Optimizing your Instagram presence doesn’t have to be a guessing game. You’ll find most of your answers right in the app.
Anyone with an Instagram business account can access the network’s in-app reporting feature, Instagram Insights. While it may not provide the same level of detail as an advanced Instagram analytics tool, it is still a valuable resource for performing on-the-fly analysis.
This guide will show you how to access and use Instagram Insights to analyze your data. We’ll also share how to use the tool with an advanced social analytics solution to drive results faster.
- What is Instagram Insights?
- How to get access to Insights on Instagram
- how to see post insights on instagram
- instagram post insights
- instagram reels insights
- Instagram Stories Insights
- instagram live insights
- What type of performance data is available in Instagram Insights?
- Using Instagram Insights for performance analysis
What is Instagram Insights?
Instagram Insights is a free Instagram business account feature that provides performance data on your profile and posts, providing better visibility into your audience’s preferences and engagement patterns.
With Insights, you can measure the success of your content, including Grid Posts, Stories, Reels, and Live Videos. It is a valuable tool for evaluating the impact and effectiveness of your Instagram marketing strategy.
How to get access to Insights on Instagram
Before we get into how to use the Insights tools, let’s look at how to access them. Be warned: this is a mobile-exclusive feature, so you’ll need to have the app ready before you can get started.
1. Go to your Profile Settings
Go to your profile, then tap the hamburger menu in the top right corner of the app. Tap Adjustment and then tap Account to begin.
2. Create a Professional Account
Tap to set up your Instagram account for business Account Types and Instruments Below for professionals section of the Instagram Settings page.
Tap switch to professional account and you are ready to go.
3. Choose your category
Instagram business categories allow brands to clearly display the purpose of their business above their profile description. Choose the category that best describes your business.
pro tip: The options listed under Suggested Categories are only a fraction of the entire catalog that you can choose from. Use the search function to find the option that best suits your business, and don’t be afraid to seek specific information.
4. Navigate to Insights
Now that your professional account is all set up, you can access Insights From the same hamburger menu you used for your Account Settings.
You can only access performance metrics on posted content after you’ve converted to a business or creator account. If you’ve recently switched to a professional account, you’ll need to wait until you have enough historical data to use the Insights tool.
how to see post insights on instagram
Instagram offers tons of ways to connect with your audience—grid posts, ephemeral content, short-form videos, live streams, you name it.
Check out the explainers below to find out if your Instagram post views are effective.
instagram post insights
Go to your Instagram profile and tap on the post for which you want to get metrics. From there, tap see insight button below the image.
instagram reels insights
To view Insights on an Instagram Reel, go to the Reels tab of the Instagram app.
From there, select the reel you want to view metrics for. At the bottom right of the reel, tap , icon. Then tap Insights button.
Instagram Stories Insights
There are two different ways to view Insights on Instagram Stories.
If the story is live on your account, tap your profile picture. Tap on the story you want to report. Once you’re there, swipe up on the image or video for Insights metrics.
If you’re looking for performance data on an older story, tap Insights Find the action button on your profile and the story below Content shared by you,
instagram live insights
Visit your profile to view Instagram Live Insights.
Tap InsightsThen scroll down to the Live Videos section in the content you’ve shared for detailed analysis on your Instagram Live performance.
What type of performance data is available in Instagram Insights?
Once you navigate to the tool, you’ll see some high-level Instagram audience insights and a gallery of recently shared content.
Click on any section for a more detailed look at the following metrics:
settlement reached
For all Instagram content except Reels, accounts reach is the number of unique accounts that have viewed your post on their screen at least once. For Reels, accounts with reach is the number of unique accounts that have viewed your Reel at least once, regardless of whether or not they viewed the video.
Once a post reaches more than 100 accounts, you can access demographic data on those accounts. This data includes top countries, cities, age ranges and gender splits.
accounts are engaged
Account Engaged is the number of unique accounts that have interacted with your Instagram content through likes, saves, comments and other engagement activities. For posts, stories, and Instagram Live, these metrics are broken down into followers and non-followers.
total followers
Business accounts with more than 100 followers can see overall trends of growth over time. They can also access follower demographic and platform usage data, including:
- top spot
- Age Range
- Times your audience is most active on Instagram
plays
Plays are the number of plays of video content received within a specified time frame. This includes automatically playing a video when a user scrolls through the app.
Using Instagram Insights for performance analysis
To take your Instagram game to the next level, you need to make data-driven decisions. Luckily, you now have tons of performance data in your hands.
Here are four ways to use your new Instagram business insights to your advantage:
Identify popular content
With Insights, you can quickly identify the content that engages your audience the most. All you have to do is look for patterns in what your audience finds appealing and tailor your content strategy accordingly.
For on-the-fly action items, we recommend doing a brief start-stop-continue analysis of your Instagram performance data. This analysis evaluates the effectiveness of the content and determines which action to initiate, stop or continue.
It’s important to note that this type of intuitive analysis is designed to provide quick insights on the effectiveness of your Instagram strategy, such as whether people responded positively to a particular post.
For more complex questions, such as determining the best time to post on Instagram, you’ll want to use more advanced social media management tools. For example, Sprout customers can take advantage of ViralPost® technology, which analyzes audience engagement patterns and content preferences to determine the most active times for authentic engagement.
Track growth and engagement trends
All you need to do is take a quick dip into the Insights tool to make sure you’re making good progress toward your monthly performance goals. If you spot any discrepancies, use Sprout’s suite of Instagram analytics reports to investigate the issue and possible causes.
Use the Instagram Business Profile Report to identify what type of content is driving results. That way, you can make strategic adjustments to stay on track toward achieving your desired results.
Make strong paying marketing decisions
Did you know that 50% of users become more interested in a brand after seeing an ad on Instagram? With these kinds of results, it’s important to make every dollar count.
Use Instagram Insights to optimize your paid display so that you make the most of your budget.
Analyze your organic content performance to identify trends, topics and creative elements that are driving your audience. Then, leverage that data to take your paid marketing efforts to the next level.
Measure the effects of algorithm changes
Instagram algorithm updates seem like a monthly occurrence at this point. It’s one thing to keep pace with all the change. Understanding how they affect your social media strategy is a different thing entirely.
The next time you hear about a rumored or confirmed algorithm update, use Instagram Insights to see how your strategy is performing through the change. If everything is going according to plan, you’re ready to go. If you notice any performance degradation, it’s time to investigate further using a tool that can provide a more comprehensive analysis.
Use Instagram Insights to Build a Picture-Perfect Social Strategy
The landscape of Instagram is constantly changing. Trends come and go quickly, and what’s popular today may not be tomorrow. Use Instagram Insights with tools like Sprout to stay informed and updated about what works and what doesn’t.
Of course, data is only part of the story. For practical advice on building your brand identity and expanding your community on Instagram, check out this comprehensive guide to Instagram for Brands. It’s packed with valuable tips to help you achieve your platforming goals.
The post Instagram Insights Demystified: How to Access and Analyze Your Metrics appeared first on Sprout Social.
