25+ Impressive Instagram Statistics for Brands and Users

We think it is safe to say that almost everyone has heard of Instagram. After all, this photo and video sharing social media platform has over 1 billion monthly active users across the world. 

But have you ever wondered how many people have Instagram in the UK? Or how it can help you grow your small business? What about how many people shop on Instagram?

The answers to these questions and many more can be found in our Instagram statistics, so make sure you keep reading.

The Most Important UK Instagram Statistics to Know in 2021

Instagram Usage Statistics

1. How many people have Instagram in the UK? 

(Statista) 

According to Statista,  30.36 million individuals used Instagram in the UK in January 2021 alone. That is over nine million more since March 2019 when Instagram saw the biggest drop in the number of users — from approximately 24 to 21 million.

2. Instagram reaches 60% of the online population in the UK.

(Ofcom)

Judging by Ofcom’s 2020 report, the number of Instagram users in the UK translates to 60% of all adult British internet users. Instagram is tied with WhatsApp in terms of reach, but far ahead of Twitter (54%) and Snapchat (26%).

3. Instagram is the second most popular social platform in the UK.

(YouGov)

This photo and video sharing platform has a 49% positive rating from respondents in a 2020 survey. What’s more, almost all participants, or 99% of them, have heard of Instagram even if they do not use it. 

4. The number of Instagram monthly active users in the UK is 28 million.

(Business of Apps) (Statista)

According to a 2020 Statista survey, 97% of  Instagram users logged on this platform at least once a month. However, 91% said they used Instagram weekly, and only 66% logged on every day.

5. 52% of Instagram users access the site through their smartphone. 

(Ofcom) (DataReportal)

Considering that 91% of people in the UK own a smartphone, the widespread usage of mobiles to access social media should come as no surprise. As per UK Instagram usage statistics, over half of Insta-users in the UK access the site through their mobile. Most of them (61.1%) use iPhones, while 42.1% use Android devices to log onto the site.

Instagram Demographics in the UK 

6. 25 to 34 year-olds are the most numerous Instagram users.

(Statista)

The biggest share of Instagram users is made up of people between the ages of 25 and 34, at 30.6 per cent. Right after them are users aged 18 to 25 (25%). The smallest share of people using Instagram, however, are adults over 65 years of age.

7. Instagram is the fourth most popular social media site among teens and young adults in the UK.

(Statista) 

A Statista survey shows that 76% of 15 to 25-year-olds in Great Britain use this photo and video-sharing platform. Insta is the fourth most popular site among this age group, ranked behind YouTube, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

8. How many Instagram users in 2021 are women?

(NapoleonCat) (Statista)

42.5% of people who go on Insta are male, and 57.5% are female, making women the majority of Instagram users. Gender demographics are similar across most social media networks in the UK. In fact, with the exception of Twitter and Linkedin, all social networking sites in the UK have more female than male users. 

9. Instagram is more popular among higher earners.

(Statista) 

Who uses Instagram the most in terms of annual income?

Reports found that 52% of UK online adults earning over £48k a year were Instagram users, the highest of all income groups. By contrast, only 38% of those with an annual income lower than £14,000 used Instagram in 2018.

Instagram Influencer Stats and Facts

10. David Beckham has over 65 million followers on Instagram. 

(SocialBlade)

With over 65 million followers, David Beckham remains at the top of the most followed British celebrities on Instagram. Singer Dua Lipa, with an average number of Instagram followers of 60 million, takes second place. Right behind her is the Harry Potter star Emma Watson with more than 59 million followers.

11. Travis Scott is one of the most popular influencers in the UK.  

(Heepsy)

With a 7.2% engagement rate and 3.2 million likes per post, American rapper Travis Scott is ranked number one among the most popular Instagram accounts in the UK. Judging by Instagram follower statistics, actress Dove Cameron comes next with 2.2 million likes, while singer and songwriter Shawn Mendez, with 2.1 million likes per post, is third on the list. 

12. 86% of bloggers and influencers use Instagram as a sharing platform. 

(Statista)

Chosen by 86% of respondents in a 2020 Statista survey, Instagram is the second most commonly used platform by influencers and bloggers to share and promote content. Blogs take the first place (used by 97% of respondents), while Twitter, preferred by 80%, is ranked third. 

13. 97% of UK influencers are active on Instagram. 

(Business of Apps)

According to Instagram facts and stats by Business Of Apps, 97% of British influencers are active on Instagram, opposed to the USA and Germany, where influencers are 100% active.

However, when it comes to user interaction, a survey from the UK, US, and Germany reveals that 94% engage with influencers on the platform on a weekly basis. 

Brands Using Instagram

14. 80% of users follow brands or businesses, UK Instagram statistics reveal. 

(HostReview) 

A large proportion of UK individuals on Instagram use this social media platform to follow various brands and businesses, emphasising the value this site has to marketers. Companies can use Instagram to promote specific products and engage users to boost sales and increase brand awareness. 

15. 53% of small businesses in the UK consider Instagram a valuable tool for business growth. 

(Digital Matchbox)

Over half of small business owners in the UK see Instagram as a tool for growing their business. What’s more, Instagram facts and figures show that one in three owners of small businesses in the UK declare that the site has helped them get noticed and increase their profits.

16. 25% of Instagram users ages 16-24 think that Instagram influencer marketing will lead to purchases.

