Instagram remains one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide, with 1 billion monthly active users on the platform, and 500 million of those users active on Instagram stories. Video on Instagram is available in a variety of formats: on Instagram stories, in-feed posts, reels, Instagram live, and IGTV.
Videos have risen to superiority on Instagram, making a huge impact on marketing efforts and content creation, but it wasn’t always that way. Instagram was launched in 2010 with the absence of video content; it wasn’t until June of 2013 that videos were introduced.
Video posts on Instagram are permanently available for viewing in the user’s feed unless removed by the user. Instagram stories were introduced in August of 2016, offering a competitor to the popular video-sharing platform Snapchat with Instagram posts that disappear after 24 hours.
Stories highlights came next in December 2017, offering users the opportunity to post previously-shared Instagram stories to an album on their profile page for later viewing.
Instagram live was launched in January 2017, allowing users to broadcast live streams in order to interact with their audience in more ways. Instagram shopping is now available both via Instagram stories as well as on Instagram live.
Because the popularity of video was increasing and users were looking for more ways to create video content that satisfied their users, Instagram released IGTV in 2018, widening the possibility for video content creation with long-form and vertical video features.
Instagram also now offers direct video chat, which allows users to video chat through direct messages with one person or even a group.
The most recent addition to Instagram’s video content formats was Instagram reels, which made its debut on August 5th, 2020 in order to compete with the popular video sharing platform TikTok.
Instagram reels allows users to create fun videos of up to 15 seconds, including multiple clips, audio, effects, and other creative elements. It’s taken Instagram by storm and is now one of the most popular video formats for content, gaining 22% more engagement than other video formats.
It’s clear that with all of the new features and functions of Instagram video, it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. If you’re using Instagram for professional reasons, it’s time to embrace video if you want to remain relevant on Instagram and other social networks.
In this article, we’re going to discuss some of the most powerful Instagram video statistics for marketers and what they mean for your brand or business.
Top 15 Instagram Video Statistics Show Videos are Taking over Social Media
Instagram stories remain one of the most popular aspects of the platform, with half of their user base active on the feature every single day. While you can post not only videos but also photos to Instagram stories, the majority of content is video.
Instagram stories offer an incredibly effective tool for marketers and brands to reach their audience, and with features like swipe up, adding links, and interactive stickers, you have endless possibilities: funnel users out to an external website, offer shopping from directly within the app, do market research in an organic way, and much more.
Instagram has created these features and expanded their content formats with the intention of offering brands and businesses an authentic way to connect with their audiences, and Instagram users agree.
2 in 3 Instagram users say that the platform enables interactions with brands and businesses, and even 50% of those surveyed were more interested in a brand after seeing ads on Instagram.
Below we’ll give you a quick look at a variety of different Instagram video statistics that solidify its prowess on the platform. We’ll then explore those statistics even more, offering valuable information and considerations for advertisers.
15 Instagram Video Statistics at a Glance
1. 500 million users are active on Instagram stories daily, with 86.6% of Instagram users posting stories every day. (99 firms)
2. 4 million businesses advertise on Instagram stories with one-third of the most viewed Instagram stories from business accounts. (Instagram)
3. Tutorials are the most popular form of video content on Instagram according to 80% of users. (Wibbitz)
4. IGTV videos appear 4x larger than photos on the explore page. (Instagram)
5. The most-watched stories in the US include content from J Balvin, The Fat Jewish, Lele Pons, Lucy Hale, and others. (Refinery 29)
6. NFL teams’ Reels generate 67% more engagement than regular video posts. (Conviva)
7. 80% of users would rather watch live video than read a brand’s blog, and 82% live video over social posts. (DallasNews)
8. Sponsored Instagram videos gets 3x as many comments as sponsored Instagram posts (Impact Plus)
9. 93% of marketers confirm they’ve gained at least one new customer thanks to social media video, with 88% of them satisfied with ROI of video marketing efforts. (Animoto)
