As short-form video grows in popularity, Instagram Reels have been a huge hit with social media users. It also helps that the platform has been prioritizing Reels, with the Instagram algorithm favoring them over other content formats and showing them more prominently in people’s feeds.
Three years after the company launched its response to TikTok, however, Instagram is still keeping details about its usage pretty secret. However, we managed to put together a few Instagram Reels statistics that you might find relevant to your strategy.
Before we get into the Instagram Reels stats, though, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about what exactly this newest Instagram feature is and how it works to promote engagement.
General Instagram Reels Stats
Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, let’s move on to some of the most important Instagram Reels statistics. While some of these stats will be able to demonstrate the value of this popular Instagram feature, others might also help to inform your strategy. Let’s dive in.
1. You Can Now Record Up to 90 Seconds of Video for a Reel
Instagram has increased the duration of Reels from a few seconds to 15 minutes. A Reel can be as short as 15 Seconds or as long as 15 minutes. However, Instagram makes it very clear that performance drops for a Reel over 90 seconds.
Also, you cannot record a Reel within the Instagram app for over 90 seconds. If you want to post a longer Reel, you'll have to upload it from your phone's camera roll. While there's an option to post longer Reels, it's not recommended.
In fact, Instagram's CEO, Adam Mosseri, said that Reels longer than 90 seconds ''hurt distribution.''
That's why these Reels also don't show up in the Reels tab. Instead, users have to find them on the creator's profile. So, ideally, you should keep an Instagram Reel under 90 seconds.
2. Over 200 Billion Reels Are Viewed Per Day Across Instagram and Facebook
Facebook reports that Meta users view over 200 billion Reels daily, with no sign of slowing down. This number is astonishing and shows the immense popularity of Reels on both platforms. Keeping this figure in mind, businesses with an Instagram and Facebook presence should take advantage of this feature to reach a wider audience.
3. Instagram Reels From Accounts With Over 50k Followers Reach 67,000 Users
According to Statista, Instagram Reels from creators or businesses with more than 50,000 followers reach 67,000 users. That's quite impressive, considering the potential audience that can be reached through Reels.
Reach of Instagram Reels
The reach is lesser for smaller accounts. Those accounts with 10k to 50k followers reach 9,600 views, while smaller accounts with 2k to 10k followers reach 3,200 viewers. So, the more followers an account has, the better reach they can expect for their Reels.
However, account size alone doesn't suffice. Your Reels should also be engaging and relevant to your target audience if you want to achieve a high reach. If they go viral, you can get millions of views even with a smaller account.
4. Reels is Beating TikTok in Terms of Adoption
When it comes to adoption rate, it seems like Reels and other Meta products are outperforming TikTok. A 2023 survey by Morgan Stanley found that 74% of Instagram users are using the platform’s Reels feature. Considering the adoption rates of 62% in March 2022 and 69% in September 2022, it’s clear that there’s a growing trend in the number of people using Reels.
Meanwhile, 49% of respondents in the survey were using TikTok. Although this is still an improvement from the 47% in September 2022, it shows that there’s a notable difference in adoption rates between Instagram Reels and TikTok.
Instagram Reels adoption rate is also slightly higher than Facebook Reels adoption rate. Sixty-five percent of users were engaging with Reels on the Facebook app, according to the Morgan Stanley survey.
5. Instagram Reels Usage Increased 46% Year-Over-Year
According to a Social Insider report, there has been a 46% increase in Reels volume year-over-year. The increase in Reels volume has been higher than that in 2022.
Increase in Instagram Reels volume
Although Reels have become the top-performing content on the platform, their engagement has suffered some decline in the past year. In the same report, it was found that the engagement on Reels has gone down by 20%.
The decline could be due to the increasing competition on the platform as more and more creators are using Reels. However, this doesn't mean that Reels are becoming less popular. In fact, with the rise in user-generated content, Reels are expected to continue their growth in popularity.
6. Reels Have the Highest Impression Rates Among Instagram Content Types
The same Social Insider report also found that Reels drive the highest impression rates for brands on Instagram. For accounts with 1k to 5k followers, the impression rate is up to 75%. Larger accounts with 100k to 1 million followers have an impression rate of over 30%.
Instagram Reel impression rates
That means if you have 1k followers, you can expect it to reach 750 people on average. If your Reels are engaging, they have the potential to reach even more people due to their algorithm-friendly nature.
