Looking for some interesting facts about Instagram?

The app was a game-changer when it landed on the social media scene. It’s a key part of the daily lives of celebrities, influencers, and everyone else in between.

To this day, it’s still one of the biggest and most-used platforms in the world. From cute animals, food, to even selfies, Instagram is huge. It’s one of the largest platforms for sharing photos.

Some use it as a personal album, while others take advantage of it to promote brands and small businesses. With Instagram’s filters, it’s easy to feel like a pro photographer. The app, in general, has made it easier than ever before to share and feel connected.

It’s become ubiquitous in daily life and has amassed quite a list of interesting facts and trivia. Read on for 21 interesting statistics and facts about Instagram.

Instagram’s First

Instagram has a long and storied history. It’s come a long way from 2010. What started as a small, innocuous website has blossomed into a global powerhouse.

It’s been over a decade since Instagram was first released, and it’s come a long way since. From a small social media website to an industry giant, Instagram has come to stay.

Throughout this transformative journey, Instagram amassed a litany of interesting facts and stories. From stats showing its dominance to heartwarming stories, this is the tip of the iceberg. Instagram as a social media platform is here to stay and with it its plethora of fun facts and stories.

For those interested, here are some of Instagram’s heartwarming origin milestones.

1. The first-ever photo posted on Instagram was a photo of a dog. Co-creator Kevin Systrom first posted it on July 16, 2010. This would soon lead to the boom of animal and pet posts, which Instagram is also popular for.

2. One thing to note, though, Instagram’s official launch was months later, on October 6, 2010. It managed to amass over 25,000 users on its first day and continued to expand afterward.

3. Kevin Systrom designed Instagram’s first logo. It had two versions in 2010 – a camera with its distinct rainbow strip.

4. Instagram first went by the name Codename. The decision to switch to Instagram happened right before they launched.

The name itself was a mashup of instant cameras and telegrams. This gave us the now-iconic staple of daily conversation.

Users By the Billions

5. Instagram statistics show that the app has over 1 billion active users.

6. Most users’ ages range from 25-34 years old, catering to the millennials. Gen-Z is quick in gaining ground, especially in North American and Europe. Before too long, the younger generation will make up the majority of users on Instagram.

7. There are about 170 million Instagram users in the US alone, second only to India, which has 180 million. Within the top five are Brazil (110 million), Indonesia (93 million), and Russia (61 million). Those numbers will grow as Europe experienced a 17% increase recently, with other regions following suit.

8. There are more women Instagram users at over 54.1%, while 48.6% are men. They’ve also recently added features that accommodate gender-fluid identities. This allows users to add their preferred pronouns on the app and is a step in the right direction.

Instagram has actually long been a supporter of the LGBTQ+ movement. This feature was long overdue, but welcome and well-received by the LGBTQ+ community and allies.

Follower Culture

9. It’s no surprise that Instagram itself has the most followers at over 411 million. However, there are at least 30 accounts with over 100 million followers each. Individuals make up a significant number, but brands and organizations are also huge.

Soccer player Christiano Ronaldo comes in second at a little over 315 million. Other top celebrities include Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) and Ariana Grande, with 254 and 252 million followers. The top 8 most-followed accounts after Instagram are all individuals – each with over 200 million followers.

10. The highest company is National Geographic, at number 12 and 176 million followers. The most-followed organization is the UEFA Champions league at number 35 with 77 million. NASA is the most popular agency with 68 million followers, putting them at number 40.

Likes

11. It may surprise you to know that the most-liked post on Instagram is a stock photo of a plain egg on a white background. Posted in January 2019 by @world_record_egg, the post achieved global meme status. With over 55.3 million likes, the post smashed its goal of achieving the Instagram world record.

12. The two most-liked celebrity Instagram posts are ones of joy and sorrow. Ariana Grande’s wedding photos with Dalton Gomez achieved over 26.6 million likes. Posted May 26, 2021, the wedding has attracted attention comparable to the Royals.

At 25.7 million likes, we have XXX Tentacion’s final post before his murder. The pensive black and white photo of him upside down has the deep caption “Love is War.” Since he died, the post has acted as a sort of shrine to his musical genius and memorial of his unfortunate death.

Traditional celebrity posts actually round out the top 20. Unlike the most-followed accounts, the Instagram Egg came from a non-celebrity and retained the number one spot.

Strange Statistics

13. It turns out at least 8% of all Instagram accounts are fake. False identities and bots make up a significant chunk of that number, which could be even higher. Bot accounts help raise the followers or likes of an account, albeit in a non-organic manner.

As it turns out, a significant number of Instagram’s most popular users have tons of bot followers. They are cheap and easy to purchase en masse for a temporary boost in numbers.

14. Hashtags and tags do make a difference, as a single hashtag net 12.6% more engagement per post. Even tagging a location causes average post-interaction to soar by 79%. The Instagram software and algorithms are easier to master than you think.

Don’t overdo it, though, as posts with more than 6 hashtags have much less engagement. There are many strategies to get Instagram likes.

15. Among interesting Instagram facts is that over 60% of Instagram users use the app every day. This ranks Instagram as the 2nd most engaging and used app, right behind Facebook. The average user uses Instagram for more than 30 minutes per day, making it a prominent part of daily life.

16. 14% of US adults have never even heard of Instagram. Even more have no idea how to use Instagram. This is despite the enormous reach it has in our global media landscape and day-to-day conversation.

In fact, more than 16 million people search for Instagram on Google every month. As it turns out, 32% of all American internet users are on Instagram. However, more than 75% of Instagram’s 1 billion+ users are outside of the US.

17. Unfortunately, Instagram was the most-used platform for cyber-bullying in 2017. Along with other prominent social media sites, online bullying and harassment on Instagram have been an ongoing issue. This has been a big issue for teenagers and young adults, including mental health.

Brand Power

18. There are at least 1 million advertisers and brands on Instagram. Using the app has proven to be important for most commercial companies. The most popular ones are Nike, Nike Football, 9Gag, National Geographic, and Victoria’s Secret.

Even agencies like NASA are using Instagram to grow their reputation and brand reach. Many brands often use the app to reach out to the public and create engagement.

19. Over 50% of top brands don’t diversify their filters. They use the same filters and rarely bother to experiment. The most common filters are Clarendon, Juno, and Gingham, and this applied to all posts.

20. Over half of the consumer brands target Instagram for their social advertisements. 29% of them put the majority of their marketing budget into Instagram alone. This puts the app in 2nd place, behind Facebook’s 36% but above Twitter.

21. 90% of Instagram users follow at least one brand. Moreso, 70% of online shopaholics have turned to Instagram to find products. The role of influencers on purchasing decisions, however, is growing at a rapid pace.

One of the facts about Instagram is that influencers are taking over and establishing their own brand power. An estimated 87% of people have their purchasing decisions influenced by an influencer. Users, especially younger ones, are more likely to trust the reviews and advice of influencers than big-name brands.

Facts About Instagram Are Always Fun

From celebrities, politicians, influencers, animals, and activism, Instagram’s impact is massive. The app has served at the vanguard of a consumer revolution where even top brands use Instagram. The bottom line is that Instagram has become a normal and accepted part of daily life.

For more interesting trivia or facts about Instagram, you can check out our blog. There is an endless cornucopia of facts, statistics, and information to explore.