Instagram Tips & Guides | Sprout Social

250+ Instagram Reel hashtags to boost engagement for your brand

Mahnoor Sheikh — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 15:14:44 +0000

If you’ve opened Instagram recently, you know Reels are big on the platform. The short-form video format has quickly become a favorite of both brands and consumers.

The good news is you can add Instagram hashtags to Reels the same way you add hashtags to posts to boost visibility, reach and engagement.

In this post, you’ll find a curated list of the top Instagram Reel hashtags for travel, fitness, food, fashion and other categories. We’ll also talk about the value of using Reel hashtags for Instagram and share tips for finding the best hashtags for your brand.

Let’s dig in.

Why use hashtags in your Instagram Reels
Tips for finding the right Instagram Reel hashtags for your brand
Best Instagram Reel hashtags for 2024
Use Instagram Reel hashtags to grow your brand

Why use hashtags in your Instagram Reels

Using hashtags can do more than just get more eyes on your content. Hashtags are also excellent targeting and analytics tools. Here are three benefits of using Instagram Reel hashtags for your business:

Make your content easier to find

Hashtags can put your content in front of a larger audience, including users who don’t follow you on Instagram. Adding them to Reels offers the same benefits as adding hashtags to posts. It helps people interested in your topics or themes easily find your videos.

This, in turn, gets your content more engagement in the form of likes, comments and shares—the holy grail of social media success. Take it a step further and engage with users who interact with your hashtags to strengthen your brand’s relationship with its audience.

Finally, by monitoring trending hashtags and incorporating them into your posts, you can help your content ride the wave of current events, conversations and Instagram trends. This not only gets you more exposure, but also positions your brand as relevant and up-to-date.

Target your niche demographics and audiences

Your videos might go viral, but not everyone on Instagram is a potential customer. Adding hashtags to Reels lets you target niche communities and specific demographics with your content—people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services.

As a result, you’ll attract more qualified leads and boost visibility among your target audience, ultimately translating into higher ROI for your business.

Use hashtag analytics to refine your Instagram content strategy

Analyzing the performance of different hashtags can provide valuable insights into what resonates most with your audience.

By tracking Instagram metrics like reach and engagement for Reels with specific hashtags, you can refine your strategy and better understand consumer preferences and behavior.

Sprout Social’s Hashtag Tracking tools can help you pinpoint exactly which hashtags work best for your Instagram strategy. Track your most-used and top hashtags or manually add hashtags that are important to your brand to keep tabs on performance.

Tips for finding the right Instagram Reel hashtags for your brand

You know the value of using Reel hashtags on Instagram—but how do you find the right ones? Follow the best practices below to add hashtags that are relevant to your brand and resonate deeply with your audience.

Know your buyer personas

Before you start writing down hashtags, you need to truly understand your target audience. What does your ideal buyer look like? Which accounts do they follow on Instagram? What type of content do they like to engage with?

Dig into original research and analytics to find out key characteristics of your potential customers. Note the hashtags used in Reels these people are interacting with the most.

Then, use these insights to guide your own hashtag strategy. Incorporate relevant hashtags in your Reels that align with the niches and interests of your target audience.

Remember—you are a business creating content to achieve certain goals, whether that’s brand awareness, lead generation or sales. Targeting everyone and anyone is not going to get you results. Focusing on users who match your buyer personas will.

Analyze your competitors

Keeping an eye on your competitors’ content can give you ideas for hashtags you can use in your own Reels. Watch for videos that get the most engagement or views. What hashtags are they using? How many hashtags are they adding to their videos? Are they going after niche keywords or broader hashtags?

Streamline this process with Instagram competitor reports.

Sprout’s competitive analysis features can help you with that. Our tool allows you to track competitor posts, engagement rates, the hashtags they’re using and more. Better yet, compare their metrics with your own to benchmark performance and set realistic goals.

Use competitor analysis to inspire your own content and hashtags. But don’t always copy hashtags off other accounts and Reels—keep experimenting. You might stumble upon some highly engaging hashtags your competitors might be neglecting.

Use branded hashtags on Reels and other content

Capitalizing on existing hashtags is great—but what about creating your own hashtag?

Using branded hashtags in Reels and posts can help you build brand awareness and instill a sense of community in your followers. Branded hashtags are also one of the best ways to encourage user-generated content.

For example, Canva launched a branded hashtag challenge to encourage creators to use the software and share their designs:

Best Instagram Reel hashtags for 2024

Looking for inspiration? Below is a list of 250+ top hashtags for various industries like fashion, travel, fitness and food. We’ve also added popular hashtags for viral and funny Reels—all relevant to brands and marketers.

Top Instagram Reel hashtags

#explore

#viral

#trendy

#reel

#viralreel

#viralreels

#trendingsound

#fyp

#reeloftheday

#trendingreels

#trendingnow

#inspiration

#viralvideos

#viralcontent

#viralmemes

#growth

#success

#businessstory

#brandstory

#luxurybrand

#luxury

#luxurylifestyle

#budgetfriendly

#springvibes

#trendalert

#newarrivals

#musthave

#shopnow

#smallbusiness

#womeninbusiness

#instagramseller

#sellersofinstagram

Fitness Instagram Reel hashtags

#gym

#gymmotivation

#gymlife

#gymtime

#gymlifestyle

#gymworkout

#gymreels

#gymvideos

#gymtips

#gyminspiration

#gymgoals

#fitness

#fitnessmotivation

#igfit

#getfit

#stayfit

#fitfam

#fitspo

#fitlifestyle

#fitinspiration

#fitspiration

#fitnesschallenge

#supplements

#preworkout

#workout

#workoutmotivation

#workoutvideos

#workoutathome

#homeworkout

#workoutoftheday

#bodybuilding

#bodypositivity

#bodypositive

#plussize

#weightloss

#transformation

#weightlossmotivation

#weightlossjourney

#dietplan

#healthybodyhealthymind

#fitmeals

#healthylifestyle

#selfcare

Travel Instagram Reel hashtags

#travel

#instatravel

#travelgram

#budgettravel

#travellife

#travelling

#traveltheworld

#backpacking

#travelwithme

#wanderlust

#hiddengems

#travelinspiration

#shetravels

#dametraveler

#sheisnotlost

#thetravelwomen

#womenwhoexplore

#travelsolo

#solotravel

#solotraveler

#vacation

#romanticgetaway

#beautifuldestinations

#luxurytravel

#luxuryhotels

#forbestravelguide

#sustainabletravel

#sustainabletourism

#responsibletravel

#vanlifemovement

#vanlifediaries

#vanlifeexplorers

#vanlifer

#skoolie

#rvlife

#motorhome

#homeiswhereyouparkit

#camperlife

#staycation

#travelbucketlist

#adventuretravel

#lifeofadventure

#hikingadventures

#getoutside

#outdooradventure

#camplife

#cabinlife

#digitalnomadlife

#nomadiclife

#workandtravel

#wellnesstravel

#wellnessretreats

#traveltherapy

#slowtravel

#foodtravel

#traveleats

#livelikealocal

#besthotels

#beautifulhotels

#hotelsoftheworld

Food Instagram Reel hashtags

#food

#foodstagram

#healthyfood

#foodie

#foodgasm

#instafood

#comfortfood

#recipes

#cooking

#foodstyling

#whatifeedmyfamily

#familymeals

#familydinner

#healthymeals

#healthysnacks

#diet

#easyrecipes

#foodrecipes

#foodideas

#dinnerrecipes

#healthyeating

#lowcaloriesmeals

#easymeals

#chickenrecipes

#mealprepping

#mealprep

#recipeshare

#vegan

#bestofvegan

#feedfeedvegan

#healthyvegan

#plantbased

#plantbasedfood

#vegetarianrecipes

#eatyourveggies

#vegandessert

#healthydessert

#dessertrecipe

#fakeaway

#recipeoftheday

Fashion Instagram Reel hashtags

#fashion

#fashionstyle

#fashionreels

#fashiontrends

#slowfashion

#highfashion

#sustainablefashion

#prelovedfashion

#secondhandfashion

#handmadeclothing

#madetoorder

#bespoke

#custommade

#vintagestyle

#vintagefashion

#vintageclothing

#unisexfashion

#unisexclothing

#styleinspiration

#ootd

#outfitinspiration

#lookoftheday

#thriftstorefinds

#thriftfinds

#thrifthaul

#thriftedfashion

#thriftedstyle

#inclusivefashion

#streetwear

#streetweardaily

#streetstyle

#streetfashion

#howtostyle

#nycfashion

#grwm

#getreadywithme

#athleisure

#activewear

#gymwear

#diyfashion

#fashiontech

#wearabletech

#capsulewardrobe

#lessismore

#minimalista

Funny Instagram Reels hashtags

#funny

#funnyvideos

#funnyvideosdaily

#funnymemes

#funnymemesdaily

#memestagram

#funnyreels

#funnyisfunny

#funnymoments

#comedy

#comedyvideos

#comedyreels

#sketchcomedy

#dailyfluff

#dailylaugh

#dailydose

#standupcomedy

#relatable

#relatablereels

#jokes

#hilarious

#funnyclips

#funnyvids

#justforlaughs

#humor

#humour

#laughoutloud

#laughing

#smile

#memes

#haha

#lol

#lmao

Use Instagram Reel hashtags to grow your brand

Adding hashtags to your Instagram Reels should be a no-brainer. Hashtags are the easiest way to categorize your content, drive visibility and boost engagement on your videos.

But what’s more important is using the right hashtags. You need keywords that align with your brand and match the needs and interests of your target audience. Only then can you expect to see business growth and results from your social media efforts.

This is where hashtag analytics can help. Track your most-used and top hashtags, competitor hashtags and trending keywords your audience is loving. Use the data to guide your Instagram strategy and watch views and engagement on your content skyrocket.

The post 250+ Instagram Reel hashtags to boost engagement for your brand appeared first on Sprout Social.

