15 Surprising Instagram Reels Statistics in 2023

Every month, 2.35 billion individuals engage with Instagram Reels, providing a platform for users to create and share entertaining videos with friends and followers. As such, businesses and influencers leverage this feature to connect with their audience.

In 2020, Instagram launched Reels to compete with TikTok's short-form video frenzy. Although TikTok's video platform has the highest engagement rate, Instagram Reels have the highest watch rate. Instagram Reels have an average watch rate of 13.08%, while TikTok has a watch rate of 9.06%. 

Read more to learn about how many Instagram Reels have been uploaded daily and the statistics about the users' usage, viewership, and demographics.

How Many Instagram Reels Are Uploaded Daily?

Instagram Reel uploads vary with the number of followers a user has. 80.37% of Instagram users have less than 1,000 to 10,000 followers. An average Instagram user with 0 - 10,000 followers publishes at least 4 reels monthly, equivalent to 7 published daily.

Using reels effectively helps understand Instagram's reel usage, viewership, and demographic statistics.

Instagram Reel Usage Statistics

A 24% increase in the time spent on Instagram is due to reels. As people reshare reels more than 2 billion times daily, their popularity is growing, and these numbers will double within the next 6 months.

Here are the latest statistics on reel usage and how users utilize these features. 

1. Reels make up over 30% of users' time on Instagram.

(Lightstalking)

Many users may need more time or attention to watch longer videos. Reels typically last a few minutes, providing a quick and efficient way for users to discover new content. 

They take up 30% of users' time on the platform, indicating that they have captured the attention and kept users engaged.

2. In 2020, reels accounted for 11.4% of all Instagram video content.

(Gitnux)

Instagram Reels allow users to create trending or viral videos through music and templates - creating a sense of belonging for users. 

Companies also use reels to introduce new items or products, showing creativity on the platform.​​ That is why reels are quickly becoming a popular type of video on the platform. 

3. Reel interaction is almost 67% higher than traditional video posts on Instagram.

(Businesswire, Dev Shed)

The preferences of the content user changed, leading Instagram’s algorithm to prioritize reels over traditional content. 

Reels reach wider audiences with the help of algorithms and trending audio, helping users increase their average Instagram engagement rate.  

4. 50% of Instagram users discover Reels through the Explore page.

(Eclincher, Instagram)

Instagram's Explore page compiles different types of content, such as photos, videos, reels, and stories. Due to the personalized algorithm, it systematically organizes the contents each user sees.

These contents are selected based on the following:

• The Instagram accounts they followed
• Photos and videos they liked on Instagram
• Posts that are fresh and see a ton of engagement
• People they connected with on Instagram

Reels are more likely to appear on the users’ Explore page, and more than 200 million accounts visit the Instagram Explore page daily -  that’s around 50% of the platform's user base. 

5. Engagement in reel videos is around 22%.

(Plann, Statista)

Instagram Reels get a 22% higher engagement rate than other video posts on Instagram. This is due to reels having more access to discovery features than other content lumped together on the Explore page. 

6. In 2022, 60% of sports brands publish reels to boost engagement.

(Yahoo!Finance)

60% of sports brands capitalize on using Reels to promote their brand. This is because

Sports leagues got a better engagement rate when they reeled in postings.

For instance, Nike’s best-performing Reel has over 6.7 million views. Meanwhile, leagues experienced an improvement in their engagement on the social platform using reels. 

Engagement improvements when using reels are as follows:

• Major League Baseball (MLB) - 13% 
• National Football League (NFL) - 67% 
• National Basketball Association (NBA) - 43% 
• National Hockey League (NHL) - 51%

7. Reels’ recommended aspect ratio is between 1.91:1 and 9:16.

(Instagram)

One should follow the guidelines if one wants to avoid uploading low-quality content. Posting the wrong size can result in the video being stretched, distorted, or awkwardly cropped.

8. The maximum running length of reels is 90 seconds.

(Hootsuite)

The reel’s length can impact how much engagement it gets. When content is too long, it becomes uninteresting to users, resulting in the algorithm identifying it as uninteresting.

