growth?No matter your size or industry, these data-driven Instagram trends will empower you to make a huge impact on Instagram in 2025.
The social media world moves fast, and Instagram is no exception. With over 2.4 billion active users, it’s a perfect place to build strong communities and grow your business socially.
However, achieving consistent results is becoming increasingly complex. Constant algorithm changes, fleeting trends, and crowded feeds can leave even the most experienced marketers feeling lost.
At SocialPilot, we believe everyone deserves to grow, regardless of whether they are a creator, small business owner, or well-known global brand. No matter your size, you can go big on Instagram, and we’re here to help you do just that.
This report is based on analyzing 45,700 Instagram accounts and 4.4 million posts from January to December 2024. We excluded newly created accounts and profiles with fewer than 1,000 followers to ensure this report focuses on genuine accounts with consistent posting patterns and authentic audience interactions.
You don’t need to guess anymore. Let’s explore what’s working (and what’s not) to help you crush it on the gram this year.
Let’s help you get familiar with some of the terms we will be using in this report.
Instagram is the place to be for businesses that want to connect with their audience on a personal level.
Gary Vaynerchuk
American businessman and author
Forget what you thought you knew – this is Instagram unfiltered.
Whether you’re a brand or marketer looking for the next big Instagram strategy, you’re at the right place. Read on to discover trends and tips to make yourself stand out in 2025.
Based on a study of 45,700+ Instagram profiles and 4.4 million posts from 2024.
Posting on Instagram raises a common question. Should you pick a single image, a carousel, or perhaps a video? Each one brings something unique to the table, but let’s dive into which one really gets the highest reach and engagement.
Our analysis shows that although videos make up only 34.08% of the content, they reach, on average, 49% more audience than carousels and photos.
Why is that? Well, Reels get shared more, and when your content gets shared, more people see it. Brands share content that surprises, entertains, or provides value quickly, like a funny meme or a new trend.
Pro Tip
Design your reel like a Super Bowl commercial – make every second count! Hook viewers in the first 3 seconds with a bold question, surprise, or energetic statement that makes them want to share it.
Don’t just take our word for it. Aidan Brannigan, Founder of No Boring Brands, shared, “I grew The Marketing Millennials from 19k to 145k followers using 66.67% Reels and the rest with carousels and single-image posts. Reels are the ultimate growth driver for Instagram accounts.”
Aidan’s success with Reels highlights just how important video content has become in driving growth. With their ability to capture attention quickly, Reels have proven to be the ultimate tool for engaging users, growing your audience, and building a loyal following.
When it comes to specific formats, the data reveals fascinating patterns:
Images remain the backbone of Instagram, perfect for product showcases and authentic behind-the-scenes moments. They perform exceptionally well when featuring real people rather than stock photography.
However, Instagram carousel’s performance outperforms videos and images with 22.73% higher engagement while making up only 17.27% of the content. Multiple slides are clearly more effective than just one, keeping your audience swiping, learning, and, most importantly, engaging.
Pro Tip
Think of your carousel as a mini-story. Every slide serves as a narrative that keeps viewers interested. To keep your feed fresh and followers engaged, carousels are the way to go!
“I post guides as carousels; my audience prefers step-by-step over fast-moving Reels.” – Allanah Micallef, Marketing Executive at Utilita Energy.
This is a key reminder that not all audiences are drawn to high-speed, flashy content. Carousels, offering in-depth, step-by-step instructions, are becoming more effective for building stronger engagement.
Hashtags have been the way to get discovered on Instagram since day one. They’ve helped people find content they care about and connect creators with the right audience. But in 2025, things work differently.
Turns out, not so much. Our research shows that hashtags haven’t had much influence on reach, regardless of follower count. In fact, people tend to use fewer hashtags as their follower count grows.
So, when it comes to Instagram hashtag effectiveness, less is more; posts without hashtags reached 23% more people than those packed with them.
But don’t give up on hashtags just yet! Use them as content organizers or for discoverability rather than growth boosters.
Pro Tip
Use 1-2 relevant hashtags that fit your content. Don’t overload. Instead, focus on writing an engaging caption that captures your audience’s attention.
Luan emphasizes the evolving nature of Instagram’s algorithm: “Search has evolved and algorithms no longer require the hashtag symbol to identify keywords, which is great.”
This change highlights how Instagram now values engagement and content quality more than hashtags. For creators and brands, the focus should now be on writing strong captions and encouraging genuine user interactions to get noticed.
Collaborations and mentions are powerful tools for creators and brands to connect with new audiences and expand their reach. You can introduce your content to followers who might not have found you otherwise. We’ve analyzed the data on mentions and collaborations to reveal what truly works.
