What You Need to Know About Instagram Analytics for 2020 Volume 1 – What to Measure

15 years ago, analytics sounded like a foreign topic for many companies. Data-based decision-making and marketing strategies were reserved for large conglomerates with huge purses.

Technology today has created bite-size platforms that enable normal business owners to harness the power of deep analytics and reporting. This is especially pertinent when it comes to social media and platforms like Instagram.

Why Should You Care About Instagram Analytics?

First, what have you go to lose? The site is free. Instagram has over 25 million business profiles worldwide and over 200 million people visiting one of these daily. It’s evident that companies are finding value in the platform, no matter the size of the operation.

However, if you don’t know who is viewing your page or how your posts and stories are performing, how do you know if your efforts are driving value? The last thing you want to do is waste time posting content where it won’t get noticed.

What Happens When You Stop Paying Attention?

So, what could go wrong if you fail to evaluate your Instagram? Here are a few ideas:

• Posting too much or too little
• Targeting the wrong audience
• Fielding the wrong traffic
• Driving calls from a single-use ad type
• Missing opportunities for brand engagement
• Ignoring mentions (both from customers and partner)
• Posting during off-hours (4 a.m. anyone?)

These are all things you could be doing better and/or avoiding if you are diving into your data each day. The information you glean will help you use the platform more effectively.

Therefore, it’s important to know the top metrics to measure and what is can show you.

Types of Instagram Analytics to Measure

When it comes to using Insta (as the kids call it) there are a variety of actions and channels to measure. Here is what you should be looking at:

Instagram Audience Metrics

Do you know who your true target audience is? I am sure you have an ideal demographic in your head, but that might not be accurate. You must look at the numbers to know if your messages are aligning with people coming to your digital space. Here are the top metrics to watch out for when gauging your Instagram audience:

• Location: This metric allows you to see the top five cities and countries where followers are located.
• Age: How old are the people that are following you. An easy way to find out is that Instagram breaks it into groups:
  • 13-17
  • 18-24
  • 25-34
  • 35-44
  • 45-54
  • 55-64
  • 65+
• Gender: The distribution of followers by man or woman.
• Hours and Days of Followers: When your people are online.

Instagram Profile Metrics

These are the metrics you access directly through “My Profile” where your posts live. This page will show you insights for the length of a week. Here are some important figures to keep in mind:

• Interactions: How many actions are taken on your account.
• Impressions: The number of times your post has been seen during a certain amount of time.
• Profile visits: The total number of profile views over a period of time.
• Reach: The number of unique accounts that have seen your posts.
• Mentions: The number of times your account has been mentioned by other users.
• Call/Email clicks: The number of times people have clicked the call or email button on your profile page.
• Website clicks: The number of times users have clicked the link to your website/landing page from your profile.

Individual Post Analytics

Once you have a good amount of posts under your belt, the analytics should start showing some patterns and trends. This can help a business make more informed decisions. Some key metrics to consider include:

• Comments: How many comments each post has.
• Follows: How many new followers you gained from a post.
• Discovery: Anyone that follows your account from the “Discovery” page is accounted for.
• Interactions: Actions taken directly from your post. This can involve things like:
  • Following a hyperlink
  • Visiting your profile
  • Using the call/email button
• Impressions: The total number of times your post was viewed.
• Saves: The number of unique accounts that saved your post to their personal folder.
• Reach: How many unique accounts that each post reaches.
• Comments: The number of comments on a particular post.

Instagram Stories

If you’re not posting to Insta Stories, you’re not fully utilizing the platform. The Snapchat-like feature gives you a substantial opportunity to reach and engage a wider audience. Consider these metrics to follow:

• People Insights: A list of accounts that have viewed a particular component of your story.
• Exits: How many times someone left midway through.
• Replies: The number of replies to a video or picture on your story.
• Reach: The number of unique accounts that viewed your story.
• Impressions: The total number of times your story was viewed.

No matter what you choose to track and analyze on Instagram, it’s important to start with a baseline. Then check in periodically to establish performance and tweak where necessary.