Written by: Jules Samuel | Est. 10 min.

In today’s social media-driven world, Instagram has become a powerful platform for businesses, influencers, and marketers to connect with their audiences. However, simply posting content isn’t enough. To truly succeed on Instagram, you need to track your performance and measure your return on investment (ROI). Knowing which content performs well, how engaged your audience is, and how much revenue your Instagram efforts generate is crucial to optimizing your strategy.
That’s where the right tools come in. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best tools for measuring Instagram performance and ROI. Whether you’re looking for basic analytics or advanced insights, these tools will help you understand what’s working, what’s not, and how to make the most of your Instagram presence.
Top Tools to Measure Instagram Performance and ROI
Before diving into the details, here’s a quick overview of the top tools to measure Instagram performance and ROI:
- Instagram Insights: Best for native analytics directly in the Instagram app.
- Hootsuite: Ideal for managing multiple accounts and tracking engagement across platforms.
- Sprout Social: Great for detailed analytics and comprehensive reporting.
- Google Analytics: Excellent for tracking website traffic and conversions from Instagram.
- Iconosquare: Best for detailed Instagram analytics and competitor insights.
- Later: A scheduling tool with built-in analytics for visual content planners.
- Buffer: Simple and effective for scheduling and tracking basic Instagram metrics.
Now, let’s explore each of these tools in detail, so you can choose the best one for your needs.
Instagram Insights: The Built-in Analytics Tool

Instagram Insights is Instagram’s native analytics tool, offering a wealth of data to help you understand your account’s performance. It’s available for business and creator accounts and provides in-depth information about your followers, content, and overall engagement. Best of all, it’s completely free and built into the Instagram app, so you don’t need any third-party tools to start analyzing your performance.
Key Metrics:
- Follower demographics: Understand the age, gender, location, and active times of your audience.
- Engagement metrics: Track likes, comments, shares, and saves for each post.
- Reach and impressions: See how many people your content is reaching and how often it’s being viewed.
- Story insights: Check how many followers are viewing your stories and interacting with stickers, polls, or CTAs.
Best For:
Instagram Insights is ideal for anyone looking for basic, built-in analytics without the need for a third-party tool. It’s perfect for beginners or businesses who want to understand their audience better and track engagement without leaving the Instagram app.
How to Use Instagram Insights:
- Go to your Instagram profile and tap the Insights button under your bio.
- From there, you can see an overview of your account performance or tap specific sections like Content, Activity, or Audience.
- Use this data to track follower growth, engagement, and post performance, allowing you to adjust your strategy as needed.
Hootsuite: Best for Managing Multiple Accounts

Hootsuite is one of the most popular social media management tools available. It not only allows you to schedule posts across multiple social media platforms, including Instagram, but also provides in-depth analytics to track your performance. Hootsuite is especially useful for businesses or agencies that manage multiple Instagram accounts, making it easy to track engagement across all platforms in one place.
Key Features:
- Post scheduling: Manage and schedule posts for multiple Instagram accounts.
- Hashtag tracking: See which hashtags drive the most engagement and reach.
- Engagement analytics: Detailed reports on likes, comments, shares, and follower growth.
- Cross-platform reporting: Get insights from Instagram and other platforms like Facebook and Twitter in one dashboard.
Best For:
Hootsuite is best suited for businesses, agencies, or influencers managing multiple accounts or platforms. It’s also ideal for those looking for cross-platform reporting and the ability to track performance across several social media channels.
How Hootsuite Measures ROI:
Hootsuite provides detailed reporting options that allow you to track engagement, reach, and growth metrics. You can set up reports to measure how much traffic Instagram is driving to your website, and even track how your posts are performing based on specific goals like increasing follower count or driving sales.
Sprout Social: Best for Comprehensive Reporting

