It’s estimated that there are 1.41 billion Instagram users. This makes it a fantastic social media platform to be on if you want to reach a wide audience, especially if you’re a small business owner.
But you can’t just hop on, make a bunch of posts, and not do anything. Otherwise, your marketing won’t go so well.
In this article, we’ll discuss the important Instagram metrics you need to track to ensure your marketing campaigns are a success.
Growth Rate
Simply looking at how many followers you have doesn’t tell you much. Instead, you’ll need to look at your growth rate.
For instance, if you gained 5 followers in a month and you previously had 50, then that’s a 10% increase, which is great! But if you gained 5 followers and had 500, that growth rate of 1% is abysmal.
If you need help in this area, you can grow your Instagram followers by buying likes or exchanging them. This can give you a quick boost that’ll improve traffic.
Engagement
Growing your followers is great, but without engagement, it won’t mean much. Engagement is also important because IG’s algorithm values engagement and posts with lots of user interactions are pushed to the top.
To calculate your engagement per follower, take the number of likes and comments, then divide by the total number of followers (in a certain time period). To get automatic engagement calculations, you should use an analytics tool.
In general, a good engagement rate on Instagram is around 5%. So aim for that number!
Reach
Reach is different from impressions since it counts unique users instead of views. For example, if a person looks at your post 5 times, that counts as 5 impressions. However, since these 5 impressions came from 1 person, that’s just 1 for reach.
From there, you can calculate your reach rate. This is calculated by dividing your post’s total reach by the number of followers you have. Obviously, you want as high a reach rate as possible!
Clicks on Links
Not all links will be of equal interest to users, so you need to figure out what they want to see. The best marketing campaigns are based on giving what users want, so checking link clicks is vital.
You can track which clicks came from where by adding UTM parameters to your links. An analytics tool will then give you all the data in an organized fashion.
Traffic to Your Website
Social media isn’t your end game, after all; it’s the tool to drive traffic to your services and/or products. So an important metric to measure is how much traffic is going to your website from your IG account.
Again, an analytics tool can show you which posts or stories on IG led users to your website. You can then base your future posts on those to drive more interest and traffic.
Read more about: MOST COMMON INSTAGRAM SEO MISTAKES YOU NEED TO AVOID
Make Sure to Track These Instagram Metrics
Keeping track of the right Instagram metrics is key to success. With these numbers, you’ll be able to see where you need to tweak your marketing. And as a result, you’ll be able to get more followers and engagement with your posts, which will then help your business thrive!
To learn more about marketing optimization, take a look at our other blog posts today.
Use Instagram Insights (It Is Free)
You do not need a paid tool to start tracking Instagram metrics. Instagram gives free analytics, called Insights, to business and creator accounts. Switch your account type in Settings to unlock it. Insights shows your reach, engagement, follower growth, and profile visits. It also shows when your followers are online, so you can post at the best time. Check Insights once a week. Look for patterns: which posts got the most reach, which got the most saves, and which days your followers are most active. Use those patterns to plan your next posts.
Saves and Shares Matter More Than Likes
A like is a quick tap. A save means someone wants to see your post again. A share means someone wants others to see it. Saves and shares are stronger signals than likes, because they show real interest. Track saves and shares for each post. If a post gets many saves, make more posts like it. If a post gets many shares, your topic is worth repeating. A post with fewer likes but many saves can be more valuable than a post with many likes and no saves.
Track Stories and Reels Separately
Stories and Reels work differently, so track them separately. For Stories, watch views, replies, exits, and link taps. If many people exit a Story early, the content did not hold them. For Reels, watch plays, likes, comments, shares, and saves. Compare your Reels to your regular posts. If Reels get more reach, make more of them. If your regular posts get more saves, focus on those. Do not judge all formats by the same numbers, because each format has its own strengths.
Do Not Buy Likes or Followers
Buying likes or followers may look like a shortcut, but it hurts your account. Instagram bans fake engagement in its rules. Bought followers do not watch your posts, leave comments, or buy your products. They make your engagement rate look worse, which tells Instagram that your content is not interesting. Your account can also be restricted. Grow slowly with real content instead. Real followers who like your posts are worth far more than thousands of fake ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Instagram engagement rate?
It varies by account size and niche. Smaller accounts often have higher rates than large ones. Compare your rate to your own past posts, not to other accounts, and aim to improve it over time.
What is the difference between reach and impressions?
Reach counts unique users who saw your post. Impressions count total views. If one person looks at your post 5 times, that is 5 impressions but only 1 for reach.
How do I see my Instagram analytics?
Switch to a business or creator account in Settings. Instagram Insights then shows your reach, engagement, follower growth, and when your followers are online, for free.
What are UTM parameters?
UTM parameters are short tags you add to a link, such as utm_source=instagram. They tell your analytics tool where each click came from, so you can see which posts drive traffic to your website.
Should I buy Instagram likes?
No. Buying likes violates Instagram’s rules. Bought followers do not watch or engage, and your account can be restricted. Grow slowly with real content instead.
Disclaimer: Instagram features and rules change often. Check Instagram’s own help pages for the latest details. This guide gives general information only.
Last Updated: 6 November 2026