10. Instagram stories is almost 2x as popular as Snapchat and offers more features for brands (Statista)
11. Instagram stories are used by 36% of businesses to promote their products.
12. 82% of all consumer internet traffic will be composed of online video by 2022, an increase of 15x what it was in 2017. (Cisco)
13. Instagram is the fourth most popular (65%) social media platform for video marketing efforts. (Oberlo)
14. Since June 2017, Instagram has seen an 80% increase in how much time users spend watching videos. (TweSocial)
15. Video posts on Instagram get 2x as much engagement as other post formats. (Search Engine Journal)
The Top 15 Instagram Video Statistics for Marketers Examined
Below we’ll discuss the nuances of each of the above Instagram video statistics to better understand what it means for marketers and any implications each could have for your content strategy.
1. 500 million users are active on Instagram stories daily, with 86.6% of Instagram users posting stories every day. (99 firms)
This marks quite a substantial increase from 2018 when Instagram had just 400 million daily users on IG stories. Since its launch in 2016, the usage of Instagram stories has continually increased, and has expanded to half of the total Instagram user base on a global scale.
The number of users posting stories daily is even more astounding, with a whopping 86.6% of users posting daily stories. This means that not only are users viewing stories, they’re also actively sharing content of their own.
It’s important to note this not only because you want to reach your target audience where they’re most active, but also because that means a huge number of brands and businesses are also on Instagram stories. If you haven’t focused on creating high-quality, consistent Instagram stories, it’s in your best interest to begin doing so.
Roughly 60% of millennials publish or watch IG stories, which is also the largest user demographic for Instagram (aged 25-34). Gen Z is also very active on the platform; together the two generations compose roughly 60% of all Instagram users around the world, so it’s clear that Instagram stories are a big deal for marketers looking to reach these users.
That said, according to Wibbitz, 91% of viewers watch Instagram videos in their feed, 83% watch via IG stories, and on IGTV 44% watch. This means that between in-feed video posts and Instagram stories, you have a very high chance of getting seen.
2. 4 million businesses advertise on Instagram stories with one-third of the most viewed Instagram stories from business accounts. (Instagram)
Based on internal data from Facebook, there are a total of 4 million businesses that use Instagram stories ads on a monthly basis. This same data also discloses that one-third of the most-viewed Instagram stories comes from brands.
Why are Instagram stories such a popular format for advertising on Instagram?
Based on the Instagram video statistics we’ve already seen, it’s clear that Instagram stories offer a highly engaging and popular way to reach many users in your target audience. It’s a good idea to spread your content across different formats to reach as many users as you can.
Also, monitor your progress and take note of your analytics: what type of content gets you the most engagement? Views? Shares? Sales? Understanding your metrics and results will help you to tailor your content strategy directly to your target audience and their usage habits.
3. Tutorials are the most popular form of video content on Instagram according to 80% of users. (Wibbitz)
Wibbitz did a very useful study about the most popular types of Instagram video content, with the results of user preferences as follows:
- How-to tutorials: 80%
- Behind-the-scenes: 66%
- Interviews: 62%
- News coverage: 61%
- Creative inspiration: 59%
- Motivational posts: 49%
This goes to show that all of the above types of video content is desirable to half or more of your audience, but how-to tutorial videos are the most preferred by the largest group of users. That means you can create meaningful content that a wide range of people are going to enjoy.
4. IGTV videos appear 4x larger than photos on the explore page. (Instagram)
With so much talk about Instagram stories, you may have forgotten that there are other types of videos that can be shared on Instagram. The great news is that when you share IGTV video, the content appears 4x larger on the Explore page, drawing the user’s eye to your video.
The first thing you’ll need to do is make it to the Explore page, which can take some work. Even still, when a user sees your IGTV video in their newsfeed, it will open into a larger window and your user will have a full-screen view of your video. The same thing happens with Instagram reels, and this is ultimately a good thing.
You’ll get more screen real estate, which captivates the audience and keeps them interested in your content. They’ll be more likely to discover your content, check out your profile, and you can grow in terms of followers and engagement by using these popular video content formats.