Absolutely! As per our insights, posts with 4-5 collaborators had 3.8 times higher reach than standard posts. But remember, it’s quality over quantity because a smaller, engaged audience outperforms a larger, inactive one.
The best collaborations happen when both sides believe in the same values but offer different strengths.
A fashion brand pairs with a photographer. A fitness coach works with a nutritionist. Together, they create content that’s more useful, more engaging, and more valuable for their audience.
Pro Tip
Don’t just chase the big follower numbers! Look for creators or brands with similar values and engaged audiences. Check out their last 10 posts; if the likes and comments are buzzing, you’re on the right track.
Reflecting on his partnership, Aidan says, “Our ClickUp partnership reached 3M accounts monthly; timeliness and relatability were key.”
This speaks to the power of strategic collaborations, when done right, with the right partners and timing, the outcomes can be extraordinary.
Here’s a social media superpower most creators overlook: mentions. Posts with mentions increase your reach by 2x and drive 30% more engagement. When you mention others, they’re more likely to share your content, which increases its visibility.
Plus, this interaction signals to Instagram’s algorithm that your content is valuable, increasing its chances of being shown in feeds and explore pages.
Pro Tip
Remember the power of word-of-mouth? Mentions are your social media equivalent. You can increase the visibility of your business and double your reach by tagging the right people.
Captions often play a bigger role than we give them credit for. While images and videos may grab attention, it’s the caption that carries the conversation and adds depth to your content. Let’s dive into what makes a good caption.
Remember the feeling when someone tells you a long, interesting story that grabs your attention? Our research shows that the optimal caption length for Instagram is over 300 characters, earning 70% more comments than shorter ones.
That completely flips the conventional wisdom that today’s audience only wants bite-sized content. The highest-performing captions in our study started with a hook in the first line, told a mini-story in the middle, and ended with a question that felt natural to answer.
Pro Tip
Start with something attention-grabbing that makes people tap “more,” then deliver value, and finish with a question that’s easy and fun to answer.
Lily put it best: “A great caption doesn’t just share, it invites. It gets your audience thinking, feeling, and wanting to join the conversation.”
This goes beyond just putting words under a photo, it’s about sparking a connection. A caption is your chance to start a conversation, to ask questions, and to engage your followers in a way that feels genuine.
In the world of Instagram, Short-form videos are your chance to say, “Hey, stop scrolling and please look at me!” But how long should your reel be to capture viewers’ attention and keep them engaged? In this section, we’ll look at the perfect Reel video length and why it matters.
After analyzing thousands of videos, we found that the videos between 60 to 90 seconds long perform the best. These perfectly timed videos are crushing it, getting shared 24% more and reaching way more feeds than their shorter or longer siblings.
It’s not too short, not too long, just right!
Pro Tip
Your Instagram video isn’t meant to be a documentary. It’s more like a trailer! Keep it 60-90 seconds to deliver the punchline before viewers scroll away. Start with a bold statement or ask questions to hook and leave them wanting more.
“I aim to keep Reels between 30 and 90 seconds, ensuring they stay visually dynamic by changing something every second to maintain engagement,” says Dayana.
By focusing on dynamic content within a short time span, Dayana emphasizes the importance of making every second count to keep your audience engaged throughout the Reel.
You might wonder why posting frequency is such a big deal. Well, it’s not just about how often you post. It’s about building consistency, interacting with your audience, and staying top of mind. Let’s explore what we found about posting frequency.
Our data tells us there is no magic number for how frequently you should post. Yes, you read that right! Whether we posted 5 or 15 times per week, there was no substantial difference in reach or interaction. But remember, posting too often without meaningful content can overwhelm your audience.
Keep it human, and be mindful of their experience.
The key is to consistently share quality content that connects with your followers.
Pro Tip
Post as often as you can create quality content – no more, no less. Whether that’s three times a week or once a day doesn’t matter nearly as much as being consistent and varied in what you post.
In a digital age flooded with noise, Lily’s words ring particularly true: “Consistency builds trust, but quality matters more. I prioritize value over frequency.”
Lily reminds us that the power of our content lies not in its quantity, but in its depth and substance. Trust is built, yes, but true engagement stems from offering real value to your audience.
To make an impact in 2025, here’s what you need to focus on to capture attention and drive engagement.To make an impact in 2025, here’s what you need to focus on to capture attention and drive engagement.
The data is here. The platform is ready. Your audience is waiting.
It’s time to make your mark in 2025.
Download the full report now to see what’s really happening in your industry and uncover the trends that will shape your Instagram strategy in 2025.
