To use Instagram analytics effectively, make sure you have a Business or Creator account. Then access Instagram Insights by tapping the menu icon on your profile and selecting "Insights." Here you can view metrics such as reach, impressions, engagement, follower demographics, and content performance. Use these insights to understand which posts and Stories perform best, optimize your content strategy, and track audience growth and behavior over time. Keep in mind, though, that the insights the native platform provides are limited. If you need advanced Instagram analytics, consider using a social media analytics platform like Socialinsider.

To see Story analytics, open your Instagram app and swipe up on an active Story or go to your profile’s Insights section, then the Content tab, and select Stories. You can view metrics like impressions, reach, completion rate, replies, and link clicks. Instagram stores Story analytics for only up to 14 days, but third-party tools like Socialinsider can provide up to 12 months of Story data.

Insights like this are not available in the native app, but third-party Instagram analytics tools like Socialinsider provide audience activity data showing when your followers are most active. Use this insight to schedule your posts during peak engagement times, which typically vary by audience but often include mornings, lunch hours, and evenings. Testing and adjusting based on your specific audience insights is key to finding the best posting times.

In Instagram Story analytics, "forward" means a viewer tapped the right side of the screen to skip to the next Story segment before the current one finished. A high forward rate indicates your content may be too slow, not engaging enough, or not delivering value quickly. This metric helps you identify where viewers lose interest and improve your Story pacing and hooks.

Instagram’s native Insights only allow you to filter data up to 90 days. For yearly analytics, use third-party tools like Socialinsider, which can track and visualize up to 12 months of Instagram data, including posts, Stories, engagement, and audience growth. These platforms provide dashboards and reports to analyze long-term trends and performance.

Measure Instagram analytics by tracking key metrics such as reach, impressions, engagement rate (likes, comments, shares, saves), follower growth, and Story interactions. Calculate engagement rate by dividing total engagements by impressions or followers and multiplying by 100. Use Instagram Insights or third-party tools such as Socialinsider to monitor these metrics regularly to evaluate content performance and audience behavior.