The Most Incredible Instagram Statistics for 2021

Social media is a big deal. You’d be hard pressed to find an internet user who doesn’t use at least one of the more popular platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter. But:

The remarkable rise of Instagram has stolen the headlines in recent years. Do you know why?

I’ve collected the most significant facts and figures to help you make sense of the juggernaut that is Instagram in 2019.

Not convinced? Check out these:

Mind-boggling Instagram Statistics

• Instagram reached 1 billion active users in June 2018.
• Users shared 95 million photos and videos on Instagram every day in June 2016.
• In November 2016, 59% of internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 used Instagram.
• In November 2015, 60% of people said they discovered new products on Instagram.
• As of January 2019, the US has the most users of any country in the world – 120 million.
• Sponsored content on Instagram is projected to amount to 32.3 million posts in 2019.
• As of April 2019, the most popular Instagram photo is a picture of an egg, with just over 53.1 million likes.

Alright, now let’s explore these stats in greater detail, starting with:

Fascinating Facts

These stats and facts have the wow-factor. Let’s see why.

1. There are over 1 billion Instagram monthly active users in 2019.

(Source: Instagram)

If you’ve been wondering how many people use Instagram, this one’s for you. Instagram launched on October 6, 2010, and 25,000 people signed up on the first day.

Despite these relatively humble beginnings, its rise proved inevitable. It expanded rapidly, reaching 100 million users in February 2013 and 200 million in March 2014. By June 2016, it already had 500 million users, and it hit the astonishing 1 billion mark in June 2018.

What’s more, as of January 2019, Instagram has the sixth largest number of active daily social media users – after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat.

2. 95 million photos and videos were shared on Instagram every day in June 2016, according to Ig stats.

(Source: WordStream)

This is a staggering amount of data. And, as a result of Instagram’s constant growth, this number is even higher today.

3. In November 2016, 59% of internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 used Instagram.

(Source: Omnicore)

This is one of the key Instagram statistics, which highlight the platform’s popularity with millennials. It also helps explain its hip image. In contrast, only 33% of internet users between the ages of 30 and 49 use Instagram.

4. In November 2015, 60% of people said they discovered new products on Instagram.

(Source: Instagram)

This one should be especially crucial if you are interested in Instagram business statistics. What’s more, the actual number is likely to be even higher today, as more and more businesses are skilfully using Instagram posts and Stories to promote their brands.

For example:

5. In September 2017, more than two million advertisers worldwide used Instagram to share their stories and drive business results.

(Source: Instagram)

Social media advertising has been booming in recent years – especially among certain Instagram demographics. Make no mistake, Instagram is at the heart of this trend. Stories in particular are a great way to give your customers a behind-the-scenes look at your company.

But there’s more:

In March 2019, the company introduced checkout on Instagram. Now you can buy that awesome new pair of jeans you saw on Insta without leaving the app. This major addition is likely to have a significant impact on Instagram stories stats as well.

6. Over 200 million Instagrammers visited at least one business account daily in November 2017.

(Source: Instagram)

Businesses do get their fair share of attention on Instagram. I don’t know about you, but I can honestly say I visited DC Brau Brewing Company’s account earlier today. And I wasn’t disappointed:

Turns out they’ve just dropped a new Quindectuple dry-hopped sour raspberry double IPA with lactose and glitter. How delightfully decadent.

But wait:

Don’t hit the beers just yet.

We’ve got plenty more:

Exciting Facts

The stats in this section will help you visualize the latest Instagram trends around the world. You’ll also find out a bit more about Instagram demographics.

7. As of January 2019, there are more than 500 million active Instagram Stories daily users.

(Source: Statista)

Introduced in August 2016, Instagram Stories lets users post photos and videos that vanish after 24 hours. It proved extremely popular straight away, boasting 200 million Instagram active daily users in just 8 months. As you can see, this number is still on the rise.

8. As of January 2019, the US has the most Instagram users by country in the world – 120 million.

(Source: Statista)

This should come as no surprise. India is second, with 75 million users, while Brazil comes third, with 69 million. About 80% of all users are located outside the US, which shows that Instagram is truly a global phenomenon.  

9. In February 2017, 73% of responding internet users in the US aged 13 to 24 used Instagram.

(Source: Statista)

This is one of the most significant Instagram usage statistics you’re likely to come across. It highlights how popular Instagram is with teenagers and young adults, especially in the US. But why?

It all comes down to image, really. Facebook has been around for quite a while, and younger people no longer see it as cool. In their minds, it’s the place for their parents to hang out.

Instagram, on the other hand, is hip and trendy. What’s more, it lets you play around with all those snazzy filters, right? It knows its audience and it caters to it shamelessly.

10. As of January 2019, 50.3% of users were female, and 49.7% were male.

(Source: Statista)

There are slightly more women than men in the world. So, this is among the fairly representative Instagram user statistics. Boys and girls are equally drawn to Instagram, finding plenty of people and brands to follow.

Or are they?

11. 39% of adult women in the US used Instagram in January 2018.

(Source: Statista)

In contrast, only 30% of men did. So, while the worldwide figures show equal appeal to both sexes, there are clearly some regional variations at play.

12. As of January 2019, the United States generated 15.66% of website traffic on Instagram.  

(Source: Statista)

This is only natural, considering the US has significantly more Instagram users than any other country.

However:

It was Russia – with fewer users than either India or Brazil, which came second. It is responsible for 7.82% of IG traffic, – just ahead of Brazil, with 7.48%. The UK, on the other hand, turned out to be an underperformer here – accounting for a mere 3.87% of all Insta traffic.

13. Juventus and Portugal soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed person on Instagram, boasting a mind-boggling 160 million followers as of April 2, 2019.

