Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has taken the world by storm. It seems like everyone — and their dog — is on the platform.

It’s clear that Instagram isn’t just for personal use anymore — whether for you or your dog. It’s now a global platform that allows brands to humanize their content, recruit new talent, showcase products, and inspire their audience.

Moreover, Instagram users aren’t just active — they’re engaged. More than half of the platform’s active users visit the site daily, and 35% say they check it multiple times a day.

Instagram can also help you grow your brand awareness and introduce new products. 70% of Instagram users have spent time searching for a brand on the platform. Instagram allows you to promote your brand and product in a friendly, authentic way without hard selling to your customers.

Instagram doesn't have an built-in, in-depth analytics platform like Facebook … yet.

When you switch to a Business Account, you do gain access to some limited analytics, such as follower growth, impressions, reach, and engagement. Access these by clicking on the View Insights option below your uploaded images and videos.

You can also track Instagram impressions, spend, and engagement on ad campaigns through Facebook’s Ad Manager. While helpful, these metrics are limited to individual posts and campaigns.

You can access more in-depth Instagram metrics using third-party apps. Iconosquare and Simply Measured allow you to track additional metrics such as followers and engagement over time, optimal post time based on previous posts, and performance compared to selected competitors. Although both platforms require you to pay to use them, you can start with a free trial to see if their analytics offerings are right for you.

The individual metrics you track on Instagram will vary depending on your goals, but you should always keep an eye on engagement (likes and comments) and your number of followers over time. If you’re posting valuable content, your account will steadily gain followers and engagement.

Whether or not you have the budget for more in-depth analytics tools, track these basic metrics to make sure your account is growing and performing well.