![[Study] Instagram Reels Insights: An Analysis of 352.612 Instagram Reels](/blog/content/images/size/w2000/2022/10/ig-reels-study.png)
Since Reels first made it to Instagram, every marketer’s dream became of having a peek at some stats showing the new feature’s performance. Now the waiting is over.
The latest Instagram Reels insights are here to uncover some performance benchmarks and whether or not brands should start experimenting more with Reels these days.
Based on the analysis of 352.612 Reels, these Instagram Reels stats can help you get a head start with the hottest Reels.
Let’s jump in!
Instagram Reels performance data
1. Instagram Reels have an average engagement rate of 1.95%
2. Instagram Reels' average video view rate in 2022 is 2.54%
3. Instagram Reels have incredible reach rates, being the perfect go-to type for viral content
A. Summary
Reading this Instagram Reels analysis, you'll discover:
What’s the average engagement rate by followers for Instagram Reels: we analyze the interaction level per a Reel's view.
What's the average video view rate: what percentage of a video do people watch in case of regular Instagram videos compared to Reels.
What's the average reach rate for Instagram Reels: on how many people's feeds are Instagram Reels usually displayed.
B. Key insights
- On Instagram, Reels make for the most engaging content type.
- Instagram Reels record an average 2.54% video view rate, while regular Instagram videos reach only 1.74%.
- In 2022, Instagram Reels’ reach rate is located at an average of 20.59%.
1. Instagram Reels have an average engagement rate of 1.95%
Designed with the thought of overthrowing Tiktok and its reign as the most loved social platform for short and catchy videos, Instagram introduced Reels to the world.
Replicating Instagram Stories’ success from back in the day, as soon as they rolled out, Instagram Reels quickly gained people’s hearts and massively spread into the feed.
However, just as much as people love Reels - following TikTok’s pattern - creating crafty and short videos is equally challenging for brands.
From coming up with innovative ideas to finding the best songs, putting together engaging Instagram Reels is not a piece of cake.
Nonetheless, any brand that wants to succeed in social media these days must try experimenting with Reels.
As data has confirmed, Instagram Reels are rewarded with rivers of engagement and reach.
In 2022, for example, Instagram Reels have an average engagement rate of 1.95%, which is at least double compared to the other post types.
Of course, Instagram Reels’ engagement was at its peak when the platform first introduced this new feature and rewarded early adopters with amazing results.
The stats speak for themselves when it comes to proving once more Instagram’s algorithm and how it encourages the use of new launches.
Lately, there has been a rumor on the internet about whether or not Instagram engagement is slowly declining, and these Instagram Reels stats are the best proof of that.
If just a year ago, Instagram Reels recorded an average engagement rate of 2.41%, while today, it has decreased to 1.95%, the dropping tendency is quite obvious. Not to mention the other type of posts and the engagement values they record.
However, unlike the other post types, with Instagram Reels, there’s a pretty high chance for the average engagement rate to rise again, as the data indicates.
Thus, the success and engagement potential of Instagram Reels are influenced by many factors. The account’s size is, for example, one of them.
When making important decisions, social media managers must get into the nitty-gritty of data.
Therefore, more in-depth Instagram Reels insights are mandatory since there are particularities when throwing into the mix the account’s following.
To keep it straight to the point, 2022 Instagram Reels data reveals the following:
- through Instagram Reels, accounts under 5K followers get the highest Instagram Reels engagement rates - up to 3.79% on average;
- accounts between 5-10K followers can reach a 3.72% average engagement rate;
- accounts with a fanbase between 10-50K followers get an average Reels engagement rate of 2.24%
- accounts between 50-100K followers get, on average, a 1.51% Reels engagement rate
- the largest accounts get (overall) the highest engagement rates - up to 1.38% for Instagram Reels
Briefly and simply put, a top of the Instagram posts’ performance these days looks something like this: Instagram reels rule in terms of engagement, with Instagram carousels coming next.
At the same time, regular videos occupy third place, while single images come last, being far out of style.
2. Instagram Reels' average video view rate is 2.54%
With TikTok’s growing popularity and its continuous development of features, it’s crystal clear that video content rules the internet these days. The newer the concept, the more attention it receives, of course.