(Source: Instagram)

Singer Ariana Grande is second in the Instagram follower stats category and the most followed woman on Instagram, with 150 million followers. Selena Gomez, another pop singer, ranks third.

In fact:

Instagram is a top choice for celebrities to attract fans. Ariana Grande has the widest spread between her three main social media channels. Her Twitter and Facebook both pale in comparison with her Instagram, neither getting close to 100 million.

14. Disneyland California was the most popular tourist attraction worldwide on Instagram as of May 2017, with 14.62 million posts.

(Source: Statista)

That’s twice as many posts as the next most popular attraction, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which had 7.25 million! Another Disney theme park, the Walt Disney World Resort Florida, came third, with 5.47 million posts.

15. As of January 2018, 9gag was the leading English-language publisher, with a total of 223.9 million user interactions.

(Source: Statista)

9gag is a Hong Kong-based social media website, which allows its users to upload and share fun or informative content. Following in second in the Instagram engagement statistics, the Shade Room (a mass media company, which “specializes” in celebrity gossip) recorded a total of 131.1 million user interactions.

16. Sports teams were the brands with the largest average number of daily posts in 2017, at 1.7.

(Source: Statista)

Sports teams have really taken to Instagram, as they’re trying to capitalize on their worldwide fanbase. Real Madrid, the most popular team on the platform, had 70.4 million followers in April 2019. For reference, the entire population of their home country, Spain, is 46.7 million.  

Fashion brands came second, with 1.1 posts per day; followed closely by health and beauty brands, with 1; and influencers, with 0.9.

And, speaking of influencers:

17. According to Instagram statistics for 2018, retired soccer star David Beckham was the UK’s top celebrity Instagram influencer in January 2018, with 41.15 million followers.

(Source: Statista)

What’s more, the former Manchester United winger has added another whopping 14 million followers since then. Actress and model Cara Delevingne ranked second, with 40.82 million followers, while another actress, Emma Watson, came third, with 40.77 million.

While we’re on the topic of leading European influencers:

18. According to Instagram statistics, Chiara Ferragni was the leading Italian influencer on Instagram in January 2019, with 12.5 million followers.

(Source: Statista)

Italians are renowned for their suave, sophisticated sense of style. So, it’s small wonder this engaging fashion blogger and influencer can earn around $12,000 for a sponsored Instagram post.

19. Sponsored content on Instagram is projected to amount to 32.3 million posts in 2019.

(Source: Statista)

Up from 21.7 million in 2018 and 14.5 million in 2017, Insta shows a steady upward trajectory. Instagram growth statistics speak well of the potential of influencer marketing. You might even say they’re taking over the world!

What’s more:

Instagram is their preferred social media platform by a country mile.

What’s New

Instagram continues to roll out frequent updates. In the run-up to Christmas 2018, the company introduced new ways for users to interact with one another.

Here’s the thing:

You can now use the questions sticker for music recommendations in Stories. Looking for a little #MondayMotivation song to set you up for the week ahead? Or maybe a #Friday banging tune to kickstart your weekend? Great news! You can now improve your engagement rate and increase your average number of Instagram followers, all while getting some nifty suggestions. What’s not to like?

But there’s more:

You can use question stickers in Live to get in touch with your favorite people. Fancy a quick makeup tip from that beauty blogger you really love? Well, simply go to her Story and respond to her questions sticker. You’ll see a Q&A tag pop up if she goes Live to answer. Once you’ve joined the Live video, you’ll be able to see the question she’s answering that very moment. Neat, isn’t it?

Now that you’ve sorted out your beauty routine, let’s have a look at a few….  

Fun Facts

Instagram can be loads of fun. And here I’ll show you how Instagram stats can be fun as well. Check these out:

20. As of April 2019, the most popular Instagram photo is a picture of an egg, with just over 53.1 million likes.

(Source: Brandwatch)

What a cracking stat! Earlier in 2019, the @world_record_egg account began a campaign to beat Kylie Jenner’s world record for the most liked post on Instagram. Naturally, Instagrammers couldn’t resist, and the rest is history. But that’s not all.

The plot thickens:

The egg has apparently gone AWOL, having last been spotted in Los Angeles. You, too, can shape history by helping the EGG GANG find it, if you’re so inclined. What a time to be alive!

21. Disneyland Tokyo was the happiest geotagged location in the world in 2018, according to Instagram stats, as indicated by the highest use of the “smile” emoji in the caption.

(Source: Instagram)

This is yet another leading Disney attraction and of course, it uses Instagram to reach its audience. Families with young children in particular enjoy these vacation destinations more than anyone. And, as long as the kids are happy, their parents are happy, too.

22. The “heart” emoji was used in comments over 14 billion times in 2018.

(Source: Instagram)

There’s a lot of love on Insta. It has a feel-good factor, which other networks often lack. No flaming wars or fake news scandals over here. How many instagram users are spreading the love? The vast majority, I’d say.

23. Pizza is the most Instagrammed food in the world.

(Source: Brandwatch)

Everyone loves pizza, even if most people disagree about toppings, often vehemently. But let’s not go there. I’ll let you keep your pineapple if you let me have my anchovies. Deal?

Alright, then:

Sushi and chicken are next on the list. According to Instagram statistics in the UK, however, the most Instagrammed food in Britain is curry – especially on a Saturday night.

And, on that tasty note:

Wrapping up

Instagram continues to grow by leaps and bounds. It still has a lot of unrealized potentials, as more and more users continue to join the trendiest social media platform of the day.

Chances are you’re on there, too – posting photos of your lunch and keeping an eye on your favorite celebrities. We all do it. It’s all good.

However you’ve decided to use your Instagram account, I hope you found these Instagram statistics useful.