Let’s be real. YouTube can feel like a data jungle. 

As a social media pro, you know that YouTube metrics are the map to your channel’s success. 

But with so many metrics in your social media analytics, it’s easy to get lost. 

That’s where I come in. In this guide, I’m going to cut through the noise and show you exactly which YouTube analytics you need to pay attention to.

What type of YouTube metrics should you track?

Every social media strategist knows that tracking the right video analytics metrics is the key to unlocking a channel's full potential. 

Without a clear understanding of YouTube video performance, you're flying blind. 

Whether you're looking to boost engagement, optimize your content, or grow your subscriber base, the right channel metrics reveal what's actually working. 

Here's how Nia Patel, social media strategist, puts it:

Looking at your analytics is the only way you’re going to be able to dissect each of your posts, figure out what’s working well, and what needs to change.

So let me break down the must-track video metrics categories that will elevate your YouTube game:

1. Watch time & views: Naturally, the more watch time and views, the better your video is performing in YouTube’s algorithm.
2. Click-through rate (CTR): This tells you how effective your title and thumbnail are in getting viewers to click on your video.
3. Audience retention: The percentage of your video that viewers watch is crucial. High retention indicates that your content is holding attention and meeting audience expectations.
4. Engagement (likes, comments, shares): These metrics show how interactive and shareable your content is. More YouTube engagement means more visibility for your videos.
5. Subscribers gained: Tracking the number of new subscribers can give you a direct measure of your video’s ability to convert casual viewers into loyal followers.

Detailed YouTube metrics that will help you evaluate your YouTube performance

Before diving in, I want to share with you an insight from Sebastian Froulund's, social media lead:

Understand what you measure and why and how you will use it to improve your current presence.

Whether it's views vs. engagement metrics, or audience insights, these are the most important YouTube metrics you need to track for real performance growth. 

Let's break them down.

Reach and discovery metrics

Impressions and Iimpressions click-through rate (CTR)

While impressions reflect how many times your video thumbnail was displayed to viewers, the click-through rate (CTR) tells you how many people clicked on your video after seeing it. 

Views and view count

A vital metric for assessing how well your content is performing over time. 

And while YouTube views show the popularity of a video, it's important to consider how the other metrics, like engagement, relate to view count.

But remember, while these numbers provide insight, it’s essential to think critically and assess how your content is actually engaging with the audience beyond just the view count.

Here's a tip that Dorra Bassoumi gave me:

You always need to use your own judgment and analysis. Sometimes the figures can be misleading.

Unique viewers

Tracking unique viewers helps you understand how many individuals are watching your videos, giving a more accurate picture of your reach beyond raw view count.

Traffic sources breakdown

This metric helps you understand where your viewers are coming from, whether it’s search, external sources, suggested videos, or direct traffic. 

This is key to optimizing your promotion strategies.

 Engagement metrics

Watch time

YouTube's algorithm prioritizes watch time because it reflects how engaging your social media content is. 

Total watch time shows how long people are staying engaged with your video.

To improve this, I'd advise you to focus on refining your video’s intro and pacing to keep people watching longer. Even small changes can lead to a significant increase in watch time and overall engagement.

Average view duration and percentage viewed

These two metrics are interconnected. 

The average view duration shows how long people are watching your video, while the percentage viewed highlights how much of the video they actually watch. 

A high average view duration paired with a high percentage viewed signals that your audience is not just clicking on your video, but they’re watching it through to the end.

To improve this, focus on hooking viewers early and delivering on the expectations set by your thumbnail and title.

Check your data each time you implement changes because you want to be able to track results, even from small tweaks! — Dorien Morin-van Dam, social media strategist

Likes, dislikes, and comments

These are not just engagement signals; they’re feedback mechanisms.

Likes and dislikes give you insight into how well your video aligns with viewer expectations and the emotional response it evokes. 

But I'd say the real treasure lies in the comments. 

My advice? Go beyond the numbers and evaluate the sentiment in your comments section. Are people praising your video, or offering constructive criticism? Do they feel inspired, entertained, or motivated? Take this feedback to refine your next video, ensuring you address any gaps in viewer satisfaction.

Here's what Alex Bulten, social media strategist, has to say about it:

Shares and saves

If viewers are sharing or saving your video, you’ve done something right. 

Shares indicate that your content is perceived as valuable or worthy of sharing with others, while saves suggest that your content resonates enough for people to return to it later. 

These signals should be monitored closely, especially when experimenting with content types. 

A high share-to-view ratio suggests that your content could go viral if it’s promoted correctly.

Engagement rate calculation and benchmarks

Rather than just focusing on likes or comments, calculating the engagement rate (based on likes, comments, shares, and views) is a comprehensive way to understand how interactive your audience is, trust me.

Comparing this rate against industry benchmarks or your previous videos allows you to spot trends and identify whether your social media strategy is improving. 

Luckily, tools like Socialinsider's YouTube Engagement Calculator make this analysis easier:

 Audience metrics

Subscribers gained and lost

The net change in subscribers is more telling than raw subscriber count. 

Tracking gained vs lost subscribers will help you understand how each video impacts your subscriber base. 

Are you gaining new subscribers with every video? Or is your subscriber growth stagnant or declining? If you see a drop in subscribers after certain videos, that’s a sign that content isn’t resonating as strongly with your core audience.

Personally, I track this type of data with Socialinsider, which helps me track these fluctuations in real-time, giving you a clear picture of which videos are driving subscriber growth and which may be losing your audience.

Demographic data

The age and gender breakdown provides valuable insight into who your core audience is. 

If you’re targeting a specific demographic, check whether the content is appealing to that audience. 

Understanding this helps you refine your targeting strategy, from the content tone to the topics you choose.

• Geographic Distribution

Where your viewers are located matters more than just when you post. 

From experience, I can tell you that geographic data can show you where your content resonates the most, revealing opportunities for geo-targeted content or collaborations with influencers from specific regions. 

This data also helps you optimize your upload schedule based on time zones.

• Device Type Analysis

Knowing how people are watching your content is just as important as knowing what they’re watching. 

Is your audience primarily on mobile devices, or are they engaging via computers or TV? 

Here's my takeaway. Tailor your video production to your audience’s habits. Mobile viewers may prefer quicker, snackable content, while desktop viewers may be more open to long-form deep dives.

Behavioral patterns

• Top Videos and Playlists

Your best-performing videos are goldmines for future content. 

Identify what’s working: whether it's specific topics, formats, or even the length of the video. 

The more you understand what your audience craves, the better you can serve them. Are they into quick hacks or long, deep dives?

How do I approach this? I Use the insights to double down on what’s generating the most buzz.

• Best-performing content pillars

Social media content pillars are the backbone of your channel’s strategy. 

If your tutorials or reviews are consistently crushing it, focus more on those. 

But I'd advise you to not get too comfortable. My tip would be to experiment within those pillars to keep things fresh. 

If you ask me, I think that a mix of audience favorites and new angles keeps your content exciting and keeps your viewers hooked.

Here's an advice from Joanne Sweeny, digital marketing specialist, about how to approach social media reporting:

Be able to tell the story of insights: what and why it matters to the goals of the organization.

Dedicated YouTube Shorts metrics

Shorts views vs. long-form views

Analyzing the performance differences between YouTube Shorts and long-form videos is key to refining your content strategy. 

By identifying your top-performing Shorts, you can uncover trends and patterns that contribute to their success. 

Do these videos share specific themes, formats, or presentation styles? 

Recognizing these common elements enables you to create more of what resonates with your audience while pinpointing areas where content may need refinement. 

This type of analysis empowers you to replicate success and evolve your approach where necessary.

Shorts engagement patterns

As YouTube Shorts become an increasingly vital part of the platform, it's crucial to track their unique engagement patterns. 

Are viewers consuming the entire video, or is there a significant drop-off early on? How are they engaging with your content: through likes, shares, or comments? 

Because Shorts are designed for quick consumption, they require a tailored approach to optimize viewer interaction. 

Tracking and understanding these engagement metrics helps you refine your Shorts for maximum impact.

Here's what Luis David Fernandes, global social media strategist at Acolad group told me when we've had a short chat:

Take your time to analyze data, and you'll get everything you need to know.

How to track YouTube metrics effectively?

Now that I’ve covered the mo theoretical part, I’ll tell you how to access the data and manage the whole reporting process of measuring your social media success on YouTube. 

What I can guarantee you is that with the right tools, you can easily see how your content performs, what drives engagement, and how to boost your channel's growth. 

Let me guide you through best ways to track your metrics and see if your YouTube video ideas are hitting the mark.

Get primary performance data from Native YouTube Analytics

What I like about YouTube's native analytics platform is that the Dashboard provides a quick snapshot of your channel’s performance with essential data points, including:

• Views: See how many times your videos have been watched. This helps gauge overall interest and reach.
• Subscribers: TTrack the growth (or decline) of your subscriber count, an indicator of long-term channel engagement.
• Watch time: Understand how much time viewers are spending on your content. Longer watch times often signal strong content relevance and engagement.
• Engagement metrics: Get insights into likes, dislikes, comments, and shares. These metrics are key to measuring the level of interaction and audience investment in your content.

Data exports

YouTube allows you to create insightful reports and export data based on specific criteria, like time frame, video type, or demographics. 

These reports allow you to:

• Filter data to track performance trends over time
• Understand which types of content resonate most with specific audiences
• Analyze user behavior to optimize your strategy for maximum impact

Real-time analytics

Real-time analytics give you an instant look at how your videos are performing as soon as they go live. 

This feature is crucial for understanding the immediate impact of new uploads. 

Key features include:

• Live view counts: Monitor how many people are actively watching your video as it streams. This is especially helpful for live broadcasts or premieres.
• Real-time engagement: Track likes, comments, and shares as they happen, allowing you to gauge how well your content is being received by your audience. This immediate feedback can guide quick adjustments or future content decisions.
• Trending topics: Keep an eye on which videos are gaining traction in real-time. Identifying trends early allows you to capitalize on popular topics or content types, ensuring your videos stay relevant and top of mind.

Add additional value and insights through third-party YouTube analytics tools

While YouTube Studio gives you a pretty solid foundation, third-party YouTube analytics tools can provide deeper insights and more granular data. 

Why use third-party tools beyond YouTube Studio

While YouTube Studio provides valuable analytics, it can fall short when you need more advanced tracking or detailed insights. 

The reason why I love third-party tools is because they offer enhanced capabilities, allowing to dive deeper into video performance, audience engagement, and trends that YouTube's built-in features might overlook. 

Trust me, for creators and marketers aiming to optimize their social media content strategy, these tools become essential for gaining a competitive edge and refining growth tactics based on more precise data.

Key features to look for in analytics platforms

Look for tools that offer a comprehensive YouTube video views tracker, real-time insights, cross-platform analysis, and a user-friendly interface. 

Furthermore, features like sentiment analysis, competitor benchmarking, and demographic insights will help you gain a deeper understanding of your audience.

How to use SocialInsider to get powerful performance metrics

Socialinsider is a leading YouTube analytics tool that helps you track key metrics like video views, engagement, and much more.

Its comprehensive social media report capabilities allow you to compare your YouTube performance with competitors and even analyze trends across multiple platforms for a full social media analysis.

Plus, Socialinsider's user-friendly interface makes it easy to track and compare your social media performance against competitors, giving you social media tips and insights you can act on.

How to choose KPIs based on channel goals?

With YouTube offering a vast array of insights, the challenge isn’t just social media data collection. I'd rather say it's about selecting those KPIs that align with your channel’s specific ambitions. 

The true value of social media KPIs lies in their ability to serve as a compass, guiding your content decisions, optimizing strategies, and ultimately fueling your growth trajectory. 

Let me show you how to harness the full potential of social media marketing by choosing KPIs that are perfectly aligned with your goals:

#1. Start with defining clear, purpose-driven goals

Before diving into social media metrics, you need to define what success means for your channel. 

Are you looking to grow your audience, increase engagement, generate leads, or drive monetization? Your KPIs should evolve from these specific objectives. Without a clear goal in mind, the data can quickly become overwhelming and, frankly, misleading.

2. Align KPIs with your specific goals

Once you’ve set your goal, it’s time to align it with relevant KPIs. 

Let me show you which YouTube channel metrics are most useful for different purposes:

Goal: maximizing brand awareness

If your primary goal is to establish or increase brand awareness, you should focus on metrics related to visibility and how far your content is reaching.

• Impressions: These are the first indication of how often your video’s thumbnail is shown to viewers. But impressions alone don’t tell the full story. They need to be coupled with the Click-Through Rate (CTR) to measure whether your content is compelling enough to engage potential viewers.
• Unique viewers: This metric is crucial for understanding the actual audience size. It gives you a better sense of your channel's reach, beyond just the view count, allowing you to track growth within new and existing audiences.
• Traffic sources: Identifying how people find your videos (whether through YouTube search, external sources, or suggested videos) offers actionable insights for where to focus your promotional efforts.

Goal: increasing audience engagement

YouTube engagement metrics reveal how well your content connects with your audience. 

If your goal is to foster a community and encourage more interactions, these metrics will serve as your guiding compass.

• Watch time: Total and average watch time are foundational metrics that indicate whether people are sticking around for the full video. YouTube’s algorithm favors videos that keep viewers engaged for longer periods, so high watch time translates directly into higher discoverability.
• Comments & likes: These offer qualitative insights into how your content resonates. Pay attention to comment sentiment: is it positive or critical? Comments are often where your audience communicates their true feelings about your content.
• Shares: This metric speaks volumes about the value your audience places on your video. When your viewers share your content, they’re essentially endorsing it, expanding your reach organically.

Goal: growing subscribers

If your goal is subscriber growth, KPIs should focus on both retention and conversion metrics: how many people are staying and how many are subscribing after watching your videos.

• Subscribers gained/ lost: Tracking these numbers helps you understand the impact of your content on subscriber retention. If you notice an uptick in subscribers after certain videos, analyze what made them subscribe. 
• Retention rate: If you can keep viewers watching longer, the likelihood of them subscribing increases. Monitor average view duration and audience retention curves to spot where your videos are losing viewers and where you can improve.

Goal: monetization & driving conversions

When monetization is the goal, you’ll need KPIs that tie back to direct actions beyond YouTube.

• Click-through rate (CTR): For driving external traffic to a website or product, CTR is the most important metric to measure the effectiveness of your calls to action. If you include links in your description or end screens, tracking the CTR tells you how well your audience is responding to these prompts.
• End screen clicks: The end screen is a valuable tool for guiding viewers toward taking action. It can be subscribing, watching another video, or visiting a website. Monitor the click rate of end screen elements to understand their impact on conversions.
• Revenue-related metrics: If monetization is a focus, tracking affiliate links, product sales, or ad revenue metrics is key. Use unique tracking links in your descriptions to monitor how YouTube traffic is translating into actual sales or lead generation.

3. Establish benchmarks for growth

Once you’ve identified the KPIs that align with your goals, it’s time to set realistic benchmarks. 

The way I see it, benchmarks help you measure progress over time rather than relying on one-off data points. 

Tracking trends in metrics such as YouTube watch time, subscriber growth, and engagement rate across several months will give you a clearer picture of whether your social media campaigns are working or need adjusting.

4. Adapt and evolve with your KPIs

As your channel grows and your objectives evolve, so too should your KPIs. 

Early on, your focus may be on gaining views and increasing awareness. But as your channel matures, you might prioritize community engagement or monetization. 

Regularly assess and adjust your KPIs based on where your channel stands and where you want it to go.

By evolving your metrics over time, you ensure that you’re always working toward the most relevant goals and making data-backed decisions that drive growth.

Final thoughts

Now that you know how to view YouTube analytics and what a YouTube analytics tracker focuses on, it's time to put that knowledge to work for your channel. 

You’ve got the tools to make smarter decisions and see your growth firsthand. 

Now go make it happen!

FAQs about YouTube metrics

How often should you track your YouTube metrics?

YouTube metrics and KPIs monitoring should be performed based on how much effort you invest into YouTube marketing - in both terms of time and budget.

If you're consistent with your postings and also run ad campaigns, you should track your YouTube metrics on a regular basis, depending on this channel's priority and expected ROI for your business - it can be weekly, monthly, or even quarterly.

How YouTube Shorts impact overall channel performance?

YouTube Shorts can significantly impact overall channel performance by boosting visibility, increasing engagement, and driving subscriber growth. YouTube algorithm prioritizes short-form videos. Thus, Shorts offer quick, engaging content that reaches a broader audience. By attracting new viewers and encouraging interaction, Shorts help increase watch time, which is crucial for the algorithm's recommendation system. Additionally, successful Shorts can convert casual viewers into subscribers, contributing to long-term channel growth and engagement.

There’s no better way to show off your brand’s personality than with trending memes! They’re relatable, hilarious, and super shareable.

Plus, nothing builds a stronger connection with your audience than a good laugh, right?

Here, you can find what memes are trending on social media and stay ahead of the trends to keep your content game on point!

Trending memes in October 2025

My Brain at 3 AM

A meme format where users share the late-night (or very early morning) stream of wild, anxious, or random thoughts their brain goes through — often captioned something like “My brain at 3 am” or “When your brain starts at midnight.”

It taps into a universal experience of sleep-adjacent restlessness and intrusive thoughts. Because it’s relatable and slightly chaotic, it invites comments like “Same” or “Tell me I’m not alone,” which drives engagement.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carisa Perrizo (@carisaperrizo)

Monkey philosophy

A meme format where images or videos of monkeys (or primates) are paired with deep-sounding or reflective captions—phrases like “Maybe the disorder is my order,” or “A monkey will always still be, a monkey.” The humor blends absurd animal imagery with over-the-top “philosophical” text.

It’s a potent mix of absurdity + pseudo-wisdom. Viewers click because monkeys are already meme-friendly, and the added twist of “philosophy” makes it shareable and meme-worthy. The contrast between silly visuals and serious captions gives the memes extra punch.

Here's a suggestion of how to use it: show your team or product in lighthearted “monkey-philosophy” mode, mixing humor with brand identity.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vin (@_vinerable)

Trending memes in September 2025

Our Graphic Designer Is On Leave

This meme is all about riffing on workplace chaos or design mishaps—especially around the absence of creative oversight. It represents a great opportunity to present design errors, weird last-minute changes, etc. in a humorous and relatable style.

Brands can self-poke—show behind-the-scenes “oops” moments or internal humor tied to marketing deadlines, design changes, or product adjustments.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by OYO (@oyorooms)

Side-Eyeing Trio

A simple layout where three panels or characters side-eye each other or react in sequence—used for humor, sarcasm, or comparisons.

For example: "when your team, your boss, and you all see the bug,” each panel has different expressions.

Because the template is simple and instantly readable, it’s easy for brands or creators to drop in product- or team-oriented variants.

@greenscreenmemes.com Judging look Green Screen Meme Get this video in 4K with our app: GreenScreenMemes.app — now on iOS 📲 #memes #memesdaily #greenscreen #fyp #meme ♬ original sound - Green Screen Memes

Trending memes in August 2025

Work Bestie Lore

A meme genre celebrating the unspoken (and sometimes cheeky) emotional lifeline represented by your office best friend—your “work bestie.” These memes portray the voicemail-cracking, email-translating, meme-sharing buddy who helps you survive the 9-to-5 grind.

Because it taps into workplace camaraderie—the person who gets your inside jokes, your eye rolls at the boss’s requests, and your mid-afternoon existential crisis, the content not only is humoristic, but also relatable and authentic.

@daisypring Trauma bond ? @Mardi Stone ♬ original sound - powerfulcoolboy

The Life of a Showgirl

Taylor Swift’s August 2025 announcement of her album The Life of a Showgirl (set for release on October 3, 2025) ignited meme mania—even before the music dropped.

The trend itself consists of people taking the dramatic album title and pairing it with over-the-top visuals — think glitter, feathers, stage lights, or even everyday moments exaggerated to look theatrical. In short, it’s about turning the ordinary into something fabulous, captioned with “The Life of a Showgirl.”

Trending memes in July 2025

Prince George at Wimbledon

One of the most viral memes right now features Prince George at Wimbledon, looking visibly unimpressed and slightly dissapointed after the final. His expression quickly became meme gold, with tennis fans joking (lightheartedly and harmlessly): “Charlotte, we need to bring the empire back.”

Bob's Burgers dance

A viral meme is going around on TikTok featuring Bob and his dance. It's perfect to use when you want to show a relatable moment or talk about your brand. "That feeling after you find out we have discounts."

It's a fun, lighthearted way to highlight good news and connect with your audience through humor.

Trending memes in June 2025

Gordon Ramsay Slang Memes

One of the newest memes, this trend turns Gordon Ramsay’s food insults into slang. It started on TikTok, where clips like “Show Me Your Work” (SMYW) got used as funny abbreviations.

It's now part of the latest trending memes everyone’s quoting.

Squid Game memes

Based on the new season, people create trendy memes using clips and moments from the show. Since it's a significant release right now, it’s also behind some of the most viral memes.

Find a moment that fits your message and use it while it’s hot.

Trending memes in May 2025

It's gonna be May

One of the most iconic memes this month, and every May, really, comes from *NSYNC’s hit song “It’s Gonna Be Me.”

Thanks to the way the lyrics sound more like “It’s gonna be May,” this meme resurfaces every year as a playful reminder that May has arrived.

It works amazingly for B2B brands or even a personal brand to use this meme in their content calendar.

It's the first of the month

As you can see in the comments on this post, this meme isn’t just a trend—it’s practically a tradition! One of the most popular memes out there, especially on TikTok. It’s not tied to May or any specific month, but it pops up every time a new month begins.

The meme features dancing cows grooving to the “Wake up, it’s the first of the month” lyric from Playboi Carti’s song. As a brand, you could easily hop on this trend by incorporating it into your Instagram Stories or TikTok videos the next time a new month kicks off.

Trending memes in April 2025

Smiling Sunflower memes

One trendy meme making waves on TikTok and Instagram right now is the smiling sunflower. It’s used to capture that "holding it together" kind of expression in all kinds of situations: awkward, funny, or just relatable moments.

On TikTok, you can pair it with this sound, but the real key is your overlay text. Make sure it taps into a feeling or experience your audience will instantly connect with. That’s what makes the meme hit home and get shared!

Lady Gaga at Coachella memes

Lady Gaga is back! And her performance at Coachella gave us the most viral memes in April!

This one reveals two personalities, so you can be as creative as possible. Think opposites, unexpected moods, or anything that shows a funny contrast, your audience will relate to!

Trending memes in March 2025

Zoe Saldana meme

The Zoe Saldana Oscar moment is one of the most famous memes right now. It shows her emotional vulnerability and excitement as she calls out for her mother while accepting her award.

Online, it’s used to express a need for comfort, support, or validation, whether from an actual mom, a “work mom,” or just someone who always knows what to do.

Brands can use this meme to highlight moments of seeking guidance, reassurance, or help (can be used in a funny way, too). The CapCut template makes it easy to customize for different contexts while keeping the meme’s relatable energy.

The goblin meme

The goblin viral meme features a mischievous-looking goblin laughing, often paired with a relatable or ironic caption. The phrase itself doesn’t have a strict meaning but enhances the goblin’s chaotic energy, making the popular meme perfect for moments of playful guilt or low-stakes mischief.

Brands can use this meme to highlight moments when people knowingly break the rules, act sneakily, or indulge in something they shouldn't.

Trending memes in February 2025

Superbowl meme

Like every year after the Super Bowl, the social media world is flooded with memes. This year, the most popular one was Kendrick Lamar looking straight at the camera, along with the moments above.

The secret to these viral memes? Watch the full show and pick whatever moment you find funniest and since it’s a major pop culture event, people will recognize it and love it.

Grammys meme

Besides the incredible show at the Grammys, the memes were just as iconic. This month’s best memes came straight from the Grammys, and the internet loved every second of it.

We have this legendary Beyoncé meme, one that’s sure to stick around for a long time, along with plenty of other viral moments.

Trending memes in January

Irena Aizen Bunny Art

One of the most popular memes right now features paintings by artist Irena Aizen, specifically her bunny-themed artwork.

The viral meme format involves a two-image carousel. The first image sets up the joke with: “How I look at the robber when I tell them to take anything and they take my [insert item].” The second image delivers the punchline with “Noo mi [thing].”

As a brand, this trending meme is a great way to highlight something essential to your identity—whether it’s a best-selling product, a key feature, or even a beloved inside joke from your community. It’s a fun and relatable way to engage your audience while tapping into internet culture!

How I look when...

This trendy meme is being used by TikTok users to express emotions, often paired with this trending sound. There’s no strict rule on how to use it—I’ve seen plenty of personal stories shared with this format.

FYI: I haven’t come across any brands using this viral meme yet, but to stay on the safe side, you can still join the trend by using the sound and recreating the format with your own photos. Try snapping pictures of your colleagues with “How I look when…” captions for a fun and relatable spin.

Best practices for memes

#1. Track your memes performance to ensure relevance

Including trending memes in your social media strategy is smart, but it's essential to check if they’re really helping you reach your marketing goals.

Fortunately, analyzing their effectiveness is quick and easy with a social media competitor analysis tool like Socialinsider:

• Start by creating an account and adding your profiles and competitors to the Socialinsider dashboard. Enjoy a 14-day free trial to explore the features and gather insights!
• Go to the Posts section, select a time frame, and filter by AI Content Pillar, in this case, Memes, GIFs, and Viral Moments.

• Then, dive into each meme’s post analytics to view engagement, impressions, and many other metrics.

• You’ll find your overall meme performance metrics in the Content Pillar section, providing a clear view of how memes are resonating with your audience and your overall marketing strategy.

#2 Be careful of content copyright when choosing a meme

Nearly all images, video clips, and other media content found in memes are under copyright protection.

However, some “allowed” exceptions allow these materials to be used when transformed into commentary or other forms of creative expression.

So, before using a meme in your marketing, ensure it’s legally permissible for commercial purposes. This can save you from potential copyright issues down the road.

#3 Ensure that the tone and style of your memes align with your brand’s voice

For a meme to go viral on your branded pages, it needs to be funny and relatable, but it must also align with your brand.

A hilarious meme that feels out of place can confuse your audience and dilute your brand identity. So, ensure the memes reflect your core values and resonate with your audience.

By keeping your memes aligned with your brand voice, you build trust and authenticity while creating a consistent online presence that encourages sharing and engagement.

#4 Create a meme calendar

While some of the most popular memes pop up randomly and take social media by storm, many well-known memes follow recognizable patterns. That's why it's a good idea to create a memes calendar that aligns with upcoming events, holidays, or campaigns.

This way, you can ensure your content is timely and relevant, making it more likely to resonate with your audience and to be on time without rush.

Conclusion

Memes now are a powerful tool in marketing, offering brands a way to connect with audiences in a relatable, engaging way.

They’re also highly shareable, which means a well-crafted meme can spread quickly, giving brands a boost in visibility without a big budget. It can also help brands show their personality and values, making them feel more approachable and human.

It’s very important to note that, to succeed with memes, brands should understand their audience behavior, like preferences, pain points, and needs.

The timing is very important, ensuring the meme is still relevant. When done right, memes don’t just entertain; they build meaningful connections between the brand and followers and create a sense of community.

Make sure you stay updated on the latest memes on social media and curate viral sensations!

FAQs on popular memes right now

What are memes?

Memes are pieces of entertaining content, taking the form of images, sounds, videos, or text that spread quickly online. They’re typically funny or relatable, making them a popular way to engage audiences.

How to find popular memes?

There are several ways to stay updated on popular memes on social media:

• Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter often have trending sections where you can explore viral memes using hashtags like #memes or #viralmemes.
• You can follow dedicated meme accounts, which is another great way to stay in the loop, like 9gag or memes on Instagram.
• You can also bookmark blogs that regularly share round-ups of the latest and most viral memes, like this one or Know Your Meme.

These resources will help you get up to date memes and never be out of trend.

What are the most popular social media memes?

“Distracted Boyfriend” – The most popular meme is with this guy looking at another woman while his girlfriend looks on disapprovingly. It’s used to represent shifting focus.

“Leonardo DiCaprio Laughing” – This viral meme is from the movie Django Unchained, where DiCaprio's character laughs, often used for sarcastic humor.

“Woman Yelling at a Cat”- This is one of the most viral memes that features a woman yelling in one frame and a cat sitting at a table in the next, looking like they are having a conversation. It’s used to represent funny misunderstandings.

“Surprised Pikachu” – This meme uses a Pikachu from Pokémon to express mock surprise in response to an obvious or expected outcome.

Drake “Hotline bling” meme- This meme is iconic, showing Drake rejecting one option with a displeased face, then enthusiastically approving another.

Do you always feel like haunting Instagram trending audios? Well, who’s not?

New trending Instagram songs emerge every week, and it has become a constant battle to find the perfect one that can increase your brand's visibility.

Since Reels is one of the top-performing content types on Instagram in 2024, staying up-to-date with the current trending audio on Instagram is an ace up your sleeve.

I know the process can be exhausting, and you don’t have much time; as a busy marketer, you are! But don’t worry, you are in the right place.

Here, you’ll find the latest viral sounds on Instagram, and you can start integrating them into your Instagram strategy to boost brand awareness.

Let's hop on!

How do you find trending audio on Instagram for your Reels?

No worries if you missed the viral Instagram songs from last week! You can always seek new ones because it never ends; that’s the beauty of it.

Below, you’ll find all the ways to search and choose the best songs for your Reels and stay ahead of the game.

• Instagram’s search feature

The easiest way to find Instagram trending audio outside of recommended options is through its search feature.

1. Tap on the Search Bar at the top of the page and type “trending songs” or “trending audio.” Depending on your needs, you can also try something more specific, like “aesthetic songs” or “skin-care routine.”
2. Now, you can tap the Audios and Tags filters at the top of the page and scroll until you find the perfect one for your Reel.

• Instagram’s Creator Account

This account is pure gold, updated with new trends and resources from Instagram creators to everyone who wants to master their Instagram strategy.

Usually, they post new trending sounds, plus editing tips. So you’ll get more than what you came for!

• Instagram’s trending audio list

This feature is only available in the US and on the Instagram mobile app, but it’s worth noting. Hopefully, it will be available for everyone one day!

You need a professional Instagram account to view reel trends.

Then, tap the three-dot icon on your profile and select Reels Trends—Select reels from Audio or Hashtags.

If “See what’s trending on Reels” first appears on your profile page, you can tap on the button to enter the Reels Trends destination and start discovering the latest trending audio.

• Trending Reels on Instagram

I know that I said that your process will be simplified, yet sometimes, you just have to be chronically online.

I'm kidding, but the Trending Reels page is a perfect spot to find viral audio on Instagram. Scrolling is a big part of your job, so let’s start making it great again!

1. Tap the Reels icon using the button on the right of your Instagram page.
2. Scroll through the page till you find the best songs for your Reels.
3. On the left button on the video you choose, tap the name of the trending song and the artist.
4. You can see how many times this song has been used, and if it’s worth it, save it for your Reel.

• Your competitor's Instagram page

Believe it or not, your competitors are a great source of inspiration when it comes to trending Reels audio. Spy on their page and check how they make use of the latest trending sounds on Reels and how they integrate them into their strategy.

Then, you can apply the strategy to your own Reels or devise something new to stay ahead. With Socialinsider, you can filter your competitors' content and see what audio for Reels they use.

Plus, you’ll get to know the performance of the post and see if it’s worth using it.

You can also sort by specific keywords if you already have a sound chosen or a hashtag.

Trending Instagram Audio in 2025

You probably figured out there is no secret to finding the most trending Instagram song.

Still, following everything from above and having a special eye for spotting trends, I craft a list of current trending Instagram audio, which will be updated monthly.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in October

Who's Calling?

A trending audio format where creators film a subject or scenario and overlay the line “Who’s calling?” (or a version thereof) as a transition cue. The setup typically shows something ordinary or “before,” then a cut or switch happens when the audio hits—revealing the “after,” the shift, or the punchline. For example: a clip of someone cleaning → audio “Who’s calling?” → reveal of a stunning makeover.

It’s effective because it builds instant curiosity (“Who? What’s happening?”) and promises a payoff.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by taylor beagle (@drab.to.dreamy)

Happy Girl Era

This trend is all about embracing joy, confidence, and small wins. Creators use this audio to share what happiness looks like for them — from quiet morning routines to celebrating personal milestones or simply feeling good in their skin. It’s uplifting and deeply relatable.

The trend taps into that universal moment when you decide to show up for yourself — no big glow-up, just a shift in energy. It’s empowering without being performative, which makes it easy for audiences to connect with and remix.

This trend is made for feel-good storytelling. A beauty brand could show someone getting ready for a night out, calling it their “happy girl era glow.” A fashion brand might use it to spotlight bold, confidence-boosting outfits. Even a wellness brand could join in with calming routines or daily affirmations. The key is to make it personal — show what happiness looks like through your brand’s lens.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by PHYLLICIA VICTORIA (@phyllicia.victoria)

Don’t Talk to Me, I’m Romanticizing My Life

A revived audio trend where creators use cinematic or dramatic music to highlight everyday moments — from sipping coffee to commuting — as if they’re in a movie scene.

It gives people permission to see and share beauty in the mundane, turning relatable routines into aesthetic content. The effect is uplifting and aspirational, making viewers stop and feel the moment.

Brands can lean into this by spotlighting everyday rituals tied to their product. For instance: a skincare brand showing a morning skincare routine, a café showing the first pour of the day, or a home-goods brand capturing a cozy corner. The key is the vibe—quiet, authentic, visually engaging—and the audio does the heavy lifting of mood.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Victoria (@greengrid__)

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in September

I Love Stuff

This trend is all about celebrating the little things. The audio repeats “I love stuff” while users film their shelves, favorite collections, or random items that bring joy. It leans into cozy, sentimental content that feels like showing a friend your treasures.