Shorter reels that users typically watch provide an advantage. If people watch the video, the algorithm recognizes it as valuable and displays it to new users. 

Therefore, understanding the appropriate length of content is crucial.

Instagram Reel Viewership Statistics

Every week, 91% of Instagram active users watch videos, meaning videos reach users effectively. In this way, using videos becomes effective for marketing purposes.

As Instagram Reels have become a staple tool for businesses to market their products, understanding the viewers’ engagement is essential to know the types of content they engage with.

This section will give insights into the reel's viewers' statistics.

9. The most viewed Instagram Reel campaign has 316 Million Views.

(Pathofex, LinkedIn)

Samsung uploaded a promotional reel featuring J-Hope of BTS. This reel garnered around 316 million views and became the most-viewed Instagram Reel in history. 

K-pop is the next big thing in content and marketing as it gains popularity worldwide.

10. Most liked reels have 23.9 Million Likes.

(Pathofex) 

More sports-related brands are using Instagram Reels, and Lionel Messi's reel, with 23.9 million likes, is the most popular in this category. 

It was an inspiring reel showing Messi’s football career journey, from a young lad who loved playing football to winning the World Cup and becoming a football legend. 

 11. In 2022, 15 out of 20 top songs on Instagram Reels came from Indian artists.

(Meta)

With over 120 million Instagram users in India, the country is one of the largest markets for the platform. 

The large and active population of Instagram users in India has greatly influenced the popularity of reel songs. 

12. More than 80% of influencers used  Instagram Reels.

(Gitnux)

Instagram's increasing focus on video content leads to more influencers using reels to interact with followers and advertise content. This shows the impact of reels on influencers as they become an integral part of content strategy. 

Instagram Reel User Demographics

When launched and made available in 50 countries, Instagram Reels became popular globally. Despite being a new feature, many users worldwide have enjoyed it. 

India is the biggest user of reels, with 229.5 million users spending 25 minutes per day watching reels on average.

Here are the statistics about the demographics of Instagram Reels users:

13. The most significant Reel user percentage is from users aged 16 to 24 and 25 to 34, at 30%.

(Earthweb)

Instagram Reels are most common for users 16–34 years old. Listed below are the percentages of Instagram Reels users per age group: 

• 16 years old to 24 years old – 30% 
• 25 years old to 34 years old – 30% 
• 35 years old to 44 years old – 22% 
• 45 years old to 54 years old – 12% 
• 55 years old to 64 years old – 5% 

As expected, IG Reels appeals more to millennials and Gen Z than the older population. Also, for younger generations, reels offer a fun and engaging way to connect with others, discover new content, and express themselves creatively.

14. 53.9% of Instagram Reel advertisement audiences are males.

(Demand Sage, Brandwatch)

Compared to females, who use social media to stay connected with family or friends, males use it to gather information and help build their influence. 

Social media provides a means for conducting research, acquiring relevant contacts, and ultimately increasing their status.

The gender breakdown of reel advertisements may also depend on the brands and products promoted. 

If a particular brand or product caters to male consumers, it's reasonable to assume that the ad will have more male viewers.

15. In 2022, Instagram Reels is now available in 150 countries.

(Meta, Statista)

Instagram Reels being available in 150 countries is a significant achievement for the platform. 

It expands the potential audience for advertisers and creators and reflects the growing popularity of short-form video content. 

The top 12 countries with the most Instagram Reels users are listed below as of January 2023.

India currently has the largest market for Instagram Reels, followed by the United States and Brazil. 

The reason India has the most users is due to two factors: one, its large population, and second, the impending ban of TikTok in 2020.

Conclusion

For businesses and influencers, Instagram Reels have become a popular tool to reach a wider audience beyond their followers. Reels make up a notable portion of users' time on Instagram since they can quickly and easily consume content without wasting time.

The effectiveness of Instagram Reels as a marketing tool highlights the importance of understanding how users utilize this feature. Understanding these insights and statistics allows content makers to craft more effective and engaging content.