Instagram Has 2 Billion Monthly Active Users. Most of Them Follow at Least One Business.
Instagram is the second most downloaded app globally and the most engaged social platform with an average session time of 53 minutes. According to Meta, 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business, and 50% of users have made a purchase after discovering a product on Instagram. For visual brands, e-commerce, lifestyle, and B2C businesses, Instagram is often the highest-ROI social channel.
At x13apps, we manage Instagram marketing for business growth. Here is the strategy.
Instagram Content Formats and Best Practices
Reels: short-form video is Instagram highest priority. Reels reach 2x more non-followers than photo posts according to Meta, making them the primary growth tool. Best practices: hook in first 2 seconds, vertical 9:16 format, trending audio, text overlays for accessibility, and clear value within the video. Carousel posts: swipeable educational content, step-by-step guides, and before-and-after results — carousels generate 3x more engagement than single image posts.
Stories: daily ephemeral content for behind-the-scenes, polls, questions, and quick updates. 500 million accounts use Stories daily. Use interactive stickers (polls, questions, quizzes) to boost engagement and algorithm favorability. Link stickers drive traffic to your website or specific landing pages. Story Highlights organize your best Stories into permanent collections on your profile serving as mini-landing pages for new visitors.
Instagram Shopping and Advertising
Instagram Shopping tags products in posts, Stories, and Reels, enabling in-app purchase flows. Product tags allow users to tap and see pricing and product details without leaving Instagram. For e-commerce brands, this reduces friction in the path from discovery to purchase. Instagram Shop tab creates a storefront within the app. According to Meta, 44% of users shop on Instagram weekly using shopping features.
Instagram advertising: feed ads, Stories ads, Reels ads, and Explore ads targeting based on interests, behaviors, lookalikes of existing customers, and custom audiences from your email list or website visitors. Advantage+ shopping campaigns (powered by AI) automate targeting and creative optimization. According to Meta, advertisers using Advantage+ shopping campaigns see 12% lower cost per purchase. At x13apps, we build Instagram strategies that grow audiences and drive revenue. For more, read our social media content strategy guide.