It’s a natural fit for showcasing product lineups. Think beauty brands showing seasonal kits, fashion brands highlighting accessories, or lifestyle companies filming a shelf filled with curated items. It’s about sharing enthusiasm rather than selling — and that authenticity resonates.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Taryn Falconer (@tarynfalconerhome)

Oh Boy

This is a sarcastic audio clip used as a reaction to moments of frustration, irony, or surprise. Creators often pair it with eye-rolls or captions describing situations where things don’t go as expected.

It’s perfect for poking fun at misconceptions or industry quirks. A coffee brand might use it for the “decaf slander,” or a SaaS company could roll it out when someone still insists spreadsheets are enough. The sarcastic tone makes it versatile and funny without needing much setup.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anna Saccone (@annasaccone)

I have therapy

An audio trend where someone excuses themselves with “I have therapy,” blending a serious message about mental health with a lighthearted twist.

Wellness, beauty, or lifestyle brands can adapt it to highlight self-care routines (“I can’t today, I have skincare”), promote downtime, or show the importance of balance in daily routines.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Millie Mackintosh (@milliemackintosh)

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in August

Don’t Do It

This trend consists of a comedic audio capturing that moment when logic says, "don't do it," but desire overrides. It is commonly used in videos of minor indulgences, like buying that extra snack, binge-watching, or impulse purchases.

Within this trend, relatable humor meets quick gratification. It is perfect for brands showcasing impulsive buying products (“Treat yourself—just once!”), that gives that excitement when having. guilty pleasure.

You can use the sound with a quick transition or zoom when the temptation strikes—like grabbing cookies or telling your boss something he doesn't want to hear.

Choose One

A trending audio that brands can use to stage playful comparisons between two choices—like ‘classic product or new launch’ or ‘office perks or work-from-home.’ The sound creates a lighthearted setup for showcasing options, often timed with a countdown or dramatic reveal to spark audience engagement

Brands can use the “Choose One” audio to stage playful comparisons that spotlight their products or services in a lighthearted way. By leaning into the fun of decision-making, companies can invite their audience to weigh in and boost engagement through comments and shares.

I Respect Your Opinion

A sarcastic-sounding audio used to mimic polite disagreement. Paired with expressions like eye-rolls or side glances, it adds humor when reacting to absurd takes.

With the “I Respect Your Opinion” audio, brands can playfully acknowledge differing viewpoints while adding a layer of humor.

A coffee brand might use it to poke fun at the tea vs. coffee debate, while a fitness studio could joke about “morning workouts vs. evening workouts.”

By leaning into these lighthearted rivalries, businesses can create relatable content that sparks conversation without taking sides.

The Summer I [Blank]

This nostalgic audio is perfect for brands looking to wrap up the season with storytelling.

It taps into nostalgia, storytelling, and seasonal resonance. Ideal for recap content, travel brands, education accounts, or any visual storytelling that connects emotionally with viewers.

Lifestyle and wellness companies could use it to showcase seasonal milestones like fitness goals or self-care moments. The format encourages audiences to reflect and engage by sharing their own summer stories.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in July

“You look happier” overlay text  

Currently a favorite in Instagram Reels trending audio content, this trend uses the overlay text “You look happier” + "You belong with me" by Taylor Swift sound, followed by a funny or heartfelt “Thanks, I’ve…” punchline. 

It’s often ironic: like “Thanks, I’ve spent $200 on stuff I don’t need”, but can also be sincere. This trending audio for Instagram Reels fits brands that want to blend relatability with subtle product promotion. 

For example, a skincare brand could use: “Thanks, I’ve finally found a serum that works” with a visual of the product in use. It’s light, scroll-stopping, and one of the best songs for Reels this week.

“Illegal”

The “Illegal” sound is part of a trending Instagram audio format that’s all about chaotic agreement. 

You and a partner (or just you and your mirror-self) lip-sync to the sound, dramatically shake hands, and show something that’s oddly satisfying, controversial, or just plain funny. This is a hit in current trending Instagram audio because it creates highly relatable content. 

For brands, this is perfect for playful, culture-savvy posts. Example: “Sleeping 8 hours” + “Having time for content planning” = illegal handshake. It’s simple, visual, and ideal for brands leaning into Instagram trending videos with a funny twist.

My dream date. Cute.

Soft, aesthetic, and going viral, “My dream date” is one of the most trending audios on Instagram today. 

People are using this sound to show their ideal date in video or photo form, often with cozy, romantic visuals. It’s a natural fit for lifestyle, fashion, or food brands. 

Overlay the sound on a video of someone walking through your shop, sipping a drink, or unboxing a product, and caption it: “My dream date: iced coffee + browsing [brand]’s new arrivals”. This trending music on Instagram is all about mood, so don’t overthink it, just make it cute.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in June

Lorde- What was that

Lorde is back and she’s bringing the trends. This trending audio on Instagram is blowing up, with creators either lip-syncing to the moody lyrics or using it as a background for cinematic reels.

If you're looking for viral Instagram songs to add a mysterious, artsy vibe to your content, this one’s your go-to.

Rock your body

This trending audio on Instagram started on TikTok and is now all over Reels. People use it for a fun, confident dance, usually with cool transitions or outfit changes.

If you want to join the vibe, this popular reel song is perfect for showing off your moves.

The front? Stunning!

This viral Reel sound is perfect for showing off. Whether it’s a product reveal or your best outfit, just follow the lyrics and pop up on the screen. Both brands and creators are using it to make bold, eye-catching content.

Want to be on the Instagram trending audio list today? This one’s a strong pick.

Justin Bieber- Baby

This remix is a trending audio for Instagram Reels that brings back major nostalgia...but with a twist.

The remix adds a beat that’s perfect for smooth transitions, outfit changes, or glow-ups.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in May

New Flame (feat. Usher, Rick Ross)

This sound is a looped instrumental that makes your short phrase feel like it’s repeating, almost like you are manifesting it! Just choose a phrase of no more than five words and repeat it three times to match the beat.

I love stuff

This is a catchy viral sound on Reels that repeats “I love stuff,” and it's perfect for showing off your products.

Just film a quick video of you showcasing your must-have items or new arrivals while the audio plays.

Mystical Magical

A perfect, popular song for your Instagram Reels is “Mystical Magical” by Benson Boone.

It’s great for showcasing product presentations or capturing a day in your life filled with good vibes. Get creative, this catchy tune is guaranteed to get stuck in everyone’s head!

When you hear someone...

This trending sound for Instagram Reels sets the scene perfectly: You’re “walking out” quickly, shooting a side-eye glance that says, “I secretly love this idea but I’m pretending I don’t.”

It’s playful, relatable, and perfect for showing off those guilty pleasures or unexpected moments of joy!

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in April

Le freak edit- popular sound

A new viral sound on Instagram Reels, with more than 21K Reels, usually used to show two different things (outfits, opinions) or this dance.

You can adapt it for your brand by highlighting product comparisons, transformations, or simply joining the vibe with a fun twist.

Tell me the most...

Originally from TikTok, this sound is now trending on Instagram Reels as part of the “tell me” trend.

It’s perfect for brands looking to spark conversation and build community. The idea? Ask your audience something wild or relatable, like “What’s the craziest thing you’ve done at work?”

It invites unfiltered answers, boosts comments, and drives real engagement.

God forbid trend

This is another trend original from TikTok now making waves on Reels, and this song is trending on Reels because of it.

It's typically used to clap back at harmless criticism, like when someone questions your favorite pastime.

Cue the iconic line: “God forbid a person has a hobby.”
Perfect for relatable, lighthearted content that defends your guilty pleasures.

Fit check sound

The latest trening sound for fit checks togheter with a brand new move.

This trend keeps viewers hooked with its smooth, cinematic feel.

How to film it: Start from your shoes, then rotate the camera upward to reveal your full outfit. Simple, eye-catching, and perfect for showing off your style (or your brand’s look). See here.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in March

Anxiety by Doechii

This is the top Instagram Reels song right now, not just because Grammy-winning Doechii is behind it, but because it's fueling a viral dance trend.

The viral audio is mainly used to recreate the iconic dance from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but it also works as a high-energy background sound.

A moment that felt like Hozier's yell

Noah Kahan and Hozier’s collab on Northern Attitude has turned into one of Instagram’s most trending audios, bringing a vibe of pure joy.

This popular audio is about capturing the feeling of something truly amazing, whether it’s a moment, a connection, or something that defines your brand.

Creators use it to highlight what makes them happiest, from personal wins to brand milestones, turning it into the perfect soundtrack for celebrating what matters most. Also, some of them are turning the trend in a funny twist.

This and that

Another trending audio on Instagram Reels now is “this and that”. About those moments when you're completely relaxed and only love two things.
With more than 10K Reels, users are using it to call out their simple joys, like this and ignoring my emails or this and iced coffee on a Monday.

It’s the perfect vibe for relatable, low-effort content that makes your audience go, “yeah, same.”

My camera roll

Hacker: “Give me 500$ or I am gonna hack your camera roll”

Your camera roll is 99% work screenshots, Canva drafts, or way too many pics of your pet. People are using this trend to show off their hyper-specific photo gallery, whether it’s all work files, random memes, or an unhealthy number of coffee pics.
You just use this viral sound for Reels and upload photos.

Call Me When You Break Up

Selena Gomez’s new song Call Me When You Break Up is making waves on Instagram Reels, already hitting 36K uses and climbing.

It’s one of the biggest trends this month, and it’s super easy to hop on. Creators are using it for lip-syncing, edits, or just as a moody background sound. Whether you’re going for main character energy or a subtle vibe, this audio is the perfect fit.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in February

Miss you forget something

This trending Instagram Reel sound is perfect for showcasing your products. It works best in scenes where you "forget" something—only to reveal that the missing piece is your product.

A simple, fun way to highlight what makes your brand unforgettable with this viral Insta sound.

Uu piece of candy

This trend is another great way to highlight your brand by using this trending Instagram audio. It creates a playful, enticing effect, just like luring someone in with a piece of candy.

Perfect for showcasing products that are irresistible!

Sports Car x Promiscuous

Another great remix by ALTÉGO MIX, quickly becoming one of the top trending audios on Instagram.

It’s one of those viral sounds that works for almost any type of video, making it a go-to choice for brands and creators alike.

Slim Shady

Slim Shady is a trending music on Instagram again, this time with the "My name is? Who?" part.

It’s perfect for transitions, whether switching outfits, introducing team members, or showcasing different products in a fun, dynamic way.

Traffic Was Crazy

A new way to say you're late because of "traffic"—but the real traffic is something else.

This popular Reels sound perfectly captures those unexpected delays, like choosing the right shoes, picking a lipstick, or finishing your favorite series. So many reasons to be late, and “traffic” is always the excuse!

Lovely background sound

With 34.7K Reels and counting, this trending Instagram audio is perfect for the month of love. It’s ideal for aesthetic videos.

Whether you're cooking, packing orders, having dinner with your team, or enjoying a cozy meeting. Honestly, it fits anything with a soft, gentle vibe!

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in January

My Shayla

This trending sound has blown up on TikTok, and now Reels is jumping on board (you’ll even see people commenting “my Shyla” everywhere!).

In this Reels trend, users post pictures or videos that express feelings of heartbreak, frustration, or annoyance towards someone, all set to a clip of someone crying while saying, "My Shayla."

It’s a playful, dramatic way to turn everyday struggles into exaggerated emotional moments, adding some humor to even the most relatable situations.

DtMF trending sound

A great song and an even better trending sound for Instagram Reels, DtMF has been used in 627K reels so far. It started as a go-to sound for family and nostalgic memories but has now evolved into a popular background track for vlogs and everyday moments.

With Instagram pushing longer videos, this sound is a perfect choice to boost your reach and engagement!

peekaboo sound

Right now, this viral sound is dominating Instagram Reels. It’s fast, energetic, and instantly grabs attention. Pair it with short, dynamic clips, and you’ve got a winning formula.

A lot of creators and brands are using this trend for quick transitions, whether it’s getting ready, showcasing a process (like makeup or outfit changes), or highlighting a product in action. If your content involves movement, this is the perfect sound to make it pop!

are you kidding? I need to calm down

This viral Instagram Reels trending sound, is about yelling dramatically that something is unfair, only to quickly pull yourself together, because, well, you’re an adult.

People are using it to joke about relatable struggles, from daily inconveniences to industry frustrations. It’s a fun and easy way to add humor to your content!

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in December

Sailor Song

This trending Instagram audio is perfect for Reels where you want to tell a story or add an emotional touch with a sequence of clips.

You can even use this recent sound as a background soundtrack to enhance the mood of your content, no matter the subject is.

Carrie Bradshaw monologue

Carrie Bradshaw’s monologue as a viral audio for Reels is perfect for aesthetic videos that include storytelling.

Her line, “People that matter are always in your heart,” is a great way to showcase your team or create a collage of photos from your life or brand story. It adds a personal and meaningful touch to your content.

XOXO Gossip Girl + Last Christmas mashup

This trending Instagram audio is a mashup of the last line from the Gossip Girl series, “XoXo, Gossip Girl,” and “Last Christmas” by Ariana Grande.

Many creators and brands use this popular audio to showcase their products, especially in the fashion or beauty industry. It’s a fun and catchy way to highlight your brand’s style and aesthetics.

Merry Christmas everyone mashup

Another viral mashup audio trending on Reels right now for the holiday season starts with a voice saying “Merry Christmas, everyone” and then smoothly transitions into a song.

I’ve seen a lot of Reels using this audio, whether it’s for cooking, decorating Christmas trees, or even dance routines. It’s a perfect opportunity to get creative and share your festive content in a fun and engaging way!

The Holiday trending audio

It’s December, which means it’s time to rewatch “The Holiday” again! That’s why this Instagram audio trends every year during this period...everyone just can’t resist!

Use this viral sound for daily vlogs, hauls showcasing your products (highlighting what gifts they can buy from your brand for Christmas), or decorating the office videos.

It's timeeeeee..

I’m sure you’ve heard this viral sound on Instagram Reels at least once since December started! It's just like those memes where Mariah Carey breaks the ice and starts singing.

The audio begins with “It’s time” and transitions smoothly into “All I Want for Christmas.”

You can use it to capture the excitement of the holiday season or give it a fresh perspective by saying, “It’s time to try our new products.”

We listen and we don't judge

Ever wanted to express something without worrying about judgment? Now’s your chance with this new Reels trend.

The idea is simple: gather a group of people, and each person shares something they’ve done or thought about. Everyone agrees to listen and not pass judgment.

You start each sentence with “We listen and we don’t judge” and end it the same way. You can also do it by yourself, but say things that are relatable to your audience so you'll all vibe to the same actions.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in November

"It's you" Reels trend

This is one of the top trending sounds on Reels this month. With 34.9K Reels, it’s the perfect opportunity to surprise your clients and make them feel special.

Here’s how it works: record yourself, add the text "Hey, look! There’s our favorite client!" and then point your finger to the camera, just like in this example below.

Of course, feel free to get creative and add your own twist, but be sure to use this current audio for Instagram Reels to make the most impact and become viral.

I have to make an announcement viral sound on Reels

The perfect idea to present your products or services through this popular song on Instagram Reels right now.

If you have an actual announcement to make, even better! This trending sound is the ideal combination of attention-grabbing and engaging, making it the perfect fit for showcasing your news or offerings.

May I have your attention - original sound from "Wicked"

Originally from the "Wicked" movie, this viral sound is gaining popularity among Instagram Reels creators and brands.

It can be used in both humorous and serious contexts, offering a way to express your own emotions or connect with your audience’s feelings, all while boosting your chances of landing on the For You page.

Accidentally flipped the camera

One of the most popular sounds on Reels right now is associated with the "flip the camera" trend.

To participate, make a bold statement in the name of someone else, then flip the camera to reveal a surprising twist or reaction.

For brands, you can use this sound trend by making a fun, bold claim about your product or service and then flipping the camera to reveal you’re the one behind it. It’s a playful way to get involved and engage with your audience!

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in October

Mantra sound

This trending sound on Instagram Reels, with a huge 288K uses, is everywhere on the For You page!

It’s catchy, it’s a vibe, and it grabs attention fast. Try it as a fun background for product highlights, quick tutorials, or even just adding that extra pop to a mood-setting post.

APT Rose and Bruno Mars

The latest Instagram Reels hit, APT by Bruno Mars and ROSE, and it’s blowing up as the top sound on Reels right now. You’ve probably heard it already!

It's the most popular sound on Reels right now and a perfect perfect for adding energy to behind-the-scenes moments, spotlighting offers, showing off fun office dances, or adding flair to GRWM (Get Ready With Me) and OOTD (Outfit of the Day) posts.

And then i ll go and spoil it all..

This viral Instagram Reels trend is easily the funniest one this month! It kicks off with the line, “And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like…” followed by everyone saying something totally random or hilarious.

Use it to keep things relatable for your audience or give a peek into your company culture with a playful twist!

Wait they don't love you like i love you

This October, the most trending sound on Instagram Reels is definitely this catchy dance! If you’re thinking about jumping in, you’ll be glad to know that both versions are super simple to pick up. Plus, the "Maps" sound has already been featured in 95.9K Reels!

In the first version, you'll bounce down while pointing your fingers and switching to the beat. The second version involves shaking your hips side to side, tapping your hips, and giving a “stop” hand gesture to the audience.

You can join forces with your coworkers for a fun twist or add a catchy line like, “No one will love you more than [your product]!”

Montego sound

This new Reels trending sound start rapidly to grow in Instagram charts. The upbeat rhythm sets a vibrant tone that’s sure to catch attention and keep your audience engaged.

You can use it in cool edits or create playful challenges.

Witches sound

Spooky or not, this trending sound is making a huge splash on the For You page this October! With more than 28K Reels, it’s perfect for capturing that Halloween spirit and adds a playful yet mysterious vibe to your Reels.

Use it for everything from fun costume reveals for Halloween to showcasing products and outfits.

Happy and healthy sound

This viral sound for Instagram Reels, with over 115K Reels, is super easy to use and brings such a chill vibe! It’s perfect for all kinds of content, whether you’re sharing wellness tips, capturing a peaceful moment, or just adding a calming backdrop to your daily routines.

It can really enhance your ideas and create a positive atmosphere, making it a go-to choice for any video you want to make.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in September

Do you know you have 30 minutes??

If you're asking what audio is trending on Instagram right now, this one is on top reel sound. Here’s how the trend works: It starts with a panicked voice saying, “Do you know you have 30 minutes??" and then cuts to the person showing what they need to do, often with a shocked, scared, or even sassy expression.

You can use it creatively to highlight things like rushing to finish a project (like a Q3 report), completing a task, or even humorous, exaggerated situations like trying not to get angry or resisting an impulse.

Original audio myfebruary14th (people saw this and invented...)

This viral Reels audio trending today is known for two reasons. One side is a cute vibe, perfect for travel videos, bringing all the feels.

The other trend is filming a scenic view with the caption, "People saw this and invented the 9-6 work program."

You can use this trending ig audio both ways to match your vibe, and it's also super popular as background music.

Savannah slow down

Probably one of the most trending audios on Instagram right now is the “Savannah slow down” one.

You can use this sound to tap into those “my brain says yes, my heart says no” moments for your persona. Let’s be real: everyone has something they just can’t let go of, so keep this in mind for your audience when recreating a Reel with this popular audio.

Who got you smiling like that?

"Brooo, who got you smiling like that?" is a simple way to express love and adoration for something, and that's what this current trending Instagram audio is all about.

Tip: Just showcase your products or services with this viral audio and engaging captions to grab attention! See this example.

Accidentally splash water on my phone trend

I think this Instagram Reels trend is perfect for every brand—it's a bit funny and a little delulu, but it really gets you! This viral audio is the most used for this trend.

The story goes like this: you accidentally splash water on your phone while washing your hands, and suddenly, your phone starts ordering clothes or making an appointment for lash extensions. It happens, I swear!

But anyway, this is how you can highlight your brand in a cool way!

Die with a smile- Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars

Honestly, "Die with a Smile" is the best song for Reels — no debate! It gets stuck in your mind like an anthem, which means more views.

I’ve seen this trending sound throughout the Reels FYP in every form. Whether using it to showcase your products or just as background music while doing a tutorial, it works perfectly!

Altego Music original mix

Altego did it again with the best mix of the month for Instagram Reels!

This track is perfect for transitions or to build anticipation during the wait for the drop. Depending on what you want to showcase or relate to, make sure you’re on point with the beat.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in August

Soft sound Badadabee

The viral "Badadabee" audio on Reels is trending in two main ways. One is showcasing products with a soft, aesthetic touch, and the other is a playful, conversational trend where two people exchange a simple dialogue like:

“Are you coming to the office tomorrow?”

"Yes" - followed by a heartfelt hug.

Both trends are popular, so choose the one that resonates most with your style!

Kiss of Life - Sade

The classic "Kiss of Life" by Sade is top trending on Instagram Reels (again), with over 400K Reels and growing!

Brands and creators are tapping into this timeless sound to spotlight their top products and services, creating content with a main character vibe that’s both elegant and captivating. It's the perfect audio to add a touch of sophistication to your storytelling.

Lalala Gilmore girls - leahsguides

Someone described this popular Instagram sound as “when life starts to sound more like la la la,” and I think that perfectly captures the vibe!

Its cozy audio makes it ideal for creating comforting Reels.

365 x FEMINONOMENON by Adamusic

This trending sound on Instagram has 72.7K Reels, and it’s gaining momentum. Brands and creators are using it to showcase products with bold flair.

MAMUSHI x DROP IT LIKE IT HOT

This viral Reels sound has been used in 44.9K reels and is perfect for brands to showcase eye-catching content.

Use it to highlight products, create smooth transitions, or sync with bold visuals for maximum impact.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in July

Sunny

This trending insta audio is your go-to for fresh, energetic summer videos.

Perfectly capturing the essence of the season, this viral sound is your ticket to boosting your brand’s visibility and making waves on the For You page. How to use it? Simply overlay the audio on your clips for instant impact!

Apple - Charlie xcx

It’s Brat Girl Summer—the latest trend that’s capturing everyone's attention, sparked by Charli XCX's album of the same name. The viral audio "Apple," has taken Instagram by storm.

Currently, you can leverage this popular sound for Reels by showcasing a fun dance with your coworkers or simply overlaying it on your videos for an instant boost.

I like it

“I Like It” is one of the top sounds on Instagram Reels this week, and it’s a must-use! This versatile track brings a great vibe that fits nearly any content.

While it's currently trending in DIY videos and recipes, let your creativity shine by using this viral Instagram audio in any way that suits your content.

Mamushi

This trending audio has appeared on my For You page so many times that I’ve lost count! While most videos feature lip-syncing, I’ve also seen it used creatively in OOTD clips, make-up videos, and product launches.

It’s truly a catchy sound!

Breezy Summer (Loop)

The most viral Instagram audio on Instagram right now and 100% business approved is "Breezy Summer." Nearly every beauty brand is using it in their Reels!

It's perfect for product videos and adding a fresh, engaging touch to your content.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in June

"Please, please, please" viral sound by Sabrina Carpenter

She's the IT girl right now, and this is Sabrina Carpenter's latest trending audio.

With 296K reels and counting, this viral sound on Instagram Reels can catapult your video onto everyone's For You page.

Plus, it’s also a popular transition that you can do using this sound. Don't miss out on this trend!

"Birds of a Feather" trending sound by Billie Eilish

This audio is blowing up on Instagram Reels with 424 uses and counting

It's perfect for any content idea you can think of. Forget the fancy edits—just create meaningful content that speaks to your audience using this trending sound.

A summer place

It's giving major summer vibes, hot and sweet.

This popular audio is all over Instagram Reels, from travel adventures to cooking videos. But this captivating sound can expand your audience and grab attention, no matter your industry.

"Wikedest" audio trending

Get ready for the latest Afrobeat trend! Loving these vibes—full of energy and golden vibes.

Every brand should jump on this viral audio while it's hot and fresh on the trend charts. There's no need for complex edits or moves; showcase your products or services with this sound and watch the magic unfold.

"Devil is a lie" viral sound

This trending Instagram Reels audio is seriously empowering and perfect for bold vibes and connecting with others.

It's been a hit with sports and lifestyle/beauty brands, but honestly, anyone can get in on it. No rules—dive in and make it yours!

"girl$" popular audio

Say it louder: "don't need nobody, girls!" This hot sound on Instagram Reels has already been used in 21.4K videos and counting—it's super fresh!

People are having a blast with this audio, sharing memories, fun facts, or simply flaunting their outfits.

Brands can totally join in the fun and share their own unique spin on it, too!

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in May

"It's a about time" audio

Say it louder for the people in the back: "It's about time you fall in love with something that would love you back!"

This sound recently became viral on Instagram Reels, and it's the perfect time to use it and grow your audience. You can use this trending audio to show your products (like in the video below) or anything else that represents your company. You can also lipsync on this viral sound and write a relatable text for your audience.

"Expresso" sound by Sabrina Carpenter

With more than 1.1M Reels, this sound is a massive trend on Instagram right now.

I've seen users and brands use this viral audio to show their work (art, decor, DIYs), outfits, or products – so any form of creativity is allowed to make this trend. It's fresh, summery, and definitely deserves a place on your brand profile.

"Million dollar baby" trending audio

A powerful and empowering trending sound, "Million Dollar Baby" has 556K on reels and still counting.

I've seen brands using this sound doing different transitions on the beats of the sound or UGC videos from creators trying on some products.

"Jump" sound by Tyla

From the MET Gala directly with this banger, Tyla won the Instagram Reels trending spot with this audio.

More than 355K Reels were made on this sound, plus has a viral dance that everyone is trying to do.

"Euphoria" Diss track

You don't need to be updated with the latest pop culture moments between Kendrick Lamar and Drake to use this sound. Also, you don't support one or the other if you're using it. (to make things clear)

It's just trending on Reels right now, and to be honest, it's a vibe. There are two types of users who created Reels on this viral sound:

1. they say what they hate about something (can be a book, a movie, a place) in a funny way, not hatred.

2. post creative templates or edits.

"West Coast" Remix sound

This viral sound is so genuine and aesthetic, perfect for fashion brands, jewelry, or beauty.

The audio now trending has 60.6K Reels and counting.

"Fortnight" audio

Swifties are again on our list of audio trends for Reels. "Fortnight" is heavily used with 193K Reels.

You can use this sound in a vintage, creative way, or as a background sound while doing a voice over.

Trending Instagram audio for Reels in April

Hello sharks trend + "shark tank" audio

Hello sharks, can I ask $1 million to travel the world and send you snaps with my coffee every day? That's it — the dream.

For this trend on Reels, you have to pretend you are at the TV show "Shark Tank" and ask for the most hilarious things. Check this audio and take inspo for your following Reels.

"Gimme more" audio ( Britney transition trend)

Yeah, the queen is back! Now, with new moves. For this Britney transition trend, you have to do these moves (or any cool idea of moves)on the beats and have a massive diva vibe.

This viral sound was used in 356K Reels.

Take my whisky neat

Perfect for transitions, glow-ups, and even aesthetic videos, this audio by Hozier is trending on Instagram now.

One of the most effective ways to leverage your brand on this trending audio is to involve your audience in your journey, showcasing your beginning versus now. Users love transparency and golden stories!

"Back on 79" by Jungle trending audio

This popular Reels song is on my #Fyp all the time! To be honest, it's in my headphones, too. Users are doing everything on this audio: GRWM, product presentations, travel videos, etc., so there are no rules.

And, listen, up! 752K reels were made on this audio, and Jungle ate it and gave us the best viral audio to gain views on Instagram.

"Blue Monday" audio

Blue Monday? It's more like Angry Monday.

In this viral audio trend, you have to find a different POV and start "fighting." Like a debate, but funnier and with dance moves on the beat of the songs.

Tip: Try to make it as relatable as possible with your target audience for more engagement.

"SLAY!" viral audio

On this sound, everyone and everything slays! It's a must to try making a Reel using this viral audio.

This trending audio was used in 303K reels and counting. Now is your chance to use it while it is still trending.

Final Thoughts

Even though it can be quite simple to follow current Instagram Reels audio trends, nailing down your marketing game plan and finding your unique voice are key.

Make use of all the top trending audio on Instagram as much as is suitable for your business; don't do things just because everyone else is doing it.

It's important to stay relevant in this rapid transition of trends and updates in social media, so hopefully, the examples provided will help you earn well-deserved glorious brand awareness.

And remember: These audios and trends are always coming and going so fast. Your creativity and strategy are here to stay! Protect them at all costs.

In the highly captivating world of TikTok, things move fast. Being the birthplace of viral content nowadays, TikTok is the place to check when you want to discover ideas on how to get in front of your target audience.

As a marketer, you can easily get overwhelmed by the great amount of TikTok trends that are born all of a sudden, we know. So, to simplify your research process, we've curated a list of the hottest TikTok trends that you can integrate into your strategy to boost your brand awareness. Let's dive in!

Viral TikTok trends to try

Businesses leveraging TikTok marketing could spice up their strategy with the following trends to capitalize on the hype around a trend, increase brand visibility, and diversify the content you create for social media in terms of themes and concepts.

TikTok trends in October 2025

Your Boss Follows You On Social Media

A relatable TikTok trend where creators dramatize the moment their boss starts following them — cue panic, awkwardness, or an instant “professional” switch in tone. It’s funny, universal, and taps into the blurred line between work and personal life. The humor lies in the overreaction — checking old posts, deleting stories, or pretending to be wholesome.

Perfect for showing brand personality or workplace culture. A tech startup might joke about “when the CEO likes your meme post,” or a fashion brand could flip it to “when your boss wears the outfit you designed.” It humanizes the brand while keeping things playful.

@buffalo.builders Know your target audience 📈 #marketinghumor #workhumor #workcomedy #marketingtiktok #marketing #socialmediamarketing #officehumor #worklife #officelife #corporatetiktok #corporatelife #corporatehumor ♬ Austin Millz to be real - TheWadeEmpire

#HiddenTalents

A lighthearted trend where creators reveal a “hidden talent” — anything from singing or dancing to juggling office supplies or sketching during lunch breaks. Some genuinely impress, while others fail hilariously, making it both entertaining and authentic.

This trend is all about surprise and relatability. Viewers love seeing unexpected sides of people they follow, and the mix of humor and vulnerability makes it easy to engage with. The trend celebrates personality over polish — a perfect fit for TikTok’s playful tone.

It is ideal for humanizing teams and communities. A company could spotlight employees’ fun or quirky skills, while a lifestyle brand might show creators trying something new with their products. It’s a great way to connect with audiences by showing the people — not just the product — behind the brand.

@zahranicholson @Jocelyn_Bray i think u need to work on your vocals 😬😬😬 #badsinger #hiddentalents ♬ original sound - zahra

AI Elevator Trend

Creators are using AI to imagine themselves stepping into the elevator of their dreams — usually a glossy, futuristic space where they just happen to share a ride with their favorite celebrity. The result? Hyper-realistic images that look like high-fashion editorials or scenes from a sci-fi movie.

This trend represents the perfect mix of fantasy and fun. The trend plays on that “what if?” feeling — what if you bumped into Beyoncé on your way to the top floor? It’s also incredibly visual, which makes it stand out in the feed and easy to personalize with a single AI prompt.

I'd say it would work amazingly for fashion, beauty, and tech brands. You can turn the elevator into a metaphor for growth, transformation, or next-level innovation. Think: “Elevate your style,” or “Your upgrade starts here.” It’s creative, futuristic, and instantly scroll-stopping — no actual elevator required.

@nicklulu88 Elevator AI photo tutorial elevator ai meitu meitu elevator trend this trend but elevator selfie gemini ai photo prompt elevator Come si fanno le foto in ascensore in trend in questi giorni? Trend foto ascensore Trend ai ascensore in italiano Foto ascensore tutorial Foto ascensore come fare สอนทำรูปถ่ายในลิฟต์ง่ายๆ โดยไม่ต้องใช้ Prompt ไม่ต้องใช้คำสั่งอะไรให้ยุ่งยาก gini kan trend nya? yuk cobain bikin trend lift tanpa prompt Gemini AI Photo Prompt #capcutforus #capcut #capcutpioneer #fyp ♬ La envidia se te ve - 𝓂𝒾𝑔𝓊𝑒𝓁𝒾𝓉𝑜🕺🏽

TikTok trends in September 2025

Upside Down

A gentle, feel-good audio trend where users pair the track “Upside Down” with wholesome, nostalgic, or comforting visuals. Think of pets being silly, family moments, or simple scenes that evoke “small joys.”

It taps into an emotional need for calm and positivity. Nostalgia and soft vibes perform well because they make people stop scrolling, smile, and feel a sense of connection. It’s “shareable comfort” in video form.

Fastlane

This trend uses the upbeat, fast-paced “Fastlane” audio to create quick product transitions or before-and-after reveals. Each beat of the music syncs with a new visual—often showing multiple outfits, angles, or use cases in rapid succession.

It is a great approach for product reveal with fast transition videos and is especially effective for brands with a wide product range or content that benefits from variety.

@tabs.template Fastlane Stopmotion | TEMPLATE 📍#CapCut #fastlane #stopmotion #capcuttemplate #tabs_ @leavemealone ♬ Fastlane - Chubz

#BackToRoutine

Through this seasonal hashtag trend, creators share how they’re resetting after summer. It often features day-in-the-life edits, productivity tips, and small rituals that mark the transition into fall.

With September naturally signaling “back to school, back to work, back to structure"vibes, audiences are already in this mindset, making it an easy hook for engagement.