5. 5. The most-watched stories in the US include content from J Balvin, The Fat Jewish, Lele Pons, Lucy Hale, and others. (Refinery 29)
It’s easy to find the most popular content on Instagram in terms of in-feed posts with the most likes as well as the most-watched videos out there, but in terms of Instagram stories, there is less data and information surrounding which users are thriving.
Refinery 29 gave us some insight into this, discussing the fact that the types of accounts that are popular in the US. Colombian-born singer @jbalvin holds one of the top spots, alongside @thefatjewish and @lelepons. In fact 11 of the 15 most popular Instagram story accounts were held by females, which says a lot about what audiences gravitate towards.
Other mentionables were @lucyhale and @shaymitchell, among others. Notably absent were some of the most popular accounts that we’d expect to see in Instagram stories, which means that having a high follower count doesn’t necessarily translate into popularity across all Instagram content formats.
6. NFL teams’ Reels generate 67% more engagement than regular video posts. (Conviva)
There is a lot of information about how reels have performed for certain industries, especially for sports teams part of the NBA and NFL. In recent studies, it’s been shown that reels produce much more engagement in contrast with other video formats.
Instagram is still very much promoting reels content, which may be one of the reasons, but overall the format has been very well-received by users on the platform. Sports teams across all leagues— MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL all saw higher engagement on their reels over IGTV, ranging from a 13% increase to up to 67% increase in the NFL.
Almost all high-performing reels were also posted in the user’s feed, which boosted engagement levels on the content. Instagram reels also take up more screen real estate, which is great for getting noticed.
Other industries have also shown increased engagement through reels, including fashion, travel, beauty, and more. Hootsuite did an interesting study about Instagram reels and what type of results can be expected.
7. 80% of users would rather watch live video than read a brand’s blog, and 82% live video over social posts. (AdEspresso)
Two of the most powerful Instagram video statistics lie in the preference of social media users. We live in an age where people want information immediately and without much time spent acquiring the information, so preferring video over reading isn’t a surprise.
What is surprising is that live video showed such a stronghold, with 82% of users preferred live video over social posts. This is a big indicator that live streaming is making an impact on social platforms, and with more brands using the feature, users have come to prefer it.
Keep in mind that during a live broadcast, you can authentically connect with your audience and answer questions and respond to comments right in the feed, which could be one of the reasons why it’s risen to popularity in the previous years.
8. Sponsored Instagram videos gets 3x as many comments as sponsored Instagram posts (Impact Plus)
Instagram makes billions of dollars in ad spend every year, so that alone is an indicator that sponsoring your posts and creating ads for the platform delivers results. The ROI and benefit can be seen in Instagram video statistics like this one: sponsored Instagram videos get 3x as many comments as sponsored posts.
Videos are already known to get more comments on average than static photos, which is only magnified when the post is sponsored. Not only are your followers seeing this post, but users in your target audience are also reached with the video content, leading to more comments and engagements on the whole.
9. 93% of marketers confirm they’ve gained at least one new customer thanks to social media video, with 88% of them satisfied with ROI of video marketing efforts. (Animoto)
70% of marketers are looking to boost their video marketing investment. Of any social media platform, the plans to increase investment in video marketing on Instagram was the highest, with YouTube in a close second with 69% interested in increasing efforts there.
This may be due to the fact that many of those already using video for social media marketing have identified satisfaction with the results: 93% of marketers have seen at least one new customer due to video on social media, which is a pretty big deal.
Not only that, 88% are happy with their ROI, indicating that the results gained from video marketing on Instagram and other social networks have produced enough revenue to justify the investment expense and budget allocation.
10. Instagram stories is almost 2x as popular as Snapchat and offers more features for brands (Statista)
Snapchat clocked a total of 306 million users in 2021, compared with Instagram stories’ 500 million users. While this isn’t quite double, it’s pretty close, and Instagram has held a lead over Snapchat since its release in 2016.
Instagram stories remain the better choice for brands and businesses in the sense that Snapchat is used more for private sharing and communication, while Instagram has more established features that allow you to promote your business.
58% of story users become more interested in a brand or product after seeing it in IG stories; what’s more, 45% of users prefer stories for discovering new trends, and 50% of users have visited a website to buy a product or service after seeing it in Instagram stories.