9 Instagram trends to watch in 2024

Mahnoor Sheikh — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 20:59:33 +0000

There are over 200 million business accounts on Instagram—that’s a lot of competition if you’re looking for your brand to stand out. However, if you keep up with the latest Instagram trends, you can leverage these trends as part of your Instagram marketing strategy that grabs attention and fuels growth.

In this article, we dive deep into the top nine Instagram trends for 2024. We’ll cover innovative tactics like AI-driven content creation and community building with examples to incorporate them into your own Instagram strategy.

1. Video takes priority over images

Do me a favor: Open your Instagram app and scroll through the first 10 to 15 pieces of content. As you scroll, you might notice a common theme—most of the posts are videos.

Instagram continues to prioritize video—specifically Reels—in 2024. In fact, the platform is regularly releasing new features to encourage creators to make more video content.

For example, you can now:

Reply to a Reel with another Reel
Add new effects, music and voice overs to your Reels
Upload video stories up to 60 seconds long with no cuts
Host interactive live streams

Leaning hard into video isn’t just encouraged at this point—it’s essential to thrive on Instagram right now. Convey your brand’s authentic personality. Show your products in action. Give behind-the-scenes glimpses of your team. Talk to your followers in real-time.

Using video not only helps you build genuine connections with your audience—it also drives reach and engagement by appealing to the Instagram algorithm.

Instagram Reel trends for 2024

Instagram Reels launched in 2020 and slowly rolled out to all users throughout 2021. This micro video addition to Instagram was created to compete with Snapchat and TikTok. It has continued to grow in popularity. Many brands and content creators will repurpose their videos across each of the platforms—TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

Here are some Instagram Reel trends popular with brands this year:

Social media managers acting as brand spokespeople

Instead of hiring paid actors to deliver scripted messages, social media managers are now stepping in front of the camera when creating Reels.

Social media managers have an intimate understanding of the brand’s voice and values. And they’re able to quickly create content that deeply resonates with the audience at a fraction of the cost. Our social media managers here at Sprout Social hop into Reels from time to time to act as spokespeople for our social media marketing software:

An added bonus to this is that social media managers’ appearances help build stronger personal connections between the brand and its customers over time.

Video memes

Memes, of course, still are trending on Instagram. Brands are remixing meme Reels with trending audio and putting their own spin on funny clips or pop culture references to be relevant to their brand and audience like Visme did.

Remember to align your meme content with brand values while still showing the lighter side of your business. When done right, it can get lots of positive engagement when you’re conscious to position your brand as relatable and culturally aware.

Instagram post trends for 2024

Just because Reels are trending on Instagram doesn’t mean static posts are dead. If you look at your feed, a good 25-30% is likely still are image, video and carousel posts.

Instagram has also rolled out a small but decent update in this area. You can now add audio to static posts to make them more engaging.

Brands continue to use Instagram posts in unique, creative ways. Here are some noteworthy trends to watch and try this year:

Photo dump

This Instagram post trend is specific to carousels. The photo dump involves sharing a series of images that may seem candid and unrelated at first glance but collectively convey a story or a theme.

It’s like flipping through someone’s personal photo album. It offers a glimpse into behind-the-scenes moments. For brands, these moments could include events, user-generated content and photoshoots. For example, Coach used this trend to showcase their fashion collection for Fall 2024.

Text posts

Traditionally, Instagram has been all about the visuals. However, at the moment, there’s a growing trend of text posts. The theme is to make the text post a static image or flip-through series within a carousel.

Brands are posting stats, listicles, tips, how-tos, quotes, announcements, customer testimonials and more as aesthetically pleasing, minimalistic text posts that align with their branding.

Text posts stand out in a visually saturated feed and are great for offering bite-sized value or sparking conversation with followers.

Here is an example from Sprout Social:

Soft launches to tease products

Brands are teasing new products through “soft launch” posts. They are portraying new products with subtle hints, behind-the-scenes peeks or cryptic messages. Usually they are dropping a few posts over a period of time to create anticipation and hype for the launch of new products from those following.

This is an excellent strategy for engaging your audience to peak curiosity about what’s coming next. Additionally, creating buzz around a product before its official launch helps generate early interest and demand.

Check out how Huda Beauty did this soft launch Reel seamlessly:

2. Empower social content creation with AI

Just like most other tech brands, Instagram—and its parent company Meta—is investing heavily in AI this year. For marketers, this trend could seriously change the way they create content.

Currently, Instagram offers the following AI features for creators in specific regions:

AI generated stickers: Users can enter prompts to create custom AI stickers. From there, they can send those stickers in chats or add them to their stories.
Start a chat with AI: Ask for recommendations and advice, talk about interests, and even view and follow AI profiles and the content they post.
AI backdrops for stories: When you share a photo to your story, use the AI backdrop tool to create a new background based on a text prompt.

Mark Zuckerburg has also announced two new AI capabilities that might soon come to Instagram—AI image editing and high quality video generation. Users would be able to quickly remove unwanted objects, manipulate images, change the background and generate creative, original video clips that match their vision by simply typing in prompts.

Aside from using Instagram’s built-in AI features, brands are tapping into third-party AI tools to create content quickly and easily. For example, you can use Sprout Social’s AI capabilities to analyze sentiment, share posts at just the right time, write engaging captions, brainstorm campaign ideas, generate competitor reports and personalize support messages.

But does this mean AI is going to replace social media managers completely? Not anytime soon. It is, however, increasingly becoming a part of social media strategies.

AI can help marketers slash time in half by automating certain tasks and accelerating creative processes. Used smartly, it can help you scale content creation, improve user experiences, drive more engagement and stay ahead of the competition.

3. Increase engagement with community experiences

Driving engagement on Instagram takes more than just a pretty feed. With the algorithm now actively favoring genuine community engagement and interaction, brands need to prioritize building connections with their audiences.

For example, Instagram launched broadcast channels last year as a one way messaging tool for creators to engage with their followers. These channels will give creators an opportunity to give the latest updates to their followers in a more intimate and interactive space.

This is an example of Quek Shio‘s broadcast channel to get a better understanding of what they look like:

Currently, creators can send text, photo, video and voice notes in broadcast channels. They can also share question cards and polls to gather fan feedback. However, it’s still unclear whether this feature will expand to business accounts or if it will remain just for digital content creators.

Alternatively, brands can add followers to their Close Friends list to share exclusive content, stories, offers and updates. Gather feedback, answer questions, share behind-the-scenes footage and even create an exclusive list for customers only.

Invite people to join your Close Friends list by talking about it in a post or story like Tina Davies Professional.

4. Increase traffic with multiple links from bio

Remember the good ol’ link in bio?

Previously, you could only add one link to your Instagram profile. Most marketers relied on tools like Linktree to condense all their important channels and pages into a single link.

Now, you can include up to five external links in your Instagram bio. See Ring Concierge’s Instagram profile to see how they show up when you click into them:

For omnichannel brands, this is a huge opportunity to drive traffic to multiple channels and touchpoints. A retail brand could take users to their best selling product page, FAQs section, YouTube channel and online shop. A SaaS brand could send people to their highest converting landing page, latest blog post and a new downloadable eBook.

Here’s how to add multiple links to your bio:

Open the Instagram app
Tap on your account
Tap Edit profile under your profile picture
Tap Add links
Tap + Add external link
Enter the URL and title of the link you want to add
Hit Done in the top right corner
Tap + Add external link again to add another link

You can also delete links and/or change them anytime you want. This offers a lot of flexibility to brands that want to boost new campaigns and content on channels other than Instagram.

5. Boost visibility using Instagram SEO

Social search is a rapidly growing trend. Last year, a combined 29% of Gen Z and Millennials flocked to social media platforms instead of actual search engines to find information. And this number continues to grow in 2024.

Optimizing for native search is more important than ever. Instagram’s algorithm is working constantly to deliver relevant, personalized and intent based content to users’ feeds. To stand out, marketers need an Instagram SEO strategy that goes beyond just using the right hashtags.

Here are some tips to help your Instagram content rank higher in Explore and user feeds:

Find the right keywords: Pinpoint specific keywords your audience is searching for to guide your content creation strategy. For instance, if there’s a rising interest in vegan recipes, create content around keywords like “vegan breakfast ideas” or “plant-based dinners.”
Optimize subtitles and captions: Incorporate keywords into the text part of your Instagram posts and stories. Use them in subtitles, captions, tags and stickers. Don’t forget to keep it engaging. You could start with a question like “Who else loves smoothie bowls?” to prompt user engagement and include keywords naturally.
Follow and engage with similar accounts: Actively comment on and like posts from accounts in your niche, such as other vegan food bloggers, to increase visibility and encourage cross-engagement.
Add alt text to your posts: Adding descriptive alt text to images, like “vegan avocado toast on a rustic table,” improves your post’s accessibility and helps Instagram’s algorithm understand and categorize your content better.
Hop on the latest trends: Stay updated with viral hashtags or challenges and incorporate them when relevant. If #Veganuary is trending, join the conversation by sharing your unique vegan recipes or tips.
Stick to the official guidelines: Ensure your content follows Instagram’s recommendation guidelines to boost its chances of ranking higher in feeds and showing up in front of the right audiences.

6. Create brand partnerships with native Instagram tools

Instagram has long been the top platform for brands and influencers to work together. It’s easy to see why—consumers are 1.5x more likely to be interested in viewing branded creator content on Instagram than on other platforms.

In 2024, Instagram is taking brand collaborations more seriously than ever. They’ve already introduced a bunch of tools and features to facilitate these partnerships.

For example, brands can allow other Instagram accounts, such as influencers or partners, to add product tags in their posts. Users who click on these tags will be taken directly to the brand’s Instagram shop and would be able to check out on the platform.

Brands can also share collaborative posts with partners and influencers. Users can “invite collaborators” to a post as well as tag brands in paid partnerships, having both involved accounts show up—and publishing the post to both collaborators’ profiles.