@_hellafit Back to routine, wellness edition! Grabbed my fall reset essentials from @Best Buy Canada to move more, fuel better, and stay focused. 🛒 #BackToRoutine #WellnessEdition #AD #BestBuyCanada #BestBuyPartner #BestBuyCanada ♬ original sound - #HELLAFIT🤸🏼‍♀️

TikTok trends in August 2025

K-Pop Demon Hunters

Inspired by a Netflix animated film, this trend draws on K-Pop songs like “Golden” and “Soda Pop” to create dance or content inspired by fandom energy and dramatic themes. It's a great trend for brands that want to show they are staying on top of pop culture moments.

@katseyeworld BEAUTIFUL CHAOS is finally yours along with the official music video for “Gameboy”. EYEKONS - we’re so thankful for all of the love and support you’ve shown us, thank you for being here from the beginning. these songs are extremely meaningful to us and it’s been SO hard to keep them from you!! welcome to the world of BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, we can’t wait for you to be a part of it.🖤 #KATSEYE #KATSEYE_Gameboy #Gameboy #KATSEYE_BEAUTIFULCHAOS #BEAUTIFULCHAOS ♬ Gameboy - KATSEYE

Sorry we’re late, they were throwing a fit

This is a trend where creators walk in slow-motion like a runway, paired with the caption “Sorry we're late, they were throwing a fit.” It’s perfect for fashion reveals with dramatic flair and humor.

@annakoldenborg

Betalte ham DYRE DOMME for det her i har bare at like

♬ Originalton - doni

Turning myself Into a [Place] 10

Creators use a transformation format, lip-syncing to Foxy Brown’s “Candy,” then snaps into a new look or persona representing a location-based “10.” It’s quirky, cinematic, and can be easily used by brands that want to emphasize before and after usage, showing how the company helps users make their lives shine more.

@probablyzsan

is it a manila 10 without overblushing? Hahah

♬ Candy - Foxy Brown

TikTok trends in July 2025

Swan Lake

One of the top trends on TikTok right now, this one starts with the calm, dramatic music from Swan Lake. As the music shifts into something chaotic, so does your face. The caption changes too, from something happy to something chaotic or annoying.

Example: “When you're finally relaxing… and remember tomorrow’s Monday.”

Come on Barbie, let’s go party

This new TikTok trend has people acting out both voices from the iconic Barbie song. Add a quirky dance or dramatic expressions.

 Whether solo or with your team, it's a great one for brands with personality, and a chance to show the humans behind the scenes.

Nothing beats a JT2 holiday 

This one’s all about posting your funniest fails, missed transitions, bad dance moves, and messy behind-the-scenes clips. 

It’s been trending on TikTok in the past 2 months and it’s probably the most used and known sound of all time since TikTok. 

You remember something…

This hot TikTok trend shows you vibing or doing something chill…then BAM, you remember a chore or a problem. Cue instant regret.

Try relatable moments like “Packing for vacation… then remember you forgot to schedule a post.” It’s great for travel, lifestyle, and productivity brands. 

TikTok trends in June 2025

You Were Recommended to Me by Some People

One of the trending TikTok sounds and a recent TikTok trend that’s super versatile.

It’s perfect for showing two types of people, friends, coworkers, or clients—whatever fits your niche. You can also lip-sync and match the on-screen text to the lyrics if you find a relatable twist.

Rock Your Body Dance

A dance on TikTok going crazy viral is everything summer wanted from us. It’s one of the most popular TikTok trends and a fun way to show your team’s vibe. All you need is a buddy and a caption like: “How we feel when we get a new client.”

Perfect for brands looking to join trending TikTok content and boost engagement through fun.

I feel so sigma

This new TikTok trend is picking up fast and is already one of the hot TikTok trends to watch. Use it as a carousel or a simple video to show off something that makes you go “aww” in the most unexpectedly wholesome way.

Think: a coworker bringing you coffee, a client sending kind words, or your pet silently cheering you on during a late-night edit.

If u ever think of me

"If you ever think of me..." is one of the newest TikTok trends and a hot TikTok trend right now. It’s a great way to show off your brand’s personality or express yourself as a creator.

All you need is a single photo, then fill the space with words that describe your vibe: favorite book, go-to drink, comfort flavor, aesthetic, or mood. It’s minimal, personal, and trending on TikTok this week.

Perfect for brands looking to connect emotionally with their audience.

The fridge trend

The perfect TikTok trend for teams and friends.
One of the latest TikTok videos that's trending on TikTok this week is super simple but hilarious: just stick your phone in the fridge and secretly film your coworkers or friends. The result will be something that feels straight out of an office sitcom.

This new TikTok trend is one of the most popular TikTok trends right now for team bonding content and behind-the-scenes moments.

TikTok trends in May 2025

Hollyairball

This trend is one of the most popular TikTok trends this month, used by a lot of popular brands, like Tommy Hilfiger.

You can go for a carousel or a video, I’ve seen both work well, using this song (1.7M videos). "Holy Airball" is a slang term and meme originally used to show someone failed at taking a “shot” at someone. In basketball, an “airball” refers to a shot that misses the net, rim, and backboard completely.

For brands dealing with legal requirements, I’d recommend just using “Airball.”

Who are you to other people

A new TikTok trend, created by both creators and brands using this popular sound, went viral very quickly. It's simple to make and super cute; this trend invites you to show how others see you.

Or, if you’re managing a brand, how does your brand appear to others? Do you have a nickname? Or maybe a comfort product?

Pretty little baby

This TikTok trend is blowing up right now, featuring the song "Pretty Little Baby." You can use the sound as background music or lip-sync to it.

Different generations at work

A viral TikTok trend that’s perfect to do with your co-workers and showcase your company culture!

When you’re from two different generations, the peace sign can mean “two” to some and a peace sign to others – it’s a funny and relatable trend about how we see things differently. You can use this sound.

TikTok trends in April 2025

Probably I needed a hug…

The latest viral trend on TikTok was mostly used on this song, which has more than 803K videos. This trend is about short storytelling, where people share moments when they needed comfort (a hug) but ended up doing something else.

It’s short, relatable, and sometimes, perfect for adding some humor and personality to your content.

Example: Probably needed a hug, but instead [insert something about your brand or something relatable to your audience]

God forbid a person have a hobby

One of the most recent TikTok trends, it’s often used when someone’s criticizing or calling you out for doing something you enjoy, and the response is the catchphrase, “God forbid a person has a hobby."

Example: “You are always scrolling on TikTok”, “God forbid a person has a hobby.”

I’m bored, please share your most unhinged

This trending TikTok sound is one of the best for building a community. It lets you ask your target audience to share their wildest moments together, without feeling cringeworthy, because it’s a trend!

Use the sound and invite your followers to share something crazy (or not) with you.

For example: “Tell me the most unhinged thing you’ve done at work.”

Almost forgot this was the whole point

The trend is all about making life a little easier and enjoying the small moments. So, why not highlight those moments in your life, even at the office, and pair it with this sound?

Don’t forget to overlay the text "Almost forgot this was the whole point" on your video.

Narrating trend

The most popular trend on TikTok right now is the Narrating trend, where you take a moment from your life and have a narrating voice tell the story, like you're the star of your own movie. It’s a fun way to add drama, humor, or even a little twist to everyday situations.

If you think it’s too complicated to pull off, no worries! Here’s a tutorial to help you get started.

I'm so hungry I can eat…

This viral trend started with the phrase “I’m so hungry I could eat a kid,” and has now evolved into “I’m so hungry I could eat [a random person from their friends list, acquaintances, etc.]”

Pick something that’s guaranteed to make people laugh, and create a totally original experience based on who you choose!

TikTok Trends in March 2025

Two words collide

What happened when two worlds collide?
This might be the best TikTok trend right now, so cute, and it just keeps you watching!

In this trend, you post a carousel on this viral sound used in 1.2M videos.

The images you choose depend on your storyline, but as a brand, I recommend starting with a picture of your team and following it up with an image showcasing your product or service. It's a fun way to highlight the people behind the brand and the offerings you provide!

Hozier’s Yell

“A moment that felt like Hozier’s yell” is the latest TikTok trend, which is about capturing emotional or cathartic moments that feel straight out of a Hozier song. It’s open to interpretation, but most creators and brands are using it in a positive light, highlighting something amazing and moving.

Lean into storytelling and emotion. Share a powerful transformation, a heartfelt customer testimonial, or a proud team moment.

Boogie Dance

What’s trending on TikTok this week, if not another dance challenge? TikTok started with viral dances, which are still going strong. This latest trend brings energy and fun.

Get your team involved and join the trend. A fun dance video boosts engagement and shows the playful, human side of your brand. The song is trending, meaning more visibility for your content.

Doesn’t Know Yet

This viral TikTok trend is about those moments right before something life-changing happens. The idea is to capture a scene where someone has no idea that their life is about to shift in a big way.

For example, “She doesn’t know yet, but she’s about to get into her dream university,” with a clip taken just before the big news.

Turn this trend into something meaningful for your audience or your brand. It’s a great way to build anticipation and create an emotional connection with your audience.

Stop for a Minute and Smile

One of Katy Perry’s most beloved songs is now a massive TikTok trend. Users are lip-syncing the lyrics “Stop for a minute and smile” in creative ways, often featuring their pets, friends, or wholesome everyday moments.

TikTok Trends in February 2025

I met my younger self for a coffee

One of the trending TikTok sounds this month is "I met my younger self for a coffee." In this viral trend, you write a story about meeting your younger self in a coffee shop and talking about what’s changed over the years and the conversations you have. Whether emotional or funny, it’s up to you.

Brands can use this trend from the POV of a customer or employee, especially with the rise of employee-generated content. Share a story about growth, change, or memorable moments, and make it personal to connect with your audience.

"Montoya por favor"

This sound is one of the top 3 viral trends on TikTok right now, originating from La Isla de las Tentaciones (Spanish Temptation Island), episode 3, when José Carlos catches Anita with someone new and runs to the beach.

The drama? Iconic. The new TikTok trend is now everywhere, gaining traction among both viewers and brands.

Use the sound to highlight surprising or transformative moments, like customer reactions, product reveals, or before-and-after transformations.

"You're so quiet"

"You're so quiet" is the new version of last month's "You're so funny" trend, and it's quickly gaining popularity on TikTok this week. It highlights moments when you're quiet, whether it’s funny or something more real (you don't like the person, you feel a bad vibe, you are thinking of something completely different)

Brands should step into their audience's shoes and make the content relatable by showcasing those moments.

The reason you have no money

This is one of the latest TikTok trends, showing what causes money to disappear. It could be a picture of yourself or your favorite products, the things that make you spend.

For brands, this is the perfect opportunity to showcase their products or services as the reason people spend their money. Make it fun and relatable, highlighting what makes their offerings irresistible!

What’s your favorite horror scene?

This current TikTok trend shows scenes from movies or daily life that mean something to you, something scarier or sadder than a horror movie.

It could even be a love story that breaks your heart or that moment when your coworker stole a cookie from you. You can twist this however you like. Make sure to use this sound and post it as a carousel.

TikTok Trends in January 2025

“you’re so funny”

Join the latest TikTok trend on this sound by sharing a video/photo with the text “You’re so funny,” then follow it up with a playful response that reveals a quirky or awkward past moment, like: “Thanks, I used to [insert old quirk/trauma].”

As a brand, this viral TikTok trend is a great opportunity to show off your human side. Share something funny or relatable from your brand’s history or behind-the-scenes moments, like a mistake or unexpected event that reflects your personality.

“Irena Aizen Bunny Art”

One of the most recent TikTok trends, which started just a few days ago, features paintings by artist Irena Aizen, specifically her bunny-themed artwork.

The viral trend on TikTok involves a two-photo carousel set to this sound. The first image includes the text: “How I look at the robber when I tell them to take anything and they take my [insert item].” The second image follows with “Noo mi [thing].”

You can play along by featuring something essential to your brand that would be "devastating" to lose, whether it’s your best-selling product, or an inside joke from your community.

“Are you kidding? That’s unfair”

This trending TikTok sound with 66.7K videos is all about lip-syncing while dramatically yelling that something is unfair, only to quickly compose yourself, because, well, you’re an adult.

You can jump on this trend by applying it to relatable moments that resonate with your audience.

I make the face you make the sound (again)

The funniest TikTok trend right now is actually a comeback of an old favorite: “I make the face, you make the sound.”

The idea is simple: you play along with friends or colleagues, where one person makes an exaggerated or funny face, and the other provides the sound effect to match it.

How can you find TikTok trends?

Trends may come and go, but it's essential to consistently seek out new ones to keep your content fresh and engaging.

Leveraging TikTok trends effectively can significantly boost your brand awareness and audience engagement over time.

Instead of being chronically online, which can be challenging, there are simpler methods to discover new TikTok trends.

• TikTok Creative Center

The Trend Discovery feature within TikTok's Creative Center is a helpful tool for identifying trends and staying updated.

First, you have to select the location. By selecting your target country, you can view a curated list of the platform's newest and most popular trends. Then, you can start searching through popular hashtags, viral audio and videos, and top creators' content.

For more inspiration, you can engage with the AI-powered Creative Assistant by simply pressing the “Show me what’s trending on TikTok” button.

• Browsing the “Explore” Page on TikTok

On the “Explore” page, you’ll find the most trending videos of the moment. You can select different categories, such as “Fashion,” “Beauty,” and “Food & Drink.” Click on each category to see the trends that are currently making waves in that industry.

As you look through the page, you'll notice certain styles or themes that keep showing up. These are trends you can use in your own videos.

While you are searching for new TikTok trends, don’t forget to have fun, be creative, and always try new things.

Final thoughts

Now that you’re caught up with the current trends on TikTok, all you have to do is put your inspiration and imagination to work.

Test the platform, implement some of the latest TikTok trends into your strategy for your new campaign, and monitor the changes you notice.

All these tips & tricks will help you adjust, adapt, and overcome any challenge that comes your way when it comes to your brand's TikTok campaign.

You’re spending 3+ hours every day writing captions, scheduling content, and tracking your social media content performance. That’s a whopping 15+ hours a week that you can redirect to social media strategy and creative work.

This is where social media AI tools help. They handle repetitive, data-heavy tasks so you can focus on growing your business. 

I tested several tools over the past few months to see which ones actually save time without sacrificing quality. This guide covers the 10 best AI tools for social media, what each tool does, where it falls short, and what kind of business it's best for.

What part of social media marketing can be optimized through AI Tools?

But first, what aspects of social media marketing can AI improve?

Competitor and industry benchmarking

AI watches your competitors for you. It pulls public data from their account and uses its algorithm magic to give you insights into their performance.

It then measures and compares your performance against your competitors in the industry to show you where you stand and identify trends and gaps in your strategy. 

Engagement and performance analysis

AI digs through a plethora of data to tell you what’s actually working. It identifies your top-performing posts, optimal posting times, and engagement patterns.

This gives you insights to make your content even better and plan your posting schedule based on real data for maximum impact.

Trend analysis

AI figures out which hashtags help you get seen, which emerging trends you need to jump on asap, and what keywords people are currently talking about. 

Automation and reporting

Hate numbers? You’re not alone. 

AI handles the complex task of meticulously combing through data and building easy-to-understand performance, detailed analytics, and comparative reports. 

Once done, reports arrive in your inbox ready for presentation.

Content categorization and strategy

AI automatically sorts your social media content into “content pillars” (such as industry news, customer testimonials, promotions, etc.) based on captions and context. This helps you understand which types of content drive the most engagement and which one’s flopping.

You can also manually tag posts or set up rules for automatic tagging, making it easier to analyze performance by campaign or theme.

A. AI social media analytics and listening tools

Let me tell you a bit about the 10 top social media AI tools and whether they’re worth the investment.

#1. Socialinsider - best for social media content analysis

Socialinsider helps you understand what content really works - and why. It provides in-depth analytics for all your major social platforms including Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok. 

If you’re a social media professional managing complex social media strategies, Socialinsider delivers all the competitive intelligence and content performance data you need to make smarter decisions.

And with all the new updates it’s been rolling out - including enhanced AI content pillar analysis, conversational AI (to be launched soon), and improved competitive benchmarking - it’s fast becoming one of the most popular social media AI tools.

Main capabilities:

• Auto-tagging content and AI-content pillars analysis: Socialinsider automatically tags your posts and groups them into content themes like promotional posts, educational content, product launches and so on. 

You can then easily analyze which of these content themes are generating maximum engagement.

What I particularly like about Socialinsider's content pillars feature is that you can analyze both brand-specific content pillars - like specific brand campaigns - or use its AI-based industry content pillars, quickly identifying trending topics in a niche.

And what's even better is that it also works at the cross-channel level.

• Benchmarking and AI-generated performance executive summaries: With Socialinsider, you can compare your strategy against your competitors by analyzing different KPIs like engagement, followers, followers growth, and so on. 

Just add your competitor's profile to the dashboard, and watch Socialinsider track their posting frequency, content mix, engagement rates, and growth metrics.

And when you add a profile (whether your own or a competitor's) on the dashboard, you’ll get access to an executive summary of its social media performance - an analysis of the performance at account, brand, and industry levels - in layman-friendly language. 

• Cross-channel analysis and actionable optimization insights: Socialinsider brings together all your social media analytics data in one place and compares performance across different platforms. 

This way, it's easy to see which platform works best for which of your marketing goals - for example, TikTok for virality or Instagram for engagement.

Here's where it completely won me over: it will also further analyze all your data and give actionable insights to optimise your profiles and meet your business goals more effectively.

• Socialinsider AI - conversational insights (soon to be launched, so stay tuned): It will allow you to ask questions like ‘Which content pillar drove the most engagement last month?’ or ‘How do my Instagram Reels perform compared to carousel posts?’ and get AI-generated answers based on your data on Socialinsider.  

Socialinsider has multiple pricing tiers.

• Adapt Plan: $82/month or $990/year 
• Optimize Plan: $124/month or $1,490/year 
• Predict Plan: $199/month or $2,390/year 
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing (contact sales)

Pricing

I think Socialinsider is perfect for businesses looking for deep content analysis, competitive benchmarking, and understanding the why behind your performance. 

It gives you all the insights you need to stop flying blind without the data, but you need to know how to turn the numbers into effective action. 

Reviews

Dorra L, Director in Marketing & Advertising says: Before using Socialinsider, we were not able to have a platform allowing us to have consolidated reporting for our clients and their competitors. With Socialinsider we are able to reduce the time spent on reporting, allowing our Social Media Managers to spend more time on providing added value to our clients.

#2. Quid - best for consumer trends insights

I see Quid is an AI analytics platform for large corporations that turns messy social media data, customer feedback, and market signals into clear consumer trend insights. The best part about it? It pulls together data from multiple sources and uses AI to help you spot emerging patterns, track sentiment changes, and keep tabs on your competition (all in real time!)

Main capabilities:

• AI powered trend detection: Quid’s predictive analysis feature automatically finds the latest trends before they blow up. What caught my attention about it is that it also identifies patterns via news, surveys, and emerging reports (that would take your hours to find). 

For social media strategists, this means you’re always one step ahead of trends, instead of scrambling to catch up.

• Advanced visualization mapping: If your ask, me, this is where Quid really shines. Why is that? Because it takes big data and transforms it into visual maps that actually make sense. You can spot audience behaviours, trend shifts, and even your audience’s sentiment changes at a single glance. 
• Comprehensive sentiment analysis: What I liked about Quid was that it doesn’t just tell you ‘people like your product’, or ‘customers are frustrated with your services’. It looks at multiple sources of customer opinions - social media comments, survey responses, customer reviews, and even unstructured feedback like forum discussions - to tell you what customers really feel about your brand  - positive, negative, or neutral.
• Brand health monitoring: Quid monitors your brand's vital signs across all the digital channels - things like mention volume, sentiment trends, conversation topics, and share of voice. It then gives you an early warning if things are going south and not as planned, so you can jump in with your contingency plan. 

Similarly, it also highlights when new opportunities come up, so you can benefit from them. 

Pricing

Here's something that's not quite my cup of tea — Quid uses custom pricing based on your company size, industry, and how much data you're working with. There's no public pricing available, so you'll need to reach out to their sales team for a quote.

Best suited for

If you ask me, I'd say Quid is best for large enterprises and established teams with a strong social media team and complex analytics needs. Because you’ll need both budget and team bandwidth to make full use of this platform. 

Reviews

Marshall Z, Senior Data Strategist says: “Though it might take a bit to learn it, if you have a competent team and time to look through the posts, it's one of the best options.”

#3. Dash Social - best for sentiment and brand health reports

Dash Social is a visual-first AI platform that tracks how your audience and customers feel about your brand across different social channels. 

What I loved the most when trying it was that instead of just focusing on text-based data, it also takes into account visual data of your brand - like pictures, reels, carousels, etc - and gives you a lowdown on what’s working and what’s flopping.

Main capabilities:

• Multi-source data collection: Dash Social doesn't just look at what your audience is saying in captions or comments. Because it’s a visual-first AI social media tool, it takes into account your audience’s sentiment on images and videos, as well, which allows it to gather multiple-source data for your brand. Pretty coo, right?
• Comprehensive brand health reporting: Are people generally positive, negative, or neutral about your brand over time? Which specific products or campaigns are resonating vs. falling flat? How does your brand sentiment stack up against competitors in your space? 

These are all questions that I constantly ask myself. Luckily, Dash Social tracks multiple indicators to tell you how healthy your brand is. 

• Clear, visual dashboards: As a social media professional, you want data in an easy-to-digest manner. Am I right? And Dash Social does not disappoint on that. It provides customizable dashboards that visualize trends through charts, graphs, and easy-to-read summaries for sentiment and brand health reports. All this information is available to view at a glance. 
• Advanced community management with automation: Here's something that I found really useful. Dash Social allows you to tag, filter, and analyse comments and messages across all your social platforms to understand audience sentiment in real-time. 

It’s recently launched new Community Automation feature automatically tags and archives messages based on your preferences, saving you lots of time.

Pricing

Dash Social offers four main pricing tiers:

• Grow: $499/month
• Engage: $899/month
• Advance: $1,599/month
• Enterprise: Starting at $2,999/month

Dashsocial also offers a 14-day free trial so you can test the platform before investing in it!

Best suited for

If you ask me, I'd say that Dash Social is best suited for visual-first brands like fashion, retail, luxury, and beauty. I think it’s best for B2C brands, where social media is a primary marketing channel.

So if your audience lives and breathes visual content and you want to find out what they think about your brand's visual content, Dash Social is the best platform for you.

Reviews

Nicole C, Head of Marketing in Cosmetics Industry says: "Really easy setup process. The team is really friendly and helpful, always available. We catch up regularly and also receive helpful weekly and monthly reports. They are quick to onboard new features as needed - e.g Reels and TikTok. It's really levelled up our social media capabilities, and I don't know what we'd do without it."

B. AI tools for social media planning and publishing

#4. Flick - best for social media planning

Flick is an all-in-one social media AI tool that takes the stress out of content creation, content scheduling, and strategy. This super-powerful AI-powered content creation tool helps you plan optimised content months in advance.

Main capabilities:

• AI content assistant (Iris): Iris helps you brainstorm post ideas by topic, generates detailed post concepts complete with titles and production tips, and then creates the draft post for you. All that’s left is to play around with the post till it's perfect.
• Multi-platform scheduling: An easy drag and drop scheduler that lets you schedule content across all platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok) from one place. I liked that it also shows you the best times to post based on your audience’s activity. 
• Advanced hashtag research and tracking: Flick’s hashtag tool is genuinely impressive. It generates quality hashtags in seconds, gives personalised suggestions based on your page, and even tracks how each hashtag performs on your posts. 

Flick monitors where your posts rank in hashtag feeds over time, giving you a holistic view on what works and what doesn't. 

• Content repurposing: This is something that I really liked. Flick analyzes what kind of content worked for your brand before and helps you repurpose your content accordingly.

Pricing

Flick offers three pricing tiers (all prices in GBP, billed annually):

• Solo: £11/month ($14 USD approx) - 4 social profiles, 1 user, 30 scheduled posts per month per social, access to some features
• Pro: £24/month ($30 USD approx) - 8 social profiles, 2 users, unlimited scheduling, access to all features
• Agency: £55/month ($69 USD approx) - 20 social profiles, 5 users, unlimited scheduling, access to all features

Add-ons: Extra social profiles for £4/month, extra users for £8/month

Best suited for

I'd position Flick as an excellent tool for content creators, influencers, small and medium-sized businesses managing their own social media, and agencies managing multiple client accounts. So, basically, anyone who wants to streamline their social media content creation.

Reviews

Maëlle V, Social Media Manager and Content Creator says: "Flick allows easy scheduling and management of posts across multiple platforms, ensuring your content goes live at the best times without you needing to be online."

#5. Buffer - best for social media publishing

In case you didn’t hear about it before, let me tell you that Buffer is one of the oldest (and most popular!) scheduling tools in the social media world. 

It’s built for content creators, small businesses and social media teams that want to plan and schedule content across multiple social platforms without losing their minds. 

Main capabilities:

• Multi-platform scheduling: Buffer allows you to schedule content across 10+ platforms from a single queue. You can plan weeks and even months worth of content in advance and add it to the queue. You can view all of your scheduled content at a glance via Buffer’s visual calendar. 
• Create space planner: Park your ideas in the Create space and then add them to your calendar when you’re ready. In the Create space you can brainstorm, draft and refine your posts easily.
• AI assistant: An excellent feature that helps you generate content ideas, refine your captions, and repurpose existing content for different platforms. 
• Posting goals and streaks dashboard:  Visually track your posting streak and see if you’re hitting your posting goals through this dashboard. An effective way of staying motivated to post consistently. 
• Integrations: What surprised me was that Buffer offers integrations with over 400+ applications, so you can easily import content from anywhere you like. 
• Start page link-in-bio builder: Create a simple landing page that combines all your important links in one place. Great for Instagram bios, TikTok profiles, or anywhere else that doesn’t allow you to share more than one link.
• Built-in analytics: Track reach, clicks, and engagements across all your posts in an easy-to-view and understand way.

Pricing

Buffer uses per-channel pricing (billed annually):

• Free: $0 - 3 social channels, 1 user, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 30-day analytics, basic features
• Essentials: $5/month per channel - 1 user, unlimited scheduling (up to 2,000 posts), AI assistant, unlimited analytics history, engagement inbox, Start Page builder
• Team: $10/month per channel - Unlimited users, approval workflows, custom permissions, team collaboration tools, advanced analytics, priority support
• Agency: $100/month for 10 channels (additional channels extra) - Everything in Team plus client management, white-label reports, premium support, account manager

Best suited for

Like Flick, Buffer works best for people on a budget who do not need deep reporting or comprehensive analytics tools. 

Reviews

Andrea C, Photographer and Filmmaker says:

Buffer's standout feature is its incredibly intuitive and streamlined scheduling platform, allowing users to effortlessly plan and automate their social media content across multiple networks with remarkable ease and reliability.

C. AI tools for social media content creation

#6. Jasper - best for copywriting

If you’re looking to pump out high-quality content consistently, like blog posts, social media captions, product descriptions, or even ad copy, I'd say Jasper is the AI tool for you. 

Unlike other AI copywriting tools that generate cookie-cutter outputs, Jasper actually understands marketing. It’s been trained on high-performing copy and is powered by features that keep your brand voice consistent across everything you create. 

Main capabilities:

• Jasper Canvas - intelligent workspace: This is a feature that I absolutely love. Canvas is a collaborative workspace where you can plan entire campaigns, create content, and manage execution - all in one place. 

From mapping out complicated campaigns to keeping your team aligned, it helps marketing teams immensely with content creation.

• AI agents for marketing: Jasper recently introduced their AI agents that work independently to handle various marketing tasks like campaign planning, content creation, and SEO audits. They automate all the repetitive tasks (that nobody wants to do) so you and your team can handle strategy and the creative side of content creation. Isn't it great?
• Brand voice & Jasper IQ: If you ask me, this is where Jasper outshines other AI content tools. You just have to feed Jasper your brand style guide or upload examples of your work, and Jasper will mimic your brand voice, tone, and messaging. 
• 100+ marketing - specific templates: No time to create content from scratch? No problem. You can easily use Jasper’s pre-built templates for blog posts, product descriptions, email sequences, social media posts, ad copy, landing pages, and more. You can even create custom content templates tailored for your unique workflows.
• Multilingual Content Creation: Jasper allows brands to create content and optimise it in over 30 languages.
• SEO Optimization & Integrations: Jasper integrates with Surfer Pro to help you optimise your content. It also connects with several other marketing tools like Google Docs, Zapier, Canva, and Grammarly to fit seamlessly into your existing tech stack.
• Jasper Art - AI Image Generation: Want to generate visuals to go with your content? Jasper to the rescue. From social media graphics to blog post visuals, Jasper Art generates images based on your prompts - no need to go through stock picture websites.

Pricing

Jasper offers two main pricing tiers for 2025:

• Pro Plan: $59/month per seat (billed annually) or $69/month (billed monthly)
• Business Plan: Custom pricing (contact sales)

Best suited for

My take? Jasper works best for marketing teams that create content at scale. 

It’s also a valuable tool for social media professionals creating platform-specific content while maintaining brand consistency and email marketers crafting compelling subject lines and campaigns that drive conversions.

I'd say it is not ideal for people who just need a little help with content creation here and then. It’s for teams that generate a lot of content. 

Reviews

Tamim Ahmed, Content Moderator says:

The user interface is very clean and easy to navigate, even for someone new to AI writing tools. The learning curve was surprisingly low.

#7. Pedris.ai - best for generating carousels and ad creatives

Pedris.ai is an AI content creation tool that generates complete social media posts - images, videos, carousels, captions - with just a few words of input. 

Type a simple prompt like ‘hair care solutions’ and Pedris.ai will generate 6 to 7 post variations with captions, visuals, on-brand copy, even hashtag suggestions. 

Main capabilities:

• AI content generation from text prompts: When testing it, I was surprised to see that with just a 4-word prompt, Pedris.ai created several social media posts. The great part about it? brand guidelines, things like logo, brand colours, etc., and creates on-brand content instantly.
• Instagram carousel creator: Carousels are all the rage on Instagram, and Pedris.ai does an excellent job at generating multi-slide carousels with cohesive design and basic copy you can tweak. 
• Video and reel generation: Pedris.ai creates scroll-stopping videos and reels for social media based on your prompt by going through stock video libraries. It adds animations, text, images, effects and transitions to further optimise them.
• AI ad copy generator: Pedris.ai generates animated and static ad creatives optimised for different social platforms, along with a text-to-ads generator for quick variations.
• E-commerce integration: This AI social media tool integrates seamlessly with Shopify and offers specialised features for online stores. It pulls all the product data from your online store and creates promotional posts for social media. 

Pricing

Predis.ai uses a credit-based system. Here are the 2025 tiers:

• Free Plan: $0/month
• Lite Plan: $32/month 
• Premium Plan: $59/month or $588/year 
• Agency Plan: $249/month or $2,484/year 

Free trial available (30 posts), no credit card required 

Best suited for

Predis.ai is ideal for agencies that need to generate high volumes of content quickly across multiple client accounts. 

It's particularly valuable for you if you’re an e-commerce brand with a Shopify store and need consistent product promotional posts. Or if you’re part of a small team or solos who lack design resources but need visually appealing carousels and ads.

Reviews

Jock B, Media consultant, says: "The ease of use and speed to develop social posts is astounding, and with a few tweaks, you can have a week's posting done in no time at all."

#8. Publer - best for visuals generation

Publer calls itself your ‘virtual social media superhero’ and when it comes to AI powered visual creation and bulk scheduling, it actually lives up to the hype. 

It is primarily built for social media managers, agencies and content creators who want to create a lot of stunning visuals and schedule them. 

Main capabilities:

• AI image generation with DALL-E 3: After testing it, I'd say that one of Publer’s best and most powerful features, is that it allows you to generate completely unique visuals for your brand with a single prompt. No need for stock photos or design skills. Whether you need product mockups, abstract backgrounds, or graphics for a campaign, it does it all quite easily. Really liked it.
• Seamless design tool integrations: If you’re a Canva lover like me, you’ll love that Publer integrates easily with Canva and VistaCreate, allowing you to create graphics without leaving the platform. 
• Multi-platform visual customization: Upload your visual once and then easily customise it for different platforms and content types depending on where you’re going to post it. 
• Bulk scheduling with CSV upload: After creating visuals, you can schedule up to 500 visual posts at once via a CSV file. Instead of wasting hours manually scheduling each post, Publer helps you schedule them in bulk within minutes.
• AutoSchedule (content queues): Create predefined posting schedules with specific time slots and content types, then let Publer automatically slot new visual posts into the earliest available time. Set up different content mixes for different days and Publer handles the rest.
• Link in bio builder: You can create a customised visual landing page for your Instagram bio to house multiple links via Publer.

Pricing

Publer’s current pricing structure is,

• Free Plan: $0
• Professional Plan: Starting at $12/month (for 3 accounts, 1 user)
• Business Plan: Starting at $21/month (for 3 accounts, 1 user)
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing

Best suited for

Publer works best for visual-first, Instagram-focused brands in the retail, beauty, luxury and fashion niches. Agencies looking to create visual asset libraries for multiple clients, content creators and influencers who batch visual content for the month and schedule it in advance will all benefit from Publer.

However, I think that Publer isn’t ideal if you need extensive image and video editing.

Reviews

Joseph L, in Real Estate says:

My overall experience has been fantastic. I just completed my first test post and was impressed with how seamless everything felt. Publer made the process efficient, fast, and surprisingly fun. It’s already earned a place in my daily toolset.

#9. VEED - best for video generation

Veed is a browser-based video editing AI platform that has transformed how marketers, content creators and agencies are creating videos at scale. Instead of spending hours wrestling with complicated video editors, simply open Veed in your browser and start editing right away. 

