Instagram Reaches 25 Million Active Businesses

The number of businesses on Instagram has grown to a huge 25 million; the majority of which are small businesses. This is a figure that has increased by 15 million in the last 6 months.

Approximately 800 million people use the social platform each month, discovering new businesses and people to connect with. Over 80% of Instagram accounts follow businesses, with 200 million users visiting businesses’ profiles on a daily basis. Thanks to this, small businesses are finding new avenues through social media to help them grow and engage with their customer base.

As a visual platform, businesses can take advantage of Instagram to make personal and meaningful connections with their followers, striking up conversation and encouraging people to think. Instagram is becoming a huge digital presence for businesses, both big and small, mostly down to updates including Instagram Stories. Brands are able to grow and develop at an incredible rate which they may not have achieved through other means.

As the number of businesses increases on Instagram, the platform is no longer considered as another stop within the customer’s journey. Many businesses have actually been built from the ground up using this particular network, and it has now become a marketplace too where business is conducted as well as discovered.

Shopping on Instagram has become a more prevalent feature, with many retailers now using shopping tags to make it easier for people to get their hands on their favourite products. What’s more, Instagram’s insights are constantly being updated and businesses are now able to see how they’re being found; using metrics like location, hashtags and the ‘Explore’ page.

Instagram is a platform where you only have a couple of seconds to grab your customers and stop them in their tracks. Customers will continue to follow businesses to see the latest products, quality content and new updates from the company, and now they can be guided towards products without having to disrupt their browsing time. Companies are advertising promotions and new releases every day, as the visual element of the social media network appeals to the masses.

As businesses around the world turn to Instagram as its new digital shop, the image-first aspect of the platform is something that nearly every business can take advantage of.