When someone asks, “How’s your Instagram business doing?”—what’s the first thing that pops into your head? Likes, right?
We get it. They’re the easiest to see, the quickest to brag about, and they just feel good. But here’s the deal: Likes are only a tiny piece of the puzzle. They don’t tell the full story of your performance, and they definitely don’t define success.
In fact, you could be getting fewer likes than your competitors but still outperforming them when it comes to engagement rate or conversions. That’s why tracking the right Instagram metrics is key.
So instead of obsessing over the average number of double-taps per post, let’s talk about the 11 Instagram metrics that actually matter when measuring your brand’s impact. Trust us, your insights tab has way juicier numbers waiting for you!
First, let’s cover the basics.
What are Instagram metrics?
Instagram metrics are the secret weapon behind every successful social media strategy. They tell you what’s working, what’s flopping, and where you need to make changes. Instead of just counting likes and calling it a day, tracking the right data helps you understand your audience, refine your content, and actually drive results.
For example, engagement metrics show how people are interacting with your content. Whether they’re just scrolling past or actually stopping to engage. Reach and impressions help you see how far your content is spreading and whether you’re getting in front of the right audience.
On the other hand, growth metrics tell you if your follower count is moving in the right direction, while conversion metrics track whether people are taking action, like clicking on your profile or visiting your website.
And if you’re posting Reels or Stories, video performance metrics help you figure out what’s keeping viewers hooked and what’s making them tap away.
Why should you be tracking Instagram metrics?
Tracking Instagram metrics isn’t just about watching numbers go up (or down). It’s about understanding what’s working, what isn't, and how to make smarter decisions for your brand. If you’re just posting content and hoping for the best, you’re leaving growth to chance. But when you track the right metrics, you gain insights that help you fine-tune your strategy and get better results.
One of the biggest reasons to track Instagram metrics is to measure engagement. You want to know if your audience is actually interacting with your content or just scrolling past it. High engagement means your posts are resonating, while low engagement signals that something might need to change, maybe your content isn’t relevant enough, or your timing is off.
Metrics also help you understand your reach. If your content isn’t getting in front of enough people, you might need to experiment with different formats, hashtags, or posting times. On the flip side, if reach is growing, you’ll want to figure out what’s driving that success so you can double down on it.
Then there’s growth and conversions. Tracking follower trends shows if you’re attracting the right audience, while conversion metrics tell you if people are actually taking action. These numbers help prove the ROI of your Instagram efforts, whether you’re looking to build brand awareness, drive traffic, or boost sales.
At the end of the day, Instagram metrics give you clarity. Instead of guessing what’s working, you’ll have real data to back up your decisions. And when you know what’s working, you can create better content, reach more people, and grow your brand more effectively.
11 Top Instagram Metrics that are not Likes
1. Engagements
Engagement is the true test of how much people actually care about your content. It includes comments, shares, and saves, which tell you who’s interacting with your posts instead of just scrolling past. A high organic engagement rate? That means your content is resonating!
Where to find Engagements: From your profile, tap the menu icon (the three lines) in the top right corner. Select Insights > Content Interactions for an overall view, or scroll down to Content You Shared for individual post analytics.
2. Reach
Reach tells you how many unique people actually saw your post. The higher this number, the better your content is performing in the algorithm. More reach means more fresh eyeballs on your content.
Where to find Reach: Go to your profile, tap the menu icon, and select Insights. Under Insights Overview, select Reach as your metric.
3. Impressions
Unlike reach, which counts unique viewers, impressions track total views. If your impressions are way higher than your reach, it means people are watching your content multiple times, it is always a good sign!
Where to find Impressions: Open the post you want to analyze and tap View Insights to check your impressions.
4. Saves
When someone saves your post, it’s like they’re bookmarking it for later, whether it’s a helpful tip, a movie quote, or something super shareable. More saves prove that your content truly sticks.
Where to find Saves: From Insights, go to Content You Shared, then adjust the Metric menu to “Saves.”
5. Shares
Getting shared is like winning the social media lottery. When someone shares your post in Stories, DMs, or group chats, your content is reaching way beyond your immediate audience.
Where to find Shares: In Insights, scroll down to Content You Shared and adjust the Metric menu to “Shares.”
6. Comments
Likes are easy, but comments take effort! If people are leaving thoughts, questions, or even just a string of fire emojis, it’s a sign that your content is actually starting conversations.
Where to find Comments: Just scroll below your post to see all comments.
Are people actually clicking on your links? CTR tells you how many people followed a link from your Story, bio, or post. A strong CTR means your call-to-action is working!
Where to find CTR: CTR = (Total Clicks / Total Impressions) x 100. You can track this manually or use Instagram Insights for link clicks.
Stories give you some sneaky-good insights. If users tap forward too quickly, they’re skipping your content. If they tap back? They’re rewatching—so you’re onto something good!
Where to find Story Tap Forward: Go to Insights > Content You Shared > Stories > Navigation, then check “Taps Forward.”
9. Reels Plays
Instagram is all in on Reels, so tracking how many plays (and replays) your Reels get can help you see if your content is truly engaging.
Where to find Reels Plays: Use the Insights function to view total Reels Plays or check your profile page.
10. Follower Growth
It’s not just about the number of followers, but how fast (or slow) you’re gaining them. A steady increase means your content strategy is solid. A sudden drop? Time to reassess!
Where to find Follower Growth: Go to Insights > Audience Data > Followers to track your growth over time.
Stories are an engagement gold mine. High impressions mean people are checking out your content multiple times—keep giving them more of what they love!
Where to find Story Impressions: Go to Insights > Content You Shared > Stories to find your Story Impressions.
How Measure Studio helps you track metrics and beyond
Tracking Instagram metrics can feel like a never-ending numbers game, but Measure Studio makes it effortless by turning raw data into actionable insights.
With custom metrics, you can track exactly what matters, whether it’s engagement, saves, or that one meme format that always pops off. Benchmarking helps you compare performance against your own averages, so you know what’s truly working (and what’s just a fluke).
Say goodbye to tedious spreadsheets with automated reporting that makes your analytics look sleek and professional in minutes. Plus, with AI-powered content analysis, you’ll uncover the trends, keywords, and themes driving your best posts.
Managing multiple accounts? No problem—Measure Studio’s unified dashboard puts everything in one place, so you can stop tab-hopping and focus on creating content that actually grows your brand.
Wrapping up
By tracking these insights, you’re not just guessing what works, you’re making data-backed decisions that help you grow your brand and create content that actually connects with people.
So, instead of chasing vanity metrics, start paying attention to the numbers that really matter in moving the needle. That’s how you turn an Instagram presence into a real business asset.
At the end of the day, Instagram metrics aren’t just numbers, they’re your roadmap to better content, stronger engagement, and real growth. Whether you’re tracking reach, engagement, or those all-important saves and shares, knowing what works (and what flops) helps you create smarter, more impactful content.
But manually digging through Instagram Insights can be a lot. That’s where Measure Studio comes in. With custom metrics, automated reports, and AI-powered insights, it takes the guesswork out of analytics so you can focus on what really matters, making scroll-stopping content. Give Measure Studio a try and let the data do the heavy lifting!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I track more than just likes on Instagram?
Likes might give you a quick dopamine hit, but they don’t tell the full story of how your content is performing. Engagements, shares, saves, and reach give you a much clearer picture of what’s working and what’s actually driving growth.
How often should I check my Instagram metrics?
How can Measure Studio make tracking Instagram metrics easier?
Kommentarer