The best part about Veed?

It’s AI-powered, which helps you create videos from text prompts, generating accurate auto-subtitles, and producing video content that’s optimised for different social platforms. 

Main capabilities:

• AI video generation with specialised AI video models: With simple text prompts, you can create complete videos and generate scripts with matching visuals. Perfect for marketers who need product videos, promotional videos, and all other kinds of social media videos without picking up the camera.  
• AI agent - natural language editing: Veed’s best feature is its AI-powered editing assistant that does all the heavy lifting for you. All you need to do is type commands like ‘add music’, or ‘create subtitles’, and it executes it. 
• Auto subtitle and AI captioning: This is the feature that almost all Veed users love the most, including myself. VEED supports 120+ subtitle languages with 95%+ accuracy. All you need to do is upload your video, and Veed handles the rest. It transcribes the video and generates subtitles in minutes. You can customise the text, the animations, and all other fun parts of the captioning process. Export subtitle files as SRT, VTT, or TXT, or burn them directly into the video.
• AI avatars & voice dubbing: Veed’s AI avatars are beneficial for people who do not want to appear on the videos themselves. And Veed’s AI Dubbing tool can translate and dub videos into 29+ languages with lip-sync technology. Excellent for creating global video campaigns. And here's a part that I liked. You can also clone your own voice and have AI mimic it for your videos or choose from the plethora of pre-built voice profiles available. 
• Magic cut: Magic cut automatically removes filler words and silences from your videos, cleaning up voiceover videos, podcasts and interview videos in a jiffy.

Pricing

Here are the current tiers:

• Free Plan: $0
• Lite Plan: $12/month (billed annually) or $24/month (monthly billing) 
• Pro Plan: $29/month (billed annually) or $55/month (monthly billing) 
• Business Plan: $59/month 
• Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing (contact sales)

Best suited for

Veed is best for marketing managers of small business, content creators, and influencers who need help generating simple social media videos with accurate subtitles and minimal learning curve. 

But if you’re looking for advanced editing features like color grading, complex effects, or frame-by-frame precision, then it’s not the right platform for you.

Reviews

Julia S, Digital Marketer says:

 I love Veed’s usability. It is really intuitive, and uses AI for functions such as generating subtitles. There are so many ways in which you can edit your video, with styles and music. I use Veed a couple of times a week to edit videos for clients and it is always seamless.

#10. Opus Clip - best for video editing

If you’re looking for an AI social media tool to turn your long-form content into scroll-stopping short videos for social media, Opus Clips is the video clipping tool for you. 

It finds the best moments in your long video and chops them into multiple short clips, adds captions, visual effects and transitions - basically doing all the hard editing work for you. 

Main capabilities:

• ClipAnything AI - finds your best moments automatically: When you upload your video on Opus Clip, it finds the most interesting moments in it, and turns them into short, snackable clips. It works on all kinds of videos, not just talking-head podcasts. You can also give it simple instructions to find specific moments in the video and it’ll do that for you. 
• Virality score - predicts which clips might go viral: What I found interesting was that Opus Clip gives a virality score - from 0 to 100 - to your clips depending on how catchy the intro is and whether it follows the patterns of other viral clips. 
• Auto-captions: Like most other video editing tools, Opus Clip also generates automatic captions for videos which are mostly accurate. You can customize text, fonts, and animations for each video. It works in 25+ languages including English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese
• ReframeAnything - smart video resizing: Reframe Anything automatically resizes your clips for different social platforms, using AI technology to keep everything in the frame centred. 
• Cleans up your video’s audio: Opus Clips removes filler words, silences and cleans up your video’s audio perfectly.

Pricing

Opus Clip uses a credit system where 1 credit = 1 minute of video you upload. 

Here are the different pricing tiers it offers:

• Free Plan: $0/month
• Starter Plan: $15/month
• Pro Plan: $29/month or $174/year (save 17% with yearly) 
• Enterprise/Business Plan: Custom pricing (call for quote)

Best suited for

Opus Clips is a quick and easy to use video editing tool built for teams that need to post content every single day without spending hours on editing.

However, if you’re looking for advanced editing features or an AI social media tool that doesn’t need any tweaks or effort from your side, Opus Clips isn’t for you.

Reviews

Treyson N, Product Manager says:

I like how much time Opus saves the user while still developing a professional product. I think it's a game changer with all the tools it offers including AI, and it customizes videos like captions and formats very well. I like how easy it is to edit these clips. I'm able to remove any awkward moments by eliminating pauses, filler words, etc.

Final thoughts

Having tested these 10 AI tools, I can honestly say they’re a lifesaver. They’ve helped me cut down on repetitive tasks, analyze what’s really working, and create content far faster—without losing my brand’s unique voice or standards. The real value, for me, is how these platforms work together to free up my schedule so I can focus on strategy and creativity, not just posting for the sake of it.

No tool is perfect for everyone, but if you start by focusing on where you’re wasting the most time, you’ll quickly find the best match. My advice? Use AI to handle the heavy lifting, so you can get back to growing your brand and connecting with your audience. In 2026, those who use AI intentionally will be the ones setting the pace on social media.

How long does a TikTok take to go viral—and how do you speed that up? My answer: catch trends early and make your point in second zero. 

Below, I share quick benchmarks, what brands like Duolingo and Ryanair do right, and the exact workflow I use in Socialinsider to measure and act.

How long does it take for a TikTok video to get views, according to data?

When it comes to TikTok virality, speed is the signal.

Our data shows that videos collect the highest surge in views within the first 1–5 days after posting, averaging around 9.4K views during that window. After day five, view growth slows and stabilizes between 6.4K–7.3K views over the next few weeks.

In other words, if a video is going to take off, you’ll usually see it early. TikTok’s discovery system runs rapid tests on new content—if engagement hits fast, it widens distribution quickly. But if those first few days don’t spark strong watch time or shares, your post is likely to plateau.

For brands, this means your launch velocity matters more than ever. Plan posts around when your audience is most active, optimize your first-frame hook, and monitor early performance closely. The first 72 hours are your window to adjust, boost, or repurpose before momentum fades.

How to create viral TikTok videos?

Leverage popular sounds and hashtag trends

Timing is the game. I treat trends like perishable goods. The “age” of a sound or hashtag changes both your odds and your speed.

• New (0–3 days): If a sound is just breaking and I have a clear angle, I don’t overthink it—I post. Supply is low, curiosity is high, and the For You feed is in test-and-learn mode.
• Rising (4–10 days): This is the sweet spot for most brands. The audience is trained to expect variations, and great creative still breaks through fast.
• Mature (11–21 days): Now it’s crowded. I only jump if I have a recognizable twist, a character/format people already know me for, or a strong POV that adds something new.
• Decaying (22+ days): I usually pass unless I can tie the sound to a timely event or reframe it for a niche where it still feels fresh.

Why this matters for timing

Every trend has a lifecycle—and most brands jump in halfway through it. The ones that go viral? They understand the curve. Timing decides whether you’re riding the wave or watching it crash. The trick is reading those signals early enough to act before everyone else does.

• New/rising trends tend to hit earlier peaks because novelty and distribution testing are on your side.
• Mature trends can still win—but they’re slower without a strong brand twist.
• Decaying trends rarely accelerate unless you attach to culture (news, releases, collabs) and give the algorithm a reason to re-test.

Brand examples that nail trend timing

You can see timing in action by looking at brands that treat TikTok like a living conversation. They’re not just reacting—they’re anticipating. Each example below shows how understanding the rhythm of a trend can turn ordinary posts into cultural moments.

• Duolingo: The blueprint for speed-to-trend. They jump in during the rising phase, but the Duo owl, the tone, and the self-aware humor make their entries feel “first,” even when they’re not. That shortens the “time-to-50% views.”
• Ryanair: They often join mature trends and still move fast because the creative identity (persona, text overlays, voice) is instantly recognizable. Consistency earns quick comments and shares—even when novelty is gone.
• e.l.f. Cosmetics: Not every brand needs to hop on a trend; sometimes you make one. “Eyes. Lips. Face.” shows how a branded sound can compress the viral curve by turning creators into your distribution engine.

Use creative triggers that speed up virality

I focus on three controllables: the hook, the caption, and on-screen text. Their job is to reduce time to understanding—and to spark fast comments and shares.

Hook (first 3–5 seconds)

• What I aim for: a clear promise or pattern interrupt in second zero. “We tried [trend] so you don’t have to.” “What nobody tells you about [X].” “We turned [iconic thing] into [unexpected thing].”
• Why it works: early watch time and fast interactions tell the feed to expand the test pool. You won’t get a quick climb without them.
• Who does this well: Duolingo and Ryanair rarely waste a beat; NBA/Netflix clips work because the story is instantly legible.

Caption (length and structure)

• My rule: keep it short for speed, or make it skimmable when context matters. Front-load the key phrase so it shows above the fold.
• What I avoid: burying the lede. If I need context for a trend, I put the core point up top and let the details follow.
• Who does this well: Netflix and the NBA lean minimal when the video is the story; The Washington Post adds crisp framing when context matters (great for later-building posts).

On-screen text (placement and timing)

• How I use it: to clarify the premise immediately or pace a payoff. High-contrast, top third, no clutter.
• Why it helps: faster comprehension means faster comments and shares. That’s the fuel for earlier peaks.

How to use Socialinsider to get views and engagement peak data?

Now that we’ve covered what speeds up virality, here’s the quick way I pull view peaks in Socialinsider. It’s a simple setup—add your profile, check the right charts, and spot the patterns you can actually act on.

Step 1: Register on Socialinsider

• Create or select a project

Log in to Socialinsider.

In the left sidebar, pick your existing project or create a new one for TikTok analysis (e.g., “TikTok – Brand + Competitors”).

• Add profiles

Go to Home > Add social profiles.

In the search box, paste the exact TikTok URL (recommended) or type the brand/creator name, then click Search.

Click Add profile next to the one you want.

Step 2: Wait for data to populate

Give the platform a bit of time to backfill. Historical lookback varies by platform and profile; you’ll see metrics populate progressively.

Step 3: Head over to the posts section

Here you’ll find all the posts published by your account, within the timeframe you’ll select. To focus on your analysis of the number of days until peak views, click on this metric within the filtering options from the right-sided menu, like in the example below. Those will be displayed in decreasing order.

Additionally, here’s something extra you need to know. For each of your videos, you have the possibility to get detailed, post-level analytics, which will enable you to quickly identify how easy each one of your videos has reached its peak in viewership, alongside the number of views it got, of course. 

This will help you understand better the nature of your most viral TikTok videos, allowing you to further replicate your successful recipe.

Final thoughts

The TikTok lifecycle content moves fast—and so should you.

 Data shows that the lifecycle of a video on TikTok peaks within the first few days, then stabilizes as the algorithm shifts focus to fresh uploads. On average, the TikTok video lifecycle duration spans around 20–30 days, but the first five are where virality happens.

Understanding that rhythm changes how you create. Early engagement drives reach, trend timing fuels discovery, and creative consistency keeps your content relevant even as trends decay.

So next time you post, think of the TikTok video lifecycle as your strategy map:

• Days 1–5: Acceleration — capture attention fast.
• Days 6–15: Expansion — keep momentum through replies, stitches, or reposts.
• Days 16–30: Sustain — repurpose or remix to extend visibility.

Master the timing, and you’ll turn short-term spikes into long-term growth.

With so many Facebook analytics tools promising ‘all-in-one’ insights, picking the right one can feel like scrolling through an endless feed of options that all look the same. 

The truth is, Facebook analytics tools help you track performance, understand your audience, benchmark against competition, and uncover what actually drives engagement. But finding the right fit? That’s a whole other story. 

So, I put a bunch of them to test, measuring everything from usability to advanced social media analytics features, and handpicked the 8 best Facebook analytics tools. Let’s look at each one.

Where do Facebook’s native analytics fall short (and why it’s recommended to turn to third-party tools)?

Facebook’s built-in analytics, accessed either through Meta Business Suite or Facebook Page Insights, do a decent job of giving you an overview of your page performance. But I have found it still falls short on a lot of metrics and analysis. 

Here are six of them:

• Limited competitive benchmarking: Meta Insights only shows data for pages you manage. You can’t compare your performance against competitors. Third-party tools fill that gap by aggregating and comparing data across multiple brands.
• Restricted data access: Key metrics like video views or follower counts are visible only for connected pages. Facebook blocks access to many data points for public or competitor pages, while third-party tools can bridge some of those gaps through APIs or public data.
• Inconsistent metric calculations: Facebook counts engagement on all posts receiving new interactions within a time range, while third-party tools usually track engagement only on posts published during that period, causing differences in reported numbers.
• Limited reporting and export options: Native reports are rigid, offering minimal customization. Third-party tools provide flexible exports, automated scheduling, and the ability to combine insights from multiple platforms for a unified view.
• Short historical data windows: Meta Insights often limits how far back you can access data. Third-party tools can extend these timeframes, making long-term trend analysis easier.
• Lack of advanced features: Facebook’s analytics lack features like automated benchmarking, content tagging, and multi-platform aggregation, all standard in professional third-party tools.

What should you consider when searching for a Facebook analytics tool?

To make sure you choose the right tool, here’s the criteria I considered when selecting the tools on this list.

• Data coverage and metrics: Choose a tool that tracks reach, impressions, engagement, follower growth, demographics, and content performance. I also included tools that offer historical data and competitor benchmarking for pages you don’t manage.
• Integration and accuracy: I made sure all the tools connect directly to Meta’s API for reliable, real-time data. If you use a tech stack, ensure your analytics tool integrates with the important ones.
• Reporting and customization: Look for customizable reports, flexible formats (PDF, PPT, CSV), and the ability to group multiple pages or brands under one dashboard.
• Usability and scalability: I checked if the interface simplifies comparisons and supports multiple accounts without hassle. Also, confirm how many pages you can track under your plan for scalability in future.
• Pricing and support: Compare pricing based on the number of pages, data access, and features. Strong customer support and onboarding can make a big difference.
• Additional analytics features: Advanced tools may include content tagging, pillar analysis, scheduled reports, or industry benchmarks, ideal for deeper strategy insights.

Facebook organic performance analytics tools

1. Socialinsider — best for content performance and competitor analysis

Using Socialinsider as a Facebook analytics tool is as simple as logging in to your account and adding your profile. 

The first thing you see is a clean dashboard with all your important social media KPIs. Think reach, views, follower growth, engagement, and posting frequency. The best part? I can customize this dashboard to display only the metrics that matter to me.

What stands out to me is how in-depth yet easy to navigate the platform feels. The analytics are smartly organized into sections like Content Pillars, Engagement, Reach, Impressions, and so on. It’s structured enough for data pros yet simple enough for beginners.

I may be a little biased here so hear it from our long-term user:

“We are using this social media analytics dashboard for all our 40 social media clients. We can have all the performance data in one single place.” - Arnold Vieriu, Tribal Worldwide

Key features:

• Cross-channel comparison: Get all your social media performance data in one place. Check how your brand performs across platforms for easy comparison and resource allocation.

• Advanced Facebook analytics: You get detailed engagement data, such as engagement rate by followers and by reach, engagement by post type, reach and impressions.

You can even see the top and bottom performing posts for a specific period.

The tool provides simple graphs to show how comments and shares have evolved over time.

If you see some anomalies or sudden spikes, you can click on it and see the posts that created that impact. 

• Competitor benchmarking: Compare performance against competitors across different metrics like total fans and fans’ growth, reach, views, etc.

• Industry comparison: See how you compare against a specific page or the overall industry. You can even select the country and follower number for competitor accounts you want to compare with.
• Content pillars performance analysis: Analyze your top performing content pillars and how your content pillar mix looks like for a particular period.

You can even see your competitor’s content pillar mix and benchmark against those.

• Organic value calculation: Shows the estimated monetary value of your organic social media efforts over a given period of time. You can change the values assigned as per your requirements to get the exact organic value.

• Autoreporting: Get scheduled autoreports for key metrics and analytics in your inbox without having to make them from scratch.

Pricing: Socialinsider offers a free trial of 14 days and the monthly plans start from $99.

Reviews: “I love the layout. Gathering the data from Meta is such a pain and difficult to navigate, so it saves us a lot of time. It also makes presentations more appealing and easy to read. I like how we can set the comparison easily. My most utilized tool is campaign tracking. By tagging posts, we can see the effect from just selecting comms and it's really helpful. For organic content, this tool is very helpful. The Customer Support team has also been very helpful and prompt.”

2. Social Pilot — best for Facebook management with analytics

Do you want a Facebook analytics tool that also helps with other tasks like scheduling and managing conversations? 

On the Facebook post analytics side, I can track page likes, reach, and engagement trends and even examine post-performance over custom date ranges.

On the publishing side, I can schedule regular posts, Reels and Stories for multiple pages in one go, bulk-upload up to 500 posts, and use audience targeting to refine who sees what. 

Plus, the unified inbox means you can manage comments, messages, and mentions from different pages all in one place.

Key features:

• Get detailed metrics: Access in-depth analytics for Facebook like reach, clicks, impressions, and engagement to understand how your Facebook content performs over time.
• Identify high-performing content: Quickly spot which posts drive the most engagement and reach.
• Competitor reports: Track and compare your performance against competitors to uncover content gaps and benchmark your strategy.
• Historical data: Analyze long-term trends and performance patterns with extended access to past data (approximately 2 years).
• White-labeled reports: Generate professional, client-ready Facebook analytics report with your own branding.
• Bulk scheduling: Plan and schedule hundreds of posts at once across different profiles, saving time.

Pricing: Offers a free 14-day trial after which their plans start from $30 per month.

Reviews: “I really like the overall SocialPilot platform. It has all the features we require for the 20+ pages we manage on our account. It was also super easy to integrate with all our pages on the different platforms. We use it several times a week to schedule posts and ensure our calendar is properly set up. I highly recommend this platform as it's a great deal for the price as well.”

3. Brandwatch — best for audience analysis and custom reporting 

Is your engagement dropping? Do you think it might be because you’re targeting your audience with the wrong content? 

Brandwatch helps you with detailed audience analysis so you can create laser-focused Facebook marketing strategies. 

When I tried the tool, I found it easy to slice and dice audience segments by behaviour, demographics, and interests with tools like custom classifiers, unlimited keyword rules, and image analysis that spots logos and scenes where my brand appears.

Their AI assistant, Iris AI, also makes it easy to run topic analysis and pore through millions of conversations happening around the topic. 

When it comes to reporting, there’s no one-size-fits-all: I could build fully customised dashboards, drag and drop widgets, schedule exports in PDF/CSV/PPT and, share live links for stakeholders.

Key features:

• Performance analysis: Assess how your content, channels, and campaigns are doing with deep insights: post-level metrics, cross-network comparisons, AI-driven insights on content performance, and dashboards to measure and visualise success.
• Automated AI-powered email alerts: Receive automatic email notifications when AI spots unusual spikes or drops in brand mentions, sentiment, or other key social media metrics.
• Historical trends: Dive into past data archives (billions to trillions of conversations) to identify long-term patterns, seasonal shifts, and trends in your brand or industry.
• Sentiment analysis: Analyse the tone of conversations at scale (positive, negative, neutral, and beyond) using natural language processing and machine-learning models to understand how audiences truly feel about your brand or topic.
• Competitor analysis: Benchmark your brand against rivals across metrics like share of voice, content performance, and sentiment to uncover strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in your market.

Pricing: Not available on the website. Contact Brandwatch team to get these details.

Reviews: “The support team truly stands out for their exceptional service. They respond promptly and demonstrate a deep understanding of our business requirements. Additionally, the data rigor remains consistently high and fast, which allows us to deliver quick and accurate insights to our clients in various sectors. The user interface could be modernized; there are sleeker options available in the marketplace that they can emulate.”

4. Synthesio — best for trend analysis and social listening

Synthesio is a great Facebook analytics tool if you play around with trends a lot. 

You can monitor brand mentions, hashtags and cross-platform chatter with its social listening dashboard and dig into who’s saying what, where and how often. 

Its AI-powered Topic Modeling engine scans thousands of posts in minutes to surface emerging themes and trend clusters I would otherwise miss.

On the trend-spotting front, Synthesio’s Signals module alerts me when a topic is gaining traction or shifting sentiment, so I’m never caught off guard. 

Key features:

• Campaign analysis: Monitor and measure your marketing or communication campaigns in real time. Track conversation volume, engagement, share of voice and performance of key messages to see what’s working and what isn’t.
• Comprehensive trend discovery: Surfacing emerging topics and consumer behaviours by scanning vast data sets using AI-driven topic-modelling.
• Evaluate trend velocity and maturity: See how quickly a trend is growing (velocity) and how established or saturated it is (maturity) to decide whether to act on a rising topic now, or wait.
• 360° consumer insights: Combine social, search, survey and behavioural data across languages and regions to build a holistic view of your audience.
• Social listening: Track and analyse what people are saying about your brand, category, competitors, products or topics across social networks, forums, blogs and news.
• Reputation monitoring: Keep an eye on the health of your brand by identifying negative sentiment spikes, crisis signals or reputational risks, enabling you to respond quickly and protect your brand image.

Pricing: Not available on the website. Contact Synthesio’s team for specific details.

Reviews: “The filtering options and ad-hoc searching feature are great. The customer support is really what stands out to me, as it is so much better than what I have ever gotten with any other social media tool. The only con being it's a complex tool, so adoption can take time.”

Facebook paid performance analytics tools

5. Bïrch — best for Facebook ads automation and reporting

Imagine waking up and seeing your Bïrch dashboard already updated: bids adjusted, underperforming ads paused and budget shifted to winners while you were asleep. That’s the reality you experience after diving into this Facebook ads automation and reporting tool. 

For Facebook campaigns, you can use its visual rule-builder to set layered triggers like ‘if ROAS drops below X for 3 days then pause ad’ and ‘when CTR rises above Y then increase budget by Z’. 

I also tapped into its bulk-ad-creation feature that helps launch dozens of ad variations in one go. 

On the reporting side, you can build customised dashboards with drag-and-drop widgets and set scheduled delivery via Slack or email. 

Key features:

• Advanced automation rules: Create custom rules that pause, start, duplicate campaigns/ad-sets/ads, adjust budgets or bids based on conditions you define (example, cost per acquisition, spend thresholds, performance comparisons).
• Custom metrics and timeframes: Define your own Facebook metrics and set custom date/time frames for comparison to surface meaningful performance shifts.
• Audience and creative analytics: Identify top-performing audiences and creatives across campaigns, compare segments, find what’s working and scale accordingly.
• Bulk operations and post-boosting: Launch or duplicate ads in bulk, boost top organic Facebook posts automatically when they meet performance criteria, export post IDs for reuse.
• Cross-platform support and reporting: While focused on Meta platforms like Facebook/Instagram, Bïrch supports multiple ad platforms, provides dashboards, scheduled Facebook page analytics reports and performance visualization for clients or teams.

Pricing: Their paid plans range varies depending on your monthly ad spend. For monthly ad spend up to $10K, the plans start from $49 per month.

Reviews: “I love how easy Bïrch makes managing ads across different platforms. The automation rules save me so much time and help me get better results without having to constantly check and adjust things manually.”

6. AdsEspresso — for paid campaign management and analytics

Managing multiple Facebook ad campaigns can feel like juggling flaming swords. You miss out on one thing and your campaign may crumble.

Adsespresso makes tracking all of it easy. The platform lets you build and test dozens of ad variations in minutes using its guided campaign creation flow. You can segment audiences, tweak visuals, and experiment with headlines without leaving the dashboard. 

What I liked the best is its Compare tool. This Facebook page analytics tool lines up campaigns side by side so I can instantly see which one’s driving the best ROAS or CTR. 

They also offer tagging for aggregated reporting, meaning you can easily organize and group campaigns by clients or segments. Once done, you’ll be able to see aggregated statistics for each campaign.

Key features:

• Optimization rules and automation: Create rules to automatically pause, adjust, or duplicate ads based on performance metrics and free up time for social media strategy.
• Retargeting and audience lists: Use retargeting lists (for example, visitors, converters, engaged users) and build ad sets to re-engage these audiences with tailored messages and creatives.
• Bulk update: Manage and edit multiple campaigns, ad sets or ads in one go to scale your workflow efficiently.
• Ad metrics analysis: Access detailed performance metrics like clicks, impressions, reach, conversions, cost per result, and engagement with widgets and graphs to quickly assess how campaigns are doing.
• Customizable dashboards: Choose which KPIs matter to you and customize your Facebook analytics dashboard.
• Drag-and-drop reporting tool: Build and export reports easily with drag-and-drop tables, graphs and snapshots (including white-labeling) so you can share performance with clients or team members.

Pricing: Offers a free 14-day trial. Their pricing plan range starts from $49 per month (monthly ad spend of $1000).

Reviews: “The best part is quickly being able to create multiple versions of Ads also really makes it easy for us to go for split testing. It makes the overall ad management very comfortable.”

7. Northbeam — best for multi-touch attribution modeling

Picture this: you’re reviewing your Northbeam dashboard and  at a glance you can trace a customer’s journey from a cold Facebook ad all the way through to purchase, instead of just seeing ‘last-click.’ 

What got me hooked is how Northbeam’s multi-touch attribution models work: you can choose custom look-back windows, apply the proprietary ‘Clicks + Modeled Views’ model that credits not just clicks but verified views and impressions. 

It also relies heavily on first-party data and integrates seamlessly across channels so you’re not locked into biased platform stats.

Key features:

• Unlimited attribution models & lookback windows: Northbeam supports multiple attribution models (Linear, Clicks-Only, Clicks + Modeled Views) and allows you to choose long or custom lookback windows.
• First-party data foundation and independent measurement: The platform emphasises using your own first-party data rather than relying solely on ad-platform claims, enabling more ‘truthful’ attribution across channels.
• Omnichannel and full-funnel visibility: Track every touchpoint, from awareness to conversion, across all channels (ads, search, direct traffic, etc.), so you see the full customer journey.
• Real-time or near real-time reporting: Hourly updates and detailed dashboards enable analysing media performance quickly and reacting to changes in campaign behaviour.
• Creative or campaign-level granularity: You can break down performance down to the ad/creative level, enabling you to see which creatives or assets across channels are the drivers.

Pricing: They offer custom pricing so you’ll have to get in touch with their team for exact pricing plan.

Reviews: “Northbeam has helped make it easy for us to determine what is really making money within the businesses we work with and letting us scale the mediums that are actually profitable. We'd recommend Northbeam to any business doing over $5 million a year, spending on paid traffic, and looking to find clarity within their numbers.”

8. HYROS — best for advanced conversion tracking

Have you ever launched a Facebook ad campaign only to see conversions disappear into the ether and wondered exactly which ads, audiences and actions are driving results? 

That’s where HYROS steps in. 

Once you connect your Facebook ad account, you immediately benefit from its server-side integration and URL-parameter tracking to attribute leads, sales and calls back to the original ad source, even when the standard pixel loses data. 

The platform also allowed me to push custom conversion events back into Facebook and build advanced attribution models that track first-click, last-click or multi-touch paths so I truly understand what’s working.

And if you need to report back to clients or top management, that’s easy as well.

Key features:

• Granular ad and campaign tracking: HYROS lets you track leads, sales, and calls back to specific ads, ad sets and campaigns on Meta by using custom URL parameters
• Full-funnel and multi-touch attribution: Beyond last-click attribution, you can see how Facebook ads fit into the broader customer journey (including other channels) and organise your attribution window and model accordingly.
• Custom parameter support: You can keep your existing UTM/tracking parameters and map them inside HYROS, maintaining your own naming conventions or legacy tracking setups.
• Offline and lead form tracking: The platform supports tracking of Facebook Lead Ads forms and offline conversions (for example where the ad generates a form or call rather than direct online purchase).
• Agency and multi-client tools: Get dashboards and admin tools for agencies running Facebook ads for many brands.

Pricing: Their business pricing plans start from $230 per month with annual plan and a monthly tracked revenue up to $20K.

Reviews: “The money it costs to use Hyros is less than the amount I was losing on Meta ads not having Hyros. I finally clearly know what ads to shut off, which ones to increase, and I’m thrilled to see my ROAS increasing. If you care about your business and want success, use the best tools. Get HYROS!”

What are some API limitations of third-party Facebook analytics tools?

Sometimes you may think, “Why is my Facebook analytics tool not working properly?” That is largely because of API limitations. Here are two of them.

Metric availability and data gaps

Here’s the thing about Facebook’s API: it doesn’t share everything. Some metrics are locked away for pages you don’t manage, such as follower counts or audience demographics for competitors.

Even when you’re analyzing your own page, certain insights might simply not show up. Metrics like video views or reach can disappear without warning, and Facebook doesn’t always split organic and paid engagement. Sometimes, the platform even retires old metrics altogether, which leads to empty spots in your reports and confusion about what changed.

Data discrepancies

Even when the data does come through, it might not match what you see inside Facebook’s native reports. That’s usually because of different attribution models, time windows, or API constraints. The result? Slight variations in your metrics that can make cross-checking feel like comparing two versions of the same story told by different people.

Final thoughts

The best Facebook analytics tools make your life easy. Whether it’s answering questions like, “What did my paid ads performance for last month look like?” or “What changes do we need to make in our content strategy?” or saving time looking for KPIs.

Before subscribing to any platform, I’d recommend taking a step back and listing exactly what you need it to do. Then, use the free trial to test those features in real time. It’s the easiest way to know if it fits your workflow or just looks good on paper.

And if you’re curious about how Socialinsider can help you dig deeper into Facebook metrics and automate your reporting, try it free for 14 days. You might just find your new favorite analytics sidekick.

FAQs about Facebook analytics tools

Why use Facebook analytics tools?

Facebook analytics tools help you understand what content resonates with your audience, how your advertising performs, who your followers are, and how your social efforts contribute to business goals. They provide data-driven insights that allow you to optimize your strategy, justify your social media investments, and improve ROI.

How can I export Facebook post data?

You can export Facebook data in several ways:

• From Meta Business Suite: Navigate to Insights → Export Data → select date range and metrics → export as CSV or Excel
• From Meta Ads Manager: Select the campaign, ad set, or ad → Reports → Export
• From third-party tools: Most offer CSV, Excel, PDF, or PowerPoint export options
• Via the Facebook Graph API: For developers needing programmatic access to data

You walk into the board meeting clutching your Facebook report. Slides are ready, coffee’s kicking in, and you’re hoping this isn’t another round of blank stares and “Umm, what does this mean for our business?” 

This time, though, the room nods. They get it. 

Why?

Because every chart connects to a business goal, every insight has a clear takeaway. That’s the power of a strong Facebook analysis report. Whether you’re making a report for one CEO or fifty clients, the right report makes Facebook marketing look worth every dollar.

For a real-world perspective, I reached out to someone who’s been in the social media space long before Reels were a thing. Meet Megan Bowen, founder of Meg B Marketing — 80+ clients served, 210K followers built, and 32M video views delivered.

Let’s learn from her experience in this guide.

How should your Facebook analytics report be structured

When I spoke with Megan, she pointed out that the structure of a Facebook analytics report depends on who it’s for and what you’re trying to achieve. One client might care most about content performance, while another may prefer starting with audience insights.

But every solid report includes a few essentials. Here are those and what to include in them.

Executive summary

I recommend starting with this section because it gives a quick overview of your most important findings.

It could cover things like:

• Growth trend in terms of followers, engagement, or website traffic through Facebook.
• If you witnessed major engagement shifts, such as Album posts getting more engagement than Reels.
• The profile’s standout content for the period.
• Change in key metrics and the reasoning behind them

To make this task easier, I generally refer to Socialinsider’s Key Insights Summary, which gives me findings of what happened in that particular period, along with observations on what I can do next.

Facebook audience analysis

The audience runs the show on social media. If you target the wrong crowd or the right crowd with the wrong content, your strategies will fail to deliver results.

Here’s what you should analyze and include in your Facebook insights report.

• Demographics: Adding demographics (age, gender, location) shows the client who you’re actually reaching.

Megan mentioned that not every brand needs to be in front of everyone, everywhere. Some brands might have a very specific target, like 18-24 year old females in the U.S. And you need to check if that’s the largest section showing up on demographics.

She also added that location can be a crucial factor for certain kinds of businesses –

“When it comes to demographics, I always look at age and gender, though their importance really depends on the brand. I also pay close attention to location, especially for brick-and-mortar businesses or brands serving a specific area. If a company is trying to expand into a new region, location data becomes a valuable info-gathering tool.”

• Follower growth: How much did you grow your audience in the last month or the last quarter? Was that in line with what you were expecting? Or do you need to optimize your strategies?

I use Socialinsider to get this info for my Facebook audience report. The best part? It shows historical data for up to 3 or even 4 years, depending on the subscription. It helps me see how the overall account has progressed year over year.

Megan also discussed looking at the follower vs. non-follower mix to get more insights into the audience and your content strategies:

When I look at a Facebook report, the first thing I check is interactions, especially the split between followers and non-followers. I also like to break that down by content type and even by views. It’s not about one being better than the other; they serve different purposes.

Some posts are meant to nurture your existing community, so I want to see if they resonate there. Others are more discovery-focused, and I’m curious to see what gets picked up by non-followers — that kind of engagement can really inform future content strategy.

When I notice a spike in non-follower engagement, I always ask: did it lead to new followers, or was it just a momentary reach boost? That connection helps me understand whether our content is converting new audiences into long-term followers.

• When they are most active: Engagement generally runs high when your audience is most active. To get this data, you can use native analytics.

I also like to compare it with Socialinsider’s data on the best time to post by engagement to see if it aligns.

Facebook engagement analysis

Vanity metrics may not show much, but they tell you what type of content your audience responds to. Here are five things you should include in your Facebook analytics reporting.