To see what they look like, check out this collaborative post done by food blogger, Appetite Foodie, and Bang Bang Oriental, a food hall in London:

But perhaps the most exciting update is the launch of Instagram’s Creator Marketplace. It’s kind of like Instagram’s own influencer management platform where brands can find creators to work with, share campaign ideas and structured outlines with them, manage communication, discuss compensation and more all in one place.

Image Source: Instagram

Creator Marketplace is currently only available to brands in the US. Businesses interested in joining the marketplace can fill out this form.

7. Food content is trending on Instagram

If you’ve been on Instagram for a while, you know food content is big on the platform. We’re not just talking beautiful, mouthwatering photos of food. This year, it’s also about quick, easy and healthy recipes and Reels users can’t stop watching.

And it makes sense. Most people on Instagram are 18-34 years old—an age group that significantly contributes to food culture online. On top of that, Gen Z isn’t afraid of what’s trending on the plate. In fact, they’re fascinated by it. A notable 45% are intrigued by vegan products, while 42% are willing to try plant based meat.

Plus, when you look at larger societal shifts towards saving money as well as health, wellness and mindful eating, it’s easy to see why users want more content about making and consuming restaurant quality food at home.

For food and restaurant brands, this presents a major opportunity on Instagram. Get creative with easy-to-follow recipe tutorials, cooking tips or mouthwatering food styling Reels. Go live while preparing customer favorites or spotlighting local farms that supply your ingredients.

Here is an example of how The Baker’s Grove in New Jersey did it well:

These bites of food content, especially when optimized with Instagram hashtags and captions that spark conversation, can drive huge visibility for your business.

Not just for restaurants, brands selling kitchenware, meal services, courses and more can all capitalize on users’ cravings for cooking inspiration. Show how your product can help them elevate homemade meals or present enticing close-ups of dishes your item helped prepare.

Even brands in unrelated verticals should incorporate food content when possible. Take this example from IKEA:

There are opportunities to spotlight office kitchen areas or cafes. Show your team enjoying meals prepared by featured vendors. Genuinely connect with audiences over universal topics like favorite comfort foods or go to late night snacks.

Food has exceptional power to build strong, personal connections. Find creative ways to incorporate food content into your Instagram strategy while keeping it relevant to position your brand for growth in 2024.

8. Leverage user generated content

User-generated content (UGC) currently dominates Instagram—for good reason. Hard selling promotional tactics don’t work anymore. People now crave authenticity and relatability, especially on a platform they’re spending hours on daily.

And the strongest brands tap into this free marketing by creatively repurposing posts from real customers. It’s the most powerful way to build trust, drive engagement and grow on the platform.

So, how do you get your hands on quality Instagram UGC?

Big brands like BMW, Samsung and Apple use hashtags to source user-generated content.

#shotoniphone has 29.6 million posts
#bmwrepost has 2.8 million posts
#withgalaxy has 1.9 million posts

Samsung has even created a separate Instagram account to showcase UGC. Creators looking to get some exposure on the platform gladly tag photos taken with their Samsung devices with #withGalaxy for a chance to be featured on the brand’s page—which has an impressive following of 4.8 million users.

Another way to encourage UGC is to run competitions and reward the best entry or entries. Or, partner with influencers and creators in your niche. Ask them to share honest product reviews or send them free PR packages to create unboxing videos you can repost on your brand’s page.

Jake the Bengal, the cat influencer, and Cheerble, the Pet Store, created a collaborative paid partnership post to advertise Cheerble’s cat toy.

You can ask permission to repost organic stories and posts featuring your product from non influencer public accounts. These are highly effective as they show genuinely happy customers using your brand in their day-to-day lives.

9. Paid promotions expand your reach

As the popularity of social media platforms grows, the need for algorithms to best serve their users also grows. And when an algorithm is deciding who gets served your content, you might see a decline in reach. Because of this, Instagram paid promotions are a growing trend in 2024.

Let’s go back to our exercise from the first trend, where we scrolled down to see the first 10 to 20 posts.

If your feed was anything like mine, you saw about nine Reels, six regular posts and five sponsored posts. That means about 25% of your feed is filled with paid ads, like the Deel one below.

While that might seem like a lot, let’s look at it from a different perspective. It also means that 25% of your target audience’s feed is filled with sponsored posts. And that if you start investing in Instagram ads, your brand can own part of that 25%.

Use Instagram trends to update your strategy

Thousands of factors influence Instagram trends—other platforms, new features, consumer behavior and societal shifts are just a few. Keeping up with the current trends on Instagram freshens up your content and shows your audience you’re not afraid to try new things.

Looking to level up your Instagram marketing in 2024? Check out our guide to using Instagram for brands to learn how to set goals, create a content strategy, drive engagement and grow your business on the platform.

The post 9 Instagram trends to watch in 2024 appeared first on Sprout Social.

Instagram statistics you need to know for 2024 [Updated]

Jacqueline Zote — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 16:42:27 +0000

You may be constantly monitoring your Instagram performance. But your brand’s numbers alone aren’t enough to give you a complete picture. You need to stay updated with the latest Instagram statistics to understand industry benchmarks and trends.

Staying on top of the latest social media stats will help you anticipate changes and fine-tune your strategy accordingly. This is particularly true for a platform like Instagram, which evolves rapidly with new features.

So let’s take a look at some of the top Instagram stats that will inform your strategy for 2024.

Table of contents

Instagram user statistics
Instagram usage statistics
Instagram audience and demographics statistics
Instagram advertising and marketing statistics
Instagram Stories and Reels statistics
Instagram for business statistics
Instagram influencer statistics
Making the most of these Instagram stats

Instagram user statistics

Understanding how people perceive and use the platform will help you understand the best way to connect with them. This will help you develop Instagram best practices to implement in your strategy. These Instagram user statistics can give you a better look:

1. Almost every Instagram user uses the app alongside other platforms

According to data from Kepios, only 0.2% of Instagram users are unique to the platform. A large number of users use it alongside other social media platforms such as Facebook (80.8%), YouTube (77.4%) and TikTok (52.8%). That means having a solid cross-platform marketing strategy is crucial for your brand to succeed.

2. Posting/sharing photos or videos continues to be the top activity

In previous years, people were largely using Instagram to post or share photos and videos. The numbers aren’t changing much in 2024 with the Kepios report showing that 70.4% of users are using the platform for this reason. This indicates a desire for users to be creative and express themselves.

3. People are seeking entertainment on the platform

The same report shows that people are increasingly using the platform for entertainment. Looking for funny or entertaining content was the second most popular activity, with 64.8% of users engaging in it. So brands should get ahead by creating Instagram content that can entertain their audience.

Instagram usage statistics

How popular is Instagram in terms of usage? Let’s take a look at these Instagram usage statistics to find out:

4. There are 2 billion monthly active users on Instagram

Latest reports show that Instagram has 2 billion monthly active users. While not at the Facebook level (over 3 billion), this is still huge for brands on Instagram. With the right strategies to get more Instagram followers, these users could turn into loyal fans of your brand.

5. US adults spend 33 minutes per day on the platform

Video-based platforms like YouTube and TikTok have become a huge hit among social media users. At the same time, people are still spending a significant amount of time on Instagram. In fact, time spent on Instagram has seen a slight increase in the past year. U.S. adults are spending 33.1 minutes per day on the platform. This is a 3-minute increase from the previous year.

Source: Insider Intelligence

Instagram audience and demographics statistics

Understanding Instagram’s demographics data gives you an idea of the types of people who use the platform. This helps you assess whether the platform is relevant to your target audience. Here’s a quick breakdown of Instagram statistics related to its audience and demographics.

6. There are more male than female users

Based on available data on Instagram users worldwide by gender, there are more male users (51.8%) than female users (48.2%) as of January 2023. The audience is a near even split, meaning the platform isn’t inherently better for reaching one demographic audience over another.

7. Instagram is most popular among younger audiences

The platform sees the highest usage among people aged between 18 and 34. People within these age groups make up over 60% of Instagram’s user base. As such, the platform is ideal if your target audience consists of young adults and Millennials.

Source: Statista

8. India and the United States have the greatest number of users

Much like other platforms, India leads the way even when it comes to Instagram. The country has 229.5 million Instagram users. The United States comes next with 149.35 million users.

Instagram advertising and marketing statistics

Are you getting the most out of your Instagram advertising efforts? Is it even worth it to market your brand on Instagram? Here are a few Instagram stats to give you the answers you need.

9. Instagram ad reach is growing

Along with the increase in users, Instagram is offering an increase in ad reach. The Instagram statistics report from Kepios shows a 12.2% year-over-year increase in ad reach. This makes the platform an ideal choice for brands that want to advertise on Instagram.

10. In-feed ads make up most of the platform’s ad revenue

Oberlo reports that Instagram ad revenue reached $50.58 billion in 2023. Out of this, in-feed ads were a major contributor. Meanwhile, ads on Instagram Stories made up 26.7% of the platform’s ad revenue. In 2024, it’s anticipated that Instagram ad revenue will reach $59.6 billion.

11. Feed ads have a higher click-through rate (CTR) than Stories ads

A likely explanation for the preference of in-feed ads is the higher click-through rate (CTR)

Brafton reports that the CTR for feed ads on Instagram ranges between 0.22% and 0.88%. Meanwhile, Stories ads have a CTR between 0.33% and 0.54%.

These numbers suggest that in-feed ads have a higher potential to drive clicks than Stories ads. However, consider experimenting with different ad placements to see which one works best with your audience.

12. The average cost-per-click (CPC) of Instagram ads is $0.00 – $0.25

Ad costs on Instagram are comparable to other leading platforms like Facebook.

According to a WebFX survey, the CPC for Instagram ads is between $0.00 and $0.25. Impressions cost slightly more, with 46% of companies paying between $0.00 and $4.00 CPM (cost-per-impression) per 1,000 impressions. Meanwhile, you can expect to spend around $0.03 to $0.08 in CPE (cost-per-engagement).

Source: WebFX

13. Brands see an average conversion rate of 1%

Bazaarvoice found that the average conversion rate for top-performing brands on Instagram was 1%. During this analysis, it discovered a close relationship between reach and conversion rate.