(Business of Apps)

Instagram statistics from the UK, US and Germany indicate that 11% of users believe the site’s influencer marketing will increase online shopping. Younger generations are even more convinced of this; a quarter of 16 to 24-year-olds think influencer marketing on Instagram is very likely to result in more purchases.

17. Instagram Stories from businesses are viewed the most. 

(BigCommerce)

A comprehensive survey carried out in Brazil, Indonesia, the US and the UK says that one in three of the most-viewed Instagram Stories come from businesses instead of individuals. On top of that, over one in three respondents became more involved in a brand or product after they saw it in Instagram stories, stats report. 

Instagram Revenue Statistics

18. How many people shop on Instagram?

(Marketing Dive)

Roughly 39% of Brits aged 16 to 24 who shop online use Instagram Shopping. The number of people who use Instagram Shopping declines with age, though. Namely, 34% of the shoppers aged 25 to 34 use this service, as do 21% of those in the 35-44 age group. Represented only with 8.4%, UK Instagram statistics suggest that shoppers between 45 and 55, barely use Instagram Shopping.

19. Influencers can earn up to £29,009 a year, or the same amount as the UK’s average salary. 

(Inzpire)

Suppose Instagram influencers have around 108,200 followers and create an average of 4 posts and stories a month. In that case, they can earn up to  £29,009 annually from business collaborations, which is the equivalent of an average salary in the UK. 

Instagram Ad Statistics

20. Instagram’s advertising audience grew by 4.8% from the last quarter. 

(DataReportal) (Social Films)

To get a better understanding of the marketing power of this social media platform in the UK, take a look at the following facts and stats:

• Instagram revenue in the UK stands at £3.59 billion. 
• Instagram reports that the platform can reach 24 million people with ads. This translates to about 42% of the UK population aged 13 and over. 
• Instagram’s digital advertising reach has increased by 4.8% in the last quarter.

21. 55% of marketers plan to use Instagram for influencer marketing. 

(Business of Apps)

Instagram marketing stats show that 55% of marketers in the US, UK and Germany intend to use the platform for influencer marketing in 2021. In this regard, Instagram is only preceded by YouTube — 58% of marketers plan to use this site, which is not surprising, given that YouTube is the highest reaching video-sharing platform in the UK. 

Instagram Features

22. Millenials and Gen Z are the biggest users of Instagram Live. 

(Business of Apps)

26% of Instagram users in the UK and the US that use Instagram Live are Millennials and Gen Z. This percentage is much higher than the 11% of Instagrammers who use this feature, Instagram analytics and surveys reveal. 

23. 61% of adults in the UK watch a video on Instagram at least once a day. 

(Ofcom)

Ever since Instagram introduced video sharing, the numbers of people using the site to watch content has increased. In 2019, the share of adults watching videos on Instagram was much higher than YouTube (42%) and TikTok (45%). 

UK Instagram Engagement Statistics

24. The average Instagram user spends 4 minutes on the platform daily.

(Ofcom)

The latest research suggests that the average time an Instagram user spends on the social platform is 4 minutes 41 seconds a day. By contrast, Linkedin users spend only 1 minute 56 seconds a day on the site, while people stay on Facebook for about 23 minutes. 

25. Youngsters spend 48 minutes per day on Instagram.

(Statista)

A survey involving 60,000 children, aged 4 to 15, tells us that they spend an average of 48 minutes a day on Instagram. This age group spends the most time on YouTube (75 minutes per day) and TikTok (69 minutes per day), thus in terms of Instagram engagement rates, the site is ranked third. 

26. Only 3% of Instagram users see this platform as a source for news.

(Business of Apps)

It seems that news is not the answer to the question: why do people use Instagram? 

UK Insta-users are ranked at the bottom with only 3% of the overall population getting news from this social networking site, unlike Turkey, where 41% of the people turn to Insta for news. 

Getting updates and the latest information from this photo-sharing site is more prevalent among younger generations, though — 24% of UK users aged 18-24 use Instagram as a news source. 

27. When is the ideal time to post on Instagram?

(Later)

Want to get more than the normal engagement rate and average likes on Instagram in the UK? According to a survey among thousands of Instagrammers, the best time to post is between 9 am and 11 am on Wednesdays. If you’re set on posting during weekends, research advises doing so between 7 and 8 pm on a Saturday,  or from 7 am to 8 am on Sundays. 

Instagram vs Other Social Media

28. Instagram ranks second on the Google Play store in the UK. 

(Statista) 

The most downloaded social media app on Google Play store in 2020 was TikTok with an impressive 219.9 thousand downloads, UK social media statistics for 2021 indicate. Instagram is positioned second, with approximately 132.2 thousand downloads.

29. Instagram has 7x higher engagement than Facebook.

(Netimperative)

It seems like Instagram remains the leading social media platform for interactions in the UK with 7-times higher engagement than Facebook. Still, brands tend to prefer Facebook. Research shows that the 50 most prominent profiles on both platforms post nearly 60% more content on Facebook. 

Wrapping It Up

From sharing and following your favourite brands to shopping and growing your small business, these Instagram statistics show that there is no limit to what you can do on this social media platform.

We hope that our selection of Insta facts and statistics helped you learn more about this photo and video sharing service so you can start using it to your advantage.