Needless to say, this unspoken rule applies to Instagram as well.
Therefore, when comparing Instagram Reels’ view rate to regular Instagram videos, there is no surprise to see that Reels win the game by far.
For being trendy and attention-grabbing, thanks to their limited timeframe, Instagram Reels are probably the new crush of worldwide Instagram lovers. But let’s let the data prove it.
If we put on our analytical glasses and look at the numbers, here’s what Instagram Reels insights are revealed: while regular videos have a view rate of 1.74% on average, Instagram Reels record an average view rate of 2.54%.
So, now that you have this Instagram Reels data and know how much people are likely to watch Reels on Instagram, you should put it to the test.
And remember that while crafting some sporadic Reels may bring your some pretty good engagement in the now, creating a long-term strategy and optimizing on the go is what will truly make your Reels famous and put your brand on the map.
3. Instagram Reels have incredible reach rates, being the perfect go-to type for viral content
Hitting the jackpot and having a piece of content going viral (to the extent of becoming a trend) is a tremendous pride for any social media manager and a huge accomplishment for any business. Just imagine the benefits of such exposure.
Since brand awareness does not necessarily directly influence sales, some businesses may disregard the weight of this objective when creating a marketing strategy.
Even if it’s located only at the very top of the marketing funnel  - it is fundamental for any company’s success.
But how does one succeed in creating viral content and increasing brand awareness?
First things first, creating a content strategy that’s aligned with the trends and the market it’s imperative.
After that, it all comes down to putting that concept into practice by best using the features any social platform has to offer.
In Instagram’s case, for example, Reels are - for the time being - the best choice for that.
As the presented Instagram Reels data has emphasized, these days, Instagram Reels stand for the best performing type of content from multiple perspectives.
When looking at the stats, in terms of reach, we’ll notice that Instagram Reels outperform (by far) the other post types - especially for small accounts.
According to data, the average reach rate for Instagram Reels in 2022 is 20.59%.
By looking at the average Instagram Reels reach rates, we have discovered the following Instagram Reels insights:
- accounts under 5 K followers have the highest reach rates - 39.46% on average
- accounts between 5-10K followers get an average reach rate of 30.06% for Instagram Reels
- accounts with a fanbase between 10-50K followers get, on average, a 16.85% Instagram reels reach rate
- accounts between 50-100K followers record the lowest reach rate for Instagram Reels - of 10.70% on average
- the largest accounts (with more than 100K followers) get pretty good numbers - having an Instagram Reels average reach rate of 26.19%
NOTE: Some Instagram Reels may have a reach rate exceeding 100% - usually, when they get featured on the Explore Page, being discovered and watched by plenty of non-followers.
C. Methodology
This Instagram Reels study was based on the analysis of 352.616 Instagram Reels published between June 2021 - June 2022.
To have an in-depth view of Instagram Reels’ performance for various accounts sizes, we examined the larger data by dividing it into smaller sections as follows:
- accounts under 5K followers: 18.944 Instagram Reels
- accounts between 5-10K followers: 15.845 Instagram Reels
- accounts between 10-50K followers: 68.135 Instagram Reels
- accounts between 50-100K followers: 44.522 Instagram Reels
- accounts over 100K followers: 205.170 Instagram Reels
The average engagement rate displays the average number of interactions a post receives. To calculate it, you have two options:
- By followers: you have to divide your total engagement by your number of followers and multiply it by 100.
- By reach: you have to divide your total engagement by your total reach and multiply it by 100.
For this Instagram Reels performance analysis, the chosen formula was to calculate the average engagement rate by followers.
The average video view rate shows how many views you get with a post on average. It is calculated by dividing your total number of views by the total number of followers and multiplying by 100.
The average reach rate represents the percentage of unique people that have seen your posts among your followers. It can be calculated by dividing the total reach of a post by the total number of followers and multiplying by 100.
NOTE: While Instagram will test turning every video into a Reels - as announced earlier this month - since the current analysis includes past data, the division between regular videos and Instagram Reels was kept for data accuracy.