Instagram Reels Engagement Stats
7. Instagram Reels Generate 15,000 Views on Average
Statista reports that Instagram Reels generate 15,000 views and 805 likes on average. This is a significant increase from the average views and likes on regular posts.
The good news is that Reels viewers also leave comments on these videos. On average, an Instagram Reel gets over 25 comments and 82 saves. The saves being so high is a great indicator of the content's quality and potential for virality since people are saving it to watch again later or share with others.
8. Small Brands Have High Reel View Rates
Another insight from the Social Insider study we mentioned earlier is that small brands reap the most rewards from Reels. According to the study, smaller brands with 1k to 5k followers get the highest view rates on their Reels. For these brands, the view rate is around 13%. That means for every 100 followers, the Reel will be viewed by at least 13 people.
The average view rate drops as the account size increases. Accounts with 50k to 100k followers have a view rate of 6%. On the other hand, larger accounts with 100k to 1 million followers have a view rate under 6%.
The difference between view rates makes sense, considering the following on smaller accounts is more engaged. That's why nano and micro-influencers are becoming the influencers of choice for brands to reach highly targeted, engaged audiences.
9. Large Brands Get More Saves on Reels
Social Insider found that while smaller accounts get higher view rates, larger accounts get more saves on their Reels. The save rate for accounts with 1k to 5k followers is almost negligible, likely due to the smaller audience size.
Saves on Reels by account size
However, accounts with 100k to 1 million followers have up to 400 median saves for a Reel. That's much higher than accounts with 50k to 100k followers or 10k to 50k followers.
Part of the reason for this could be that larger accounts have built a stronger brand and following, making their content more shareable and savable. Larger accounts may have access to more resources, such as professional equipment and higher production value, which could also contribute to the higher savings rates.
10. Instagram Accounts With Over 50,000 Followers Post a Reels Every Two Days
Are you wondering how often you should post Reels on Instagram? Statista reports that large Instagram accounts with over 50,000 followers post a Reel every two days. In comparison, smaller accounts with less than 500 followers post a Reel every 5 days.
Again, it could be a matter of resources. Bigger accounts may have a dedicated social media team or may partner with content creation agencies to post Reels more frequently. On the contrary, smaller accounts have to create Reels themselves. The lack of resources and time may lead to less frequent posting.
11. Instagram Reels Have an Engagement of Over 5%
On average, Instagram Reels posted by accounts with more than 50,000 followers have an engagement rate of 5.5%. Smaller accounts with less than 500 users see an engagement rate of over 6% for their Reels.
If you have a medium-sized Instagram account, you can expect the engagement rate to be a little over 5.6%. It's evident that followers on smaller accounts are more likely to engage with Reels than those on large accounts. That's because smaller accounts tend to have a more niche audience, creating content that specifically caters to their interests.
12. Reels Get More Comments That Single Images and Carousels
According to the Social Insider report, for all account sizes ranging up to 100k followers, Reels get more comments than Instagram carousel posts and single images. However, for accounts with 100k to 1 million followers, single images get more comments than Reels, although the difference isn't too significant.
Comments on Reels
Since comments are the hallmark of engagement, it wouldn't be wrong to say that if you want to drive more comments, Reels is the way to go. Even for larger accounts, Reels still outperform carousel posts in terms of comments.
While it's good to have a blend of different content types, if you're short on resources, it may be better to focus on Reels to drive up engagement.
13. The Best Time to Post Instagram Reels Is Midnight
Statista reveals that Reels posted in the late hours of the day, particularly at midnight, have the highest average views. On average, Instagram Reels posted during this time get 25,000 views, which is much higher than the 12,300 views that Facebook Reels posted at the same time.
While midnight may be the most optimal time to post Reels, most creators don't post their Reels at this time. Instead, the most popular time to post Reels is 6 PM. According to Statista, 119,000 Reels were published on Instagram during this time in 2024.
14. Reels Get the Most Reach Out of All Instagram Content Types
Even in terms of reach, Reels are clearly outperforming other Instagram content types such as carousels, image posts, and regular videos. A HypeAuditor analysis of 77.6 million Instagram posts revealed that Reels have the highest estimated reach (33.8%) among every other content type. Image posts see an estimated reach of 29.9%, which is followed by carousel posts with a 22.4% estimated reach. Regular videos performed the poorest with a 13.9% estimated reach.
This is consistent with Social Insider’s findings that Reels perform better than carousels and images. According to the 2024 report, Reels have an engagement rate of close to 1.5%, compared to 0.75% of carousels and around 0.6% of images.
