18 and 35!

A table showing the age of Instagram users is shown below:

Age Group	Share of Users
13-17	8.5%
18-24	30.1%
25-34	31.5%
35-44	16.1%
45-54	8%
55-64	3.6%
65+	2.1%

35. In terms of the number of Instagrammers, men, and women are pretty evenly split. Males make up 50.7% of Instagram users, while females make up 49.3%.

36. Gen Z’s most popular social media platform is Instagram. In comparison to other social networks, Instagram is preferred by individuals aged 16-24 more than TikTok. Instagram seems to be the best place to reach that age group.
    
37. The fastest-growing group of Instagram users is Generation X males. It has increased by 63.6% in the number of male users aged 55 – 64 who use Instagram. Youth hang out here, but don’t forget that other generations are also involved here.
    
38. In the United States, 5% of youngsters under 11 use Instagram. Users must be at least 13 years old to set up an Instagram account, which is against Instagram’s user standards. However, 11% of children aged 9-11 use the platform.
    
39. One in four Americans has never heard of Instagram. Despite Instagram’s popularity in the United States, it does not reach everyone. Understanding the audience becomes even more critical in light of this fact.

Instagram Users in the United States by Location 

Location	Percent of users
Urban	45%
Sub-urban	31%
Rural	24%

Income data of Instagrammers:

39% of Instagram users earn between 30k and 75k per year, while 42% earn less than $75k.

Here is a table showing the income of Instagram users in the United States:

People’s income	User Percent
Earning < $29,999	31%
Earning between $30,000 to $74,999	35%
Earning > $75,000	34%

Instagram Reel Statistics

Instagram reels are the direct competitor to TikToks. Since Instagram reels were launched in 2020, they have gained immense popularity. The reel feature is now being used by all of Instagram’s 2.4 billion MAUs. This feature also comes with some interesting facts and figures. 

40. It is estimated that over 2 billion people around the world view the Instagram reel every month.
    
41. In 2024, approximately 2.5 billion people are expected to interact with the reel feature.
    If you’re wondering how to get more views on reels, give Instagram Reels Views Hack: How to get more views on Reels a read. 
    
42. There is only a maximum duration of 60 seconds for a reel ad.
    
43. Instagram users are 22% more likely to engage with reels than standard video posts.
    
44. People between the ages of 18 and 34 are most likely to use Instagram reels.
    
45. Females make up 46.1%, while males make up 53.9% of Instagram’s real audience.

Instagram statistics for threads

Instagram’s Threads app focuses more on discussions than visual content. Threads can be posted by users and replies can be made by others. Several types of replies can be sent, including text (up to 500 characters), links, photos, and videos. In essence, this is Instagram’s response to Twitter. 

Want to read more about Instagram Threads? We’ve got you covered with What is Instagram Threads and How it Works.

46. Take a look at some of the interesting facts and figures associated with Threads!
    
47. Consumer products like Thread have become the fastest-growing categories in history.
    
48. It took Threads five days to acquire 100 million users.
    
49. Within two hours of its launch, Threads had 2 million users, followed by 10 million users within seven hours.
    
50. Within 24 hours, more than 100 million threads were shared.
    
51. There are 100 countries where Threads is available. Because of Instagram and Threads’ data-sharing policies, European Union countries are excluded.

All these stats might have you thinking Threads will kill Twitter (now rebranded as “X”) very soon, don’t they?

Let’s rethink this. Despite Twitter’s efforts to rebrand and introduce new features, Thread’s traffic also declined.

Approximately 45% of Twitter’s 109 million daily active users were on Threads on July 7, based on Similarweb estimates. Twitter’s audience fell to about 22% by July 14, when Thread’s active users dropped to 23.6 million.

It will be interesting to watch!

Average Number of Instagram followers

Instagrammers with fewer than 1k followers are the majority, according to a BrandWatch survey. Companies use micro-influencers to advertise their products, with 50,000 to 100,000 followers.

Considering the platform as a whole, this represents just 0.94 percent of its users.

Number of Followers	User Percent
< 1,000	53.62%
1001 – 10,000	38.03%
10,001 – 50,000	6.2%
50,001 – 100,000	0.94%
100,001 – 500,000	0.94%
500,001 – 10 million+	0.27%

Instagram Influencer Statistics: 

Due to its media-sharing nature, Instagram is one of the most important platforms for the influencer economy, where people are compensated according to the number of followers they have.

52. Marketers lose money if influencers have many bots since they are paid based on their follower count.
    
53. An influencer with 43,000 followers may expect to earn $37,442 per year by consistently posting 8 posts and 8 stories. An average UK citizen earns that much.
    