• Total engagement: It shows your clients or team the sum of reactions, comments, and shares received on your page in the selected time period. Instead of just showing this number, I like to showcase the percentage change over the previous period.
• Engagement rate by followers and reach: I like this metric over total engagement because it allows for fair, consistent comparison over time. You can track how your rate evolves from one reporting period to the next, giving you a clear view of whether engagement is growing relative to your audience size. 

It’s also great for benchmarking. You can include your competitors’ engagement rates in the report to showcase how your performance stacks up against theirs.

Instead of manually calculating it, I draw this data from Socialinsider.

Megan talks about how you should always correlate your engagement rate to your other goals (if any). She said:

Engagement metrics are important. And I do use them. But what matters more to me is the trend: did engagement go up, and if so, did that translate into meaningful results? I always pair engagement with downstream KPIs. Think metrics like website traffic, conversions, watch time, or landing page bounce rate. 

It’s crucial to ask: are people actually leaving Facebook to learn more about us, or are we just generating engagement that doesn’t drive any real connection? Engagement should mean something for the business. Of course, that definition varies. Some brands are happy with strong online interaction alone, while others need that engagement to convert into revenue. It really depends on the company’s goals.

• Comments and shares: These metrics are more important than just likes as they show an active form of engagement. It shows people taking the time to react, contribute, or spread your content.

When analyzing these metrics in Socialinsider, I always investigate anomalies. If the graph shows a sudden dip, I click in to see which posts caused it. If likes have stayed consistent but comments or shares have dropped, that’s my cue to dig deeper. Maybe the topic didn’t spark conversation, or the content wasn’t share-worthy.

• Content format by engagement: Is the investment in Reels paying off? Are album posts working better than Reels? Should you shuffle resources for the next month to experiment?

Megan recommends not relying on one or two spikes to completely change your social media strategy. Instead, she says, look for patterns over time and then experiment and see if the success holds up.

The first step is to identify where the spikes in engagement are coming from. Is it a specific post type, theme, or format? Then I look for patterns over time. If one post performs exceptionally well, I don’t overhaul my strategy overnight. Instead, I track performance across four to six weeks and start testing

From there, I dig deeper: why did it perform well? Was it the creative, the caption, or the tone? For example, if carousels perform well, I’ll test whether it’s all carousels or just the funny, meme-style ones. The key is to test one variable at a time and turn those insights into a deliberate strategy.

• Reactions distribution showing audience sentiment: Show the distribution of reactions you get on Facebook and talk about the general audience sentiment around your content.

Facebook content performance analysis

You post daily. But is that content even getting you any results? Or are the content themes you’re focusing on effective?

This analysis should answer these questions for your clients.

• Content pillars performance: Are you prioritizing content pillars that are getting you engagement? Is your content mix leaning more towards promotional content?

Only when you do this analysis, you can experiment with a context mix that might become the optimal one for you moving forward.

Instead of manually doing it, you can use AI-generated content pillars categorization in Socialinsider.

When talking about this subject, Megan mentioned something important. She said that instead of doing a complete comparison, you should break down your content pillars into two overall categories: promotional and entertainment.

Here’s why —

I like to divide our content pillars into categories like educational, entertaining, and promotional, but I never analyze them all on equal grounds. Promotional content rarely performs as well as something entertaining. And that’s completely normal. By separating them, you can set realistic expectations and give each pillar context.

This way, if a promotional post performs modestly, you’re not unfairly comparing it to an entertaining post that’s designed to go viral. The numbers start to make more sense when you evaluate each pillar within these two categories.

• Top and bottom-performing content: Look for common patterns in top and bottom-performing content. Maybe the top-performing content is all geared towards a specific pillar. Maybe the tone in the bottom-performing content is very salesy.

Jot down these insights in your Facebook report so your clients know exactly which insights you gathered from the data and the steps you plan to take next.

• Show campaign-specific performance: Did you run any major marketing campaigns in the past month or quarter? What kind of results did they bring? Did you get an increase in followers or engagement?

I usually group this content by tagging it in Socialinsider.

I can then check the overall campaign performance in the Content pillars section.

This saves me time and I don’t have to manually calculate the different metrics like engagement rate and percentage of total engagement for the campaign.

• Visuals and messaging analysis: Are your visuals of high quality? Is the tone resonating with your audience? I like to include this in the report as it gives clients or top management an idea of how the creative side supports performance. It shows that I am not just tracking metrics, but also interpreting what drives them.

Megan does the same for her clients when conducting a Facebook page analytics report —

It’s not always about the numbers. I like to take notes on the creative styles, tones, and themes that seem to resonate. For example, maybe a certain tone performs consistently well, or people respond more when we tell stories. Those qualitative insights matter because they reveal patterns about what our audience genuinely connects with. So instead of focusing only on metrics, I pay close attention to what our community is consistently engaging with and why it resonates.

• Reels insights: For video performance, focus on metrics like watch time, completion rate, and retention graphs. 

Pinpoint which Reels worked well and why. Mention what you will focus on implementing for your Reels strategy based on these insights.

Facebook competitor analysis

When you share a Facebook report with clients, one of the first questions they’ll ask is, “So, how do we stack up against the competition?”

For easy analysis, you can use the Benchmarking feature in Socialinsider. It gives you a side-by-side comparison of various metrics.

Here are the social media metrics or insights you should include in this section.

• Engagement comparison: How is their engagement rate compared to yours? For fair comparison, I like to compare the engagement rate by followers. 

Megan said something similar while talking about engagement. She said:

I do look at the engagement rate but I always pay attention to how large a page’s audience is compared to how actively it engages, because that ratio tells you much more about real community connection than follower count alone. For example, if a page has 20,000 followers but only gets a couple of comments, you know that’s not great.

If you find their rate high, dig deep into the next analytics to find out why.

• Content pillar mix: Are they focusing on unique pillars that are getting them great engagement?

When you look at their content pillar distribution, pay special attention to which themes dominate their feed and how that balance compares to yours. Are they leaning heavily into entertaining or educational content while keeping promotional posts light? This gives you an idea of what you might have failed to notice while analyzing your content.

• Posting frequency: A competitor’s high engagement rate might simply come from posting more often than you do. Tracking their posting frequency helps you understand whether their results are volume-driven or strategy-driven.

Use that insight to decide whether to experiment with posting more frequently or find a sweet spot that keeps your audience engaged without overwhelming them.

• Tone and branding: Don’t skip the qualitative side of analysis: tone, visuals, and overall branding. They often explain why certain posts perform well. Maybe their friendly, conversational tone sparks more comments, or their clever captions make people want to share. Observing these patterns helps you understand not just what works, but why it connects.

Megan mentioned looking at it the other way and finding what’s being overlooked. Here’s what she had to say —

I like to poke around and really observe what competitors are doing, almost like a bit of digital sleuthing. The goal is to identify the white space: what’s being underused or overlooked, and where the opportunity lies. Maybe nobody’s experimenting with a certain format or tone, and that’s something we can own. Or, if everyone’s doing the same thing and it feels repetitive or stale, that’s our cue to approach it differently and stand out.

Summary of next steps

Wrap up your report with a plan your clients can rally behind. Outline the key actions you’ll take next month or quarter based on what the data revealed. This could be testing new content formats, refining ad targeting, or doubling down on what’s already working. Be clear about what you aim to achieve and why it matters.

For example: “Our Facebook post analytics report showed that Reels drove 40% more engagement this month, so next quarter we’ll increase short-form video production by 25% to boost reach and follower growth.”

This helps clients see the data and also how you’re turning that data into actionable strategies.

How to create your Facebook analysis report: A step-by-step process

Ready to put it all together? Follow these steps to create your Facebook reports for clients.

Step 1: Set goals and KPIs

Before you even start collecting data, here are two questions you should ask:

• Who will I be presenting it to? Will it be top management, clients, or my team?

Megan explains why this step is important —

You always have to consider your audience when creating reports. If I’m reporting to a business owner who isn’t in marketing and just wants to know things are handled, I keep it simple: a short summary, maybe a chart or two, and clear next steps. They want to see, ‘Here’s what’s happening, and here’s what I’m doing about it.

But if I’m reporting to a marketing director or a team of marketers, the report looks different. It’s more detailed, with screenshots, examples, and notes about trends I’m testing or shifts I’ve noticed. Marketers want to understand the reasoning and experiments behind the data.

• What is the focus of this report? Is it a general update report, or are you focusing on certain goals like increasing brand awareness or engagement?

This will dictate the KPIs you select and showcase in your report.

Step 2: Collect data

This is where I roll up my sleeves and go data hunting. I start with Meta Business Suite to pull the basic analytics like reach, impressions, engagement, audience demographics, etc. Then I hop into Ads Manager to grab ad spend, clicks, and conversions. If I’ve got UTMs set up, I always check Google Analytics to see what people did after they clicked through.

The ultimate step is to lean in to third-party social analytics tools like Socialinsider. I can check content performance, competitor benchmarks, and campaign performance all in one place.

Step 3: Put data in a visual format

If you’re presenting to clients or even your top management, you need to use as little text as possible. Instead, show data visually for easy interpretation.

For example, instead of mentioning how much reach you got in the past month, show a graph of the reach evolution over time.

I usually use Socialinsider to get this data in a visual format instead of creating it from scratch. You can even directly download data into multiple formats from the tool.

Step 4: Add action items

Once you’ve gathered the data and added your visuals, turn those numbers into meaning. Explain what’s happening and what you plan to do about it.

For example: “Video views dropped by 20% this month, but engagement on image posts grew. Next month, we’ll test shorter video formats and repurpose top-performing images into Reels to see if that improves reach.”

I like to do this for each section I am including in the report. But if that’s too much, you can add this at the end of the report.

Step 5: Share a customizable dashboard

If your clients don’t want an extensive report but just an update on key Facebook metrics, you can share a customizable Facebook analytics dashboard with them.

In Socialinsider, you can customize your dashboard by selecting relevant metrics through the right tab. You can then download the data and present it to your clients.

These dashboards update in real time, making it easy to track performance trends and share insights with clients and your team.

How to extract insights from your Facebook analysis report

Data collection is important. But many times, marketers miss out on drawing insights from that data. Here are my four strategies to extract the most out of your data.

• Spot seasonality and trends. Do certain posts perform better on weekends or holidays? Does engagement spike during product launches or certain times of day? Also, compare time periods to see whether engagement has gone up or down since last month or quarter.
• Dig deeper into how your audience interacts. Check which demographics engage most: by age, gender, or location. Are you reaching new audiences, or mainly talking to existing followers?
• Identify trends. Compare performance across campaigns to see shifts in audience response. Are competitors testing new formats or content types that are paying off?
• Track conversions and traffic. Go beyond likes. Did content actually drive clicks, leads, or sales? Are Facebook conversions growing or losing ground compared to other channels?

Facebook reporting best practices

While creating this report, here are some best practices you should adopt.

• Make reports visually engaging: Think about how a good image instantly grabs your attention. The same logic applies to reports. You don’t need to spend hours perfecting colors or design details, but a clean, visual layout makes your data easier to digest and your insights stand out. Use charts, icons, and whitespace to guide the reader’s eye to what matters most.

To save time, use templates or Facebook analytics tools that help you strike the right balance between clarity and aesthetics.

• Don’t focus solely on data. Bring the narrative together. A good report doesn’t drown people in charts and numbers. I always follow the data → insight → action framework while creating reports.

Megan put it well when she said:

The biggest mistake I see is when marketers fail to translate the data in a way that their audience actually cares about. Agencies and social media teams are so deep in the numbers that they forget most people don’t speak that language. You have to turn metrics into meaning — what does this data say about your community? Does it show that people care about your message, or that there’s a gap between what you’re posting and what they’re buying?

• Automate reports: If you need to present multiple reports to clients or top management, save yourself the headache with tools that offer auto-reporting features. They handle the repetitive part: pulling data, updating visuals, and organizing metrics, so you can focus on adding real insights. You can always tinker with the output later, polishing the visuals or adding context before sending it off.

Final thoughts

A great Facebook analytics report is all about drawing data and using that to inform your next strategy. When your data tells a clear story, it becomes easier to spot trends, justify decisions, and inspire action. 

Ensure each section of your report connects insight to impact, showing how your efforts on Facebook move the brand forward. And instead of manually doing everything, rely on tools to make it easier. 

If you want to try a tool that helps you draw in-depth data and automate your reporting, Socialinsider does it all. Take the tool for a free spin to see exactly how it helps.

FAQs about Facebook analytics reports

What is a Facebook analysis report?

A Facebook analysis report is a detailed overview of how your Facebook Page or campaigns are performing. It tracks key metrics like reach, engagement, audience growth, and content performance to show what’s working and what isn’t. The goal is to turn data into insights and help refine your strategy, prove ROI, and make smarter decisions for future campaigns.

What are the benefits of Facebook reporting?

Facebook reporting helps you understand how your content performs and whether your strategy is driving real results. It highlights what’s working, what needs improvement, and where your best opportunities lie. Regular reporting also builds transparency with clients or stakeholders, proves ROI, and helps you make data-backed decisions that improve engagement, reach, and conversions over time.

One thing I've learned after years of building Instagram strategies for brands: metrics alone don't make you smarter about your strategy. What matters is reading into your social media analytics.

Instagram has metrics on everything. But as social media professionals, it's up to us to choose them wisely and know how to interpret the signals they're giving us.

In this guide, I'm breaking down the Instagram metrics worth your attention — what they measure, when to track them, and how to use them to make better decisions. Let's get into it!

How to tie your Instagram metrics to business growth?

Social media metrics are many, and Instagram offers a lot of data for you to track and use to refine your strategy. 

But tracking all of it at once doesn’t give you clarity — it only gives you data fatigue. 

To tie your metrics to business growth, you need to understand where each metric comes from and what it tells you about your performance. Seeing these cause-and-effect connections helps you figure out which thread to pull to get the result you're after. 

For example, if reach is up but engagement is flat, your content is getting in front of people but not resonating. If follower growth is strong but conversions are weak, your CTA might be too weak, or you're attracting the wrong audience. 

Understanding these relationships turns raw numbers into things you can apply to your strategy.

What Instagram metrics will help you make informed decisions?

When it comes to choosing the right social media metrics to track, Victor Tsventavov puts it well:

Start by asking which metrics really matter. Success looks different for each client and campaign, so zero in on the analytics that best reflect those goals instead of trying to measure everything

Goals always define what you need to track above all else. Brand awareness and conversions will have different core metrics to determine whether your campaign is working or not, and if you’re tracking the wrong thing, it’s easy to miss a signal or misinterpret what the data’s telling you.  

Let me break down the key Instagram metrics by category so you can use the data to create a better social media strategy.

Reach and visibility metrics

Reach and visibility metrics tell you how far your content is traveling. Whenever I work with brands on Instagram, these metrics always make it to the top of the executive reports. 

Reach and views show how many people are seeing the posts, giving us context about what to expect from other metrics. If visibility metrics are down, it’s usually the first sign that the strategy is not delivering.

Reach

Reach on Instagram shows how many unique accounts saw your content. Think of reach as the size of your actual audience for a specific piece of content. 

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has explained that there are two types of reach: connected reach and unconnected reach. 

• Connected reach is people who follow you or have interacted with your account before.
• Unconnected reach includes everyone else — people discovering your content through Explore or Reels recommendations.

This division doesn’t affect your reach numbers per se. But since these two types of reach affect your ranking, it can help you choose the right social media tactic. 

According to Mosseri, for growing connected reach, the main ranking factor is likes, and for unconnected reach, sends are slightly more important. 

Keep in mind that algorithm changes hit the reach metric the hardest. Instagram frequently tweaks how it ranks content, and it can cause sudden reach drops or spikes. So if you notice a shift, it's not always about your content quality. Sometimes it's just the platform adjusting how it distributes posts. 

Reach is my go-to metric when I need to measure the success of a brand awareness campaign, where I need to focus on calculating the new audience. 

Views

Instagram views measure how many times your content was watched or seen in total. This metric recently replaced impressions as one of Instagram's core metrics, and the shift matters.

The difference between views and impressions lies in active attention. Views count when someone actively watches your video or stops to look at your image, while impressions used to count every appearance on screen, even if people scrolled right past.

Instagram made this change to give creators and marketers a clearer picture of the real attention you're getting, not potential exposure.

I've found views especially useful for video content. When my view count is strong, I know the hook did its job and stopped people from scrolling long enough to count it as a view. 

But if views are lagging behind reach, that's my sign to rethink the opening seconds. 

Instagram audience metrics

Understanding who engages with your content is just as important as knowing how many people see it. 

Audience metrics help you verify you're reaching the right people and whether your strategy is building a real following.

Audience demographics

Instagram helps you analyze your social media audience on the platform. To do so, it offers three main criteria: location, gender, and age. This data shapes your content strategy and allows you to verify if you're reaching the right people.

Kris Vanovost says:

I focus particularly on views, more specifically on who is looking at the socials and what demographic they are part of. If I am targeting millennial women, but the views are mostly from Gen Z men, something is majorly wrong.

A mismatch between your target audience and your actual audience usually signals a problem with your content or targeting. 

But sometimes, it can also reveal an opportunity. 

I had a client who was laser-focused on the U.S. market. That's where their buyer personas lived, and that's where we aimed all our Instagram content. 

But as we analyzed the data, we kept seeing strong engagement from Brazil — consistently high views, shares, and comments. 

Instead of reworking the content strategy fully, we dug deeper and found out that our product had real relevance in Brazil. We adjusted the strategy to include this territory as a secondary market, which opened up some additional revenue streams.

Follower growth

Follower growth is pretty self-explanatory. This metric shows if your Instagram account is growing, diminishing, or stagnating. This is especially important when you’re tracking organic growth.

Some people dismiss follower count as a vanity metric. But the follower growth history reflects whether your content strategy and brand awareness efforts are working.

A 100-engaged followers beat 10,000 ghost accounts any day. But if you've been stuck at a 100 for months, that's not a great look either. Growth matters because it shows momentum. If people care enough to hit follow, they're making the first step into the funnel. And if your content isn't converting anyone into followers, that's a red flag.

I always balance follower growth with engagement rate. As long as engagement stays above the benchmark, I'm comfortable with steady growth. 

Instagram core engagement metrics

Whenever I run an Instagram audit, I always pay special attention to engagement data. 

Engagement metrics give context to both follower count and reach. It shows the living pulse of your accounts and helps evaluate whether your followers and viewers are active.

Likes, comments, saves, and shares

Instagram engagement actions — likes, shares, comments, and saves — show whether people are invested enough in your content to interact with it. 

When asked about which engagement actions to track first and foremost, Olga Logunova says:

It always depends on the question you want answered. If visibility is the goal → look at reach and views. If you want authentic client feedback → look at comments; they often reveal more than any competitor analysis. If lead generation is the focus → check DMs, inbound messages, and shares. In short, the most important metrics are the ones directly tied to your objective.

On Instagram, every action has a certain weight that tells the algorithm whether this content is resonating well and is worth ranking higher. And although Instagram doesn’t publish the exact breakdown, Adam Mosseri and the platform itself drop enough hints. 

Generally, shares are one of the most valuable actions. Instagram aims to promote content users want to share with their network, so if shares and reposts are growing, your content is becoming more visible for Instagram users.

Next come comments. When users take time to leave a comment, it means they’ve at least stopped scrolling to do so. Comments also act as a unique source of feedback. You can gauge the sentiment and evaluate how your post, campaign, or product resonates with your audience.

I personally like to keep an eye on saves. Saves are especially important when we’re talking about evergreen brand content and lasting value. When your posts get a lot of saves, it signals that the content you’re offering is truly valuable, not just funny or trendy. 

If you’re testing content pillars such as educational content or how-to guides, saves are your most vocal in-feed action.

Finally, likes usually sit at the bottom of the ranking hierarchy, but they're not useless. As Adam Mosseri mentioned, likes still matter for connected reach — they help you stay visible to your existing followers. As lightweight as likes are, they still push content forward and help evaluate the success of your posts.

Engagement rate

All the engagement actions mentioned above boil down to one very important metric — engagement rate. 

We can’t say if 100 likes or 100 saves is good unless we take into account how many people saw our post overall. This is where the engagement rate comes to help us evaluate our efforts and make a decent comparison. 

There are three types of engagement rate calculations you can use on Instagram: 

• Engagement rate by followers. Calculated as ((Likes + Comments + Saves + Shares) / Number of followers) x 100. Most useful when you need to gauge how well your current follower base is interacting with your content. 
• Engagement rate by reach. Calculated as ((Likes + Comments + Saves + Shares) / Reach) x 100. Helps evaluate the success of brand awareness campaigns or generally gauge how well people are responding to content, even if they don’t follow you. 

In my practice, engagement by reach has been the golden standard for a while. It gives you a solid understanding of how many people saw your content overall and how many of them converted into some sort of action.  

Additional engagement metrics for powerful insights

Core engagement metrics usually make it to the top of executive reports. But there are more potential insights you can get from reading your Instagram analytics. 

And if reach or the number of likes are “external” metrics for executives, these additional content metrics are “internal” — they help your content team see patterns in the way your followers consume social media content. 

Content format performance

When you run a social media analysis for Instagram (or other platforms), one of the most useful things you can do is compare how different content formats are working for you. 

Single images, carousels, Reels, and Stories each have their own strengths, but what works best depends on your audience. Best practices and benchmarks are helpful starting points, but they don't always hold true for everyone. The only way to know what works for your account is to track it.

I also like to analyze what kind of audience interacts with each format. Reels tend to attract new viewers — people discovering your content through the algorithm. Carousels and single-image posts usually perform better with existing followers who are already invested in your brand. 

Best-performing content pillars

Content pillars are the recurring themes or topics that you use on your Instagram account. 

Pillars are like a handrail that helps you navigate your own content and divide posts into thematic buckets: educational tips, behind-the-scenes, user-generated content, product highlights, and more.

Tracking which pillars perform best helps you see patterns in what your audience wants from your profile. Maybe you've been pushing product posts hard, but educational content is consistently getting double the engagement. That's a signal to shift focus.

I use this data to optimize my Instagram strategy. If one pillar is underperforming, I either need to rethink how I'm presenting it or accept that my audience just isn't interested. And if a pillar I've barely touched is outperforming everything else, that's a cue to explore it more.

Top posts

Top-performing posts are simple but powerful. They give you the context on what's working and why for your content analysis.

On Instagram, top posts help you identify which combination of factors drove success. Was it a Reel using trending audio? A carousel with educational content? A single image with a strong caption hook?

Socialinsider helps you quickly identify the top-performing posts of any Instagram account. Choose the account you want to analyze and navigate to the Posts tab. Here, you can see the top performers sorted by the metrics of your choosing: engagement, engagement rate, estimated reach, views, likes, or comments. 

After tracking your best performers for a while, you can form a pattern. If educational carousels keep landing in your top 10, that's not luck or coincidence, but strategy. 

I always review top posts at the end of each month or campaign. The goal is not to recreate the viral moments, but rather to understand what resonates so I can apply it moving forward. It’s also good to double down on your best performers.

Reels-specific metrics

Reels are one of Instagram’s most beloved features. And while the native platform offers quite detailed Reels analytics, you can always gain more insights with analytic tools like Socialinsider. 

Views

Views are one of the basic video metrics on Instagram. It shows how many times your Reel was actively watched. This means people stopped scrolling and watched at least part of it.

Some strategic decisions call for a bigger picture. 

These advanced metrics give you a birds-eye view of the landscape. Instagram analytics tools like Socialinsider analyze thousands of accounts over time so you can get more context for your performance data. 

Here’s what can help you understand your existing data better:

Instagram breaks views down into followers and non-followers. I always check this split to see what type of content attracts new audiences versus what resonates with my existing community. This little trick helps you understand what type of content to use when your priorities switch. 

Watch time

Watch time shows how long people watched your Reel in total, plus the average watch time per viewer.

Average watch time and the view rate past the first 3 seconds are critical for evaluating your hooks. If people are skipping after 2 seconds, your opening isn't grabbing attention fast enough. This metric tells you where you're losing people.

I use this data to test different hooks and see what keeps viewers engaged. A strong hook gets people past those first few seconds. After that, it's about maintaining momentum.

Top sources of views

This metric shows where your views are coming from: the Reels tab, Explore, your profile, Stories, or somewhere else.

I once worked on an account where nearly 40% of Reel views came from Stories. That was a huge insight. It told us that our followers were actively engaging with Stories. We stopped worrying about "over-posting" to Stories and started treating them as a key distribution channel.

Valentin Oprea puts it well:

Don't look at just one thing, such as views or likes, but see the whole picture and make an informed decision.

Understanding where your views come from helps you double down on what's working. If Explore is driving most of your traffic, your content is reaching new people. If it's mostly your profile, you're engaging your existing audience but not expanding much.

Story-specific metrics

Tracking Instagram Stories analytics helps you see which stickers drive the most interaction and which Stories ideas keep people engaged instead of swiping away.

Story statistics

For each Story, Instagram provides detailed metrics:

• Total views — how many people watched the Story
• Interactions — replies, sticker taps, link clicks
• Navigation — how people moved through your Story (tapped forward, tapped back, exited, or went to the next account's Story)
• Audience demographics — who's watching (age, gender, location)

This data shows whether people are engaged or just passively swiping through. High forward taps mean people are moving through your Stories quickly. High exits mean they're leaving before finishing.

Interactive stickers (polls, questions, sliders)

Interactive stickers give you direct feedback and boost visibility. You can see how many people interacted with polls, questions, sliders, or links, and what they answered. 

Stickers and polls are a direct line to your audience. I use polls and questions regularly because they make Stories feel like a conversation, not a broadcast.

The more people interact with your Stories, the more Instagram shows them to others. So if the number of interactions is consistently high, that means you might expect a growth in views, too. 

Instagram conversion and sales metrics

Paid and organic efforts work together on Instagram. As social media managers, we focus heavily on organic, but paid campaigns contribute real value to your channels too.

Paid campaigns make it easier to prove how effective social media marketing really is. Since they’re money-based, paid metrics give you clear conversion data and make the impact of social media on business more visible to executives.

Here's an insight Vanjela Bellovoda gave me:

Each strategy has its own metrics, so make sure you use the right tool to measure the metrics for that particular strategy, instead of measuring everything and getting nowhere.

Here are the key conversion metrics to track on Instagram. 

Link-in-bio CTR and leads generated

Your link in bio is one of the few places Instagram lets you drive traffic off-platform. Click-through rate (CTR) tells you how many people who visited your profile clicked that link.

If CTR is low, your call-to-action might not be compelling enough, or your content isn't priming people to take action. If CTR is strong but conversions are weak, the problem is on your landing page, not Instagram content.

Leads generated measure how many people took the next step — signed up, downloaded something, or filled out a form. This metric connects Instagram directly to your funnel.

Instagram ads conversions

Conversions are the easiest way to measure social media success in connection to real money. Through the Meta ads platform, you can see how many people took a specific action after seeing your ad — whether that's a purchase, sign-up, or app download.

Conversions are tied to your campaign objective. If your goal is traffic, you're tracking clicks. If it's lead generation, you're tracking form submissions. If it's sales, you're tracking purchases.

Instagram Shopping sales

If you're in e-commerce, Instagram Shopping sales are a direct line between content and revenue. Instagram tracks product views, clicks, and purchases made through your shop. You can tag products on photos, Reels, and Stories, and set up checkout directly in Instagram. 

Bear in mind that the metric only applies if you've connected a product catalog and enabled shopping features. Instagram shopping also has location restrictions. 

Customer acquisition cost (CAC) from Instagram traffic

CAC tells you how much you're spending to acquire one customer through Instagram. Divide your total Instagram ad spend by the number of customers acquired.

If CAC is higher than your profit margin, your social media campaign isn't sustainable. If it's low, you've found a channel worth scaling. CAC also varies wildly by industry, so compare yours to competitors’ benchmarks in your niche. 

ROI (return on investment)

ROI measures the overall profitability of your Instagram efforts. It's calculated as (Revenue - Cost) / Cost x 100.

For organic content, "cost" includes the time and resources spent creating and managing the account. For paid campaigns, it’s your ad spend plus any production costs.

ROI is the metric executives care about most because it directly ties your work to business results. If you can prove positive social media ROI, congratulations — you've justified the investment in social media! 

ROAS (return on ad spend)

ROAS is specific to paid campaigns. It shows how much revenue you're generating for every dollar spent on ads. It's calculated as Revenue from Ads / Ad Spend.

For example, a ROAS of 4:1 means you're making $4 for every $1 spent. Anything above your break-even point is profitable.

ROAS is more granular than ROI because it isolates ad spend from other costs. I use ROAS to evaluate individual campaigns and decide which ones to scale or kill.

Advanced Instagram metrics for data context understanding

Some strategic decisions call for a bigger picture. 

These advanced metrics give you a birds-eye view of the landscape. Instagram analytics tools like Socialinsider analyze thousands of accounts over time so you can get more context for your performance data. 

Here’s what can help you understand your existing data better:

Industry benchmarks

Benchmarking key performance metrics — engagement rate, views, follower growth rate — helps you understand broader trends and see whether those trends apply to your account.

For example, you might notice your engagement rate dropping. That's concerning. But if engagement is declining across Instagram as a whole, the context changes. The platform is shifting, so fluctuations affect all of us.

That doesn't mean you ignore the problem — you still need to adapt and find ways to improve. But knowing the overall trend helps you set realistic expectations and avoid panicking over industry-wide changes you can't control.

I use benchmarks to ground my performance reviews. If my engagement rate is 3% and the industry average is 1.5%, I know I'm doing well.  

Competitive insights

Reach estimations, organic value, content pillar performance, and other competitive insights serve as both a reference point and a source of inspiration.

Tracking specific competitors gives you much more context than broad industry benchmarks. Accounts vary by industry, size, and target audience, so you need finer-grained data to evaluate your results correctly and set realistic KPIs. 

It’s especially true for niche industries. They often get lumped into the broader category, but have very specific audience behaviors and content dynamics. 

For example, using “technology” follower growth as a benchmark for a gaming account won’t really give you enough context. What will give you enough data (and possibly highlight opportunities on the way) is tracking several similar game accounts on Instagram. 

You need to perform competitor research regularly to keep your insights fresh, but it's tedious to do manually. Tools like Socialinsider handle the heavy data lifting — tracking competitors' posting frequency, best performing content pillars, engagement patterns, and organic value.

How to easily track your important Instagram metrics?

You can track basic Instagram metrics through the native analytics tool. But I believe analytics is way too important and vast to gather manually. 

Here’s where Socialinsider comes into play. It consolidates your Instagram data, adds competitive insights, and gives you the tools to analyze performance at scale. It gives you the right context for your data, making it insights rather than just numbers. 

Adding your Instagram profile

Getting started is straightforward. Connect your Instagram account through Meta's Business Suite integration. Socialinsider pulls your data directly from Instagram's API, so you're working with accurate, up-to-date metrics.

Once connected, you can add competitor profiles to track alongside your own. This lets you benchmark performance, spot gaps in your content strategy, and simply keep an eye on how your fellow businesses are doing. 

What's inside Socialinsider?

Socialinsider organizes Instagram analytics into clear sections:

• The Content tab keeps all the info about the posts: organic post distribution, cadence of posting, total number of posts, posting times, performance by content type (Reels, carousels, single images), top performing posts, and hashtags. 
• The Engagement tab breaks down organic engagement distribution, average engagement rate by followers, reach, and impressions, total number of organic engagements, content pillar analysis, and engagement by content type. You can also find the best time to post based on compiled data. 
• The Reach and Views tabs give you context about total organic reach and views, organic reach rate by followers, post types sorted by reach, and average number of views.
• Audience insights show follower count, follower growth trends, and total followers. For your owned profiles, you can also access the geographical distribution of followers, demographic data, and most active times. 
• The Content Pillars tab analyzes the performance of content pillars, including the breakdown of the number of posts for each, engagement rates, and Reels views.
• Organic value is one of my favorite tabs — it gives you an estimation of how much ad money you would need to get the same results you’re getting. It’s a very useful estimation of your organic efforts. 
• The Posts tab gives you an overview of all the posts in the selected period with post-level engagement data and auto-tags. 
• The Reels tab oversees the Reel-related data, like the number of Reels, the Reels distribution graph, engagement rate, likes, and total Reels reach. 
• Competitor benchmarking in tabs ‘Compare’ and ‘Industry’ compares your performance against competitors or industry averages. You can see how your engagement rate, posting frequency, and content strategy stack up.

Need to present all of it nicely? Set up your report in the Executive Summary tab and export it in the most convenient format. 

Final thoughts

Data fatigue is real, and tracking a thousand metrics on Instagram doesn't make your social media marketing more data-driven.

What helps you make data-backed decisions is understanding which metrics to track and where they're coming from. Focus on the data that matters to your current goals, and make sure to digest it and interpret the signals first.

FAQs on Instagram metrics

What Instagram metrics social media managers should measure?

Social media managers will want to measure metrics like:

• Likes
• Comments
• Shares
• Saves
• Top posts
• Reach
• Views
• Follower growth

What Instagram metrics marketing managers should measure?

Marketing managers will want to measure metrics like:

• Reach
• Views
• Engagement
• Traffic
• Leads

What Instagram metrics CMO should measure?

CMOs will want to measure metrics like:

• Traffic
• Leads
• Conversions

Can you download Instagram metrics?

Yes! Using a third-party Instagram analytics tool like Socialinsider, you can easily export and download your reports to present with your team.

Alright, I’ll get straight to it.

If you’re still using old-school Facebook tactics, you’re leaving results on the table.

I know you don’t have time for “good enough” anymore. You need a strategy that delivers.

So let’s explore the top Facebook best practices that go beyond the basics and actually drive real impact.

How does Facebook’s algorithm work today?