With much a higher reach, Reels are your best bet at gaining virality on the platform. You’re more likely to improve visibility when you focus on producing high-quality Reels. This will positively impact other aspects of your Instagram performance.
Instagram Reels Advertising Stats
15. You Can Reach 726.8 Million People with Instagram Reels Ads
Instagram introduced Reels Ads in 2021, giving advertisers the option to exponentially grow their reach. With this placement, your ad will be displayed to users in between different Reels in the Reels tab.
The good news for brands is that these Reels Ads command massive reach. According to the Digital 2023 Global Overview Report, advertisers can reach 726.8 million users through this ad placement. This translates to over half (55.1%) of the platform’s total advertising reach.
16. You Can Reach More Men Than Women through Reels Ads
According to the same report as above, men make up 54.7% of the audience that you can potentially reach through Instagram Reels ads. Meanwhile, women make up 45.3% of the audience you can reach by advertising on Reels. In spite of a slight difference, the gender distribution is pretty balanced, which makes Reels ads a great option for brands that want to target either or both men and men.
17. Reels Ads are Most Effective for Targeting Users Aged 18-34
Based on the Digital 2023 report, most of the users you can reach through advertising on Reels are between the ages of 18 and 34. These age groups make up a majority of the Instagram Reels ad audience. So if your target audience comprises people in these age groups, you could greatly benefit from leveraging this ad placement option.
Instagram Reels audience profile
18. People are Creating More Video Posts
The same report also found that video posts, including Reels, make up 35.9% of all posts on the main Instagram feed. This puts it right behind photo posts, which make up 45.3% of all main feed posts. This goes to show that there’s an increase in the number of video content being created, with Reels likely contributing to a significant portion of those posts.
Instagram business account benchmarks
19. 80% of Brands Have Published at Least One Reel
The adoption of Reels among brands is also seeing an uptick. According to the Emplifi Social Media Benchmark report, 80% of brands on Instagram have created at least one reel in Q3 of 2022. That’s almost double the number of brands creating Reels back in 2021 when only 41% of brands were posting Reels content on Instagram.
20. Reels are Highly Popular among Sporting Brands
Adoption of Instagram Reels may have increased across the board. However, the feature is most popular among brands in the sporting industry. The Emplifi report above found that 92% of sports organizations and sports and sports events publish Reels to engage their followers. Additionally, 88% of sporting goods brands also do the same.
These numbers speak volumes about the effectiveness of Instagram Reels at engaging people. Brands in other industries can achieve similar results with the right strategy in place. This essentially involves having a clear understanding of what resonates with your audience and creating more Reels accordingly. Consider testing different Reels to see which ones are performing well so you get a sense of what works with your target audience.
21. Instagram Reels Can Drive Purchases
For most businesses, it’s not about the reach or impressions or even the engagement rate but rather about how it affects the company’s bottom line. So you’ll be very happy to learn that Instagram Reels can compel many people to make purchases. In fact, a Meta-commissioned study found that 77% of respondents had bought a product or service after watching Reels. While the study is limited to users in India, it’s safe to assume that the same trend will be consistent across other markets.
On top of this, Reels aren’t just driving direct purchasing action. They also drive follows and direct messages. The same study found that 82% of respondents followed a business while 74% messaged a business after watching their Reels.
22. Reels Ad Sets Including Sound on a Video Have Lower Cost Per Action and Higher Conversion Rates
According to Facebook, Reel ads that include vertical sound on a video creative have a 4.8% lower cost per action. These ads also enjoy a 2.9% higher conversion rate and 5.1% higher click-through rate than other video types.
However, Facebook makes it clear that it doesn't mean you simply add a random sound effect or music to a Reels ad. Instead, it should be an integral part of the video. In a report, Meta says,
''Creating captivating sound isn’t just about ‘sound on.’ More and more, it’s about having the right musical track, sound effects, or voiceover accompanying your Reel to make it more engaging and entertaining. In fact, we know that Reels ads with both music and voice-over show a +15-point higher positive response score from consumers than those without sound.''
Previously, Meta had announced initial tests that would help advertisers optimize music for their single image Reels ads. Now, all advertisers on Instagram and Facebook can source and select music for their single image Reels ads during the ad campaign creation process.
Meta music selection for ads
How Does Instagram Reels Work?