Interestingly, it’s no longer just the brands with smaller followings that are boasting higher conversions. Brands having up to 100k followers did see higher-than-average conversions compared to last year (1.1% vs. 0.3%). And those with fewer than 10k followers still boast the highest conversion rate (1.3%), but not as much of a lead as last year (2.6%). However, brands having between 500k and 1 million followers had similar conversion rates as past years (0.7%).

Source: Bazaarvoice

Instagram Stories and Reels statistics

Instagram offers a wide range of content types to choose from, with Stories and Reels being popular options. Check out these Stories and Reels statistics to see how these formats are performing:

14. Story reach rate is picking back up

In spite of a decline in the previous years, the reach rate for Instagram Stories is finally starting to rise again. According to a RivalQ study, smaller brands with under 10k followers experienced the most significant increase (35%) in Story reach rate. Other groups experienced minor increases while the reach rate for mid-size brands flatlined.

Source: RivalIQ

15. Retention rate continues to decline with an increase in the number of frames

The same Rival IQ study found that the number of frames you post to your Instagram Stories determines how well you retain your audience. After a major dip from the first two frames, the median retention rate remains at 81% by the fourth frame. Story retention rate starts to dip below 75% after the seventh frame.

16. Short narrative-type Stories are the most popular format

When it comes to the types of Stories that people want to see, short narratives are the most popular. Thirty-five percent of consumers prefer these types of Stories with a mix of photos, videos and text. Stories with quizzes and polls were another popular option.

So if you’re running out of Instagram Story ideas, use these stats to brainstorm new ideas that engage your audience.

Source: HubSpot

17. Reels still have the highest reach rate

Since their introduction, Reels have continued to surpass other content types in terms of reach. A Socialinsider study found that Reels see an average reach rate of 30.81%. That’s double the reach rate of other content formats. Even in terms of impressions, Reels surpass other post types with 2x more impressions.

However, this upward trend could soon end as the visibility of Reels experiences a slowdown. The RivalIQ study from earlier found that Reels had the smallest increase in reach compared to other post types.

18. Reels engagement is dropping

On that note, engagement rates for Instagram Reels are starting to drop. The SocialInsider study found a 25% decline in Reels engagement over 2023.

That said, the average engagement rate for Instagram Reels still stands at 1.23% per post and it continues to be the most engaging Instagram post type.

Source: SocialInsider

The declining numbers in engagement don’t mean brands should stop creating Reels. Rather, it indicates a need to create Reels content that engages your audience. Check out our Instagram Reel ideas guide to create capitvating Reels and keep up with the competition.

Instagram for business statistics

So far, the benefits of Instagram for marketing your business are clear. Let’s further dive into these Instagram for business stats to really understand its value:

19. 70% of shoppers look to Instagram for their next purchase

Internal Instagram data reveals that 70% of shoppers look to the platform for their next purchase. Meaning this is where people go to find purchase inspiration and discover new products.

20. More than half of Instagram users follow/research brands and products

Although people mostly use Instagram to share and consume content, that’s not the only thing they do. The good news for brands is that plenty of users engage with brands on the platform.

Based on the same Kepios Instagram statistics report above, 62.7% of Instagram users follow or research brands and products on the app. This makes it the third most preferred activity on Instagram, highlighting the platform’s role in informing people’s buying decisions.

More importantly, it’s the most used platform for researching and following brands and products compared to all other social media platforms.

Instagram influencer statistics

Instagram’s place in the influencer marketing landscape continues to solidify. This means that many brands are turning to the platform to execute their influencer marketing campaigns. Here’s a quick look at some leading influencer marketing stats for Instagram:

21. Instagram is the top platform for influencer marketing

Unsurprisingly, Instagram is the most used platform for influencer marketing. The latest stats reveal that 80.8% of marketers plan to use it for influencer marketing in 2024. So if you’re planning to work with influencers, Instagram is a great place to start.

22. Most Instagram influencers are nano influencers

According to Statista, nano influencers having 1,000-10,000 followers make up 65.39% of Instagram influencer accounts. Micro-influencers are the second most popular group making up 27.73% of influencer accounts.

Source: Statista

This is great news for brands, especially with the popularity of nano influencer marketing. It means brands have an abundance of options on the platform to find the perfect influencers with the right niche and engaged audiences.

Making the most of these Instagram stats

The above Instagram statistics give you a clearer picture of the landscape, so you know what you’re up against. Make the most of them to build a solid Instagram marketing strategy for your brand.

The post Instagram statistics you need to know for 2024 [Updated] appeared first on Sprout Social.

Always up-to-date guide to social media image sizes

Elizabeth Arens — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 20:43:00 +0000

Last Updated: January 29, 2024

Whether it’s a brand promotion, video, news update or even a meme, visual content rules the social media landscape. What has become so important is effectively conveying your brand on social media through images and video.

The visual face of your brand is oftentimes the first thing your audience sees and possibly the one thing they remember. It’s difficult to reuse the same image across all social networks unless you have a free social media image resizing tool like Landscape.

Sprout Social’s very own tool is free to use to resize, crop and scale social media image sizes. And along with our resizing tool, we’ve provided all the specific dimensions and a few quick tips to help you decide which image best fits each position.

Before we get into it, here are some additional resources:

Easily reference this social media image sizes list in our always up-to-date Google Doc.
Bookmark our social media video specs and ad guide!
Download free social media images that are already optimized!

Easily manage multimedia content with Sprout

Sprout’s Asset Library simplifies publishing and asset management by providing you with a centralized location to store images, videos and text.

Quickly create, organize, edit and publish assets directly from the Asset Library to deliver on-brand, visually engaging posts for any connected social network.

Start Your Free Trial

Social Media Image Sizes Per Network

These links will make it easier for you to navigate to the specific social media image sizes per network:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
LinkedIn
Pinterest
YouTube
Google My Business

Facebook Image Sizes

With 2.96 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the world’s largest social network. For that reason alone, it’s important to have attractive and engaging images that are optimized for the platform.

Remember that different devices, whether it’s mobile or desktop, render differently. Make sure that you are choosing dimensions based on where you want the majority of viewers to see your image.

Learn more about Facebook image sizes

Get specs and tips for implementing the best visual content on Facebook with these guides:

Facebook Profile Picture

Say cheese: your profile picture represents you or your brand on Facebook. This is the round photo that appears on your timeline layered over your cover photo. Your profile picture will also appear when you post to other walls, comment on posts or when your profile is searched.

Facebook profile picture image guidelines

Recommended image size: 320×320 pixels
Minimum file size: 180×60 pixels
Displays:
- 176×176 pixels (desktop)
- 196×196 pixels (smartphones)
- 36×36 pixels (most feature phones)
Recommended file type: JPG, PNG
Profile pictures are cropped to a circle

Facebook Business Page Profile Picture

Facebook changed its Profile image for Business Pages to appear to the left side of the screen. The new look helps Facebook Business Pages follow a similar appearance as personal accounts. However, the dimensions are the same, but the photo appears on the page slightly different.

Facebook Business Page profile image guidelines

Recommended image size: 320×320 pixels
Minimum file size: 180×60 pixels
Displays:
- 176×176 pixels (desktop)
- 196×196 pixels (smartphones)
- 36×36 pixels (most feature phones)
- Recommended file type: JPG, PNG
Profile pictures are cropped to a circle

Facebook Profile and Business Page Cover Photo

Your Facebook cover photo will only appear on your Facebook timeline, and it stretches across the entire screen, which gives you more freedom to choose something creative or supplement your profile picture. Where your profile picture might be a good choice for a picture of you or a brand logo, use this space to post something that speaks more toward you as an individual or as a brand.

Facebook profile and Business Page cover photo image guidelines

Ratio: 16:9
Minimum required size: 400×150 pixels
Recommended image size: 851×315 pixels
Mobile display size: 640×260 pixels
Max file size: 100kb
Recommended file type: JPG, PNG
Notes:
- The left side of your cover photo will be covered by your profile picture. On mobile, it could be 75% of your profile picture will overlap into the cover photo.
- Images with a logo or text may be best as a PNG file
- Business Page dimensions are exactly the same as personal accounts.

Facebook Shared Image

A shared image is one of the most common forms of sharing on Facebook. These images will always appear on your timeline, and ideally they will show up in most of your followers’ News Feeds — though with the Facebook algorithm determining which content will be served, it’s unlikely that everyone will see your post. The more people engage with your post, the more likely it is that the rest of your followers and their followers will see that activity.

Facebook shared image guidelines

Recommended image size: 1080×1350 pixels
Maximum file size: 8MB
Recommended file type: JPG, PNG, GIF
Appears in feed at a max width of 470 pixels (will scale to a max of 1:1)
Appears on page at a max width of 504 pixels (will scale to a max of 1:1)

Facebook Shared Link

Another great tool in your Facebook belt is the ability to share a link. It’s very similar to posting a shared image, but it gives you even more fields to work with. You can choose to create a shared link with a small square image to the left and text on the right, or with a larger rectangular image on top with text underneath.

Facebook shared link image guidelines

Recommended image size: 1080×1350 pixels
Displays:
- 479×246 pixels (desktop)
- 320 pixel width (mobile)
Minimum size: 200×200 pixels
Maximum file size: 8MB
Facebook will scale photos under the minimum dimensions. For better results, increase image resolution at the same scale as the minimum size.

Facebook Event Image

Facebook Events help capture the attention of users and cut through the noise on Facebook. Reminders are sent to your audience and having a good space with an even better image is important. Make sure you have the right dimensions down for a Facebook Event cover photo.

Facebook Event image guidelines

Recommended image size: 1920×1005
Facebook will scale down to minimum dimensions: 400×150 pixels
Facebook recommends for best results, choose photos that are 400×150 pixels.

Facebook Fundraiser image

Facebook has added the ability to create a fundraiser for charitable organizations or personal causes. The cover photo for these fundraisers slightly varies from a typical Facebook cover photo, with a minimum size of 400×150. The best experience across many display types will come from a higher resolution image, though.