If you’ve noticed your Facebook posts performing better lately, you’re not imagining it. 

According to a Socialinsider study, Facebook engagement climbed by 18% in the first half of 2025. This is proof that the platform’s algorithm is rewarding the right kind of content again.

So, what’s changed? In short: quality and intent.

Facebook’s algorithm has become smarter at predicting what users *actually want to see*, not just what they interact with out of habit. 

It now prioritizes:

• Authentic engagement over vanity metrics. Shares, saves, and meaningful comments carry far more weight than likes.
• Content that sparks conversation. Posts for Facebook that trigger back-and-forth interactions (especially early on) are boosted higher in feeds.
• Native formats. Facebook still favors content created within the platform: Reels, photo carousels, or text-based posts, over external links.
• User relationships. The closer someone is to your brand (followers who message, comment, or react often), the more likely they’ll see your future posts.

In other words, the algorithm’s not working against you. It’s laser-focused on rewarding Facebook content types that feel personal, relevant, and real.

Best practices for optimizing different content formats on Facebook

Whether it’s video marketing, images, or text, I’ve got the social media tactics you need to create social media content that truly resonates. 

So let’s get to work and uncover the best practices on Facebook for each content format.

Video content best practices for Facebook

Let me start with these Facebook video best practices that will help you optimize your video marketing strategy for both views and engagement:

Create videos according to data-backed best-performing video lengths

Video length matters more than you think. 

And according to our study on social media benchmarks, videos under 30 seconds and in the 60-90 second range pull strong view counts. 

But here's the twist: 90-120 second videos drive the highest engagement rates.

If you ask me, I'd say the sweet spot is the 90-second window, giving you enough time to hook viewers, deliver real social media value, and create a complete narrative arc without losing your audience's attention. 

Use emotional triggers to drive shares

Views are great, but shares? 

That's how your content spreads. And shares happen when you tap into genuine emotion. Real customer stories, behind-the-scenes moments, or relatable struggles resonate far more than polished, scripted content. 

Trust me, when viewers see themselves in your video or feel something real, they get compelled to pass it along.

Visual content best practices for Facebook

I'm sure that one and off, you're wondering what to post Facebook moving forward, right?

Well, we know visuals are the heartbeat of Facebook engagement.

So, to truly stand out in a crowded feed, make sure you:

Leverage UGC campaigns

Invite your audience to share authentic, personal moments with your brand. 

User-generated content amplifies trust, sparks genuine conversations, and not only gives your social media community a voice but also fuels your visual content with fresh, relatable perspectives.

Double down on albums

One of our Socialinsider studies reveals that albums are currently driving the highest engagement on Facebook, with images coming in second.

A good social media manager knows that albums offer a powerful way to showcase events, company culture, or product stories by grouping visuals into cohesive narratives that encourage followers to explore more.

Text posts best practices for Facebook

So, what are the Facebook posting best practices to ensure your text stands out? 

Let’s dive into the essentials:

Use interactive posts such as polls & questions

One powerful takeaway from our competitive analysis on Facebook, including insights from leading industry voices, is the success of interactive content. 

Text posts with simple backgrounds and open-ended questions on Facebook consistently drive higher engagement levels. 

These types of Facebook posts allow brands to spark conversations with their audience, making it more likely that people will engage. 

Here's an insight our CMO, Adina Jipa, offered in an interview:

Additionally, incorporating polls can also amplify this engagement as they provide instant feedback.

Have an optimized posting strategy

Posting frequency and timing matter.

According to our research on how often to post on social media, brands that post about 5 times a week tend to see the best results. 

But remember, the key is finding the right balance: post often enough to stay in your audience’s feed, but not so much that you risk fatigue or a drop in engagement.

BONUS:

• How to structure text for maximum readability

For text posts to perform well, the structure is crucial.

Using short paragraphs, clear language, and bullet points or numbered lists to break up long blocks of text are just a few social media optimization tips you can use to make your post easier to read.

• When text-only posts outperform visual content

While visuals are powerful tools, there are times when text-only posts outperform images or videos. 

Simplicity can work in your favor. In certain situations, text posts allow for deeper engagement, especially when you want to focus on delivering a message or starting a conversation. 

Moreover, pairing images with your text can enhance the message, making it more dynamic. 

For example, when posting on Facebook, consider adding subtle, relevant images to provide context to your posts. This can enhance your audience's connection to the content, without overshadowing the primary message.

Platform specific features and engagement optimization best practices

So, you want your social media campaigns to stand out on Facebook?

Well, if you're asking what the secret is, I'd tell you it’s all about understanding each platform’s quirks and using them to your advantage. 

With a bit of know-how and some solid social media marketing strategy, you’ll be making waves and building an engaged community in no time. 

Let me break down some easy-to-follow tips for creating engaging posts on Facebook.

Facebook groups best practices

Facebook Groups are where the magic happens. They’re your community’s home base. 

But don’t just throw up a group and expect it to grow on its own. 

Here’s a few Facebook group best practices to keep them buzzing:

• Spark conversations: Don’t just drop links or promo material. One thing that I constantly do is to ask questions, run polls, and share content that gets people talking. The key is to make sure your posts encourage replies. Trust me, the more interaction you create, the more invested your members will be.
• Consistency over perfection: You don’t need to post every hour, but you do need to post regularly. Keep the momentum going by scheduling posts that mix it up. Discussion starters, helpful tips, and personal insights. Your members will expect it, and they'll look forward to the next one.
• Give VIP access: One of the Facebook best practices I've tested myself was to reward group members with exclusive content, such as sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes action, or first dibs on a special offer. And guess what I've discovered - when people feel like they’re in the know, they’re more likely to stick around.
• Be a real human: Engage personally. Respond to comments, react to posts, and show you’re there for more than just selling. A real connection goes a long way.

Facebook Stories best practices

From experience, I can tell you Stories are one of the best types of content to post on Facebook and a perfect way to connect with your audience on a daily basis. 

Here’s how to keep them coming back for more:

• Keep it real (literally): Stories are less about polish and more about authenticity. Think of them like a quick chat with a friend. Share your real-time moments, whether that’s a new product drop, something funny happening in the office, or a cool life hack. Keep it light, fun, and human.
• Use interactive features: Polls, questions, and countdowns are your best friends when it comes to Stories. They keep people engaged and give them something to interact with. Make them feel involved.
• Be consistent (but not overwhelming): No one likes a story spammer, but consistency does matter. Try to stick to a rhythm that fits your brand: daily, weekly, or on special occasions. 
• Short, sweet, and snappy: Stories should be bite-sized and to the point. Keep them quick and impactful. Focus on visuals. People are scrolling fast, so make your content stop them in their tracks with something eye-catching.

Facebook Reels best practices

If I haven't told you this before, well, now's the time - Facebook Reels are your chance to show off your creative side

But with a 90-second time window (as we've already seen, this is the best duration), you must ensure you make it count. Here’s how:

• Hop on trends: Trendy sounds, challenges, or memes are great, but you don’t need to follow the crowd exactly. Put your own twist on trending topics. Make it relevant to your audience, and make it fit your style.
• High-quality visuals and sound: This one’s a no-brainer. People scroll past low-quality videos faster than you can say “content creator.” Keep your visuals sharp and your sound crisp. And don’t forget to make the first few seconds of your Reel grab attention. You have about 3 seconds before people lose interest.
• Text is your friend: Make sure your message is clear, even if the viewer isn’t listening to the sound. Use text overlays to emphasize your point or give context to your visuals. It helps people connect with your message, even on mute.
• Play with timing: While it’s tempting to stretch a Reel to its max 90-second limit, sometimes shorter is better. People tend to watch shorter Reels all the way through. My advice? Test different lengths and see what keeps your audience glued to the screen.

Facebook content creation and measurement best practices

Creating content that not only grabs attention but also keeps your audience engaged can feel like a juggling act, I know.

But fear not. 

Nailing your social media content strategy is easier when you know the right balance, the right pillars, and the right time, trust me.

Use the 80/20 content strategy

• Balance promotional vs. valuable content

When it comes to Facebook, a good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule. 

In other words, 80% of your content should add value to your audience—whether it’s educational, entertaining, or just downright inspiring. 

The remaining 20%? 

That's your promotional content. No one likes being hit with constant ads, so make sure your audience gets to know your brand first and foremost through meaningful content.

• Discover the content pillars that build loyalty

Take it from me, building audience loyalty starts with understanding what content resonates most. 

It’s not just about what you post, but how consistently you post content that truly connects with your audience. 

Luckily, Socialinsider can help you identify the most engaging types of posts on Facebook. Not only for your own brand but also for your competitors.

Take Tripadvisor, for example. 

In the image below, you can see that their content consistently focuses on high-engagement topics like Adventure & Outdoor Activities and Travel Tips & Guides. 

These specific social media content pillars have proven to resonate with their audience, driving interaction and loyalty.

Thus, by leveraging Socialinsider's AI insights, you can uncover these content trends for your brand, just like I did, to ensure you're always sharing what your audience is most likely to engage with.

• Leverage seasonal content planning for sustained engagement

Lastly, don’t forget about the power of seasonal content. 

Whether it’s gearing up for the holidays, offering post-vacation deals, or highlighting “Summer Escapes,” seasonal themes work wonders for timely, relevant engagement. 

Plan ahead for key dates, and tailor your content to the seasons. It’s the easiest way to keep your audience coming back for more.

Important metrics to track

To truly understand how your content is performing, you need to focus on a handful of key brand metrics. 

Follower growth

A steady increase in followers means your content is resonating with people. 

It’s like getting a virtual high-five every time you post something that clicks. 

But if your follower count starts stagnating or dipping, it’s a sign to rethink your strategy. 

Let me exemplify, moving forward with TripAdvisor’s case study, which, in this case, is a positive one. An analysis of the brand's follower growth demonstrated how strategic content can drive followers over time.

Reach, impressions, views, and engagement

These are your bread and butter when it comes to gauging content performance. 

Below, I've run a quick rundown of these social media analytics:

• Reach: how many unique people saw your posts
• Impressions: how often your content was shown to those people
• Views: the number of times your videos were actually watched
• Engagement: all the interactions—likes, shares, comments—your content gets

Tripadvisor’s reach vs. impressions distribution graph below clearly shows how these metrics provide a deep dive into how your content is spreading. 

A high reach with low engagement? Maybe it's time to rework your content to spark more interaction.

Comments and shares

If you ask me, comments and shares are where the gold is. 

When people comment, they’re engaging, connecting with your message. And when they share? That’s the ultimate compliment. Shares mean your content is so good that people want to spread it to their own networks.

Take a look at Trip.com’s spikes in comments and shares in the graph below.

These peaks show us that certain posts are sparking deeper engagement. 

Watching for these trends lets you refine your content to maximize those moments of high interaction.

Here's how Jameka Christy, freelance social media manager approaches metric tracking:

With Facebook, I pay extra attention to things like post reach, shares, and link clicks since a lot of traffic and engagement can come from those.

Organic value

Now, let’s talk organic value. 

This social media metric is your best friend when it comes to proving the power of your social media marketing efforts. It's actually one of my favorite metrics to analyze.

Why? Because it actually shows how impactful organic content can be, highliging that ads are not always the most powerful tactic.

Here's another interesting insight Jameka gave me when I asked her about the importance of paid vs organic social media:

Sometimes, organic content is already strong and just needs a little amplification, while other times, paid ads are carrying most of the weight. Comparing the two helps me figure out where the real opportunities are, whether that’s creating more engaging organic content or adjusting the paid strategy to get a better return.

When you see high organic value, naturally, it means your audience is loving your content naturally. They’re sharing, commenting, and engaging because your content is genuinely connecting with them.

When should Facebook Insights be complemented with external analytics tools?

Facebook Insights is a great start, but it doesn't always give you the full picture. 

To truly elevate your social media strategy, my advice is to go beyond what Facebook itself can offer and optimize data collection.

For in-depth insights

External competitive analytics tools offer detailed, actionable insights that allow you to optimize your content, spot trends, and beat the competition. 

Here’s why I see them essential for social media success:

Discover the best content formats based on engagement

Figuring out what truly drives engagement? It’s an art. 

External tools like Socialinsider provide a deep dive into which content formats (whether videos, photos, status updates, or Reels) deliver the highest engagement.

With this knowledge, I can focus on producing the Facebook post types that resonate most with my audience. 

Imagine discovering that videos consistently outperform images, enabling you to double down on video production for even better results.

Top and bottom posts

With external tools, I can easily identify what type of posts work best on Facebook. The ones that captured my audience’s attention and sparked conversations.

Equally important is recognizing the bottom-performing posts. Those that missed the mark. 

This valuable comparison allows me to understand what resonates with my brand's followers and what doesn’t, helping me fine-tune my content. 

Let's move forward with the Tripadvisor example.

When looking at the top and bottom posts for this brand, I could see that their audience is more responsive to Travel Tips than Promotions, signaling that a shift toward more engaging, value-driven content would make a great idea.

Best time to post by engagement

Timing is everything when it comes to social media. 

While Facebook Insights can tell me how my content is doing, external analytics tools show me the best times to post to maximize engagement. 

These tools analyze historical data and engagement patterns to pinpoint the specific times and days your audience is most active. 

Now that you know that, you can schedule your posts for those peak times and ensure your content grabs people’s attention.

For competitive benchmarking

While Facebook gives you great insights into your own content performance, it’s tough to estimate how you’re doing relative to your competitors. 

External Facebook analytics tools provide competitive benchmarking, tracking your competitors' performance and content strategies side by side with yours.

For instance, you can see exactly how brands like Tripadvisor, Trip, and Kayak compare in terms of social media KPIs such as reach, engagement, and content output. 

The Facebook competitive analysis I ran below is a perfect example of how you can spot strengths and weaknesses in your approach when compared to industry leaders.

By leveraging external analytics, you’ll not only get the big picture but can use competitive insights to refine your approach.

And here's a piece of advice Kassandra Quinn, social media strategist, had for me, and I feel like sharing with you:

Competitive data is helpful but it’s not the whole story. I like to know what others in the space are doing, especially if we’re benchmarking. It can give you insight into trends, tone, and how other brands are positioning themselves.

That said, I treat it as context, not the blueprint. Just because a competitor is posting five times a week or using a certain format doesn’t mean it’s right for your brand.

Final thoughts

Well, we can now surely say that cracking the Facebook code isn’t a game of chance, but smart strategy. 

By understanding what type of content performs best on Facebook—from authentic posts to engaging formats—you can elevate your content from “meh” to unmissable.

With the right tools and insights, you’ll learn how to use Facebook effectively and fine-tune your content for max impact to keep your audience coming back for more.

FAQs on Facebook best practices

What are some examples of brands integrating Facebook best practices in their strategies?

B2B

SurveyMonkey uses Facebook to promote its survey and data collection tools, with a focus on educational content as the main pillar. This strategy targets businesses in need of customer feedback and market research solutions.

eCommerce

ASOS employs Facebook's advertising tools to showcase their products, targeting specific demographics with tailored ads. They use carousel and Reels ads to display multiple products and retarget users who have interacted with their content.

Local businesses

Joe Coffee Company uses Facebook to build community engagement by sharing local events, promotions, and behind-the-scenes content. They encourage user-generated content and respond promptly to customer inquiries.

How to use organic post performance to inform your ad strategy?

Use high-performing organic posts as a benchmark for ads. Analyze engagement to identify what resonates with your audience. Then, target those demographics in your ads. A/B test content and optimize your ad schedule based on peak organic post times to maximize effectiveness.

Want to see what your overall Instagram marketing performance looks like? Or take a sneak peek at your competitor’s content metrics?

Instagram analytics tools do all of this and more.

From tracking content reach and engagement trends to uncovering audience insights you can actually act on, these tools help turn data into actionable Instagram marketing strategies.

But here’s the catch: there are a lot of them out there, and not all are worth the hype.

So, I tested over 15 Instagram analytics tools, dug through their features (and their flaws), and read way too many reviews so you don’t have to.

Here’s my shortlist and what I liked about each tool, along with their pros, cons, and pricing.

Why use an Instagram analytics tool?

I get it. Why invest in a tool when native analytics give you so many insights? For a long time, I thought the same. But after actually using one, I realized the depth of analytics they have.

Here are four key reasons I recommend having a social media analytics tool in your tech stack.

• Prove Instagram ROI: Was there a surge in online store visitors because of a campaign you ran on Instagram? Or did you get a lot of followers recently, and it impacted brand awareness? These tools help you prove to your management why investment in Instagram is crucial.
• Get deeper metrics: Modern analytics tools go far beyond engagement rates and follower counts. They let you dive into historical data, identify long-term trends, and compare growth over time.
• Analyze competitors: Look where you stand against the competition by seeing their engagement metrics, follower growth, content pillar mix, and even individual post and campaign metrics.
• Improvise content strategy: These tools help you study your content mix, content pillars, and campaign performance. You can find common trends and elements and keep optimizing your Instagram content.

How to select the best Instagram analytics tool

Before diving in, ask yourself: “What’s my main goal for using an Instagram analytics tool?”

Your answer will shape your choice. Because every tool on this list shines in different areas. 

The right one for you depends on what you actually need: tracking performance, benchmarking competitors, or proving ROI.

How I selected and tested tools on this list

While I tested the tools, I also read through reviews of customers who have been using the tool since a long time. Here’s the criteria I considered:

• Essential features checklist: I have considered only the tools that have all the essential metrics and functionalities, such as engagement rate, growth comparison, and data in a visual context.
• Availability of historical data: Growth means nothing without context. Access to historical performance data helps you track long-term trends, spot seasonal shifts, and prove the impact of social media strategy changes over time.
• Ease of use and reporting: I specifically looked for tools with clean dashboards, customizable widgets, and automated reporting to turn hours of manual work into a few clicks.
• Integration ecosystem: Instagram doesn’t operate in isolation. The best tools connect seamlessly with other social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok and tools like Google Analytics.
• Pricing vs. value:  Some tools bill per connected profile, others offer bundled or unlimited plans. The sweet spot is a setup that scales with your brand without eating into your budget.
• User reviews: Tools that consistently earn high marks for data accuracy, customer support, and reporting flexibility scored higher in this evaluation.

Top 10 Instagram analytics tools

I will discuss each tool in detail. But first, take a glance at what each tool is best for and its key features.

1. Socialinsider — best for content analysis and competitive benchmarking

If you’re looking for deep metrics or an easy way to analyze your content, Socialinsider is your go-to Instagram analytics tool.

When you add your profile to the platform, you can see a dashboard with all your key metrics. The best part? You can customize it. This helps get an overall picture of your Instagram performance without going through all the data.

You can run through data like engagement rate by followers and reach, follower growth rate, reach, views, number of posts, best time to post by engagement, and number of comments and shares.

What I like is that for any metric, I can see the evolution over time. For example, I can see how reach has changed over time. I can also click on the upturns and downfalls to see which content led to them.

Unlike native analytics, Socialinsider also takes historical data of up to 3-4 years (based on the subscription plan) into consideration, so you can compare data over a longer period of time.

Let’s look at the other key Instagram analytics features.

Key features:

• Reels analytics: You can look at your overall Reel performance for a specific period by tracking metrics like Reel engagement, Reel interactions, and Reel reach.

• Stories analytics: For own accounts, you can get analytics for Stories like retention rates, reach, exit rates and tap forward rate by story type. 
• In-depth Instagram analytics metrics: Get all key metrics like reach, views, engagement, content formats performance, campaign performance, etc.

• Cross-channel platform analytics: Analyze your social media strategy as a whole and see where Instagram stands among all the platforms.

• Key insights summary: Get an AI-generated analysis of your performance for a specific period along with recommendations on what to improve.

• Content pillar analysis: Which pillars are performing the best on Instagram? How much percentage of total engagement are you getting from a specific pillar? 

You can even manually tag content to create your own pillars. For example, creating a campaign-specific pillar, like ‘Christmas promotions’.

• Sorting and filtering: Filter content by media type to look at each format’s performance and optimize your strategy.

• Top and bottom performing content: For a specific period, see which posts worked the best and which tanked. Analyze what you can do more of and what you can improvise.

• Competitor benchmarking: Track how you perform against competitors on various metrics like engagement, posting cadence, follower growth, etc.

• Industry comparison: See how you compare against the overall industry. You can select the country and follower number for competitor accounts you want to compare with.

• Autoreporting: Schedule autoreports that you can get daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly to present to clients or top management.

Most suited for: Marketing Managers and Heads of Social (whether new to their roles or leading established teams) who want to gain clarity, cut manual work, and access accurate, reliable social data.

Pricing: Socialinsider offers a free trial of 14 days and the monthly plans start from $99.

What users say: “I have tried a lot of tools, Socialinsider, for me is the best mix of benchmarking, clear dashboards and reporting. It has everything I need to show the value of the work we are doing to increase engagement with our brand, inform our strategy and provide valuable insight for our business.”

2. Sprout Social — best for Instagram analytics with strong team collaboration

Do you use two tools to manage just your social media tasks? Sprout Social clubs both with some powerful collaboration features. 

I can track everything from follower growth and engagement rates to hashtag performance and content reach, all in one clean, customizable dashboard. I even found the reports to be quite visual and easy to digest, which makes sharing insights with the team effortless.

What really stood out for me, though, were the collaboration features in this Instagram monitoring tool. I can assign messages, leave internal notes, and tag teammates directly within the inbox without the Slack back-and-forth for every comment or DM. 

Plus, the Smart Inbox keeps all your Instagram interactions in one place, so nothing falls through the cracks.

Key features:

• Social listening: This helps you understand how audiences really feel about your brand, competitors, or industry trends. You can track sentiment shifts, discover emerging themes, and identify the conversations that matter most.
• Analyze organic and paid metrics together: Sprout combines organic performance data with paid campaign insights, giving you a complete view of what’s driving reach, engagement, and ROI.
• Hashtag tracking and performance: Measure how your branded and campaign hashtags perform over time. Identify which tags boost visibility and engagement, and uncover trending hashtags you can tap into.
• Team activity reports: For larger teams, you can see who’s responding to what, track productivity, and review message history to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

Most suited for: Brands and agencies with multi-person social media teams and can afford a higher price.

Pricing: Offers a free trial for 30 days and their paid plans start from $199 per month.

What users say: “I like social listening insights, in-depth reporting, scheduling and calendar features (such as identifying hot and top-performing posts with standout engagement), and how easy it is to monitor daily mentions and DM's all in one place. Overall, a powerful tool and worthy investment especially for businesses with multiple social profiles or brands to manage, and for brands that post a high volume of content.”

3. Buffer — best for easy-to-understand Instagram performance insights

When I tested Buffer, my first thought was, “This is such a simple and intuitive tool.”

The analytics dashboard gives you the basics like reach, impressions, engagement rate, and follower growth, along with deeper insights into audience demographics and top-performing posts.

I especially like how the Instagram profile analyzer tracks Stories and Reels performance (though the metrics there are a bit limited due to Instagram’s API). 

You can also compare results across time periods, spot Instagram trends, and even generate clean, customizable reports. This is especially useful if you handle clients or brand collaborations. 

Beyond analytics, Buffer lets you plan posts, store content ideas, and even use AI to tweak captions, which makes it an all-in-one workspace.

Key features:

• Posting schedule optimization: Buffer analytics show you what to post and when to post so your content reaches the target audience when they’re most active.
• Posts tab/post metrics: Shows impressions, reach, engagement (likes, comments, saves), and gives you comparative changes over time. It also breaks out boosted vs organic posts if you run ads.
• Reporting and analytics: Track key performance metrics like reach, clicks, and engagement, and generate clear, visual reports that make it easy to measure progress or share results with your team or clients.
• Audience demographics: Get to know your followers better through insights on location, gender, and activity patterns.
• Approval workflows: Buffer streamlines collaboration with content approval flows, so teams can review, edit, and approve posts before publishing.

Most suited for: Small businesses that need a simple tool without a lot of in-depth analytics

Pricing: They offer a free plan and a free trial for 14 days. Their paid plan starts from $5 per month for 1 channel.

What users say: “I love that it has a clean, intuitive interface that’s easy to pick up even for beginners, which is great for me, who is a one-man team and it saves time for me to figure out the UI.”

4. Keyhole — best for in-depth campaign and trend analysis on Instagram

Do you want to see what your audience is talking about? What trends are they following? Keyhole is a great tool both for trend and data analytics.

What sets it apart from other Instagram tools is the depth of its data. For example, if I want to analyze how a trend has been performing, I can see up to a decade of its performance. This is incredible for spotting long-term trends or benchmarking campaign performance over time. 

I used the Instagram data analytics to track engagement, identify top-performing posts, and monitor how my content stacks up against competitors. 

One of my favorite features is that Keyhole even suggests the optimal post length based on what’s worked best for my audience. It's a small detail, but it's surprisingly effective. 

The dashboard also highlights trending conversations and hashtags in my niche, which makes it easier to jump on relevant topics early.

Key features:

• Posting schedule and frequency optimization: Keyhole helps you find the best times and posting frequency to reach your audience when they’re most active and engaged.
• Influencer and competitive analytics: Track influencer performance and compare your brand against competitors to see who’s driving the most engagement and reach.
• White-label reporting: Create clean, branded reports with your own logo and layout.
• Spot trends: Identify trending topics, hashtags, and content themes early so you can join conversations before they peak.
• Analyze audience patterns and sentiment: Understand how your audience feels and interacts with your content through detailed sentiment and behavior analysis.

Most suited for: Brands and agencies that run a lot of campaigns and cover trending topics.

Pricing: No details about the free trial and pricing are available on the website. Contact them for more details.

What users say: “I've been using Keyhole almost since the beginning and what I love best is the flexibility in the data that can be tracked and captured. It has made evaluating ROI of different campaigns and tactics much easier.”

5. Social Status — best for paid ads and influencer campaign analysis on Instagram

When I first tried Social Status, I wasn’t expecting much beyond the usual follower counts and engagement charts. But this Instagram analytics tool? It offers a lot of data on different fronts. I love how the analytics are categorized into four panes: profile, ads, competitor, and influencer.

Social Status is one of the few platforms that digs deep into both paid ads and influencer campaigns, giving you the ability to compare organic vs paid performance.

I used it to track ad performance across campaigns, from impressions and reach to cost-per-click and ROI, and to see how my influencer partnerships actually move the needle. The Influencer Analytics dashboard shows which creators drive the most engagement, how their content performs over time, and what kind of posts generate the best results. 

Key features:

• Report Instagram ad performance in real time: Track how your Instagram ads are performing instantly, with live updates on metrics like reach, clicks, and conversions.
• Support for all ad campaign objectives: Whether your goal is awareness, engagement, traffic, or conversions, Social Status gives detailed analytics for every ad objective.
• Ads feed: View all your running ads in one place with a visual ‘Ads feed,’ making it easy to compare creatives and spot top performers.
• Quantify influencer performance: Measure how much impact each influencer delivers through Instagram metrics like engagement rate, reach, and audience interactions.
• Aggregate posts and stories from influencers: Collect all influencer content in one dashboard for easy performance tracking and reporting.
• See follower demographics: Get a clear picture of who your audience is, including their age, gender, and location

Most suited for: Agencies and brands running a lot of paid ads and influencer-heavy campaigns.

Pricing: Free plans available. Their small business paid plans start from $9 per month and their professional plans start from $99 per month.

What users say: “It is a very flexible tool because it works as a one-stop solution to cover different areas (social, influencer, competitors, ads) paying only for the profiles you need to analyse. The interface is intuitive and the way the data is presented is very visual and attractive.”

6. Brandwatch — best for deep consumer insights and sentiment analysis for Instagram

When I registered for the free trial of Brandwatch, I had just one thing in mind — Let me look at its Instagram account analysis features. 

I started by exploring metrics like follower growth, likes, reactions, video plays, and link clicks. But it didn’t take long to realize that these analytics aren’t where Brandwatch truly shines. Its real power lies in Iris AI, the platform’s built-in intelligence engine.

Using Iris Conversation Insights, I can click into any spike and immediately see the themes, sentiment swings, or unexpected events driving that noise. 

And when I want to understand how my posts are resonating, Iris Post Analysis goes deeper than basic engagement. It breaks down Instagram post analytics like the tone of comments, common discussion topics, and overall sentiment, giving me a clearer picture of my audience’s feelings and reactions.

Key features:

• Emotion detection: Brandwatch’s AI can identify emotions behind social media mentions, from joy and trust to anger or sadness, helping you understand not just what people say, but how they feel about your brand.
• NLP-based topic and entity detection: Using advanced natural language processing (NLP), the tool automatically detects key topics, hashtags, brands, and people mentioned in conversations.
• Custom audience paneling: Build detailed audience segments based on demographics, interests, or behaviors to understand how different groups respond to your campaigns or content.
• Conversation insights: Dive into spikes in online chatter to uncover what’s driving them, whether it’s a trending topic, viral post, or a sudden shift in sentiment.

Most suited for: Large enterprises and brands with large budgets looking for in-depth analytics.

Pricing: Prices not available on the website. Contact the team for exact pricing details.

What users say: “What I like best is the wide coverage of online conversations and the ability to filter data by sentiment, demographics, and channels. It gives a clear overview of brand perception, though the interface can take time to master.”

7. CreatorIQ — best for influencer marketing attribution and ROI measurement on Instagram

Tired of guessing which influencers are actually driving results? Use CreatorIQ to track ROI on Instagram campaigns. 

I love that I can dig into historical performance data to forecast how creators are likely to perform before a campaign even starts, and once it’s live, CreatorIQ calculates the Social Media Value (SMV), basically assigning a dollar amount to every like, comment, or share. It’s the kind of data that makes budget talks a lot easier.

I also love the side-by-side comparison tools for campaigns and creators; it’s like having a scoreboard for your influencer strategy. Plus, industry benchmarks make it clear which partnerships are worth doubling down on. 

The cherry on top? I can track e-commerce conversions from unique coupon codes and affiliate links to see exactly who’s driving sales, not just hype.

Key features:

• Brand monitoring: Keep track of how your brand is represented across influencer content, ensuring partnerships stay aligned with your brand voice and values.
• Analyze community trends: Spot emerging themes, conversations, and engagement shifts within your influencer community.
• Determine strongest-performing channel for influencers: Identify which platforms deliver the best results for each creator, whether it’s Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.
• Vet creators: Evaluate influencer authenticity through audience quality, engagement rates, and content relevance before collaborating.
• Influencer comparison: Compare creators side by side using key metrics like reach, engagement, and ROI to decide who brings the most value to your campaigns.

Most suited for: Enterprises and agencies managing multiple influencer or creator campaigns.

Pricing: Pricing not available on the website. Leave a request on their website to know more.

What users say: “Creator IQ is my go-to source for reviewing creator insights. There is a plethora of information from demographics to performance data. I also really like the reporting element of CreatorIQ and the way that your performance data aggregates into a comprehensive report that can be tailored to suit your needs and can be easily shared with clients.”

8. Squarelovin — best for UGC analytics measurement on Instagram

Do you run a lot of UGC campaigns? Or do you want to start focusing on UGC to complement your promotional content? Squarelovin makes managing and measuring UGC on Instagram feel almost too easy. 

I can track which customer posts drive the most engagement, conversions, or reach, and finally see the ROI behind all that organic love. 

What I really like is how Squarelovin breaks down performance by content type, hashtag, and creator, so I can spot trends in what my audience actually responds to. 

It even helps identify my most valuable community members: the ones whose posts consistently outperform branded content. Instead of guessing which UGC is worth reposting or boosting, I can back every decision with data.

Key features:

• UGC collection: Squarelovin lets you easily gather user-generated content (UGC) from Instagram and other platforms, helping you showcase authentic customer stories.
• Curation: Organize and curate your collected UGC into galleries, lookbooks, or shoppable feeds that fit your brand aesthetic.
• Track conversions from UGC: Measure how UGC drives action, from clicks to purchases, so you can prove its direct impact on sales and engagement.
• UGC engagement analytics: Analyze how audiences interact with UGC posts through social media metrics like reach, likes, and comments to identify which types of content perform best.

Most suited for: Brands that focus on a lot of UGC and need a community analytics tool.

Pricing: Pricing details not available for public. Get in touch with the team to know more.

9. Analisa.io — best for AI-powered hashtag and content insights

Want to know which hashtags actually worked and which ones were just digital clutter? Analisa.io is the tool for you. 

The tool breaks down hashtag performance with laser precision, showing reach, engagement, and the kind of content that thrives under each tag. I love how its AI insights go beyond surface stats. It spots posting patterns, audience behavior, and even predicts what type of content is likely to perform next. 

I even tried their competitor and influencer analysis features. It helped me see which hashtags or post formats are fueling their growth. 

Key features:

• Hashtag usage trends: Track which hashtags are performing best and discover trending tags to boost reach and engagement on your Instagram posts.
• Posting time optimization: Find out when your audience is most active so you can post at the perfect times for maximum visibility.
• Caption analysis: Analyze what types of captions drive the most engagement, from tone and length to the use of emojis, mentions, and calls-to-action.
• Historical trend tracking: Review past performance data to identify long-term growth patterns, campaign effectiveness, and audience behavior shifts over time.

Most suited for: Solopreneurs and small brands that need a freemium tool for niche and basic analytics.

Pricing: Depending on the tools/feature, they have various freemium options.

What users say: “It was interactive-friendly and simple to use. Since Instagram has a multitude of hashtags, narrowing down on what I need to find was easy. I liked how Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) bot made the searches in real-time. Therefore, making outreach to real people a lot simpler. Also, I liked the color coding ranging from less to more significant for the hashtags.”

10. Quintly — best for customizable Instagram analytics dashboards

Getting great dashboards in your analytics tool is one thing. But most of us require the ability to customize it to fit our needs, and that’s where Quintly shines. 