Sprout Social is a robust social media management platform known for its comprehensive analytics and reporting capabilities. It’s a great choice for businesses and agencies that need to produce detailed reports on Instagram performance. In addition to standard engagement metrics, Sprout Social provides competitor analysis and social listening features, allowing you to track your performance against others in your industry.
Key Features:
- Detailed analytics: Get deep insights into engagement, follower growth, and content performance.
- Competitor analysis: Compare your Instagram performance with your competitors.
- Custom reports: Create and export customized reports on key metrics, ideal for agencies and businesses needing detailed reports for clients or internal use.
- Social listening: Track mentions of your brand and industry keywords to better understand audience sentiment.
Best For:
Sprout Social is best for agencies or businesses looking for advanced reporting and competitor analysis. If you need a tool that can provide in-depth reports and help you stay ahead of your competition, this is the platform for you.
How Sprout Social Measures ROI:
Sprout Social allows you to create custom reports to track engagement metrics and measure the ROI of your Instagram campaigns. You can easily track how your content contributes to your goals, such as website traffic, lead generation, or product sales.
Google Analytics: Best for Tracking Instagram Website Traffic
Google Analytics isn’t just for websites—it’s also a powerful tool for tracking Instagram traffic and conversions. By setting up UTM parameters (tracking codes for your links), you can measure how much traffic is coming to your website from Instagram and how those users are converting into leads or sales. It’s essential for any business that uses Instagram to drive traffic to their website.
Key Features:
- Track referral traffic: See how much of your website’s traffic comes from Instagram.
- Conversion tracking: Set up goals to track sales, sign-ups, or any other conversion actions.
- UTM parameters: Add tracking codes to your Instagram links to better understand the user journey from Instagram to your website.
- Revenue tracking: Measure how much revenue Instagram traffic is generating for your business.
Best For:
Google Analytics is best for businesses that rely on Instagram to drive website traffic and need to measure how that traffic translates into conversions, such as sales or sign-ups.
How to Set Up Google Analytics for Instagram:
- Set up UTM parameters for links in your Instagram bio or stories to track where your traffic is coming from.
- Use Google Analytics to track the performance of Instagram traffic on your website.
- Set up conversion goals to measure how many Instagram visitors complete actions like making a purchase or signing up for your newsletter.
Iconosquare: Best for Detailed Instagram Analytics
Iconosquare is a dedicated social media analytics platform with a strong focus on Instagram. It provides detailed reports on follower demographics, post performance, and engagement metrics. Iconosquare also offers competitor analysis, allowing you to see how your Instagram strategy compares to others in your industry.
Key Features:
- Follower insights: Detailed demographics and activity reports for your followers.
- Post performance: Track engagement, impressions, and reach for individual posts.
- Competitor analysis: Benchmark your performance against competitors and industry standards.
- Custom reports: Export in-depth reports tailored to your specific performance goals.
Best For:
Iconosquare is best for marketers or brands looking for detailed insights into their Instagram performance. It’s especially useful for those who want in-depth follower analysis and competitor tracking.
How Iconosquare Helps Measure ROI:
Iconosquare offers detailed reports that help track engagement and follower growth. By analyzing how your posts perform and who engages with them, you can tailor your content strategy to improve conversions and overall ROI.
Later: Best for Scheduling and Visual Planning

Later is a scheduling tool that’s designed with visual content in mind. In addition to scheduling Instagram posts, it provides analytics on post performance and audience engagement. It’s ideal for influencers and brands that rely heavily on visual content and want to plan and track their Instagram campaigns.
Key Features:
- Visual content calendar: Plan and schedule your Instagram posts with a visual drag-and-drop calendar.
- Analytics: Track post engagement, best posting times, and audience behavior.
- Instagram story scheduling: Schedule and plan your Instagram stories.
- Content preview: See how your Instagram grid will look before posting.
Best For:
Later is best for influencers or brands that prioritize visual content and want an easy way to plan, schedule, and analyze their Instagram posts.
How Later Measures Instagram ROI:
Later’s analytics tools help track engagement metrics like likes, comments, and shares for each scheduled post. Use this data to optimize your posting strategy and measure how your content is contributing to follower growth and conversions.
Buffer: Best for Simplicity in Social Media Management
Buffer is a simple yet effective social media management tool that allows you to schedule Instagram posts and track basic performance metrics. It’s perfect for small businesses or individuals who want to manage their Instagram account without needing advanced analytics or extra features.
Key Features:
- Post scheduling: Schedule posts for Instagram and other social platforms.
- Basic analytics: Track engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares.
- Reporting: Generate simple reports to track how well your posts are performing.
Best For:
Buffer is best for small businesses or individuals looking for a simple, easy-to-use tool to manage their Instagram account and track basic metrics like engagement.
How Buffer Helps Measure ROI:
Buffer offers basic reporting features that allow you to track the engagement rates of your Instagram posts. While it’s not as detailed as other tools, it’s perfect for users who need simple performance tracking without the complexity of advanced analytics.
Key Metrics to Measure Instagram Performance and ROI
To get a full picture of how your Instagram strategy is working, here are the key metrics you should focus on:
Engagement Rate:
This measures how actively your audience interacts with your content. High engagement indicates that your followers are interested in what you’re posting. Track likes, comments, shares, and saves to gauge how well your posts resonate with your audience.
Follower Growth:
A steady increase in followers means your content is attracting new users. Track your follower growth over time to see how your efforts are expanding your audience.
Reach and Impressions:
Reach shows how many unique users saw your post, while impressions count how many times your post was viewed. This metric helps you understand your content’s visibility.
Website Traffic and Conversions:
Using tools like Google Analytics, track how much traffic Instagram is sending to your website and how many of those visitors are converting into leads or sales.
Revenue Generation:
Ultimately, one of the most important metrics is how much revenue your Instagram efforts are generating. By tracking conversions and sales, you can calculate the exact ROI of your Instagram strategy.
Conclusion
Choosing the right tools to measure your Instagram performance and ROI can make all the difference in optimizing your social media strategy. Whether you’re just getting started with Instagram Insights, need the cross-platform management of Hootsuite, or want the advanced reporting of Sprout Social, there’s a tool for every need. Start using these tools to track your metrics, refine your strategy, and maximize the impact of your Instagram efforts.
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