Looking for Facebook ad sizes?

Facebook ad formatting can be even more complex than organic posts, so for more guidelines, check out our complete guide to every Facebook ad size!

Find more information on the image sizes for Facebook, visit the Facebook Help Center.

Twitter Image Sizes

With 436 million monthly active users, Twitter is one of the social media networks that your customers will most often use to discuss your brand.

X (fka Twitter) Profile Photo

Your X profile photo is the main image that represents you or your brand across the network. It’s going to be seen across the site in a number of places by a number of people so make sure it’s of the highest quality. Here’s the places your profile photo will be visible on the site.

On your page: The largest display of your profile picture is on your homepage and can be viewed by your followers as well as individuals who stumble upon your page.
In-stream: A smaller version of your profile picture appears in a follower’s X stream every time you Post or are Reposted.
Who to follow: Your profile picture is also going to appear next to a link to your page in the “Who to follow” box. This is located directly to the right of your X stream on desktop. Choose a recognizable image here.

X (fka Twitter) profile photo image guidelines

Recommended image size: 400×400 pixels
Maximum file size: 5MB
Image types include: JPG, GIF or PNG

X (fka Twitter) Header Photo

Your header photo is the image that spans the top of your X profile page. It’s quite a bit larger than your profile photo so make sure to save it at the highest resolution possible. Because you have more room to be creative with this picture and it will likely be the first thing your visitors see, make it something captivating.

X (fka Twitter) header image guidelines

Recommended image size: 1500×500 pixels
Maximum file size: 5MB
Recommended file type: JPG, GIF or PNG

X (fka Twitter) In-Stream Photos and Shared Links

X users can attach photos to any of their Posts. Depending on whether you’re attaching one or many photos or sharing a link, the way photos crop and display in stream will vary slightly.

Fortunately, in 2021, X made waves with #TwitterCropIsGone, eliminating the sometimes-unfavorable automated cropping for vertical images that had often become the subject of memes and in-jokes among users of the platform. Extremely wide or tall images with unusual dimensions may still get cropped, but for most images in standard 4:3 or 16:9 dimensions, you won’t have to worry as much about centering subjects around automated cropping.

The following are some best practices to get an optimal result, and you can also preview the end result in Sprout’s Compose window before you publish.

Recommended sizes for images by types of Posts:

Recommended image sizes:
- Minimum: 600×335 pixels
- Landscape: 1024×512 pixels (minimum) and 1600×900 pixels (recommended)
- Square: 1080×1080 pixels
- Portrait: 1080×1350 pixels
Recommended aspect ratio: 16:9
Maximum file size:
- 5 MB for JPG, PNG on mobile and desktop
- 5 MB for GIFs on mobile
- 15 MB for GIFs on desktop
Maximum number of images per post: 4 images

Find more information on in-stream photos at the X Help Center.

Instagram Image Sizes

Instagram is one of the most popular photo-sharing social networks. It’s the best place to showcase your visual creativity, even down to making a compelling grid out of the way your photos’ thumbnails display in sequence.

Instagram Profile Picture

Instagram is based on visuals, which should be an indication of how important it is to follow these image size guidelines. Ensure your profile image is recognizable so users can find you even easier through search or explore.

Instagram profile picture image guidelines

Recommended image size: 110×110 pixels
Recommended aspect ratio: 1:1, 4:5

Instagram Photo Size (Feed & Ad)

Because Instagram is all about sharing visual content – both images and videos – that appear in your followers’ feeds, it’s important to use higher resolution photos. Whether you’re posting natively in the app, via desktop or through a social media management tool, these guidelines below will help you put your best foot forward.

Instagram photo size (feed & ad) image guidelines

Recommended image size: 1080×1080 pixels or 1080×1350 pixels
Recommended minimum width: 1080 pixels
- Images with a width between 320 and 1080 pixels will be kept at the original resolution as long as it fits the recommended aspect ratio listed below
- If images are a lower resolution, Instagram will enlarge to a width of 320 pixels
- If images are a higher resolution, Instagram will shrink it to a width of 1080 pixels
Recommended aspect ratio: 1.91:1 or 4:5
- Images will be cropped to fit a supported ratio
Maximum file size: 8MB
Recommended file type: JPG and PNG
Maximum number of images per post: 10 images

Instagram Photo Thumbnails

When someone goes to your page, they’ll be presented with all of your content arranged in rows of thumbnails. These smaller renditions of your images and videos will expand when clicked and include a place for people to comment.

Instagram photo thumbnails image guidelines

Thumbnails will appear at 161×161 pixels
Recommended image width: 1080 pixel
Feed aspect ratio: 1:1

Instagram Stories

Instagram Stories are a popular source of visuals on the app. There are both video and image options available to publish. And while this feature was originally meant to be ephemeral, it’s possible to upload your own content and build a strategy around Stories engagement.

Instagram Story image guidelines

Recommended resolution: 1080×1920
Minimum resolution: 150×150
Aspect ratio: 9:16
- Aspect ratio for Instagram Story images published through Sprout: 4:5 to 1.91:1

For those looking for more info on Instagram ad sizes, including video specs, check out this guide!

TikTok Image Sizes

With 1 billion monthly active users, TikTok has grown considerably over the last few years. With nearly half its users under the age of 30, TikTok is becoming the social platform for younger target audiences.

TikTok Profile Image

All TikTok users have the option to upload a profile image to their accounts. This is the perfect opportunity for businesses to showcase their personalities through branding or to highlight a specific campaign.

TikTok profile image guidelines

Minimum image size: 200×200 pixels
Recommended file type: JPG, GIF or PNG

Looking for more TikTok specs? Our Always-Up-To-Date Video Specs guide can answer those questions.

LinkedIn Image Sizes

With 467 million registered users, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network. Where other social networks may be good drivers of traffic and customers, LinkedIn is a great place for you to source great employees and to connect with other industry leaders.

LinkedIn Personal Profile Image

LinkedIn started using a new layout for personal profiles and kept the box logo with company pages (more on that below). However, the personal profile dimensions for LinkedIn is very straightforward. This is the main image that represents you on your personal profile. So anytime someone takes a look at your profile for some quick info, this is the prominent image that represents you. It’s important to get the size right.

LinkedIn personal profile image guidelines

Minimum image size: 268×268 pixels
Recommended image size: 400×400 pixels
Maximum file size: 3MB
Recommended file type: JPG or PNG

LinkedIn Cover Image

LinkedIn’s background image is a newer feature for your personal profile. It’s a little bit trickier to find something that really fits that space well, but if you get it right, your profile will look great.

LinkedIn cover image guidelines

Recommended image size: 1128×191 pixels
Maximum file size: 3MB
Recommended file type: JPG or PNG

LinkedIn Company Logo Image

One of the two brand logos that you should be uploading to LinkedIn is the standard company logo. This is the bigger of the two and is going to show up right next to your brand name on your LinkedIn homepage. This image also appears in the “Companies you may want to follow” section. The more enticing the photo, the more likely you’ll gain followers.

LinkedIn Company logo image guidelines

Minimum image size: 268×268 pixels
Recommended image size: 400×400 pixels
Maximum file size: 3MB
Recommended file type: JPG or PNG

LinkedIn Company Cover Image

Unlike the personal background image, the company or standard business background image covers the entire top of the page. The image appears much larger than the personal dimensions, giving businesses a bit more space.

LinkedIn Company cover image guidelines

Recommended image size: 1128×191 pixels
Maximum file size: 3MB natively
Maximum file size: 5MB via Sprout
Recommended file type: JPG or PNG

LinkedIn Shared Image or Link

This size works for LinkedIn posts that share a photo or a link with an image to a blog post or article to your company page’s feed.

LinkedIn shared image or link image guidelines

Recommended image size for links: 1200×627 pixels, based on mobile scaling
Recommended file type: JPG or PNG

LinkedIn Life Tab – Main Image & Company Photos

The Life tab on LinkedIn company pages lets you provide a more in-depth look at the day to day experience of your company’s employees. Currently, the two types of images you can upload here are the main image, which serves as a hero and highlight to your page, and the horizontal scrolling gallery of other company photos beneath.

LinkedIn Life tab image guidelines

Recommended size for main image: 1128×376
Recommended size for company photos: 900×600
Recommended file type: JPG or PNG
The Life tab only appears on the mobile app, and not the mobile web version of LinkedIn, so exact display sizes will vary by device. Upload the recommended size for the best experience.

Find more information in the LinkedIn Help Center.

Pinterest Image Sizes

Pinterest Profile Picture

When setting up your Pinterest account you have the option to do so using Facebook, Google or email. If you choose Facebook or Google, Pinterest will pull in the profile image that you have set there.

If you’re using email, or would prefer to use a different photo, you can do that too: just upload a square photograph (the larger the better) and Pinterest will resize it to fit. Like other social sites your profile picture on Pinterest should be something closely tied to you or your brand.

Pinterest profile picture image guidelines

Recommended image size: 165×165 pixels
Maximum file size: 10MB
Recommended image type: JPG and PNG

Pinterest Pin Sizes

When adding a pin to your board, it’s important to remember that Pinterest puts a limit on the width of the image but not the length. This gives you the opportunity to add a photo that’s square or one that will scale to be even taller. Just remember to make sure you’re creating large images because they add more value, not just because you can.

Pinterest Pin sizes image guidelines

Recommended image size: 735×1102 pixels
Recommended ratio: 2:3
Recommended file size: 20MB max, but only 10 MB when publishing via Sprout
Recommended file type: JPG, PNG, GIF
Note: Larger are resized to display at a width of 238 pixels with scaled height in feeds.

Text Guidelines

Title character count: 100 characters max
Textbox character count: 250 characters max

Pinterest Board Display

Creating boards is one of the most important things that you can do on Pinterest. Not only is it important to choose a photo that is enticing to your audience, it’s important to choose one that’s relevant to that particular board.