With Quintly, I can build my own dashboards from scratch, picking exactly which Instagram metrics to track, from engagement rate and follower growth to story interactions and reel performance.

I can choose from over 350 metrics and even create new ones from scratch to effectively measure the KPIs that fit my goals.

The level of customization is wild; I can mix organic and paid metrics, compare profiles side by side, and even automate reports for clients or campaigns. What I love most is how visual it is — charts, KPIs, and widgets all tailored to my goals.

Key features:

• Customize metrics and dashboard: Choose from a massive library of over 350 metrics to build dashboards that match your exact reporting goals and KPIs.
• Fast analysis feature: Quickly process and visualize large data sets to spot performance trends and insights without long loading times.
• Competitive benchmarking: Compare your social media performance against competitors or industry averages to see where your brand stands.
• Analyze Instagram Stories: Track detailed metrics for Stories, including reach, impressions, and completion rates, to understand which formats drive the most engagement.

Most suited for: Agencies that require powerful customization capabilities for their clients.

Pricing: Pricing available on request.

What users say: “Our agency has been using Quintly for over five years now. The various analysis options and the customizability of the dashboards are a great help in our daily work.”

Final Thoughts

That’s my roundup of the best Instagram analytics tools on the market right now.

To pick the right tool, shortlist your core feature requirements.

If you’re after deep content insights and competitive benchmarking, Socialinsider will be your strongest ally. Need a lightweight, budget-friendly option? Buffer or Analisa.io might fit the bill.

But here’s the truth: no review, feature list, or comparison beats hands-on experience. The best way to know what works for your team is to try it out. Most of these tools offer free trials, so take them for a spin, explore the dashboards, and see which one truly fits your workflow.

And if you’re leaning toward Socialinsider, grab the free trial and see for yourself how it transforms your Instagram reporting into clear, actionable insights.

FAQs about Instagram analytics tools

How to get Instagram data analytics?

You can either use Instagram’s built-in Insights (available to professional accounts) or connect your profile to a third-party analytics tool like Socialinsider or Later for more detailed metrics and longer data history.

What is Instagram’s built-in analytics tool?

It’s called Instagram Insights. Available for Business and Creator accounts, it shows metrics like reach, impressions, profile visits, top-performing posts, Stories analytics, and audience demographics.

Does Instagram have free analytics?

Yes, Instagram Insights is completely free for business and creator accounts. Just tap “Insights” from your profile to access it. Third-party tools often offer free trials or limited plans if you need more advanced features.

You’ve seen the hype around using AI prompts for social media. So you open an AI tool and type in ‘’Make me a 30-day content calendar for Instagram for my SaaS business.

The results? 

Vague, unfocused and far from your social media marketing goals. 

Frustrated, you close ChatGPT and decide that AI is just not for you.

You’re not alone.  Many people find AI misses the mark, while others use it proficiently to automate all their social media tasks. The difference isn’t the tool, it’s the AI prompts they use.

The better your AI prompt, the better your result.

Through this article, I'll cover what makes an effective AI prompt, where to use them in social media, and actionable prompts to get you started.

How to use AI prompts for effective social media management?

An AI prompt is a question or an instruction you give to an AI tool to get it to do a specific task. The key: context and details matter. The more specific you are, the better results AI will generate. 

The real value comes from feeding AI quality input.

As Malena Roche, senior strategy and insights consultant, aptly says, :

The output's gonna be as good as the input. Whatever you feed it is gonna be key in what you get back.

Now, let me show you how to actually use AI for social media.

Batch your content 

Instead of asking your AI tool ‘what to post today’ (panic mode), I use it to map out a week or a month’s worth of content in one go. 

My advice? Include multiple post types: educational carousels, behind-the-scenes content, conversation starters, and promotional posts.

Maintain a consistent brand voice across all platforms

Your content needs to work across different social media platforms - but different platforms require different approaches. LinkedIn rewards professional insights, Twitter is all about snappy content, and Instagram is a visual storytelling haven. 

The challenge is to adapt your voice to each platform without sounding inconsistent or losing your brand identity. 

AI streamlines this process and creates platform-specific content in your brand voice. 

And then watch it mimic your tone, optimise content for each social platform, and send you posts that sound exactly like you.

Create a fool-proof engagement strategy

Managing content requires you to respond to feedback, complaints, repeat questions, and positive comments. 

Here's what I do. Instead of responding to each comment individually (which sometimes gets quite tedious), I use AI to build response frameworks. 

I start by feeding AI some of the frequent comments I get on my posts and ask it to give me different ways I can reply to them. Then I just use these templates for consistent, faster responses. 

Analyse your performance data

Most content creators post, check likes and engagement, and move on. But take it from me, smart marketers analyse each post to identify patterns and improve results. 

This is where AI excels. 

Here's how I approach this. I feed an AI tool all of my data - which posts got high engagement, which flopped, which drove clicks, which generated shares - and ask it to conduct a content audit.

Then I start questioning and analyzing.

What topics got the best engagement, and which ones flopped? What type of content drew the most eyeballs from your audience? What kind of captions worked best? Which posting times got maximum engagement?

Social media AI prompts categories that can help you streamline your workflow

According to a 2024 survey, 38% of marketing professionals report that increased efficiency is the top benefit of using AI for social media. The key to unlocking this efficiency is knowing which social media prompts to use for specific tasks. 

Below, you'll see the 4 main AI prompts categories I use for building a smarter social media management workflow.

AI prompts for social media content creation

I use AI to simplify the entire content pipeline - from single captions and video scripts to multi-slide carousels and complete post concepts. This way, I get optimised social media content in minutes instead of hours.

Here's what Remy Reibovic, fractional social media director, told our CMO, Adina Jipa, in a webinar they hosted together:

We're using AI to cut down on editing times. Editing a reel, for example, used to take maybe 4-5 hours if it was something really high-end. Now, it takes maybe an hour.

AI prompts for social media strategy & planning

AI prompts transform social media from ‘what do I post today?’ to ‘what’s my social media content strategy for the month?’

I use social media prompts on AI tools to build content calendars, plan synchronised social media campaigns across different platforms, identify content gaps in your current strategy, and develop audience engagement plans.  

AI prompts for social media analytics & performance

AI social media prompts analyze your past performance data and determine what’s working and what isn’t. 

Another way I use it is to identify top-performing topics, captions, content types, and posting times across platforms.

In the same webinar, Gemma Persello, senior social media strategist, said:

A simple example of how I integrate AI, that I pretty much use every day is a quick sort of calculation on ChatGPT of the percentage change between metrics.

AI prompts for competitive analysis

Lastly, but not least, I rely on AI social media prompts to analyze what my competitors are doing, what’s working for them, their social media content gaps, and where I can differentiate. 

For me, this is an excellent way to find opportunities to outperform competitors.

And here's what Malene Roche, senior strategist & consultant is most excited about when it comes to AI in social media:

Predictive insights excite me the most. Just imagine AI spotting a trend before it hits its peak.

AI Prompt ideas for social media content creation

Let's start with the foundation: creating engaging content for each major platform. These prompts help you generate platform-specific content that resonates with your audience.

AI prompts for Instagram captions and posts

Instagram thrives on visual storytelling paired with compelling captions. Use these prompts to create content that drives engagement:

For product posts:

• "Write 5 Instagram captions for [product name] that highlight [key benefit]. Include a call-to-action and 2-3 relevant emojis. Target audience: [describe audience]."
• "Create a carousel post script (10 slides) explaining [topic/process]. Make each slide concise with a hook on slide 1 and CTA on slide 10."
• "Generate an Instagram caption that tells the story behind [product/service] in 150 words or less. Use a conversational tone and include a question to encourage comments."

For engagement-focused content:

• "Write 10 'This or That' Instagram Story prompts related to [industry/niche] that encourage audience interaction."
• "Create an Instagram caption for a user-generated content repost that thanks the creator, highlights why we love it, and encourages others to share. Include relevant hashtags."
• "Generate 5 educational carousel topics for [industry] that provide value and position us as thought leaders. Format as catchy titles."

For brand storytelling:

• "Write an Instagram caption sharing our brand's origin story in a way that emotionally connects with [target audience]. Include a vulnerability or challenge we overcame."
• "Create a behind-the-scenes post caption (150-200 words) showing our team/process. Make it authentic and relatable."

AI Prompts for LinkedIn professional content

LinkedIn requires a different approach—more professional, insight-driven, and thought-leadership oriented:

For thought leadership:

• "Write a LinkedIn post (1,300 characters) sharing a contrarian opinion about [industry trend]. Start with a hook, provide 3 supporting points, and end with a discussion question."
• "Create a LinkedIn article outline (5 sections) on [topic] that positions me as an expert. Include data points where statistics would strengthen the argument."
• "Generate a personal story post for LinkedIn about [professional challenge/lesson]. Make it vulnerable yet professional, around 200 words."

For company updates:

• "Write a LinkedIn announcement post for [company milestone/product launch]. Lead with the benefit to customers, include social proof if available, and add a compelling CTA."
• "Create 5 different angles to announce [news] on LinkedIn, each targeting a different audience segment: customers, industry peers, potential hires, investors, and partners."

For engagement content:

• "Generate 10 industry-specific poll questions for LinkedIn that spark debate and encourage comments."
• "Write a LinkedIn post analyzing [recent industry news/trend]. Provide a unique perspective in 150 words, then pose a question to the audience."

AI Prompts for TikTok Video Scripts

TikTok demands quick hooks and entertaining delivery. These prompts help structure short-form video content:

For educational content:

• "Write a 60-second TikTok script explaining [concept] to [target audience]. Start with a pattern interrupt hook, present 3 quick tips, and end with a CTA to follow for more."
• "Create a 'Did you know?' TikTok script about [surprising fact in your industry]. Make it conversational and include text overlay suggestions."
• "Generate a TikTok tutorial script showing how to [task/process] in 5 easy steps. Keep each step under 10 seconds of explanation."

For trending content:

• "Write a TikTok script adapting [trending audio/meme] to [your industry/product]. Make it funny and relatable while staying on-brand."
• "Create 5 TikTok video ideas using [current trend] to showcase [product/service benefits]. Include hook, body, and CTA for each."

For behind-the-scenes:

• "Write a TikTok script for 'A day in the life of [job title]' at our company. Make it entertaining with unexpected moments. 45-60 seconds."
• "Generate a TikTok script revealing [surprising fact about your business/industry]. Start with 'POV:' or 'Nobody talks about...' hook."

AI Prompts for Facebook engagement

Facebook favors meaningful conversations and community building:

For community building:

• "Write a Facebook post that asks our community to share their [experience/story related to your niche]. Make it personal and include why we're asking."
• "Create a Facebook poll about [topic] with 4 answer options that will generate discussion in comments. Include context in the post text."
• "Generate a 'Fill in the blank' Facebook post related to [topic] that encourages easy participation. Example: 'My favorite thing about [topic] is ______.'"

For value-driven content:

• "Write a Facebook post sharing 5 quick tips about [topic]. Format for easy scanning with emojis or numbers. Include why these tips matter."
• "Create a Facebook post promoting [blog article/resource] that highlights the 3 key takeaways readers will get. Make the value crystal clear."

For promotional content:

• "Write a soft-sell Facebook post for [product/service] that leads with a customer pain point, shares a brief customer success story, and includes a low-pressure CTA."
• "Generate a Facebook event announcement post that creates FOMO while providing clear details: what, when, where, why attend, and how to register."

AI Prompts for Twitter/X Threads

Twitter threads allow for deeper storytelling while maintaining the platform's concise nature:

For educational threads:

• "Create a 10-tweet thread explaining [complex topic] in simple terms. Tweet 1 should be a hook, tweets 2-9 should each cover one key point, and tweet 10 should summarize with a CTA."
• "Write a Twitter thread breaking down [case study/example]. Include specific numbers, what worked, what didn't, and key lessons. 7-8 tweets."
• "Generate a 'Myth vs Reality' Twitter thread about [industry topic]. Cover 5 common myths. Format: Myth: / Reality: / Why it matters:"

For engagement threads:

• "Create a 'Unpopular opinion' Twitter thread about [industry topic]. Start with a contrarian take, provide 3-4 supporting arguments, and end with an invitation to disagree respectfully."
• "Write a Twitter thread asking for community input: 'What's your best advice for [situation]?' Frame why you're asking and what you'll do with the responses. 3-4 tweets."

For storytelling threads:

• "Write a Twitter thread sharing the story of [milestone/failure/lesson learned]. Make it narrative-driven with a clear beginning, middle, and end. 8-10 tweets."
• "Create a 'How it started vs How it's going' Twitter thread about [journey/project]. Use specific details and numbers. 5-6 tweets."

AI Prompts for social media planning

Beyond individual posts, AI can help you develop comprehensive social media strategies and long-term content planning.

Content calendar planning prompts

Monthly planning:

• "Create a 30-day content calendar for [platform] targeting [audience]. Include content themes for each week, suggested post types, and strategic objectives. Industry: [your industry]."
• "Generate a content calendar for [upcoming month] that balances promotional (20%), educational (50%), and engagement (30%) content for [platform]. Format as a table with dates, content type, topic, and objective."
• "Plan a product launch content campaign spanning 3 weeks pre-launch, launch day, and 2 weeks post-launch across Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Include content themes, post frequency, and key messages for each phase."

Seasonal planning:

• "Create a Q4 social media content strategy for [business type] that incorporates relevant holidays and seasonal trends. Suggest content themes, campaign ideas, and key dates to leverage."
• "Generate a content calendar for [industry awareness month/holiday] with daily post ideas across 3 platforms. Include how each post connects to the theme while promoting our [product/service]."

Campaign planning:

• "Develop a 2-week social media campaign to promote [specific goal: lead generation/brand awareness/product launch]. Include campaign theme, daily post topics, platform strategy, and content mix. Target audience: [describe]."
• "Create a content series outline (8 posts) that educates our audience about [topic] while naturally leading to our [solution]. Map out the narrative arc from problem awareness to solution consideration."

Audience persona development prompts

Understanding your audience is crucial for effective content. Use AI to develop and refine personas:

Persona creation:

• "Create 3 detailed audience personas for a [business type] targeting [general audience description]. For each persona, include: demographics, psychographics, pain points, social media behavior, content preferences, and objections to overcome."
• "Develop a buyer persona for [product/service] including their typical day, social media habits, content consumption patterns, and emotional triggers. Name the persona and describe what success looks like for them."

Content tailoring:

• "I have three audience segments: [describe segments]. Generate content topic ideas for each that address their unique pain points and goals. Suggest which platform works best for reaching each segment."
• "Based on this persona: [paste persona details], create 10 content ideas that would resonate with their specific challenges and aspirations. Vary the content formats and emotional appeals."

Campaign ideation and theme generation

Campaign concepts:

• "Brainstorm 10 creative campaign concepts for [business goal] that would work well on [platform]. For each, provide: campaign name, core concept, content types needed, and estimated engagement potential."
• "Generate a user-generated content campaign idea for [brand] that encourages audience participation, is easy to enter, and naturally showcases our [product/service]. Include campaign hashtag suggestions and participation mechanics."

Content series ideas:

• "Create 5 recurring content series ideas for [platform] that we could run weekly or monthly. For each series, explain the format, value to audience, and how it supports our marketing objectives."
• "Develop a content series that positions us as industry experts on [topic]. Outline 10 episodes, each building on the previous one, creating a comprehensive educational journey."

Trend integration:

• "Analyze current social media trends in [industry] and suggest 5 ways we could authentically participate while staying true to our brand values. Include specific campaign ideas and execution tips."
• "Generate ideas for how [brand] could leverage [specific trend] across different platforms. Provide 3 variations: safe/on-brand, moderately bold, and highly creative."

AI prompts for social media analytics & performance

How to create analytics-driven prompts?

Start by structuring every prompt with:

• Goal: Specify the key performance indicators (KPIs) you’re optimising for. Don’t say ‘increase engagement’, mention the exact metric that matters to you. 

For example, engagement rates (comments/shares), email signups, demo requests, website visits, video competition rate.

• Reference context: Provide audience insight (who they are, what they care about), your content pillars (3 to 5 main content themes), and platform dynamics.
• Audience: Define your audience persona with concrete details: like pain points, job titles, age range, and what solutions they’re looking for. 

For example, ‘Marketing directors at mid-market SaaS companies, 35-45 years old, overwhelmed by fragmented tools, looking to consolidate platforms.’

• Platform: Every social media platform has different character limits, formats, and algorithms, so explicitly state which platform you’re targeting. 
• Data context: Provide your actual engagement metrics from the last 30-90 days, content formats that your audience enjoy the most, most effective content pillars, benchmark deltas, and your competitive wins. 
• Constraints: Outline what AI can or cannot do. 

For example, what type of tone to use (formal, casual, corporate speak, etc), cannot mention competitor names, must comply with industry regulations, etc. 

• Voice, tone, and “never do” lines: Describe exactly how you sound. 

For example, ‘We sound professional but approachable, never use jargon or corporate-speak. We don’t oversell.’

The more specific and quantifiable data you provide AI with, the better results it can generate for you.

Goal-based prompt library

Awareness (reach, impressions/views)

• “Using the last 90 days of data for [brand], summarize the post types and pillars driving the highest reach and views across [platform]. Generate 5 new post angles that mirror those drivers. Format: angle, format, hook, reason (linked to metric), and one visual idea.”
• “Identify the top impression drivers across [platform] from my last 50 posts (e.g., topic, format, duration). Write 10 scroll-stopping hooks that reflect those patterns. Keep hooks under 8 words.”
• “Choose one high-reach post from [date range]. Repurpose it into native variants for [Instagram Reels, TikTok, LinkedIn doc, X thread, Facebook post], preserving the original insight while matching each platform’s best practice and posting length.”

Engagement (ER, saves, shares, comments)

• “Our engagement rate by reach dropped from [x%] to [y%] in [month]. Diagnose likely causes using our content mix, format split, and cadence. Output: 3 hypotheses, 3 fixes per hypothesis, and 2 test posts to validate.”
• “From posts with the highest save and share counts in [date range], extract the common traits (topic patterns, structure, length, visual). Draft 3 saveable carousel outlines and 3 shareable post frameworks, with suggested CTAs.”
• “Based on audience themes in our top comment threads, generate 20 comment-bait questions (mix of open-ended, this-or-that, and hot takes), each tied to a pillar.”

Conversion (clicks, CTR, profile visits)

• “Generate 10 CTA variations tailored to [platform] for [offer/landing page], grounded in our best-performing conversion posts. Include a short vs. long caption version, UTM guidance, and a compliant disclosure line if needed.”
• “Rewrite our product features into value-first social posts for TOFU, MOFU, BOFU. Output: for each stage, 2 post concepts, 2 hooks, 1 CTA, and 1 note on expected metric.”
• “Draft link copy variations optimized for [platform] with UTM parameters. Keep it human, front-load value, and specify where the link appears (bio, first comment, card end screen).”

Platform-specific, analytics-led prompt packs

Instagram

• “Given our last 60 days of Reels vs. Stories performance, recommend format choices for [goal]. Output: 6 post briefs (format + hook + first 2 lines + suggested length + reason linked to metric).”
• “Analyze top-performing content pillars on Instagram (last 90 days). Draft 4 carousel outlines (10 slides each) that maximize saves/shares. Include slide titles, imagery suggestions, and a mid-carousel CTA.”
• “Use our hourly engagement data to propose a best-time-to-post test plan for 2 weeks: days, times, formats, how many per day, and success criteria tied to ER by reach.”

TikTok

• “From our last 20 TikToks, extract hook patterns, completion rate, and average watch time. Create 12 ten-second hook variations designed to lift completion by 15%.”
• “Localize [trend] for our niche using competitor patterns. Output: 5 scripts, each with opening hook, 3 beat points, callout to niche insight, and CTA.”
• “Draft 3 scripts each for educational vs. entertainment content on [topic]. Include expected engagement differences, ideal length, and on-screen text plan.”

LinkedIn

• “Turn [industry stat or report insight] into 5 C-level POV posts. Include headline line, supporting claim, leadership take, and discreet CTA. Match our brand voice.”
• “Convert [long-form asset] into 2 LinkedIn carousels and 1 doc post. Provide slide-by-slide outline, data highlights, and a hook that earns click-to-open.”
• “Compare our brand voice vs. [3 competitors] using post tone, topics, cadence. Recommend 5 content gaps we can own, each with a sample post.”

Facebook

• “Create 10 conversation-starter posts aimed at boosting comments and shares in [community]. Use what worked in our top 10 FB posts in the last 90 days.”
• “Package recent UGC into 5 community posts, each with a headline, short copy, credit format, and CTA that encourages more submissions.”
• “Write 6 A/B copy tests to revive [declining format]. Include hypothesis, variant A/B, and what success looks like (comment-to-reach ratio, for example).”

X (Twitter)

• “Produce 3 data-backed thread structures on [topic], each using stats, benchmarks, or contrarian angles. Include a 1-tweet summary and a call to action.”
• “Translate competitor wins into contrarian or additive commentary: 10 tweet ideas that add unique value without attacking.”
• “Plan a 4-part thread series with cadence aligned to our optimal posting windows. Include working titles and metrics to watch per thread.”

YouTube

• “Draft 10 title options and 5 thumbnail text candidates for [video topic], leaning on our best CTR patterns. Provide a reason for each choice.”
• “Write an intro that improves retention in the first 30 seconds. Include the problem set-up, promise, credibility cues, and a line that tees up chapters.”
• “Repurpose [long-form video] into 6 Shorts with strong hooks, punchy edits, and a branded end card line.”

Strategic social media AI prompts

Competitor benchmarking and market research prompts

• “Summarize [3–5 competitors’] posting frequency, format mix, and best times to post over the last 60 days. Recommend 4 cadence shifts for us and why.”
• “Extract best-performing content pillars and post patterns from [competitors]. Output a ranked list of themes, hook styles, length, and expected engagement.”
• “Run a content gap analysis: what topics are underserved, what angles we can own, and 10 ‘steal-with-pride’ concepts adapted to our voice.”

Content pillar strategy prompts (from analytics to calendar)

• “Cluster our last 200 posts into content pillars and sub-themes using captions and performance. Provide top 5 pillars by ER and reach, with 3 example posts each.”
• “Generate a 30-day calendar weighted by pillar performance. Include platform, format, hook, caption angle, and target KPI per post.”
• “Produce creative briefs per pillar: audience tension, insight, story arc, visual direction, and 3 hooks. Include one example post we can model.”

Posting frequency and cadence prompts

• “Recommend per-platform frequencies based on industry benchmarks and our recent results. Include expected trade-offs (reach vs. ER) and the test plan.”
• “When ER drops or reach plateaus, adjust cadence: propose 3 variations to test, with hypotheses and guardrails (e.g., don’t spike posts on low-quality days).”
• “Design a test-and-learn schedule: days, times, formats, sample size, power metrics, and ‘call the winner’ criteria.”

A/B testing and experimentation prompts

• “Draft 6 testable hypotheses from our recent performance deltas (e.g., hook length, CTA placement, video duration, carousel slide count).”
• “Create a test matrix across hook/angle/format/CTA/length with 2 variants each. Include required sample size and target metric.”
• “Summarize test results for stakeholders in one page: what we tried, outcome, interpretation, and what we’re doing next.”

Reporting and executive summary prompts

• “Turn our monthly dashboard into a one-page narrative with context: what happened, why, what it means, what’s next. Tie to KPIs and goals.”
• “Generate a competitor highlight reel: their wins, our counter-moves, and where the market is heading next month.”
• “Write a clear priorities list for next month, each with a predicted KPI impact and accountability owner.”

AI Prompts for competitive analysis

Understanding what your competitors are doing—and what's working for them—is crucial for staying competitive. These prompts help you analyze competitor strategies using available data.

Prompts for competitor content analysis

Content strategy review:

• "I'm analyzing [competitor name]'s social media presence. They post [X times/week] with this content mix: [percentages of content types]. Their engagement averages: [metrics]. Compare this to my strategy: [your data]. What are they doing differently that I could test?"
• "Here's a breakdown of my top 3 competitors' most engaging posts from the past month: [list posts with brief descriptions and performance]. Identify patterns in what's resonating for them. What themes or formats should I experiment with?"

Content gap analysis:

• "My competitor covers these topics: [list topics]. I cover these topics: [list topics]. Identify gaps where they're getting engagement that I'm not addressing. Prioritize which topics I should add to my content calendar."
• "Analyze these competitor posts that went viral: [list posts with performance data]. What elements made them successful? How can I create similar value for my audience without copying?"

Format and style analysis:

• "Competitor A uses [describe content style] and gets [metrics]. Competitor B uses [describe style] and gets [metrics]. My style is [describe]. Should I adjust my approach, and if so, how can I maintain brand authenticity while incorporating what works?"
• "I've noticed competitors increasing video content. Here's their video vs. static post performance: [data]. Based on this and my current metrics [your data], should I shift more resources to video?"

Prompts for identifying competitor strategies

Posting strategy:

• "Competitor analysis: [Competitor 1] posts [frequency] at [times], [Competitor 2] posts [frequency] at [times]. My schedule: [your schedule]. My engagement by time: [data]. Should I adjust my posting schedule based on when competitors see success?"
• "My competitors are posting [X] times per day. I post [Y] times. Based on platform best practices and their performance [metrics if available], what's the optimal posting frequency for [platform] in [industry]?"

Audience engagement tactics:

• "I've observed my competitor consistently uses these engagement tactics: [list tactics like polls, questions, giveaways]. Their engagement rate: [X%]. Mine: [Y%]. Which tactics should I prioritize testing?"
• "Competitor's community management: They respond to [X]% of comments within [timeframe]. I respond to [Y]% within [timeframe]. How is this impacting engagement, and what should my response strategy be?"

Campaign analysis:

• "My competitor just launched a campaign: [describe campaign]. It's generating [describe visible results: engagement, discussion, etc.]. Analyze what makes this campaign effective and suggest how I could run a similar but differentiated campaign."
• "Here are 3 competitor campaigns from the past quarter: [describe each]. What campaign themes are working in my industry right now? Suggest 3 campaign ideas that capitalize on these trends while differentiating my brand."

Prompts for gap analysis

Content opportunity identification:

• "Based on competitor analysis, they're strong in [areas] but weak in [areas]. My strengths are [areas]. Where should I focus my efforts to differentiate and capture audience attention they're missing?"
• "My competitors aren't addressing [specific pain point/question]. Here's my data on audience interest: [evidence of interest]. How should I position content addressing this gap to maximize market share?"

Platform strategy gaps:

• "Competitors are active on: [list platforms]. I'm active on: [list platforms]. Platform A shows potential with [data/reasoning]. Should I expand, and if so, what's a realistic launch strategy?"
• "My competitors dominate [platform] but are barely present on [platform]. I see opportunity because [reasoning]. Is this a smart move, or should I fight them on their turf?"

Audience segment gaps:

• "Competitor A targets [audience segment] and Competitor B targets [segment]. I serve [segment]. Is there an underserved audience segment I should consider? What would a content strategy for that segment look like?"

Prompts for benchmark comparisons

Performance benchmarking:

• "Industry benchmarks for [platform] in [industry]: Average engagement rate [X%], Average growth rate [Y%], Average posting frequency [Z]. My metrics: [your metrics]. Where do I stand? What should I improve first?"
• "Here's my performance vs. 3 main competitors across key metrics: [create table of comparative data]. Identify where I'm winning and losing. What are my competitive advantages, and where am I vulnerable?"

Efficiency analysis:

• "I post [X times/week] and get [Y engagement]. Competitor posts [A times/week] and gets [B engagement]. Calculate engagement per post and efficiency. Am I working harder or smarter? Should I adjust my volume?"
• "My content production cost is approximately [X hours/resources per week]. I generate [Y engagement/leads]. Competitor with similar resources gets [Z results]. What might they be doing more efficiently?"

Final thoughts

The difference between remarkable AI content and vague results is how well you use AI prompts. When you provide AI with specific details, context, and data, it delivers excellent results. 

Start with one AI prompt from this guide, customise it with your business data, and watch AI generate content that boosts your performance! 

FAQs on social media AI prompts

How often should I refresh prompts with new data?

Refresh your prompts every 2 to 4 weeks for organic content and weekly for performance based content to get the best output. 

How to measure prompt impact on KPIs?

Start with defining 2 to 3 main KPIs and then run A/B tests comparing your AI-generated content to your human-generated content.

Staying ahead of social media trends is how brands maintain relevance and a competitive edge. But as any social media manager knows, that's easier said than done. 

Between platform algorithm changes, shifting audience preferences, and competitors moving fast, knowing which trends deserve your attention feels overwhelming. 

Time to stop the guesswork. Through this guideI'll show you exactly how to conduct an effective social media analysis for trends, from spotting emerging patterns to measuring their impact on your business goals.

Why is trend analysis critical for competitive positioning?

McKinsey found that companies using data analytics and trend monitoring in marketing see 5–6% higher productivity than those that don’t. Similarly, Google’s 2025 report revealed that marketers focused only on short-term results miss out on half their potential ROI.

Tracking competitors’ social media isn’t just data collection - it’s mapping where your industry is heading and uncovering trends you can use to shape your strategy.

Here’s why it matters:

• Spot opportunities early. The most successful brands aren’t always the biggest — they’re the fastest to act on emerging topics, often doubling engagement by doing so.
• Learn what resonates. Competitors’ top-performing posts offer free insights into your shared audience.
• Allocate resources wisely. Data helps you distinguish short-lived fads from meaningful shifts in content consumption.
• Adapt faster. Platforms evolve quickly; trend tracking helps you stay ahead of algorithm and behavior changes.

With consistent trend monitoring, you can focus on what truly moves your brand metrics, investing in trends that fit your strategy, not just chasing every new format. That’s how you stay ahead, not just keep up.

How to spot emerging social media trends

To paraphrase a famous saying, finding social media trends before they peak is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. Though it may seem it’s the other way around, the right tools and tactics help you stay competitive and relevant.

Follow me as I'll walk you through the methods that consistently help brands identify what's gaining traction before their entire industry catches on.

Monitor platform-native trend indicators

Each social platform has built-in signals that show you what's getting people’s attention in real time. These are essential starting points for understanding how to find what's trending.

Start with the obvious places, like Twitter's Trending tab, TikTok's Discover page, Instagram's Explore section, and LinkedIn's news feed. But don't just look at the general trends. Filter by your industry, location, or relevant hashtags to find signals that actually matter for your audience.

When you're checking TikTok trends, pay attention to the audio tracks and effects that are gaining momentum. A trending sound today could be everywhere next week.

What to look for:

• Hashtags with rapidly growing post counts
• Sounds or formats appearing across multiple accounts
• Topics moving from niche communities to broader feeds
• Content types getting platform promotion (like "suggested for you")

Track competitor content performance and engagement spikes

This is where trend analysis of social media gets interesting. Your competitors are creating content every day, and their audience reactions tell you what's working right now.

Let's look at a practical example. When you compare profiles within the same industry, you'll notice patterns in what drives engagement. Take a look at how streaming platforms perform on TikTok. You'll see differences in posting frequency, view counts, and engagement rates that reveal strategic choices.

In this TikTok benchmark analysis performed with Socialinsider, I could see that Netflix posted nearly three thousand times in a month, generating billions of views with a strong engagement rate. Meanwhile, Prime Video posted about two thousand times with slightly lower but still impressive engagement. HBO, with fewer posts, maintained solid engagement metrics that suggest a more selective content approach.

What does this tell you about trending social media topics? When you see one competitor's engagement suddenly spike, that's your signal. They've tapped into something that resonates. Your job is to understand what triggered that response: was it a specific topic, format, or timing?

To track this effectively, set up regular competitive checks. Here's how I suggest you approach this:

• Weekly reviews of top-performing competitor posts;
• Monthly analysis of their content themes and formats;
• Quarterly deep dives into their strategy shifts.

When you notice a competitor's content performing above their baseline, ask yourself (and your team): What changed? Did they adopt a new format? Address a timely topic? Change their posting schedule? These often signal trends worth exploring.

Competitive analysis tools help you spot these patterns without manually checking every competitor's profile daily. You'll see engagement spikes, content performance trends, and format shifts all in one view, making it easier to identify what's working across your competitive set.

Monitor audience conversations and sentiment shifts

Your audience is already telling you what they care about. Are you (really) listening?

Comments, replies, and direct messages contain early signals about changing interests. When you start seeing the same questions or topics come up repeatedly, that's a trend forming in real time.

Pay attention to:

• Questions that appear across multiple posts;
• Topics that generate longer comment threads;
• Sentiment changes around specific subjects;
• Language and phrases your audience starts using.

I've watched brands miss opportunities because they focused only on their own content performance, while their audience was actively discussing other needs and wishes in the competitors’ comments.

My advice is to look at how your audience engages with industry-related content, not just yours. What are they sharing? What sparks debate? Which posts generate saves (a signal that content is valuable enough to revisit)? These social media metrics reveal what matters to your audience right now.

Use social listening for early trend detection

Social listening takes trend tracking beyond your own profiles. It's how you find conversations happening across the entire platform landscape (discussions where your brand might not even be mentioned yet).

Personally, when I approach it, I set listening queries for:

• Industry keywords and terminology;
• Product categories I'm operating in;
• Pain points my solutions addresses;
• Adjacent topics my audience cares about.

You can’t monitor everything, obviously. But you can catch signals early enough to participate in conversations while they're still developing. When you notice a topic gaining momentum in niche communities, you have time to create thoughtful content before it becomes oversaturated.

How to streamline trends research with Socialinsider?

If you tried it, you know: manual trend tracking across multiple competitors is exhausting. I've done it myself and talked to social media managers who spend hours each week or month just trying to keep tabs on what their competitors are posting, let alone analyzing which trends are actually working.

