Any successful strategy needs four elements: goal-setting, implementation, analysis, and refinement. Instagram analytics address the analysis portion of this equation for the marketers on this social media platform.
Good Instagram analytics tools allow you to understand how your Instagram efforts are paying off. You’ll be able to learn what’s working and what’s not. Then you move onto the refinement portion of the technique, tweaking your efforts to boost your outcomes and improve ROI.
Let’s take a look at some of the best Instagram analytics app choices, and the most important Instagram metrics you need to track.
Instagram analytics tools
1. Instagram Insights
If you’re using an Instagram Business or Creator account, you will have access to this built-in Instagram analytics app.
(If you’re still using a personal account, take a look at our step-by-step instructions to switch over to an Instagram Business account now.)
This native analytics tool throughout the Instagram app provides insights into your account performance, including reach, engagement, followers, and Instagram ads. We’ll show you exactly the way to see Instagram analytics using Insights later in this post.
Insights is a superb Instagram analytics free tool, however, it may not be the most effective Instagram analytics app for serious social marketers. For more robust, longer-term tracking, or to export your data for a social media report, you’ll want to take a look at other Instagram analytics tools.
2. Creator Studio
This is one other native Instagram business analytics tool. However, instead of being built into the mobile Instagram app, Creator Studio works on your computer.
Creator Studio provides you with access to a lot of the same metrics as Instagram Insights, but only for a seven-day window.
Source: Creator Studio
One neat analytics feature of Creator Studio is the Calendar view, where you’ll be able to see at a glance exactly whenever you posted to Instagram.
If you’re a member of Brand Collabs Manager, you may also track your brand collaboration metrics here in Creator Studio. We’ve received a full blog post on how to use Creator Studio that walks you through all the methods you can use with your Instagram Business or Creator account.
3. Iconosquare
Start with Iconosquare’s Instagram audit for business accounts. This Instagram analytics free tool gives data on your reach, engagement, likes, saves, and more. It also gives you information on how your Instagram metrics stack up against the average rates on this platform.
Source: Iconosquare
Iconosquare also provides a free trial of their professional dashboard. You’ll get all the standard metrics: engagement rates, follower stats, Stories data, and so on.
4. Keyhole
Keyhole focuses on Instagram hashtag analytics and keyword tracking, along with all the standard Instagram metrics.
Source: Keyhole
It helps track metrics of promotions, branded hashtags, and Instagram contests in real-time. It’s also a useful tool to track Instagram metrics when you work with influencers.
5. Phlanx
Phlanx offers a free, easy-to-use Instagram engagement calculator. The useful thing is you can use it to check your own account, or someone else’s. That means you can use it to pre-screen potential influencers and brand ambassadors.
All you need to do is kind in any Instagram handle to see total followers, engagement rate, and average likes and comments per post.
Source: Phlanx
6. Facebook Ads Manager
If you’re running paid campaigns on Instagram, Facebook Ads Manager is a key resource in your analytics toolbox. It offers performance and cost data for all of the ads that happen on the Facebook family of products, including Instagram.
You will get performance information for your Instagram promotions within Instagram Insights, however, to perform a thorough cost analysis, you’ll need to incorporate Ads Manager as well.
How to see your Instagram analytics
Here’s the place to find all your Instagram metrics within the Instagram app.
Keep in mind, you need a Business or Creator profile to access analytics. Here’s a quick video overview:
Instagram account analytics
Let’s begin with the overview metrics for your Instagram profile.
1. In the app, go to your profile.
2. Tap the hamburger icon within the top right corner.
3. Tap Insights
4. View your content overview, together with accounts reached, content interactions, total followers, and content shared.
Source: Instagram
In the top menu, you’ll be able to select whether to view these Instagram metrics for the last 7 or last 30 days.
Instagram followers analytics
From the overview screen, scroll down to Your Audience and click on See All. You’ll see an overview of your follower growth, followed by particulars on your audience demographics.
You’ll discover loads of helpful information on this display, including your audience’s:
- Top 5 locations (city or country)
- Age range (overall or broken down by gender)
- Gender
- Most active times (by an hour or day)
In addition to tracking your follower growth metrics, this is useful data for planning when to post on Instagram as well as guiding your content strategy.
Instagram post analytics
From the overview analytics display, scroll down to Content You Shared, then click on the right arrow next to your number of posts.
This can bring up a listing of all your posts, sorted by the metric you select. The default is reached, however, you’ll be able to select from a long list of metrics, including comments, follows shares, and more.
You can select timeframes from 7 days up to 2 years, and filter by post kind (photos, videos, carousel posts, or all posts).
You may also explore the analytics for any individual Instagram post by clicking the View Insights link under the post in your feed.
Source: Instagram
This can bring up a bit pop-up box showing the total likes, comments, saves, direct message shares, profile visits and reach.
Source: Instagram
Instagram Stories analytics
From the overview analytics screen, scroll down to Content You Shared, then choose the right arrow next to your number of Stories.
Just like for your posts, you’ll be able to see reach, impressions, and so on. You can also see exits, forwards, and other Stories-specific metrics. You’ll be able to view a time range from 7 to 30 days.
Source: Instagram
For more details, we’ve got an entire blog post that will help you make the most of your Instagram Stories analytics.
IGTV analytics
From the overview analytics screen, scroll down to IGTV Videos and click on the right arrow next to your variety of videos.
Again, you’ll be able to see the standard metrics like reach, likes, and comments. You can also select to view IGTV-specific metrics like average percentage watched, video views, and video interactions.
You’ll be able to select a time period from 7 days to 2 years.
Reels analytics
As of May 2021, Reels analytics are included in the Reach breakdown in Instagram Insights. To access it, tap the right arrow next to Accounts Reached in the overview screen.
Here, you will notice how Reels performed compared to different content types over the last 7 or 30 days. This section also features a ranking of your top Reels.
Source: Instagram
To view insights specific to Reels only, scroll down to Reels within the Insights overview screen and tap the right arrow next to your variety of Reels. Here, you’ll be able to see all of your Reels efficiency metrics in one place.
To check in on the performance of a specific Reel, open the Reel out of your profile, then tap the three-dot icon within the bottom right of the screen, then tap Insights.
Source: Instagram
Live analytics
The May 2021 Instagram update also brought Live analytics to Insights.
To enter Live Insights, go to the overview analytics screen, scroll down to Live, and click on the right arrow next to your number of streams. Here, you will notice metrics related to Live streams: accounts reached, peak concurrent viewers, comments, and shares.
Source: Instagram