Pinterest Board display image guidelines

Final display: 222×150 pixels (large thumbnail)
Final display: 55×55 pixels (smaller thumbnail)

Find more information in the Pinterest Help Center.

YouTube Image Sizes

YouTube has more than 2.5 billion unique users every month and is available on hundreds of millions of devices. Millions of brands have already realized that YouTube is a great opportunity to reach their fan-base.

YouTube Channel Profile Image

YouTube allows you to select different profile image borders, but the dimensions stay the same. Ensure your YouTube has a profile image set up before you select your border.

YouTube Channel profile image guidelines

Recommended image size: 800×800 pixels
Minimum image size: 98×98 pixels
Maximum file size: 4MB
Recommended image files: PNG or GIF (no animations)

YouTube Channel Cover Photo

Spice up your YouTube channel with some “channel art.” When users click through your YouTube videos to your channel, some appealing images could entice them to stay on your page longer and watch more of your videos.

YouTube Channel cover photo image guidelines

Recommended file size: 2560×1440 pixels
Minimum file size: 2048×1152 pixels
Safe area for mobile and web (without text and logo cropping): 1546×423 pixels
Maximum file size: 6MB
Recommended image files: PNG or GIF

Across Different Devices

There are a lot of different platforms and devices that users can stream YouTube on so it’s important that you review your creative across devices and confirm that the most important parts of your image, such as text or logos, are displaying legibly in the “safe zone” noted above.

Find more information in the YouTube Help Center.

YouTube Video Uploads

Uploading your content to YouTube is the one of the most important parts of establishing your presence on the site. Videos can tell viewers something about you as a person, or it could show off something that your business might offer.

YouTube video guidelines

Videos must maintain a 16:9 aspect ratio. Smaller videos such as 4:3 will be pillarboxed to fit.
YouTube Shorts must maintain a 9:16 aspect ratio and 1920×1080 pixels.

For more on the specifics of YouTube video optimization, or to size video on any other social network, check out our complete guide to social media video specs.

Google My Business Image Sizes

Google My Business has become an essential platform for businesses with local, brick-and-mortar presences to gain visibility and conduct their review management strategy.

Types of Images for Google My Business

Logo: Your recognizable logo image. May not be available for all types of businesses–see Google guidelines for more detail.
Cover photo: A photo of your business that will typically be the first one shown. Choose a photo that gives the best overall representation of your place of business for this photo.
Business photo: You can use your other business photos to highlight different elements of your business or offices and help show off what local visiting customers should look for when they stop by.

For all three types of images, Google’s official guidelines recommend the below specs for the best appearance on the platform.

Google My Business image guidelines

Recommended resolution: 720×720 pixels
Minimum resolution: 250×250 pixels
File size maximum: 5 MB
Image file type: JPG or PNG

The post Always up-to-date guide to social media image sizes appeared first on Sprout Social.

20 Best Instagram tools to level up your presence

Brent Barnhart — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 14:39:11 +0000

Creating an Instagram marketing strategy is an involved process. There are multiple types of content to consider (posts, Reels and Stories), different formats to create (photo, graphic and video) and different times to publish your content.

To make sure you’re consistently delivering high-quality content without overextending your team, turn to Instagram tools. There are a number of online tools available to help make processes easier than ever.

Throughout this article, we’re going to introduce you to the 20 best Instagram tools on the market and how they can help your team improve your overall Instagram presence.

All-in-one Instagram management tools
Instagram tools for publishing and scheduling
Instagram tools for analytics
Instagram editing tools for Stories and Reels
Instagram tools for hashtags, listening and trendspotting
Instagram tools for custom bio links

Why do you need an Instagram business tool?

There are so many things you can do inside the Instagram app—post content, leave comments, track hashtags, check insights. But there are so many more things you can do if you’re a business on Instagram by using an Instagram tool.

Imagine performing tasks such as:

Scheduling a batch of content ahead of time
Compiling a report of your Instagram performance (and other platforms if need be)
Managing all comments and messages in a single social inbox
Automating processes like direct messages, comments, following accounts and more
Collaborating with your teammates
Creating a landing page specific to your Instagram audience
Editing content to level up your Instagram presence

Social media tools help you maximize efficiency, create better content and boost your ROI from your marketing efforts. Read on to decide which tools will work best for your business’ needs.

All-in-one Instagram management tools

An all-in-one Instagram management tools can help you with pretty much all things Instagram for business. Scheduling, monitoring, analyzing, collaborating and so much more. Learn more about how all-in-one Instagram tools can be game-changers for your business.

1. Sprout Social

We gave ourselves the top spot for a reason!

Sprout Social represents the best all-in-one Instagram tool for brands that are serious about Instagram growth.

Strategic scheduling. In-depth analytics. Cross-publishing and collaboration.

And that only scratches the surface. When it comes to publishing, Sprout Social is a powerhouse with baked-in features like ViralPost which allows you to schedule content at times when your audience is most likely to be engaged.

Looking to add a first comment for posts as well? Look no further. An Instagram link in bio landing page? We got it.

Coupled with a comprehensive content calendar, you can manage all of your social campaigns in a single platform (including ones beyond Instagram).

Collaboration options mean multiple colleagues and stakeholders can work within the app at the same time. Want to set up approvals or go back-and-forth with your creatives? Go for it!

Built-in hashtag and Instagram analytics and the ability to identify top-performing content are a game-changer for winning more followers and engaging the ones you have. Our platform lets you know exactly what’s working, what isn’t and where to go next with your content strategy.

You can also access cutting-edge AI tools that handle all automation tasks your team doesn’t need to worry about, so they can focus on the more important things.

You can do all of the above for your other social channels via Sprout’s Smart Inbox.

Pricing: Sprout offers a 30-day free trial. Visit our pricing page to explore all plans.

Instagram tools for publishing and scheduling

Instagram publishing tools are a must-have for brands, businesses and influencers alike.

This is especially true if you’re pushing out content on a regular basis.

The ability to schedule and queue up content is a game-changer if you’ve been stuck publishing in real-time or on the fly.

And although Instagram scheduling can be done natively, the process is a bit roundabout.

Instead, consider the value of having a central hub to plan your content calendar and execute your Instagram campaigns in one place. The tools below can help you do exactly that.

2. Loomly

Loomly’s brand success platform emphasizes approvals and workflows to streamline social publishing among teams. For Instagram specifically, Loomly is notable for its in-depth post previews, built-in first comment publishing and the ability to schedule Stories and Reels.

Simple, straightforward and affordable, the app is a no-frills tool for smaller teams and agencies looking to collaborate on Instagram content.

Pricing: Base plan starts at $32/mo for two users.

3. Sendible

Sendible is another social publishing tool with features tailor-made for agencies looking to schedule and promote social posts for clients.

The platform’s drag-and-drop functionality allows users to quickly move posts to different dates and platforms, while features like team chat and approvals make client content management a breeze. Another notable feature of the app is the ability to edit Instagram photos directly with the platform thanks to Sendible’s Canva integration.

Pricing: Creator plan starts at $29/mo.

Instagram tools for analytics

Making sense of your Instagram data is crucial to growing your presence.

You need to understand what’s moving the needle in terms of followers, comments, “Likes” and clicks. Beyond that, consider how third-party Instagram analytics tools can:

Highlight your top-performing content (and the common threads between your best posts)
Break down your account’s optimal posting time, publishing frequency and caption length
Show your account’s growth rate in terms of followers and engagement, plus other Instagram insights

4. Iconosquare

Iconosquare is one of the oldest Instagram analytics tools in the book, existing well before Instagram even offered its own built-in analytics. This tool has changed and evolved just as much as the platform itself has, making sure it always has new tools and features to offer its users.

These days, Iconosquare is still considered one of the go-to Instagram analytics tools out there, giving businesses access to details like follower growth, lost followers, impressions, reach, engagement and more.

Easily create exportable dashboards and reports so you can share your data across your team and organization. Plus, take advantage of other features like publishing, monitoring and customer service.

Pricing: Single plans start at $49/month for one user. Team plans start at $79/month for up to 10 users.

5. Keyhole

Keyhole is an Instagram analytics tool that works well for any business, but especially agencies—over 100k agencies use and love Keyhole’s analytics. This is because it’s easy to monitor analytics for multiple platforms and businesses from one easy-to-use dashboard.

Easily analyze your own performance—plus keep an eye on competitors, monitor online conversations surrounding your industry and brand, and stay on top of the latest social media trends with Keyhole.

Pricing: Individual plans start at $79/month for one user. Team plans start at $149/month for three users.

6. HypeAuditor

Perfect for influencer marketing audits and assessing an account’s growth rate, HypeAuditor tracks historical data and engagement data for Instagram accounts. This tool is particularly useful for double-checking engagement rates and spotting fake influencers or sudden spikes of new followers.

Pricing: HypeAuditor asks that interested businesses book a demo to learn more and get a quote.

7. Phlanx

Phlanx is another great Instagram analytics tool for businesses working with influencers. Discover engagement rates and get audit reports for influencers you’re interested in working with to make sure the content they create can adequately reach their audience. Phlanx has an engagement rate calculator that looks at each influencer’s follower count and average like count to calculate an accurate engagement rate.

Pricing: Basic plans start at $39/month when billed annually; otherwise basic plans start at $49/month.

8. Pixlee

Primarily for ecommerce brands looking to track their UGC, Pixlee makes it easy to assess the literal ROI from your Instagram presence. Custom analytics track revenue, conversion rates, and everything in-between when it comes to customer behavior and cash flow.

Pricing: Contact company for pricing.

9. Emplifi

Emplifi, previously SocialBakers, offers a seriously comprehensive suite of Instagram analytics, allowing you to dig into specific metrics with granular reporting or benchmark your performance versus your competitors. The platform’s Stories analytics are notable, breaking down past performance to inform your future content strategy.

Pricing: Contact company for pricing.

Instagram editing tools for Stories and Reels

Creativity counts on Instagram.