54. Brands lost $1.3 billion to bogus bot profiles in 2019.
    
55. Around $80-$90 per post is paid to influencers with fewer than 10k followers.
    
56. The average payment per post for influencers with fewer than 100k followers is about $200.
    
57. The average income per post for an influencer with 250k to 500k followers is about $670.
    
58. It is estimated that influencers with more than one million followers will receive around $1900 for every post they make.

88 percent of people say they were influenced by an Instagram influencer to make a purchase.  Shoppers who engage with influencers are most likely to engage with pictures (78%) and stories (73%).

Sources: (Ghostdata) (WSJ) (Wired) (PetalCard)

Among the Top 50 Instagram Influencers, each has a following that is equivalent to the entire world’s population. 

59. Over 7 billion Followers follow the top 50 Instagram influencers.
    
60. Approximately 4 billion people were estimated to be on the planet in 2017. Approximately 70% more followers have been added to these top Instagrammers since 2023.

Most Followed Instagram Users (August 2023)

The top ranks of Instagram are dominated by people who are involved in the music, sports, and entertainment industries, aside from the official profile, which is also the most followed account. Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian have used Instagram and other social media to increase their reputation and money.

61. In terms of followers, Cristiano Ronaldo accounts for over 24% of Instagram’s overall user base with 603 million followers.

Below is the list of the top 20 most-followed people on Instagram as of December 2022:

Instagram’s Username	Profile Name (Owner)	Followers	Profession
@cristiano	Cristiano Ronaldo	617 million	Footballer
@leomessi	Lionel Messi	497 million	Footballer
@selenagomez	Selena Gomez	429 million	Musician, actress, producer, and businesswoman
@kyliejenner	Kylie Jenner	399 million	Television personality, model, and businesswoman
@therock	Dwayne Johnson	395 million	Actor and professional wrestler
@arianagrande	Ariana Grande	380 million	Musician and actress
@kimkardashian	Kim Kardashian	364 million	Television personality, model, and businesswoman
@beyonce	Beyoncé	319 million	Musician, actress, producer, and businesswoman
@khloekardashian	Khloé Kardashian	311 million	Television personality and model
@nike	Nike	306 million	Sportswear multinational
@Kendalljenner	Kendall Jenner	294 million	Model and television personality
@justinbieber	Justin Bieber	292 million	Musician
@natgeo	National Geographic	283 million	Magazine
@taylorswift	Taylor Swift	279 million	Musician
@virat.kohli	Virat Kohli	265 million	Cricketer
@jlo	Jennifer Lopez	253 million	Musician and actress
@nickiminaj	Nicki Minaj	229 million	Musician
@kourtneykardash	Kourtney Kardashian	224 million	Television personality and model
@neymarjr	Neymar	218 million	Footballer
@mileycyrus	Miley Cirus	216 million	Musician and actress

15 most popular Instagram posts.

Instagram’s most-liked post until 20 December 2022 was Chris Godfrey’s photo of an egg. There was a post showing Lionel Messi celebrating the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which exceeded them all.

Let us take a look at Instagram’s top 15 most-liked posts of all time:

Rank	Account Owner	Post Description	Number of Likes
1	Lionel Messi	Photos of Lionel Messi and his teammates after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina	75.6 million
2	Chris Godfrey	Photo of an egg	60.16 million
3	Lionel Messi	Photos of Lionel Messi in bed with the FIFA World Cup Trophy	54.6 million
4	Cristiano Ronaldo	Photo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo playing chess, advertising for Louis Vuitton	42.6 million
5	Lionel Messi	Photo of Lionel Messi on an airplane with the FIFA World Cup Trophy	41.9 million
6	Cristiano RonaldoAl Nassr FC	Announcement of Cristiano Ronaldo joining Al Nassr FC	34.3 million
7	Lionel Messi	Celebrating the 2022 FIFA World Cup win in Argentina	34.3 million
8	Cristiano Ronaldo	Photo after 2022 FIFA World Cup elimination	34.12 million
9	Leonel Messi	Photo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo playing chess, advertising for Louis Vuitton	32.8 million
10	XXXTentacion	This final post before his death	32.4 million
11	Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez	Their twin’s pregnancy announcement	32.35 million
12	Cristiano Ronaldo	Post in remembrance of Pelé	32.2 million
13	Lionel Messi	Photos after 2022 FIFA World Cup match against Croatia	29.6 million
14	Cristiano Ronaldo	Ronaldo is being celebrated by fans after joining Al Nassr FC.	27.9 million
15	Cristiano Ronaldo	Ronaldo played a friendly game between football clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Riyadh ST XI.	27.8 million

Amount of Time Spent Each Day on Instagram

62. According to Data Reportal’s global overview report, the average daily time spent by Instagram users on the platform is approximately 24 minutes. This equates to a total of around 11.2 hours per month.