These are numbers that Snapchat simply can’t live up to, as they don’t offer the features that brands need to effectively promote shopping and funneling people to external websites. Instagram has a larger user base overall, which means that it’s generally more powerful for advertising.
11. Instagram stories are used by 36% of businesses to promote their products.
As we mentioned in previous sections about Instagram video statistics, Instagram stories hold a lot of weight in terms of reaching your target audience and advertising. This is backed up by the fact that Instagram stories for business statistics show it is one of the most common ways to advertise on Instagram.
While many businesses use Instagram stories and videos, many are also looking to influencer marketing on Instagram, as they don’t have to create the content— their influencer partner will. If you are feeling iffy about creating video content, this may be a great alternative for you.
12. 82% of all consumer internet traffic will be composed of online video by 2024, an increase of 15x what it was in 2017. (Cisco)
Cisco recently made the impactful declaration that online videos will comprise over 82% of all online consumer traffic, which is a huge deal— that’s over 15x higher than it was just a few years ago in 2017.
It’s clear that the demand for video content is on the rise, and this can be a bit difficult for brands and businesses to keep up with. If you’re looking for resources to help you with your video content creation, you can check out Wibbitz, which offers valuable tips and even video creation for those that need additional assistance putting out quality video content.
You can also consider these content best practices for Instagram and implement the use of Instagram marketing tools such as Canva to help you with templates for your videos, creating a common aesthetic
13. Instagram is the fourth most popular (65%) social media platform for video marketing efforts. (Oberlo)
Based on which platforms marketers are planning to put their investment dollars into, we can see that YouTube is the most popular for video marketing, with 88% of marketers allocating funds to the platform.
Second comes Facebook, with 76% of marketers looking to invest in video ads, followed by LinkedIn with 66%, and Instagram falling just 1% behind with 65%.
All in all, it’s clear that for the majority of brands and businesses (depending on your industry and target audience), YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are the three most popular and effective platforms for your video marketing efforts.
LinkedIn is great for B2B marketing or for companies looking to recruit, but for the wider audience and those looking to promote their products to a wider target audience, the other 3 social media giants are going to be where you want to spend your video marketing dollars.
14. Since June 2017, Instagram has seen an 80% increase in how much time users spend watching videos. (Instagram)
Over the past four years, Instagram data has shown that video content thrives on the platform, with 80% more watch time on videos. This may be due to the fact that Instagram has also introduced more video content formats since then, with features like Instagram live, IGTV, and reels rising to popularity over the years.
15. Video posts on Instagram get 2x as much engagement as other post formats. (Search Engine Journal)
Based on a study done to better understand Instagram engagement, video posts show 2x more engagement than other types of post. HubSpot and Mention complied data after analyzing some 48 million Instagram posts from 300k+ top users.
Videos are especially great for gaining more comments, which is considered a more meaningful type of engagement than simply liking a post because it’s more active. Video posts received an average of 150 comments as opposed to the average Instagram post of 100 comments.
Because this study was done with the top users of Instagram, the numbers may seem high for an everyday brand or business that is looking to boost their engagement. These numbers may be reflected on your account on a smaller scale, but the proof is in the pudding— video generates more comments than regular posts.
Final Thoughts: Instagram Video Statistics for Marketers
Video is clearly taking precedence on social media in many ways, and Instagram is no exception. Now that you have a good understanding of how video is performing and why it’s important, you can shift your marketing efforts to include meaningful and engaging content for your audience.
These Instagram video statistics for marketers show that a marketing strategy with minimal use of the different content formats on Instagram is a one-dimensional strategy that will provide limited results.
To get the full ROI for your marketing dollars, be sure to expand your content creation to include a range of video formats for a well-rounded and captivating Instagram presence. Consider taking your paid ad dollars and allocating them to Instagram stories as well as in-feed content that features videos.
After all, 85% of all internet users in the US watched online video content on at least one of their devices. It won’t be surprising if the number creeps up to nearly 100% in the future.
Happy marketing!
