Introduction
Instagram has evolved from a simple photo‑sharing app into a multi‑format, commerce‑ready social platform. With more than 2 billion monthly active users worldwide and over 500 million daily active users (demandsage.com), it sits behind only Facebook and YouTube in the social hierarchy. The UK is one of Instagram’s most saturated markets: nearly 35 million people use the app - about half of the UK’s population (talkwalker.com). These users also spend more time on Instagram than their global peers, averaging around 53 minutes per day (sproutsocial.com).
But user numbers alone don’t tell the full story. As adoption plateaus, the challenge for brands is turning this huge audience into engaged communities and measurable outcomes. This report unpacks the latest global and UK Instagram statistics for 2025, highlighting demographic trends, usage habits, advertising performance and emerging opportunities for UK marketers.
Quick Summary ✅
- 📊 2 billion monthly users & 500 million daily: Instagram remains the world’s third‑largest social platform with more than 2 billion monthly active users and over 500 million daily active users (demandsage.com).
- 🕒 UK usage far exceeds global averages: The UK has roughly 34–35 million Instagram users; Brits spend around 53 minutes per day on the app—well above the global average of 33 minutes (sproutsocial.com).
- 👩🎓 Demographics skew young & female: Globally, 62 % of users are aged 18–34 (demandsage.com); in the UK women make up about 55 % of users and the largest segment is 25–34‑year‑olds (talkwalker.com).
- 💬 Half of users interact with brands daily: 50 % of Instagram users engage with brands at least once per day, and 84 % of all social media users have an Instagram profile (sproutsocial.com).
- 💰 High ad reach & strong ROI: Instagram’s ad reach covers roughly 59.5 % of the UK adult population (backlinko.com), and Feed ads account for more than half of the platform’s global ad revenue (sproutsocial.com).
Global Instagram Statistics in 2025
Instagram’s scale is undeniable. 2 billion people log in every month and 500 million use it daily (demandsage.com). The typical global user spends over 33 minutes per day on the platform (demandsage.com), and the gender split is almost even at 50.6 % male and 49.4 % female (sproutsocial.com). Younger audiences dominate: around 62 % of users are between 18 and 34 years old (demandsage.com), with Gen Z particularly active.
Instagram’s appeal is worldwide. 90.43 % of its ad‑reachable audience lives outside the United States, and the largest national user bases are in India (472.6 million), the US (179.9 million) and Brazil (147 million) (backlinko.com). Advertisers reach roughly 59.5 % of the UK’s adult population through Instagram ads (backlinko.com).
Key Global Metrics vs. UK
Metric | Global figure | UK figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
Monthly active users (MAU) | 2 billion users demandsage.com | 34-35 million users talkwalker.com | Shows Instagram’s scale; the UK is a mature but still significant market. |
Daily active users (DAU) | 500 million users demandsage.com |
These figures underline Instagram’s global heft and provide context for the UK market. With a high ad‑reach rate and heavy daily usage, UK marketers can tap into a deeply engaged audience.
UK Instagram usage & demographics
Instagram is deeply entrenched in British life. According to Talkwalker’s 2025 report, around 34.71 million people in the UK used Instagram in January 2025 talkwalker.com. Another estimate by Metricool puts the figure at 33.4 million (48.2% of the population and 56.3% of the eligible audience) metricool.com. Either way, nearly half of all Britons are on Instagram, and user growth has plateaued as the platform reaches saturation.
Demographic breakdown
- Gender: Women account for approximately 55 % of UK Instagram users, with men making up the remaining 45 % talkwalker.com. An October 2024 snapshot from NapoleonCat similarly found that women represented 54.8 % of the audience napoleoncat.com.
- Age: The 25–34 age group is the largest segment (29.7 %), closely followed by 18–24‑year‑olds talkwalker.com. Users aged over 65 are the smallest cohort, reflecting the platform’s youth appeal.
- Regional penetration: Usage is highest in London and other major cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh sproutsocial.com. It dips in older regions like Wales and the North East, where penetration hovers around 30 % sproutsocial.com.
- Gender & age insights: The UK’s female skew suggests opportunities for fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands. The sizeable 25–34 cohort means Millennials remain a core audience, while the strong 18–24 presence indicates ongoing relevance among Gen Z.
Adoption by marketers and retailers
Instagram isn’t just popular with consumers; it’s vital for businesses too. In the UK, 81 % of retailers leverage Instagram for marketing talkwalker.com. However, marketer sentiment is divided: 30 % plan to increase spend, 24 % intend to decrease, and **24 % will maintain current investment levels talkwalker.com. These numbers reflect both the platform’s importance and rising scrutiny over ROI.