Additional statistics reveal interesting insights:

63. Users below 25 spend over 8 days annually on Instagram.
    
64. Users above 25 dedicate more than 6 days yearly to the platform.
    
65. Heavy social media users invest an average of 1 hour and 25 minutes daily on Instagram.
    
66. On average, adults over 18 invest over 19 days each year across all social media platforms.

The introduction of Instagram Stories in 2016, featuring Boomerang and GIPHY stickers, has significantly contributed to increased user engagement.

Source: (Instagram) (eMarketer)

Instagram Statistics for Businesses:

Over 90% of Instagram users follow at least one brand, making it a prime platform for building brand connections. Instagram regularly introduces new business features, and you can find guidance through their dedicated Instagram for Business account.

Take a look at some of the latest Instagram insights:

67. Half of Instagram users explore new businesses, products, or services, making it an excellent discovery tool. Additionally, two-thirds of users believe it fosters meaningful engagement with business.
    
68. An impressive 44% of users now shop on Instagram weekly, thanks to its robust shopping features.
    
69. In 2021, Instagram outperformed Facebook in ad reach, with a 0.25% increase compared to Facebook’s 6.5%. If sponsored reach is crucial for your social media strategy consider joining Instagram.
    
70. Brands typically post 1.6 times a day. Of these, 62.7% are images, and 16.3% are videos. If you’ve been focusing solely on photos, it might be time to diversify your content strategy.

The Best Time To Post On Instagram (2024)

An Instagram posting schedule for each day of the week can be found in the table below: 

Day	Ideal Time to Post	Peak Engagement Time
Monday	6 Am, 10 Am, 10 Pm.	11 Am to 2 Pm.
Tuesday	2 Am, 4 Am, 9 Am.	10 Am to 3 Pm.
Wednesday	7 Am, 8 Am, 9 Am.	11 Am to 1 Pm.
Thursday	7 Am, 8 Am, 11 Pm.	1 Pm to 3 Pm.
Friday	5 Am, 1 Pm, 3 Pm.	10 Am to 11 Am.
Saturday	11 Am, 7 Pm, 8 Pm.	10:00 am
Sunday	7 Am, 8 Am, 4 Pm.	Around Noon.

It’s essential to keep in mind that these optimal posting times may not be suitable for everyone. Before determining your ideal posting schedule, consider the following factors:

• Time Zone 
• Targeted Audience 
• CTA 

 Note: Sundays are the days with the lowest user engagement, so avoid publishing on Sundays.

Time Zones and How to Deal with Them:

It might affect your engagement if you have followers from different nations or even different coasts of the United States. 

Using the Instagram insights feature is the simplest way to handle this, which provides free statistics to all users with professional accounts. 

To access it, 

• Go to your profile page and locate the menu icon in the upper right corner.
• Click on “Insight” from the provided options.
• Choose the “Audience” tab.
• Scroll downward to find the “Cities and Location” section.

Your posts can be arranged around the top engagement periods by studying the data above and determining what time zone your users are in! Isn’t that easy? 

Sources: (SproutSocial) (HubSpot)

Future Statistics for Instagram (2024)

Instagram is a place where everything changes! Keeping up with the latest trends is the key to making your presence felt by the majority of the audience. To make the most of your Instagram campaigns in 2024, you need to look into and implement these major Instagram trends!

Trend #1: Reels, Reels, and more Reels.

In almost every social media platform, short-form video content is the most engaging. TikToks are dying a slow death thanks to Instagram reels, which began in 2019. The fact is that Instagram users interact with reels every time they visit the platform. 

Trend #2: A paid advertisement may be the answer!

Utilize Instagram ads to tap into the dynamic Instagram algorithm and effectively expand the visibility of your business or brand to a vast audience. According to a survey conducted by Datareportal, Instagram advertising has the potential to connect with a staggering 1.38 billion individuals. 

Trend #3: A dance and meme transformation is underway.

Instagram’s 2022 trend report highlights that one-third of its youthful user base is enthusiastic about witnessing additional dancing challenges in the coming year. As for memes, they have been a constant presence, serving as an opportunity to propel your account to greater heights.

Conclusion 

Hopefully, this comprehensive analysis of Instagram’s statistics will help you leverage the platform’s potential in your upcoming campaigns. It is important to remember that each audience is unique and requires tailored approaches. Test different strategies, analyze the results, and adjust your tactics accordingly. With the right strategy, Instagram can become a powerful tool for your business.