To create Instagram Reels, just choose the Reels option at the bottom of the Instagram camera. You’ll then see the Reels editing tools on the left side of your screen. These editing tools include:
- Audio: Search for and choose a song or sound from the Instagram music library. You can also use your own audio by simply recording a Reel with live audio. Keep in mind that when you share a Reel with original audio, your audio will be attributed to you and other users can create Reels with your audio by selecting Use Audio from your Reel (if you have a public account).
- AR Effects: You can choose from several AR effects in Instagram’s effect gallery. These effects are created both by Instagram and users all over the world and can be used to record multiple clips with different effects.
- Timer and Countdown: Instagram Reels has a timer feature that lets you record your video clips hands-free. Once you press record, you’ll get a countdown from three before the camera starts recording for the amount of time you’ve chosen.
- Align: Instagram Reels has a really cool align feature that helps you line up objects from a previous clip before recording your next clip. This helps you create seamless transitions for things like outfit changes (a popular TikTok effect) or adding new friends into your Reel.
- Speed: You can choose to speed up or slow down part of the video or audio you’re using for your Instagram Reels. This can help you stay on a beat or make slow-motion videos.
It's also advised to learn how to optimize your Instagram posts to get the most out of your Reels posting.
How Do Brands Use Instagram Reels?
Since Reels are the best-performing Instagram content type, it makes sense for brands to use them extensively. Many brands have seen excellent results with Reels so far, and they will continue to use this content type in the future.
For example, Christine Colling, Later's social media manager, says,
"Since introducing Reels to our Instagram channel, we've seen our engagement grow by 280%."
However, to get these results, brands don't merely create random videos and upload them to Reels. Instead, they follow specific strategies and tactics tailored to this format.
Here's what brands use Instagram Reels for.
Show Products and Services
The most obvious and simple use case for Reels is to show products and services. That's why most brands use Reels to display their products in a more dynamic and creative way. For example, Anastasia Beverly Hills uses Reels to show its new products in action, such as the Guava Blurring Serum Blush. The beauty brand has created a short Reel to bring attention to their new blush.
As you can see, the Reel doesn't have to be so long. It should just contain enough content to get people to engage. With just a snippet of the product, the beauty brand was able to get 34 comments and nearly 1,500 likes on their Reel.
Similarly, brands also use Reels to show their services. For example, American Express has created a Reel to show their new Centurion Lounge at DCA. The Reel highlights the grandeur of the lounge and its amenities, which can entice more people to visit the lounge.
Provide Behind-the-Scene Content
Often, when brands are in the process of launching a new product or a campaign, they create behind-the-scenes content to build anticipation and excitement. This strategy works well on Reels.
Suppose you're working with a top influencer or celebrity and want to create hype around the collaboration. You can share a teaser Reel on your Instagram channel, giving followers a glimpse of what's to come. This tactic gets people talking about your project.
Sometimes, brands also give their followers insider looks with Reels. For example, they may take you backstage to a fashion show or show you the process of creating a new product. American Express does this, too. During the Wimbledon championship, American Express created a Reel to give their followers an insider look at their Cardmember lounge.
Similarly, Hollister created a Reel to show the BTS of their collaboration with Darryl Brown. The Reel shows close-ups of the clothes and the models, giving followers a sneak peek into what to expect to see in stores.
Collect and Share UGC
The rise of UGC has made it important for brands to incorporate it into their social media strategy. There are many ways brands use Reels to show UGC. For example, they may create a Reel of all the positive reviews they have received during a campaign or sale.
Similarly, brands may share Reels created by their followers featuring their products. For instance, Laneige uses UGC to show its products in a natural, not-so-salesy way. Such videos get a ton of engagement since they feature real people using and enjoying the products.
Collaborate With Influencers
Instagram influencers help brands reach their young and active target audiences. Brands often combine the relatability of influencers with the reach of Reels to create powerful marketing campaigns.
For example, Fresh Pet, a pet food company, works with influencers who are dog parents to share Reels of their dogs trying Fresh Pet products. This showcases real-life examples of the product in use, making it more authentic and trustworthy for potential customers.
The same goes for Lysol. The brand partners with influencers who would use their products in their daily lives, such as moms or professional cleaners. For example, in a Reel-based collaboration, the brand partnered with Karla, a micro-influencer who works as an equipment handler.
Since her job involves washing team uniforms, she can show Lysol Laundry Sanitizer's effectiveness without making the promotion seem forced. Views are also likely to trust her since the product aligns with her expertise.