This is where Socialinsider comes in as one of the top tools for social media competitor analysis. Instead of jumping between platforms and spreadsheets, you get a centralized view of trend data that would otherwise take days to compile manually.

For trend analysis, it automates the parts that consume most of your time, such as data collection, content categorization, and performance tracking, so you can focus on the strategic work of identifying which trends matter for your brand.

Leverage industry-specific AI-based content pillars

One of the smartest features for finding trends in data is the AI-powered content pillar analysis. Rather than manually categorizing hundreds of posts to understand what's trending, the tool does this work for you.

Here's how to use it effectively:

Set your analysis timeframe (typically 3 months)

Three months gives you enough data to spot genuine trends without getting lost in daily fluctuations. It's long enough to see patterns emerge but recent enough to be actionable.

When you're analyzing content pillars for social media, this timeframe helps you distinguish between one-off viral moments and sustained content themes that deserve your attention.

Review automated content categorization

The tool automatically sorts content into thematic categories based on what it detects in each post. This saves you from the tedious work of manually tagging and organizing content, which is especially helpful when you're tracking multiple competitors.

You'll see how content is distributed across different themes, making it easier to identify which topics dominate your competitive landscape and which areas might be underserved.

Identify which content types drive the most engagement

Data becomes actionable. When you look at a content pillar summary, you'll see exactly which themes generate the strongest audience response.

Take HBO's TikTok strategy as an example. Their content pillars reveal clear winners: teasers and promotional clips lead in both post volume and engagement, generating millions of interactions and views. Fan engagement content follows with strong performance metrics, while soundtrack features and celebrity content maintain solid engagement rates despite lower post counts.

What stood out to me the most was that nostalgia and throwback content punched above its weight, with fewer posts but strong engagement rates suggesting this content type resonates particularly well with the audience. Meanwhile, memes and viral moments deliver impressive organic reach despite minimal posting.

This breakdown shows what's actually working. When you see a content pillar with high engagement relative to post volume, that's a signal worth investigating further.

Spot patterns and emerging themes

As you review these content pillars over time, you start seeing patterns. Perhaps engagement rates on specific content types are climbing, for example. These are signs of where your industry is heading.

If you ask me, the key to trend-spotting is looking beyond the current top performers. Pay attention to content categories that show increasing engagement, even if they're not dominating yet. These themes might explode in the next quarter.

Conduct a fast competitive analysis

Speed matters when you're trying to stay ahead of trends. The faster you can analyze what's working for competitors, the quicker you can adapt your strategy.

Add your competitors to Socialinsider

Getting started with competitive insights is simple. As Riley Genua from Think Jam discovered, the setup process removes traditional barriers to competitive analysis.

"I realized you could just add a brand immediately, and the data would populate. Like, you didn't have to wait for that data to populate. And that's when I realized, I need to start using this a lot more."

This immediate data access changes how quickly you can respond to trends. When you spot a competitor doing something interesting, you can pull their data right away and understand the full context.

Look at their top-performing posts, analyze key performance indicators

Once your competitors are added, you can see their best-performing content side-by-side. This gives you a clear picture of what's resonating in your industry right now.

When you examine trending social media posts from competitors, you're not just looking at vanity metrics. You're analyzing engagement patterns, audience sentiment, and content formats that drive real results.

• Manually tag posts for specific campaign analysis.

Sometimes you need to go deeper than automated categorization allows. Maybe you're tracking how competitors handle product launches, seasonal campaigns, or crisis response. Manual tagging lets you create custom views for these specific scenarios.

Moving forward with the HBO example I've mentioned earlier, here's how I ran a post-level analysis by tagging content by campaign type. This made it easy for me to track how specific initiatives performed. Below you'll see individual posts tagged with their content pillar (soundtrack features, teasers, nostalgia content) along with detailed performance metrics including views, likes, and comments.

Riley from Think Jam highlights why this capability matters for serious competitive analysis:

"I've been working with at least 10 different social analytics tools... and Socialinsider is really the only tool that does this level of automated content analysis."

This combination of automated insights and manual customization means you can track both broad trends and specific tactical approaches that competitors are testing.

• Select your industry and check the top-performing content pillars of your competitors.

Another thing that I really love about Socialinsider is that you can also compare content pillar performance across multiple competitors in your industry. This reveals what's working across your entire competitive set.

As Riley has noticed in practice: "Using those content pillars, I was able to pretty quickly figure out what people are gravitating towards in the last three months."

The tool makes it easy to get instant visibility into which themes dominate your industry and, more importantly, which ones drive engagement. 

For example, when you look at top content pillars across entertainment brands, you'll see clear patterns. Netflix, Prime Video, and HBO all prioritize teasers and promotional content, but their secondary strategies differ. Netflix leans into fan engagement, Prime Video balances promotional content with celebrity features, while HBO emphasizes exclusive behind-the-scenes access.

When multiple competitors succeed with similar content pillars, it confirms a trend. When you spot gaps, such as content types that perform well for one competitor but are ignored by others, that can be your opportunity to step in.

"I think the tool is really smart. And I love the way that everything is displayed, even the micro details, like the post thumbnails. I'm probably in the tool at least every other day," is Riley's overall experience with Socialinsider.

If you want to be competitive, try Socialinsider for free for 14 days. See how easy it is to include social media trends analysis in your daily routine.  

What metrics to track to evaluate trend effectiveness?

Finding trends is one thing. Knowing whether they're actually working for your brand is where most teams struggle. I've seen brands jump on trending topics only to realize weeks later they have no idea if it made any difference.

Here's what actually tells you if a trend is worth your continued investment.

Engagement rate and velocity

When you participate in a trend, you should see faster-than-usual engagement in the first few hours. If a post is getting the same slow trickle of likes as your regular content, the trend isn't resonating.

Track these social media engagement signals:

• Engagement rate in the first hour vs. your typical first-hour performance
• Comment-to-like ratio (higher comments often signal trend relevance)
• Save rate for educational or valuable trending content

Velocity matters because trends have short windows. Content that gains momentum quickly benefits from algorithmic promotion while the trend is still hot. Lagging engagement means you've probably missed the peak.

Reach and impressions growth

A successful trend post might deliver two to three times your average reach. Pay attention to:

• Follower growth during trend participation
• Non-follower reach percentage
• Profile visits from trend content

These brand metrics tell you whether the trend helped you access new audiences or just activated your existing community differently.

Share rate and virality indicators

Shares are the ultimate signal that content resonates. Watch for:

• Share rate vs. your baseline
• Where shares are happening (Stories, DMs, external shares)

High share rates often correlate with nailing trends. Cherry on top: If people are still sharing your trend post days/weeks after you published it, you've created something that transcends the immediate trend cycle.

Conversion and business impact metrics

Engagement is great, but does trend participation actually support your business goals? 

Connect your trend content to outcomes that matter for your strategy:

• Click-through rate to your website or landing pages
• Conversion rate from trend traffic
• Attribution to sales or sign-ups
• Cost-per-acquisition compared to other content types

I've seen brands celebrate viral trend posts that generated almost no business value. Meanwhile, quieter trend participation with content that aligned closely with their product or service can drive meaningful conversions even with a smaller reach.

How to implement trend adoption into your strategy?

Seeing a trend and jumping on it immediately feels productive. But it’s not necessarily so. Trust me, successful trend adoption follows a systematic evaluation process.

Step #1. Validate trend relevance to your audience

Here's one of my most valuable tips for you. Before you invest any creative resources, ask yourself: Does my audience actually care about this? Look at signals that indicate relevance:

• Are your followers already engaging with this trend?
• Does the trend align with your audience's interests and pain points?
• Have similar brands in your space participated successfully?
• Does the trend topic connect to your content pillars for social media?

Step #2. Analyze trend longevity and momentum

Not all trends are created equal. Some peak fast, generate massive engagement, but fade just as quickly (think Ice Bucket Challenge). Others build slowly and sustain for months or years (think short-form video dominance). Your participation strategy should match the trend's lifecycle.

Use social media analytics tools to assess where they are in their curve:

• Early stage: Low volume but rapidly accelerating, high risk, high reward.
• Peak stage: Maximum visibility but also maximum competition.
• Plateau stage: Sustained interest with less competition, often the sweet spot.
• Decline stage: Fading relevance, probably too late unless you have a unique angle.

Step #3. Benchmark competitor participation and performance

Your competitors are running live experiments with the same trends you're considering. Learn from their results before you commit resources.

When tracking social media posts of competitors around a trend, look for:

• How many competitors have participated?
• What's their engagement compared to their baseline?
• Which creative approaches performed best?
• What mistakes should you avoid?

This competitive benchmarking reveals whether there's still room for your voice in the conversation. If ten competitors have already covered the trend with similar approaches, you'll need a differentiated angle. If only one or two have participated, there's an opportunity.

Step #4. Assess brand fit and creative adaptation potential

This step separates forced trend participation from authentic brand moments. Can you adapt this trend in a way that feels natural for your brand voice and visual identity?

When you're planning how to create content for social media around trends, ask:

• Can we add unique value to this conversation?
• Does participation align with our brand values and voice?
• Do we have the creative resources to execute this well?
• Will our audience see this as authentic or opportunistic?

Brands can damage their credibility by jumping on trends that clearly don't fit their identity. Conversely, brands that consistently find their unique angle on trends build a reputation for being both current and authentic.

Step #5. Calculate potential reach and engagement impact

Finally, estimate whether the effort is worth the potential return. Consider:

• Expected reach based on similar trend content performance
• Estimated engagement using your baseline rates and trend multipliers
• Resource requirements (time, budget, talent)
• Opportunity cost of other content you could create instead

For social media optimization, sometimes the highest-reach trends aren't the best investment. A smaller, more targeted trend that deeply resonates with your core audience might deliver better business results than a massive trend with superficial engagement.

Trend analysis mistakes to avoid

I’ve already touched on a few of these in passing, but let’s clearly outline common mistakes with trend analysis so you can avoid them.

Chasing every trend without a strategy

Trend participation is not a volume game. Brands that jump on every trending topic just look desperate for attention.

When you abandon your core content strategy to chase every viral moment, you confuse your audience.

The fix requires discipline: establish clear criteria for trend participation tied to your social media content strategy. Maybe you only participate in trends that align with specific content pillars. Or you limit trend content to 20% of your posting schedule. 

Ignoring platform-specific context

A trend that works on TikTok doesn't automatically work on LinkedIn or even Instagram. Yet brands constantly make this mistake, copying trend approaches across platforms without adapting to context. That’s lazy.

Consider how social media best practices vary by platform. My advice? Don't force a format just because it's trending elsewhere. Adapt the core idea to fit the platform's native content style or simply stick with one platform and do it well.

Missing the optimal timing window

Timing is everything with trends. Too early, and no one recognizes what you're referencing. Too late, and you look out of touch.

Here are a few rules from experience:

• Breaking news trends - Participate within hours or skip entirely.
• Platform features - Jump in during the first weeks for algorithmic favor.
• Seasonal trends - Start one week before peak interest.
• Industry movements - Contribute throughout the lifecycle with fresh angles.

Examples of brands that nail trend participation

The reason I chose entertainment brands as examples throughout this article is that they pretty much nail social media trend participation.

My analysis shows that brands like Netflix, Prime Video, and HBO are keen observers of trends. They participate when it makes sense, analyze what works for their audience, and test new approaches smartly.  

• Netflix posts with high volume and variety, testing multiple trend formats to see what resonates. They embrace experimentation and are not afraid to try dance trends, meme formats, behind-the-scenes content, and interactive challenges. This strategy helps them catch trend waves early and often.

• Prime Video takes a more selective approach, focusing on fan engagement and interactive content that encourages participation. They excel at adapting trends to showcase their talent and properties in ways that feel native to TikTok's culture.

• HBO demonstrates that you don't need the highest posting frequency to succeed with trends. Their strategy emphasizes quality and strong engagement rates through carefully selected trend participation. They lean into nostalgia and exclusive content, formats that align naturally with their premium brand positioning.

What you can learn from their approach:

• Find your trend voice and stick to it. Each of these brands has a distinct personality in how they approach trends. Netflix is playful and experimental. Prime Video is interactive and fan-focused. HBO is selective and premium.
• Balance promotional and pure entertainment content. Yes, they're using trends to market shows and movies. But they don't make every trend post a hard sell. Much of their top-performing content entertains first, promotes second.
• Adapt trends to showcase your unique assets. These brands adapt trends to highlight their unique assets rather than forcing themselves into formats that don't play to their strengths.
• Use data to refine your approach. They're clearly tracking trends and adjusting based on results. You can see evolution in their strategies based on performance patterns.

Final thoughts

Trend analysis is the opposite of chasing every viral moment. It's about building a systematic approach to identifying and evaluating opportunities that align with your brand strategy. 

Start with the framework we've covered: spot trends early through platform signals and competitor monitoring, evaluate them against clear criteria, and measure results to inform future decisions. 

If you want to streamline your trend research and competitive analysis, try Socialinsider free for 14 days and see how automated insights can transform hours of manual work into minutes of strategic decision-making.

I once spent an entire afternoon crafting what I thought was the perfect Instagram post: a witty caption, killer visuals, and hashtags sharper than a chef’s knife. I hit publish. And I got six likes.

Was the timing wrong? Did I target the wrong content pillar?

That’s when I realized you can’t wing it on social media. You have to dig into your social media analytics to learn which posts stop the scroll, when your audience shows up, and what kind of content gets people talking.

The answers are all there, hidden in your data.

The only problem? You shouldn’t have to waste hours hunting down metrics. That’s where social media analytics tools step in.

To help you choose from all the different tools out there, I did the heavy lifting and tried each one. Here are my top 10 social media analytics tools, each catered to specific use cases.

What are the benefits of using social media analytics tools?

The best thing about using a social media analytics tool? Time. I get hours back that I used to spend getting data from native analytics and crunching numbers in Excel sheets. 

But on top of that, here are four other key reasons why an analytics tool is a must-have in your tech stack.

• Prove social media ROI: Want to build trust in your work? Or secure future investment in social media? You need to prove to your executive team that it works. The only way to do that is by showing them the numbers: ‘Last quarter’s LinkedIn campaign generated an organic value of $10000, an uptick of 4K followers, and a 25% jump in demo requests.
• Understand audience better: What kind of content is resonating more with your audience? Do educational videos get a lot of shares? Digging deep into engagement metrics can help you understand what your audience wants.
• Improve content strategy: While running a content analysis, you may notice all your top-performing content follows a similar tone or storytelling technique. Analytics tools can help you focus on finding these patterns instead of gathering the metrics.
• Understand where you stand against competition: What kind of engagement rate is your competitor getting? What are their top content pillars? Many social analytics tools answer these questions so you can see where you stand.

What makes the best social media analytics tool?

The best social media analytics tool depends on what you are looking for. 

Are you looking for a tool that provides in-depth analytics like competitive benchmarking and content pillar analysis?

Or are you searching for one with basic analytics that fit your budget?

Here’s what we considered while selecting the best social media analytics tools.

Our criteria for evaluation

In September 2025, we conducted an extensive survey with 147 social media professionals and marketers to uncover the key factors they consider when selecting an analytics tool.

Here are the results.

Based on these results, I shortlisted and tested over a dozen social analytics tools. Here’s the factors I looked for in each tool.

• Support for multiple social platforms: If you work with multiple social platforms, you need a tool that helps you draw data from each one. While there are tools on this list that cater to one or two platforms really well, most work for all the major social platforms.
• Advanced analytics features: You don’t want to subscribe to a tool that offers what native analytics offers. I picked only the tools that go deep into metrics that native does not provide.
• AI features: Most social analytics tools now offer AI-enabled features to help you find and draw insights from your data. This makes your work easier and quicker.
• Ease of use and intuitiveness: A great analytics tool should make your life easier, not more complicated. I prioritized platforms with clean dashboards, simple setup, and visual reports that anyone on your team can understand at a glance.
• Pricing: Social analytics tools can range from budget-friendly to enterprise-level. I’ve included options for every stage, whether you’re a solo marketer, a growing startup, or a large team looking for deeper customization.
• User reviews: I looked for customer reviews on platforms like G2 and Reddit to understand what long-term customers have to say about it.

Top 10 social media analytics tools

#1. Socialinsider — best for multi-platform analytics, content analysis and competitor benchmarking

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn

Getting started with Socialinsider is as easy as adding your profile to the dashboard and getting key metrics. 

These profile metrics include reach, views,  follower growth rate, engagement rate by followers/views/impressions, social media engagement actions like likes and shares, and best times to post by engagement.

What I like is how Socialinsider goes beyond post-level data. Instead of just showing static metrics, it visualizes how different metrics like reach and engagement evolve over time, so you can actually see your progress.

And if you spot sudden upturns or downturns, just click on them and you’ll see the posts that resulted in them.

If you want a quick social media account analysis, Socialinsider also has an AI-generated ‘Key Insights Summary’ that tells you what transpired in the selected time period and what you need to work upon.

Let’s look at what the platform does best.

Key features:

• Cross-channel analysis with Brands feature: Socialinsider helps you organize all your profiles in one place and see overall social media performance, such as brand engagement, brand followers, and brand comments.

I even compare these metrics with earlier periods to see the overall growth on social media.

• Content pillar analysis: Which content pillars are getting the highest engagement? Are you covering all pillars in a balanced way? Socialinsider uses AI-generated feature to give you a snapshot of content pillar performance for a specific period.

You can even manually tag posts and create pillars to track campaign-specific performance.

• Competitor analysis: Take a sneak peek at how your competitors are performing by studying their metrics like engagement rates, when they post, what are their top-performing content pillars, post type distribution, etc.

Not only that, you can benchmark performance against all your competitors through the Benchmarks feature and study metrics side-by-side.

• Industry comparison analysis: See how you compare against the overall industry. In this analysis, you can select the country and follower number for competitor accounts you want to compare with.

• Organic value calculation: See how much monetary value your organic social media generated during the selected period. You can customize this calculation based on monetary values you assign to individual engagement actions.

• Autoreporting: Socialinsider also works great as a social media reporting tool and generates autoreports for clients and top management, so you don’t waste time creating reports from scratch.

Most suited for: Marketing Managers and Heads of Social (whether new to their roles or leading established teams) to gain clarity, cut manual work, and access accurate, reliable social data their leaders can trust.

Pricing: Socialinsider offers a free trial of 14 days and the monthly plans start from $99.

What users say: "It pulls my IG, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube numbers into one clean place and makes benchmarking super easy. I can stack our pages against competitors, see what content type wins (reels vs. photos), and spot best posting times without guesswork. The reports are the real time saver, one click to share a live link or export a neat PDF/PPT for the team. I also like the breakdowns by post, hashtags, and ER so I can explain ‘why’ a post worked, not just the numbers. Setup was quick, the UI is friendly, and the data feels reliable.” - G2 Reviewer

#2. Hootsuite — best for enterprise-grade monitoring and trend analysis

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky

If your work revolves around chasing and capitalizing on trends, Hootsuite is a great social media analytics platform. 

The platform lets you visualize topics, themes, and media types that are getting attention in real time. So you are never late to the party. One feature I love? You can analyze sentiment over time by adding keywords around a trend. It’s an easy way to see if a trend is worth investing in or not.

Their analytics covers metrics like engagement, follower growth, traffic, audience activity, content, and ad performance.

While I didn’t find the competitor analysis to be that in-depth, but it does give quick insights into posting frequency, engagement averages, and follower growth.

Key features:

• Social listening: Monitor conversations across platforms to see what people are saying about your brand, competitors, or industry in real time.
• Historical data: Access past social data to analyze long-term trends, benchmark performance, and measure the impact of past campaigns.
• Trend tracking: Identify emerging topics, hashtags, and content themes gaining momentum so you can join the conversation early.
• Spike alerts: Get notified when there’s a sudden surge in mentions, engagement, or activity so you can react fast to potential crises or viral moments.
• Measure organic and paid: Track social media metrics for both paid and organic content in one place.

Most suited for: Enterprise businesses and agencies managing multiple accounts and paid and organic campaigns that require quick monitoring and real-time alerts.

Pricing: Offers a 30-day free trial, post which their paid plans start from $99 per month.

What users say: “Love that Hootsuite pools all my social media along with media mentions in one place. Pretty much saves me hours that I would spend searching manually through different platforms. The scheduler is just friendly, and I enjoy the dexterity of repeating posts across different accounts without starting from scratch. Analytics, particularly those sort of insights like best time to post, have directly improved my engagement rates.” - G2 Reviewer

#3. Social Status — best for ads and influencer marketing analysis

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn

When I first opened Social Status, I felt like I’d unlocked a secret level of Ads Manager.

The Ads Feed instantly became my favorite corner. Every ad, ad set, and campaign sits neatly in one place, sorted by the metrics I care about. No endless scrolling. Just clean data, perfectly filtered by naming separators like ‘|’ or ‘–’ so I can find what I need fast.

If you run a lot of influencer campaigns, Social Status can come in handy there too. You can see paid and influencer performance in one dashboard. 

You can even aggregate all campaign posts and Instagram Stories from influencers together into a single dashboard to view performance metrics like total impressions, video views, and clicks. 

Key features:

• Paid and organic breakdown: See how your paid campaigns perform compared to organic posts, helping you understand which drives more engagement and reach.
• Influencer campaign tracking: Track influencer collaborations in one place, measuring post performance, reach, and ROI across campaigns.
• Influencer performance audit: Analyze each influencer’s performance over time to identify who delivers the best results and engagement quality.
• Influencer demographics: Access audience insights like age, gender, and location to ensure your influencers align with your target audience.
• White label reporting: Generate branded, customizable reports that you can share with clients or stakeholders without showing Social Status branding.

Most suited for: Medium-to-large brands that run paid campaigns and influencer marketing regularly.

Pricing: Offers a 7-day free trial, post which their plans start from $99 per month.

What users say: “I love the features, especially anlytics to help build a picture of engagement and potential areas for content creaton. I used the platform for research and comparing creators within endurance sports and its helpful to know the hot topics and enaggement / reach. Easy to set up and customer service is second to none.” - G2 Reviewer

#4. Keyhole — best for hashtag, keyword, and real-time campaign analytics

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn

Want to know how people really feel about a keyword or hashtag? Keyhole is a powerful social listening and analytics tool that gives you the full picture.

For example, you can see real-time analytics like volume of posts, number of users, reach, and impressions for a particular keyword. What I like best is that I can see via the graph how the keyword has evolved over time. 

To dig deeper, you can layer multiple keywords or add second-level search terms for context. Need to filter out noise? Keyhole lets you exclude specific usernames or phrases for cleaner insights.

I also use these features to track campaign performance, whether it’s my initiative or a competitor’s.

Key features:

• Historical insights: Access past social data to track how keywords, hashtags, or campaigns have performed over time.
• Trend discovery: Identify emerging topics, conversations, and content themes gaining traction in your industry.
• Competitor benchmarking: Compare your brand’s performance, engagement, and reach against competitors to spot strengths and gaps.
• Audience insights: Understand who’s engaging with your content through demographic, location, and interest-based analytics.
• Sentiment analysis: Measure the tone of conversations: positive, negative, or neutral, to gauge audience perception.
• Reporting: Generate visual, customizable reports with shareable dashboards and export options for easy presentation.

Most suited for: Brands and agencies running multi-platform campaigns where understanding audience sentiment and conversation dynamics matters most.

Pricing: Pricing is not available on the website. Contact Keyhole’s team to know more.

What users say: “I've been using Keyhole almost since the beginning and what I love best is the flexibility in the data that can be tracked and captured. It has made evaluating ROI of different campaigns and tactics much easier. In the early days you had unlimited tracking now it can quickly gobble up the data and either stop tracking or rack up the cost in a prohibitive way. It's why I only use it for limited campaigns now instead of on an ongoing basis.” - G2 Reviewer

#5. Buffer Analyze — best for simple, clean analytics

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Mastodon, Pinterest, Threads, YouTube

The first time I opened Buffer Analyze, I didn’t need a data science degree to get what was going on. You get insights like what to post, when to post, and what type of content your audience can’t scroll past right away.

My favorite part? Buffer doesn’t bury you in endless graphs. It just tells you the truth: which posts are performing, how fast your audience is growing, and which hashtags are actually pulling their weight. You can even track engagement, impressions, and reach across all platforms in your social media audit.

If you work with reports often, you can whip up a clean, branded report in minutes using Buffer’s reporting functionality.

Key features:

• Cross-channel overview: See unified performance metrics(engagement, reach, clicks, follower growth) across all your connected social profiles in one dashboard.
• Organic vs. paid comparison: Break down your performance by organic and boosted/paid posts (especially on Facebook & Instagram) to see which drives more impact.
• Performance overview and trends: View how your metrics (audience, engagement, content performance) evolve over time via line graphs and analytics summaries
• Top-post and metric sorting: Sort top posts by metrics you care about (impressions, engagement rate, reactions, shares).

Most suited for: Solopreneurs and small teams that want simple analytics within a tight budget.

Pricing: They offer a free plan and a free trial for 14 days. Their paid plan starts from $5 per month for 1 channel.

What users say: “I love that it has a clean, intuitive interface that’s easy to pick up even for beginners, which is great for me, who is a one-man team and it saves time for me to figure out the UI.” - G2 Reviewer

#6. Brandwatch — best for social listening and audience sentiment analysis

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Pinterest, Threads, YouTube

Ever wondered what it would feel like to actually hear what your audience is saying in real time? That’s exactly where Brandwatch steps in.

I especially liked using Brandwatch’s Iris AI, which gave me a summary of my competitors’ latest social media posts, hashtags, themes, topics, and even strategies.

You can even run a detailed content analysis on your and your competitors’ content.

If you are looking for strong customer intelligence, the tool classifies mentions as positive, negative, or neutral and can even detect emotional tone to understand how people feel about your brand, product, or topic.

Key features:

• Real-time monitoring: Brandwatch listens to social, blogs, news, forums, and review sites, giving you live access to conversations as they happen. 
• AI-powered alerts and spike detection: With built-in AI, the system flags sudden changes in volume or sentiment (a spike in negative mentions) so you can respond quickly.
• Custom classifiers & training: You can teach Brandwatch to recognize specific themes or meaning (for example, ‘product criticism’ vs ‘feature request’) using custom machine learning classifiers.
• Brand health & benchmarking metrics: Help track your brand’s performance over time and compare sentiment, share of voice, and topics against competitors or industry standards.

Most suited for: Enterprise organizations that require deep AI-driven consumer intelligence and vast data coverage.

Pricing: Not available on the website. Contact Brandwatch to get these details.

What users say: “What I like best is the wide coverage of online conversations and the ability to filter data by sentiment, demographics, and channels. It gives a clear overview of brand perception. What I dislike is that while the platform is powerful, it has a steep learning curve and requires time to get familiar with all the features. Additionally, the pricing can feel high for smaller teams.”

#7. Sendible — best for campaign-level analytics and strong reporting

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Pinterest, Threads, YouTube

While Sendible is first and foremost a social media management tool, it also offers some strong social media marketing analytics features.

One that caught my eye was their campaign management tool. You can not only organize posts into campaigns and track their progress but also check how the entire campaign performed. You can see metrics like engagement and reach on a campaign level. I used it to compare campaign performances with each other so I knew where to invest my resources next.

Beyond that, Sendible helps you optimize posting times based on audience engagement, set up UTM tracking to measure conversions, and customize your dashboard to focus on the metrics that matter most.

I also loved the drag-and-drop report builder, which makes creating branded, presentation-ready reports quick and effortless.

Key features:

• Trend & performance analysis: Spot content trends, best posting times, top posts, and engagement shifts over time.
• Post-level metrics: See metrics (likes, shares, comments, reach, etc.) for individual posts so you can see what content is resonating.
• Automated report sending: Schedule reports to be automatically created and emailed to stakeholders on set intervals.
• Google Analytics integration: Combine social and web analytics (UTM tracking, traffic metrics, conversions) for deeper ROI insights.

Most suited for: Agencies tracking social media analytics for multiple campaigns and requiring quick reporting capabilities

Pricing: Offers a free trial. Their creator plan is priced at $29 per month and business plans start from $89 per month.

What users say: “I chose Sendible because I could white label it. It was essential for me to maintain my brand. It is a game-changer for my company, allowing me to offer an added layer of social media expertise that extends beyond just creative content. The customer service team is responsive and knowledgeable in the ever-changing social media world. I highly recommend Sendible.”

#8. Audiense — best for strong audience analytics geared towards X

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Pinterest, Threads, YouTube

Ever wondered what it would be like to actually know your audience, not just demographics, but what drives them, where they hang out, and how to reach them effectively? That’s what this audience analytics tool helps me find out.

Right off the bat, I loved how Audiense turns messy social data into clear, actionable segments. It’s not just ‘followers’, I get clusters built from real behavior, interests, and affinities. Then Audiense Action gives me almost plug-and-play campaign toolkits tailor-made for those segments. 

The Connect module (especially for X) puts my mentions, DMs, and influencer dialogs in one clean space, no bouncing between tools. 

Key features:

• Deep audience segmentation and profiling: Automatically cluster your audience into meaningful groups using diverse filters (demographics, interests, connectivity) to better understand their traits and behaviors. 
• Creation of X tailored audiences: Build custom X audiences (broad or niche) with always-on sync to your X Ads account so you can activate targeting right away.
• Tweets performance metrics: Get detailed metrics for tweets (likes, retweets, impressions, engagement rate) especially for your target audience and segmented groups.
• Account comparison reports: Compare up to three different X accounts side by side to see who tweets more, what they tweet about, and how their audience performance stacks up.

Most suited for: Brands and agencies new to the business and requiring strong audience insights, especially for campaigns on X.

Pricing: Offers a free trial, and their paid plans for X start at $62.99 per month.

What users say: “We used Audiense to analyze the characteristics of different audiences who engaged in conversations on X around a specific topic. The tool proved to be extremely valuable, offering a wealth of detailed insights to enrich our analysis. I particularly appreciated the integration with IBM Watson, which leverages machine learning to generate in-depth personality profiles for specific target groups. The support from the Audiense team has been outstanding from the very beginning.”

#9. Tailwind — best for analytics geared towards Pinterest

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest

If Pinterest is your ride or die, Tailwind is about to become your new favorite tool. Because it caters to a specific platform, it does it so well. 

For example, it sees my upcoming pin schedule and recommends best practices to help me with distribution. These recommendations aren’t random either. They are backed by an in-depth analysis of over 1,000,000 pins.

You can even track followers, engagement trends, comments, and repin counts at the profile, board, and individual pin level.

What’s my favorite? Hands down, their interest heatmaps that show which content themes or topics resonate most with my audience.

Key features:

• Analyze virality and fan engagement levels: Measure which pins drive the most traction over time, tracking repins, clicks, and engagement growth to spot viral content.
• Scheduling optimization: Tailwind automatically recommends the best times to post based on when your audience is most active, helping you maximize reach and engagement.
• ‘Pin Inspector’ / per-pin deep dive: Drill down into individual pin performance to see metrics like repins, comments, and traffic sources, identifying what content resonates most.
• Integration of Google Analytics: Connect Google Analytics to track how your pins drive website visits, conversions, and sales directly from Pinterest.

Pricing: You can sign up for free, and their paid plans start from $24.99 per month.

What users say: “Tailwind has helped me to really up my Pinterest game. The interface is easy to understand and flexible enough for beginners and pros alike. The analytics are spot on!”

#10. Sprout Social — best for an all-in-one platform with analytics, scheduling, and listening

Platforms supported: Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Pinterest, Threads, YouTube

Sprout Social is a social media analytics tool that can do a lot of things really well. It can schedule posts across all platforms, preview the calendar, and even auto-publish at peak engagement times.

I love the Smart Inbox. It pulls every message, comment, and mention from all channels into one view, so I never miss a beat.

On the analytics side, Profile, Post, and Tag Reports show exactly which content drives reach and engagement, while Competitor and Paid Performance Reports help me see where I actually stand.

And the Listening feature? That’s where Sprout really shines. It tracks keywords, hashtags, and sentiment in real time, giving me insights into what audiences are talking about before trends even take off.

Key features:

• Multi-profile publishing and unified Composer: Create, schedule, and publish posts across multiple social profiles and platforms from a single, streamlined interface.
• Approval workflows & roles/collaboration features: Set up content approval processes and assign roles to team members, ensuring smooth collaboration and consistent brand messaging.
• URL tracking/UTM support: Add and manage UTM parameters directly within Sprout to track campaign performance and traffic sources in Google Analytics.
• Tagging: Organize posts, campaigns, and messages with custom tags to analyze performance by theme, content type, or objective.
• Cross-network analytics and unified dashboards: View and compare metrics from all your social networks in one place through customizable, unified reporting dashboards.

Most suited for: Brands and agencies needing an all-in-one social media tool that can do everything 

Pricing: Offers a free trial of 30 days post which their paid plans start from $199 per month.

What users say: “Sprout Social streamlines the management of all social media aspects in a single platform, encompassing planning and publishing, engagement, and analytics. The standout feature for me is the reporting tools, which transform performance data into clear, visually appealing insights that my CEO and leadership team genuinely look forward to reviewing. The platform is streamlined and intuitive, making it easy for me to demonstrate the effectiveness of our social strategy.” - G2 Reviewer

Final thoughts

We all know the power of having that one solid tool in our tech stack that frees up our time to work on creative and strategic tasks. For a social media strategist, that’s definitely a social media analaytics tool.

Analytics tools for social media helps answer questions like: When is the best time to post? What content pillars are our competitors focusing on? What shifts do I need to make in our social media strategy?

Socialinsider helps answer all these questions and more. But don’t take my word for it. Take the tool for a free spin and see all the different features you can utilize. Activate your free trial of 14 days.