Feb 19, 2019 - Technology

Instagram is an engagement powerhouse

Data: CrowdTangle, Nov. 17, 2018, to Feb. 17, 2019; Table: Axios Visuals
Data: CrowdTangle, Nov. 17, 2018, to Feb. 17, 2019; Table: Axios Visuals

Despite having less than half of Facebook's monthly active users (MAUs), Instagram's top 10 accounts generate more than 6 times more interactions than Facebook's most-engaged accounts, according to data from CrowdTangle between Nov. 17-Feb. 17.

Why it matters: These numbers illustrate the level of engagement Instagram has captured. The disadvantage in MAUs can be overcome if users come to the platform more times in a day, spend more time when on the app, and engage more while there.

By the numbers: The most recently reported MAU numbers have Facebook at 2.32 billion (Jan. 2019), Instagram at 1 billion (June 2018) and Twitter at 326 million (Oct. 2018).

  • Instagram's top 10 accounts generated 6 billion interactions (likes + comments) vs. Facebook's 922 million (reactions + comments + shares) vs. Twitter's 398 million (retweets plus likes).

Samples of high-performing posts:

Instagram:

  1. WorldStar Hip Hop — Viral videos
  2. 9Gag — Hong Kong-based viral video and meme publisher
  3. The Shade Room — Celebrity news and. gossip
  4. Kylie Jenner
  5. 433 — Dutch-owned soccer account
  6. Ariana Grande
  7. NBA
  8. Cristiano Ronaldo
  9. Bleacher Report
  10. House of Highlights

Facebook:

  1. LADbible — British viral content publisher.
  2. Cifras — Brazilian viral content publisher.
  3. UNILAD — British viral content publisher now owned by LADBible.
  4. Womenworking.com — Inspiration-centric women's lifestyle company.
  5. Todo Imagenes — Page for Spanish, female-oriented publisher Ohmirevista.
  6. Fox News
  7. Memes — Meme and viral content page.
  8. 9Gag
  9. Khaosod — Thai media publisher.
  10. Power of Positivity — Inspiration and lifestyle content publisher.

Twitter:

  1. @BTS_twt — BTS: K-Pop group.
  2. Donald Trump
  3. Ariana Grande
  4. @bts_bighit — Another BTS account
  5. Bleacher Report.
  6. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
  7. Got7 — K-Pop group
  8. Miley Cyrus
  9. Charlie Kirk — right-wing activist
  10. Shane Dawson — YouTube star

Editor's note: This chart and story were corrected on Feb. 22 to reflect a more complete dataset from CrowdTangle.

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