Not only do your Instagram Reels and Stories need to grab your audience’s attention but also be totally unique to your brand.

If you’re only using the tools Instagram offers natively, you run the risk of publishing run-of-the-mill content despite your best efforts. This is a particular problem if you’re going hard on Stories or Reels.

From flashy filters to eye-popping effects and beyond, the following Instagram editing tools can foster creativity and make your content feel more “must-see.”

10. CapCut

CapCut offers surprisingly powerful Instagram video editing for both Apple and Android, as well as a desktop editor, totally for free. Speed controls and quick editing cuts coupled with a massive library of sounds and filters represent an awesome all-in-one tool for brands looking to step up their video marketing.

Pricing: Free!

11. Stencil

If you’ve exhausted your photo editing options and filters on Canva or just want to try out a new graphic editor, give Stencil a go. Its easy-to-use drag-and-drop functionality allows you to mock up quotes, blog posts previews or just about any other text-based post in a matter of seconds. Built-in templates for Stories are a plus for brands and influencers.

Pricing: Free plan available; full-featured Unlimited plan is $12/mo.

12. Vixer

Exclusive to Apple, Vixer is a simple tool that can help you create more stylish Instagram Reels. The app’s filters, slideshows, voiceovers, and custom text are definitely an upgrade from default Reels editing. The platform also makes it a cinch to cross-post and share your Reels to TikTok (hint: don’t do the opposite).

Pricing: Free; in-app purchases required for full features.

13. Mojo

Animated tutorials and how-tos are all the rage on social media, particularly for businesses and brands.

Mojo’s mini Instagram studio makes it easy to whip up animated Stories with customer text effects, stylish cutaways and moving backgrounds. The app’s premium version allows you to save your brand creatives for repeat Stories and provides users with fresh templates each month.

Pricing: Free; in-app purchases required for full features.

Instagram tools for hashtags, listening and trendspotting

It’s no secret that Instagram moves quickly when it comes to trends.

With dedicated hashtag and social listening tools, you can master the art of trendspotting and keep a pulse on what your followers want to see from you. Consider how the tools below can help you:

Find fresh Instagram hashtags to extend your brand’s reach and introduce yourself to new audiences
Craft more impactful Instagram captions that people will actually engage with
Uncover trends and conversations related to your brand, industry and top competitors

14. Inflact

Inflact’s free hashtag generator uses advanced AI targeting to create a list of potential hashtags based on existing tags and related terms.

The tool also allows you to generate hashtags based on uploaded photos. Although the list provided can be pretty exhaustive, it’s a great place to start brainstorming potential tags to insert into your first comment on Instagram.

Pricing: Hashtag generator is free on-site; full listening and on Android and Apple devices; and hashtag features start at $54/mo (limited offer).

15. SISTRIX Hashtag Generator

This free hashtag generator allows you to input 25 queries a day for fresh hashtag ideas.

What sets SISTRIX’s tool apart is the ability to cross-reference relevant hastags to find the most appropriate for your audience. Doing so can help you refine your hashtag strategy if you’re staring at a long list of seemingly unrelated tags.

Pricing: Hashtag generator is free on-site for up to 25 queries per day.

16. Reputation

Not totally unlike Sprout’s own suite of Instagram listening tools, Reputation analyzes your mentions and customer sentiment to help you understand the crucial conversations happening about your business. For example, the app can highlight keyword terms associated with your brand and benchmark your engagement versus competitors.

Pricing: Contact company for demo.

17. Awario

Awario is an Instagram analytics tool that’s laser-focused on monitoring brand mentions and hashtags. The platform’s advanced listening features make it ideal for competitive analysis and big brands that need to respond to queries, call-outs and @mentions fast.

Pricing: $29/mo Starter plan; $89/mo Pro and $249/mo Enterprise plans available as well.

Instagram tools for custom bio links and landing pages

If you’re a business, your Instagram bio is seriously valuable real estate.

Maybe you’re trying to build your email list. Perhaps you’re an influencer or ecommerce brand pointing people to products and promotions.

Either way, Instagram by default only gives you five links to funnel your followers.

The good news is that’s a new wave of Instagram tools that allow you to:

Promote more than five links and calls-to-action as part of your Instagram bio
Generate stylish social media landing pages from your bio link
Promote additional social channels and websites within your bio

18. Linktree

Big among influencers and brands alike, Linktree transforms your bio into a unique landing page that links out to relevant promotions.

The platform boasts templates specific to goals such as social selling, content marketing and audience growth. Want to promote a newsletter or send traffic to your storefront? Linktree can help point people where you want them to go.

And although the customization of your landing page might not be the flashiest, the popularity of Linktree speaks for itself.

Pricing: Forever-free plan available; Pro version with full features $9/mo. Custom enterprise plans are also available.

19. hoo.be

hoo.be is a link-in-bio tool meant for creators looking to consolidate links to their various projects. The app scores serious style points for its interface and layout, not to mention customizable branding. Trendy and exclusive, it’s the perfect Instagram tool for influencers and vloggers alike.

Pricing: Free to use.

20. Lnk.bio

Lnk.bio creates a unique and customizable space for your various promotional links. Features such as unlimited links and over 90 icons to choose from, this app is a worthy Linktree alternative for anyone who wants their bio link to go beyond the ordinary.

Pricing: Free limited plan and paid plans start at $1/mo; $10 and $25 one-time plans are also available.

Which Instagram management tools are you using?

We get it: there are a lot of options when looking for the right Instagram tool. That said, upgrading beyond Instagram’s native features should be a top priority for brands eager to grow.

And again, there’s a reason why we rank Sprout Social among the best Instagram tools for brands that need powerful publishing, in-depth analytics and team collaboration features. If you haven’t already, we invite you to experience a trial of Sprout Social today to see firsthand how you can improve your Instagram presence ASAP.

Or, continue your Instagram education and check out our guide on managing your Instagram followers.

The post 20 Best Instagram tools to level up your presence appeared first on Sprout Social.

Instagram Story analytics: how to track the right metrics for your brand

Brent Barnhart — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 15:32:07 +0000

Be honest: how often do you check your Instagram Story analytics?

Because interactions with Stories are crucial for business accounts to track.

Brands rely on Stories to stay front-and-center in followers’ feeds. Stories are also among Instagram’s most popular and engaged-with features.

From content formats to messaging and more, Stories are a goldmine of marketing data.

That said, it’s easy to overlook siloed Story data among the rest of your Instagram analytics.

Below we explain how to check Instagram Story analytics and identify actionable insights.

What are Instagram Story analytics?

Instagram Story analytics represent the measurement of your IG Stories performance.

The metrics you can track via Instagram analytics are broken down into three types:

Engagement metrics that measure interactions (ex: likes, shares and replies)
Reach metrics that measure the total impressions and accounts reached by your Stories
Navigation metrics that track actions taken by Story viewers (ex: taps back, DMs and more)

All of the above signal how well you’re engaging your audience. Likewise, your numbers uncover new opportunities to interact with them.

How to see your Instagram Story analytics

Chances are you already check your real-time analytics when your Stories are live.

However, your performance data doesn’t disappear when your Stories do after 24 hours.

If you’re only tracking single Stories as they happen, you’re missing out on bigger trends and insights. The good news? IG now aggregates your Stories data for up to two years.

More good news: there are multiple ways to view your Instagram Story analytics ASAP. This includes Instagram’s native Insights and reporting with tools like Sprout Social.

Note: you need either a business or creator account to access your Stories data.

How to view Instagram Story analytics using Instagram Insights

Granted you have the appropriate account type, below is a snapshot of the steps involved.

Step 1. Tap the (☰) menu from your profile to access “Settings and privacy.”

Step 2. Scroll and select “Insights” (found under “For professionals” in a creator account).

Step 3. At the Insights menu, scroll down and select the “Content You Shared” menu. Tap “Stories” when prompted to select a content type.

Step 4. From here, you can scroll through your most recent Stories (or filter content based on metrics such as reach or impressions).

Step 5. Tap a specific Story for a detailed breakdown of its analytics and performance data.

And you’re good to go!

Note: You can also track your Instagram Stories analytics via Story Highlights. Simply go to your highlights and tap “Activity” on the Story you want to measure. You can see most of the same metrics as above. While you cannot see viewers on your Stories, you can see people who “Liked” them.

How to see your Instagram Story analytics using Sprout Social

Sprout Social’s suite of Instagram analytics tools makes it easy to uncover your Story data. The bonus of using Sprout is the ability to track performance alongside all of your brand’s content.

Here’s how to measure your Stories with Sprout’s Instagram Business Profiles report:

Step 1. Once you’re logged into your Sprout Dashboard, go to “Overview.”
Step 2. Select a business profile or account to analyze using the “Filter” option.
Step 3. Select “Performance Summary.”
Step 4. Select “Stories performance.”
Step 5. Select a date range for your Stories. You’ll then see a breakdown of various reports and performance metrics.

Now, let’s look at the process when using the Post Performance report in Sprout Social. Assuming you’re logged in, here’s all you need to do:

Step 1. Select the Instagram profile(s) you want to view Story analytics for.
Step 2. When prompted to choose between Post Types, select “Story.”

Step 3. The report will aggregate your Stories. You can use the list view to sort your Stories based on date and/or performance. You can also export your data from here.Easy enough, right?

6 Instagram Story metrics you should be tracking

Keeping an eye on your Instagram metrics goes hand in hand with growing your account.

Because data can clue you in on what’s working and what’s not when it comes to engagement.

But again, tracking Story metrics can be tricky because they’re kind of siloed on their own.

This signals the value of using a tool like Sprout Social. The platform seamlessly filters specific Story metrics and offers in-depth reports for them. This means you can focus on your priority metrics and stop digging through IG Insights.

But what metrics should you be tracking when checking your Instagram Story analytics? Sure, interactions and engagements are obviously crucial. They aren’t the only ones, though.

Below are some additional data points to consider that often get swept under the rug.

Story Replies

Story replies are the number of Instagram DMs you received on your Story during its lifetime.