Participate in Challenges and Trends
Instagram challenges and trends are a great way to create a chance of virality for your Reels. You can also use trending sounds to boost your reach. When it comes to trends, there's a new one every day. You can pick and choose based on your audience and whether the trend goes with your brand image.
For example, Duolingo is famous for jumping on every trend that gains popularity on the platform. They've even created a Reel showing their owl mascot in Team USA's Olympics gear for the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the Reel, they have followed the trend, which includes people showing their sporting failures with the caption ''sad to announce that I did not make the cut for the 2024 Olympics.''
Participating in trends can increase engagement on your Reels, even from people who don't follow you, since trending Reels show up on the Explore page and in the Reels tab.
Announce or Tease New Launches
There was a time when only movies and TV shows released teasers to create hype, but now this strategy has trickled down to the marketing world. Many brands create Reels to tease new product launches or announcements. Even better, they get influencers on board to make sure the pre-release Reel reaches a larger audience.
That's what Veggies Made Great did. They sent their Breakfast Potato Bakes to influencers before rolling them into stores nationwide. Influencers created Reels showing themselves making and enjoying the product. This helped boost sales when the product officially launched.
Wrapping Up
Instagram Reels is a nice addition to Instagram’s features and offers something slightly different from Stories since the content doesn’t disappear after 24 hours. As the feature becomes more mature, it will be interesting to see how brands and influencers are able to leverage the popularity of the Instagram platform to make Reels work for their businesses.
Check back often to get all the latest Instagram Reels statistics!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels is a new feature on Instagram. It was launched on August 5, 2020 in 50 countries. You can use it to create and share short-form video content with your followers. Similarly to TikTok, you can use it to record and edit videos that are 15 seconds long. You can also add effects and sounds. If you have a public account, you can also share your content with the bigger Instagram community by means of Explore page.
How Do I use Instagram Reels?
Select the Reels option (you will see it at the bottom of the Instagram camera). Then, use the Reels editing tools found on the left of your screen. Using the editing tools, you can then add audio and AR effects or choose to slow down or speed up parts of your video/audio. Thanks to the timer and countdown, you can also record your video clips hands-free.
What is better: Instagram Reels or TikTok?
Instagram Reels was designed as an alternative to TikTok. Though, there’s still a long way before it will be a direct competitor for TikTok. For example, TikTok provides many more video editing tools, sounds and effects. Also, seeing that social media platforms such as Snapchat have created filters and lenses specifically for TikTok, the chances are good that TikTok will continue to perform better than Instagram Reels. It will be interesting to see how influencers and brands will leverage this new feature as it matures.
Is Instagram Reels good?
There are a few brands that have used Instagram Reels successfully. The NBA franchises have reported that they have managed to increase their engagement by 22% compared to the average engagements that their standard Instagram Stories and posts have generated. For example, the Los Angeles Lakers have gained over 385,000 engagements and over 4.1 million plays from just one video. Louis Vuitton has also reported that all of their Reels have gone viral.
What is the difference between Instagram Stories and Instagram Reels?
To be honest, there are not many differences between the two features. Reels is only slightly different from Stories as you can share your Reels with the whole Instagram community if you have a public account. Another minor difference is that Instagram Reels offers a bigger selection of video editing tools, effects and speed controls. For example, with the align tool, you can combine multiple videos seamlessly. Though, unlike with Stories, when using Instagram Reels, you may only use video content and no photos.
How do you find recent trending Reels on Instagram?
The simplest way to find recent trending Instagram Reels is to go to the Reels tab. All Reels that have gained traction in the niches you've previously shown interest in will appear here. You can also use the Explore tab to discover new Reels. If you want to find specific Reels, use relevant hashtags.
How can brands use Instagram Reels for marketing?
Brands can use Instagram Reels to show their products or services, create UGC, partner with influencers, show behind-the-scenes, or even promote upcoming events.
How popular are Instagram Reels?
Instagram Reels have become extremely popular among the platform's users. According to Meta, 200 billion Reels are viewed across Instagram and Facebook daily.
Do Reels attract followers?
Reels can put you in front of a larger audience, which can help you gain new followers. However, that's only possible if you create engaging Reels that are picked up by the algorithm and also make viewers interested in what more you have to offer.
How to make your Instagram Reels go viral?
Here are some ways to make your Instagram Reels go viral:
- Use trending music and hashtags.
- Make your Reels visually appealing.
- Follow trends and challenges in your niche.
- Collaborate with other creators or influencers.
- Use relatable user-generated content in your Reels.
