Instagram Reels are now the hottest Instagram content format. Don’t be fooled by users saying they don’t watch Reels or they’re overwhelmed by this type of content on Instagram. The data says the opposite – over 2 billion people interact with Reels every month.

Since Reels is definitely staying with us in 2025, let’s learn how to get the most out of this content format and seamlessly approach Instagram Reels analytics. Generating actionable Instagram Reels insights from this data is crucial to enhance your short-form video strategy.

Why Instagram Reels should be included in your Instagram Reels strategy

As a social media manager, you have to keep up with the latest trends. Being up to date with every feature that’s released on different social media platforms (and testing them) is one of your obligations.

We bet delivering what was promised to clients is important to you. After all, you’re not only helping them grow their business, but also expanding your expertise and portfolio.

That’s why implementing the latest content formats, in this case, Reels, in your strategy is crucial to your Instagram performance. Developing a consistent Instagram Reels strategy can significantly enhance engagement and reach on the platform.

You need to be aware that Instagram usually favors the newest content formats. The reason is simple – it wants as many users as possible to familiarize themselves with this format and get comfortable with it. However, that doesn’t mean other content types automatically perform worse and you shouldn’t publish them.

How Instagram’s algorithm works is not an easy nut to crack, but those complexities are worth figuring out.

Another argument for implementing Reels in your Instagram strategy is that they drive higher engagement – some brands that did so even observed a 20% increase in total engagement. There’s a lot to fight for.

It’s clear you should utilize Reels. Once you start publishing them, the time comes for the inevitable – analysis.

After all, everything you do on social media should be thoroughly analyzed and monitored. No matter if you’re posting an in-feed video, a Reel, or an image post, you should always know how it performed. Understanding what your audience likes is necessary for your profile’s growth – with this information, you can analyze reels insights to decide what you need to post more often or less.

How to start analyzing your Reels

Under your videos (under videos published by anyone), you’ll see how many plays, comments, and likes each Reel had. Checking this is a good starting point, but it won’t be enough.

We advise you to head to Instagram Insights (which you’ll get access to after switching to a business profile). Doing this will provide you with a bunch of metrics about your Reels, such as the number of:

• Comments
• Likes
• Shares
• Saves
• Interactions
• Accounts reached

Also, once you boost a selected Reel, in Instagram Insights you’ll see some ad metrics, too.

Alternatively, you can start using a social media analytics tool for a better experience and a more thorough understanding of your Reels performance.

Apart from all the well-known metrics mentioned above, Sotrender also provides you with a variety of color-coded charts and visualizations. For example, a particularly useful one is the chart that shows the share of user activities by media type.

This one will tell you which content types your audience was most often engaging with in the selected period. It’ll become clear what drives engagement on your profile and what should be published more often in the future. 

Types of metrics available in Reels analytics

Instagram Reels analytics provides a treasure trove of data that can help you fine-tune your content strategy. These metrics are broadly categorized into three types: engagement metrics, reach metrics, and content metrics.

Accessing and Navigating Instagram Reels insights

Accessing and navigating Instagram Reels Insights is a straightforward process that can provide you with valuable data to optimize your content. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.

Accessing analytics via the Insights section in the Instagram app

1. Open the Instagram app and navigate to your profile page.
2. Tap the three horizontal lines (≡) in the top right corner of the screen to open the menu.
3. Select “Insights” from the menu options.
4. Scroll down to the “Content You Shared” section to find an overview of your posts.
5. Tap on “Instagram Reels” to view detailed insights specific to your Reels.

Navigating to ‘View Insights’ on a specific Reel

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile page.
2. Find the Reel you want to view insights for by scrolling through your posts.
3. Tap the three dots (⋯) in the bottom right corner of the Reel to open the options menu.
4. Select “View Insights” from the menu to access detailed analytics for that specific Reel.

By following these steps, you can easily access and navigate Instagram Reels Insights, allowing you to gather valuable data to inform your content strategy.

Key metrics to monitor in Reels analytics

When diving into your Instagram Reels insights, there are several key metrics you should keep an eye on to gauge the success of your content. Here are some of the most important ones:

Plays and accounts reached

• Plays: This metric measures the number of times your Reel has been played. A high play count indicates that your Reel is engaging and capturing the attention of your audience. It’s a good sign that your content is appealing and worth watching.
• Accounts reached: This metric measures the number of unique accounts that have viewed your Reel. A high accounts reached count means that your Reel is being seen by a large number of people, expanding your reach and potentially attracting new followers.

By monitoring these metrics, you can gain valuable insights into the performance of your Reels. Understanding how many users are engaging with your content and how far your reach extends can help you refine your strategy to improve both engagement and reach.

5 steps to succeeding with Instagram Reels

There is no secret formula to creating engaging and eye-catching Reels. It’s mostly about understanding what your Instagram followers want to see and presenting it in an appealing way to create Reels that resonate with them.

First of all, your Reels should be:

• Authentic. Don’t pretend you’re someone else and don’t pretend to know something when you don’t.
• Appropriate to your audience demographics, interests, and expectations. A Reel doesn’t have to be funny – educational Reels can be even more effective. What’s crucial here is to understand what you want to communicate to your audience and what they want to see on your profile.
• Leaving users with a feeling of “I want more”. Everyone watching your Reels should feel inspired and willing to consume more of your content.
• Visually attractive. It’s obvious, but worth highlighting. Everything you post on Instagram should be high quality.
• Easy to consume. Not every user will be consuming your Reels the same way. For example, keep in mind that many users will be watching your Reels with the sound off. With that in mind, make them as easy to watch as possible by investing time in preparing subtitles (even though it may sometimes be troublesome, e.g., when publishing funny videos).
• Thoroughly analyzed. How will you know which types of Reels to post more often if you don’t spend enough time on Instagram Reels analytics and leveraging audience insights?

Your own practices (creating Reels, testing their length, making subtitles, etc.) and observing what others post will be your road to success. Consistent posting of Reels, along with analyzing performance through Insights, is essential for enhancing content quality and achieving marketing goals.

PS – don’t be afraid of spying on your competitors along the way, too.