Getting unprompted (positive!) replies from your Stories means you’re nailing your content. More interactions and engagement signal strong relationships and loyalty with your audience.

If you’re lacking in Story Replies, you may want to consider a more direct response to your posts. Not to mention inserting more calls-to-action (but more on that later).

Story Taps Back

Story Taps Back are the number of times people tapped to return to your previous Story.

These are interesting because they offer insight into Stories beyond the post you’re tracking.. For example, taps back can highlight how a previous post in a series of Stories was notable. This doesn’t necessarily mean the post you’re looking at was “bad” or “boring,” though.

This highlights the importance of looking at your Instagram Stories analytics holistically. Context matters, especially when publishing multiple Story posts side-by-side.

Story Taps Forward

Story Taps Forward are the number of times people tapped your current Story to move on to your next Story.

You can think of taps forward as a sort of bounce rate or retention metric. If you post a series of Stories and someone sticks around for all of them, that’s typically a good sign.

On that note, taps forward can also highlight how long your brand’s series of Stories should be. Maybe you retain most viewers with five Stories but see a big drop-off beyond that. If so, you should keep that in mind next time you make a series of posts.

Consider also that taps can also happen out of impatience. You have to read between the lines here since you can’t monitor the amount of time spent on your Stories. Again, context matters.

Story Exits

Story Exits are the number of times people swiped to stop viewing your Story during its lifetime.

Pay close attention to exits, especially when experimenting with new types of Stories. For example, you might see a spike in exits during video Stories or after posting a long series.

If so, take note and keep that in mind for your upcoming content strategy. While Story Exits don’t necessarily mean any given Story was “bad,” they can signal the following:

Your series of Stories was too long (think: seeing 10+ Stories slides might turn users off)
Your content was repetitive or redundant
Your audience wasn’t interested in your Story

Story Impressions

Story Impressions are the number of times your story was displayed to users during its lifetime.

The more eyes on your Stories, the better! Earning impressions beyond your own followers is also a positive sign for your Stories. Take note of Stories with the highest impressions.

Average Reach Per Story

Average Reach Per Story is the average number of unique users who viewed your story during its lifetime.

Ideally, your average reach per Story should grow alongside your account. This highlights the importance of consistently measuring your Instagram data. Otherwise, you won’t know whether your posts are moving the needle.

Speaking of, Sprout makes it a cinch to consolidate all of these metrics (and more). Seeing your Stories data alongside the rest of your IG performance offers a holistic understanding of what’s working and what’s not.

Tips for optimizing your strategy using Instagram Story analytics

Tracking your Instagram Story analytics is obviously important. But what about actually seeing those numbers move in the right direction?

To wrap things up, let’s dig into how to optimize your Instagram marketing and earn engagement with Stories.

Take advantage of interactive Instagram Story features

Don’t’ sleep on all of the Instagram features built specifically to engage your Story viewers.

Stickers serve as a natural way to earn interactions and serve as creative calls-to-action. While not every Story needs a sticker, brainstorm ways to integrate interactive elements like:

Polls
Quizzes
Sliders
Countdowns
Emoji reactions
Links

Stickers can help you come across as engaging with your audience versus talking at them. Not to mention they help inject a sense of personality into your calls-to-action.

Feature UGC and tag other accounts in your Stories

Anything you can do to feed the IG algorithm is a plus. That means driving tags, shares and interactions with your audience and customers.

Note that many retail brands use Stories as a place to highlight UGC beyond their feeds.

This is a low-hanging way to get additional shares and more eyes on your content as creators repost your content. This can be done for organic UGC and content from influencers alike.

Over time, you can assess which types of UGC Stories earn the most engagement. This gives you opportunities to refine your content strategy even further.

Share your Stories at the best times for engagement

We’ll bite: Stories are tricky when it comes to picking best times to post. Unlike Reels or Carousel posts, it’s pretty standard for brands to publish multiple Stories throughout the day.

That said, you can still try to stick to times where Instagram users are typically most engaged.

Picking the “best” time for your brand depends on a few variables, though. Consider:

A consistent cadence of Stories means you’ll stay visible in your followers’ feeds. Try spreading your Story posts throughout the day versus dumping them all at once.
On the flip side, you may find that a rapid-fire cadence works best for your audience. This speaks to the importance of checking your Instagram Story analytics. Don’t assume!
If you schedule Stories with Sprout, you can hit your desired frequency without posting in real-time.

Many brands will publish a series of three-to-five Stories side-by-side for promotions. This is in addition to consistently republishing their Reels or Carousels to their Stories. Finding a publishing frequency that makes sense for your brand requires some trial-and-error.

Use Instagram audience insights to guide your content formats

Not to sound like a broken record but every brand’s Instagram target audience is different.

Some audiences prefer videos while others skip them. You might find that your followers love polls and going back-and-forth with you. Maybe you actually find you earn more Stories engagement when you post less.

Regardless, you need to keep a constant pulse on your Instagram analytics to make informed decisions. With a tool like Sprout, you can pick your prioritize metrics across IG and track them with ease.

What can you learn from your Instagram Story analytics?

Given how competitive Instagram has become for brands, tracking your metrics is a must-do.

But Stories require special attention.

The fact that you can publish them so often versus other post types is a gift for marketers. Stories offer a way to consistently learn from your audience and figure out what makes them tick.

However, making the most of that data requires consistency and context. That’s exactly where Sprout Social comes in clutch as you track all of your brand’s Instagram analytics in one place.

If you haven’t already, check out Sprout’s Instagram analytics features to see what insights your brand can learn to grow engagement faster.

The post Instagram Story analytics: how to track the right metrics for your brand appeared first on Sprout Social.

Instagram automation: Strategy and tools to do it right

Chloe West — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 14:23:58 +0000

Automation is a close friend of any social media marketing strategy—Instagram included. This is because automation can help take care of mundane tasks, like scheduling, compiling reports and even responding to common questions asked in DMs.

However, there still needs to be a human element to your Instagram strategy. Instagram automation can alleviate some of the repetitive tasks while allowing your social mean more time to develop creative campaigns. To help you find the right balance, we’ve put together a guide discussing what Instagram automation is, what can be automated and several tools to help you get started.

Let’s dig in.

What is Instagram automation?

Instagram automation refers to the use of third-party software to manage your account, carry out tasks and/or interact with users without a human present.

Simply put, Instagram automation tools can be put into two buckets:

Services that effectively “take control” of your front-facing interactions with users such as likes and comments
Tools that automate Instagram behind the scenes, taking care of tasks such as publishing, reporting and analytics

But does Instagram automation make your business look lazy? We say no—but only if you do it right. As with any other tool or strategy, there are pros and cons to weigh in how your team will implement automation.

Here are some pros and cons to help you decide if you want to start automating certain tasks on Instagram.

Pros:

Save time on smaller, tedious tasks. Growing an Instagram presence organically definitely requires a combination of time and strategizing. Instagram automation tools can pick up some of the slack trimming, down time spent on tedious tasks.
Grow your follower count faster. Automation undoubtedly helps you boost your follower count. Simply spending time on the platform and interacting with accounts in any way, shape or form will set you up for more engagement by default.
Uncover important insights about your audience. There’s no doubt that automation tools help you learn more about your target audience. From breaking down what hashtags people use to suggesting accounts to follow, bots encourage you to take a deeper dive into your audience’s preferences.

Cons:

Instagram isn’t a fan of automation “hacks.” Instagram has a history of taking action against tools that they consider spammy. The platform wants its users to engage authentically and organically, so Instagram put together limits and penalties for tactics they see as potentially gaming their algorithm. More on this in the next section.
Poor automation looks spammy. People can spot a bot at a glance. Automating likes and comments is a recipe for a potential social media crisis. Brand accounts should emphasize human interactions and avoid anything that looks spammy.
Potentially miss out on important customer interactions. The more you automate on Instagram, the fewer opportunities you have to interact with followers and customers. You can’t provide personalized service with purely automated interactions. Instead, only automate aspects of your Instagram account that encourage you to spend more time with your followers.

Is Instagram automation allowed?

As we’ve discussed, there are pros and cons, but those are subjective. Let’s talk about legalities—or at least, what abides by Instagram’s Community Guidelines—so your account doesn’t get penalized.

The short answer is yes, Instagram automation is allowed. The long answer is that certain types of automation cheapen the experience and make your business look bad online. And some types of automation can even get your account banned.

First, let’s talk about the good kinds of automation—the kinds of automation that can assist your social team and improve your strategy.

What can be automated on Instagram?

If you’re interested in using automation to your advantage, here are a few tasks on Instagram that you can get some robot help with.

Likes: Set up a bot with a group of hashtags so the bot can like posts you say are relevant to your brand.
Comments: Similarly, a bot can also leave social media comments—on your posts and others. Sprout Social’s Saved Replies and Asset Library are a perfect example of this.
Follows and unfollows: Follow and unfollow relevant and irrelevant accounts, respectively. This can help you grow your own follower count.
Direct messages: Send and respond to DMs with the help of a bot. You can even set bots up to send messages to people who comment on your posts with a trigger word.
Scheduling and publishing: Scheduling Instagram posts is a form of automation—an essential form that every social media team needs.
Reporting: Automation tools can also help you monitor your Instagram analytics with insights and reports showcasing your performance.

Things you need to be wary of are engaging too much too quickly—faster than a human typically could—or Instagram could put a limit on your account. Buying likes and followers is also frowned upon. And you’ll want to avoid working with bots and tools that don’t have access to Instagram’s API as they’re not considered legitimate Instagram partners.

9 Instagram automation tools to streamline your work

Want to get started with basic—and allowed—Instagram automation? These nine tools can help give you a head start.

1. Sprout Social

Sprout Social is an all-in-one social media management tool that helps with a number of automation aspects and making Instagram management as seamless as possible for your team. Sprout can assist with a number of tasks, like publishing, response management, productivity tools and analytics. Through automation and other Sprout features, your team can effectively plan, post and manage your Instagram campaigns.