Usage behaviour
While precise time‑spent metrics vary, Sprout Social estimates that UK users spend about 53 minutes per day on Instagram—almost twice the global average sproutsocial.com. This heavy usage translates into multiple daily sessions, particularly among younger demographics. People primarily use Instagram for:
- Entertainment and discovery: Scrolling through Reels and Stories to kill time or learn something new.
- Self‑expression: Posting photos, videos and Stories to share daily life.
- Shopping and inspiration: Browsing brand content, product tags and influencer recommendations; Instagram’s in‑app shopping features encourage impulse purchases.
Instagram marketing & advertising performance
Instagram is not only widely used; it’s highly commercial. A Sprout Social study found that 50 % of users interact with brands at least once per day sproutsocial.com. Furthermore, 84 % of social media users have an Instagram profile sproutsocial.com, meaning the platform enjoys unparalleled reach across demographics.
Ad revenue and formats
Instagram’s advertising revenue still relies primarily on in‑feed placements: Feed ads account for 53.7 % of total ad revenue and Stories account for 24.6 %, according to eMarketer sproutsocial.com. However, the share of Reels revenue is growing, and industry forecasts suggest that Feed and Stories combined will drop to 73.8 % in 2025 sproutsocial.com. For brands, this means diversifying creative across Reels, Stories and Carousels to maximise reach.
Cost benchmarks
Instagram advertising remains competitively priced. Average cost‑per‑click (CPC) ranges between $0.00 and $0.25, while cost‑per‑thousand impressions (CPM) typically sits between $0 and $4 sproutsocial.com. Cost‑per‑engagement (CPE) averages $0.03 to $0.08 sproutsocial.com, offering affordable engagement compared with many other networks. Conversion rates vary by objective: overall campaigns see 1–2 % conversions, but top performers can achieve higher rates sproutsocial.com.
Engagement & content formats
- Brand interaction: Half of users interact with brands daily sproutsocial.com, signalling that audiences are receptive to marketing messages when delivered authentically.
- Story & Reel performance: Studies show that smaller accounts enjoy higher Story and Reel reach rates, with small accounts (<10k followers) achieving 20 % view rates on Reels sproutsocial.com. Brands with under 10k followers saw a 35 % increase in Story reach rate sproutsocial.com.
- Influencer marketing: Instagram remains the top platform for influencer collaborations. The influencer marketing hub notes that 94 % of marketers consider Instagram critical to their influencer strategy (cited from SQ Magazine). Micro‑influencers and authentic content continue to outperform polished brand ads.
Trends & opportunities for UK brands
Engagement quality over quantity
With growth stabilising, the focus shifts from acquiring followers to building meaningful engagement. High daily usage gives brands ample opportunity to start conversations, but spammy or irrelevant content quickly loses attention. Prioritise interactive Stories, polls, questions and live sessions to foster community.
Vertical video and Reels dominance
Reels continue to drive discovery. The algorithm favours short‑form, full‑screen video, giving brands a chance to reach new audiences without spending heavily on ads. High performance for smaller accounts indicates that authenticity and creativity trump follower count sproutsocial.com. Experiment with tutorials, behind‑the‑scenes content and product demos.
Social commerce and shopping
Instagram Shop, product tagging and in‑app checkout make the purchase journey seamless. With UK users spending significant time on the platform and 81 % of retailers using Instagram talkwalker.com, integrating shopping features can drive direct revenue. Consider launching limited‑edition drops or exclusive collaborations on Instagram to create urgency.
Authenticity & micro‑influencers
Audiences value relatable voices over polished ads. Partnering with micro‑influencers (10k–100k followers) can yield high engagement at lower cost. Ensure sponsored content is clearly disclosed and aligns with the influencer’s typical style to maintain trust.
AI‑driven creativity
Artificial intelligence is reshaping content creation. Marketers can use AI tools for ideation, scheduling and analysis, but should balance automation with human creativity. The growing UK conversation about AI in advertising underscores the need for transparency and ethical use of automation.
✨ OOB’s Thoughts ✨
In recent years, Insta’s been massively impacted by TikTok. While Instagram’s still more polished, TikTok’s influence has meant that we’re now seeing huge brands embrace raw, social-first content.
Stopping the scroll has become the ultimate mission for content creators, and hooks aren’t what they used to be. We’ve gone way beyond just jumping into frame, or a simple visual/text. In 2025, hooks need to be weirder, more polarising, and more attention-grabbing than ever.
Conclusion
Instagram in 2026 is a mature yet vibrant ecosystem. Globally, it boasts 2 billion monthly users and a gender‑balanced audience (demandsage.comsproutsocial.com). In the UK, around 35 million people use the platform (talkwalker.com) and spend nearly an hour a day scrolling (sproutsocial.com) – proof of deep engagement. But saturation means growth now comes from quality, not quantity. Brands that prioritise authentic storytelling, leverage Reels and shopping features, and partner with relatable creators will stand out.
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