Even though Instagram is still considered somewhat of a new player in the social media industry, particularly when compared to Twitter and Facebook, the platform has seen significant growth in just a decade’s time. From the very first Instagram post, representing a dog close to a local taco stand. The platform has evolved, with over 40 billion photo posts being shared on the platform every day. There are currently over one billion people who use their Instagram account on at least one occasion every month.  Instagram was initially developed as a platform where people can share photos and videos related to their personal life. Today, however, many businesses also utilize the platform as a way to reach their audience more efficiently. free instagram analytics tools business should use The platform does offer multiple opportunities for businesses and influencers. Failure to properly track Instagram campaigns can result in wasted ad campaign money. It is important to understand how each of your campaigns is doing. This helps you optimize future posts and strategies for better results.  In this post, we take a closer look at free Instagram analytics tools. These tools should form an essential part of your tracking and campaign optimization strategies. 

Instagram Insights

It is important to understand that many people are asking “does Instagram have its own analytics?” - and the answer is yes. When it comes to looking at insights into your own Instagram account, what better way than to utilize the tools already provided by the platform. Many people overlook the fact that Instagram has a built-in analytical platform. This platform can provide you with a range of useful data. This makes it one of the most convenient free Instagram analytics tools. The tool does not cost any money. It can be used even if you do not take advantage of the ad platform offered by Instagram. One thing to note, however, is that you will need an Instagram Business account to utilize the insights feature.  It is free to set up an Instagram Business account. If you currently have a personal account that you wish to use, then simply convert it into a Business account.  There are several useful features offered by Instagram Insights. The platform gives you some insight into your current audience, with extensive details on location and other data. This allows you to determine the most important audience you should cater to when setting up campaigns.  There are a few limitations in terms of Instagram Insights. The platform does not provide as many details as some of the other tools out there. Additionally, you can only use the insights feature from Instagram on a mobile phone. No desktop app or web application is available. Still, for people who are only starting out and want to avoid spending a lot of money on an analytic platform, Instagram Insights remain an excellent point to start with.
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SocialBakers

If you are looking to get a scoop on what makes your competitors rank, then SocialBakers might be the tool for you. This particular platform was developed with a primary focus on competitive analysis. SocialBakers analytics tool Additionally, this free instagram analytics tools is excellent for people who prefer platforms that offer visual feedback on their statistics and analytical data. You can enter your Instagram profile’s details and then get extensive data on your current account. Additionally, the SocialBakers platform also allows you to determine who your main competitors are.  The intelligent technology used by SocialBakers also ensures you are able to determine which competitors you can use as a way to gain more insight into the audience you should be targeting.  While competitive analysis is an important feature offered by SocialBakers, there are other noteworthy functions as well. This includes a view on your own profile, which tells you about the top-performing posts. You can see which posts perform better than others. The tool also helps you identify the hashtags that give your posts a better boost. These are the hashtags you can utilize in future campaigns to help drive more results for every post you publish. 

Iconosquare

Iconosquare is a multipurpose tool that you can use to assist with monitoring your performance. The application reports on Instagram campaigns, as well as help you make smarter choices with future posts. One of the key features offered by Iconosquare is its ability to give you access to a social monitoring suite. The three-in-one design of the platform also adds to the benefits you gain when utilizing Iconosquare.  Iconosquare multi purpose tool After connecting your Instagram account to Iconosquare, you get access to a calendar view. This is an incredibly useful tool for people who schedule outposts on their Instagram account. The calendar tool not only shows you how each of your posts is doing but also gives you estimations on when the next post will do best. This includes both a date and time. By posting content at the designated time, or scheduling it using an external tool, you are able to maximize the results you gain from your Instagram campaigns.  Apart from helping you schedule your posts, the platform is also effective for analyzing the current performance of your posts and Instagram storage. You get an overview of your reach, impression count, and engagement on your posts.  You can get full access to the entire platform for free when signing up for the two-week trial offer. After this, you can still access a number of free tools. This can be helpful if you do not wish to pay a monthly fee. This includes the platform's Instagram Audit function, which helps you get more insight into your account and its current performance. 

Analisa

Analisa is another excellent option that provides both free and paid plans. The platform itself was developed with a big focus on influencer marketing. The multipurpose design gives you access to a variety of tools that you can use to maximize the efficacy of your campaigns. The @Account function offered by the Analisa platform is an advanced analytical tool that allows you to get data at both a post and account level.  Analisa free and paid tool for analytics By accessing the analytic reports, you can get a view of the total number of posts on your account, along with information on total engagements, views, likes, and comments. The report also goes into detail on each post you have published on your account, while also giving you important information related to the posts that perform the best.  The Hashtags function on Analisa provides more insight into the best hashtags that you have used. You can also get a good idea of how specific hashtags are working based on engagement, geolocation, and posting activity. You will not only be able to determine which of your current hashtags are performing well but also gain an opportunity to detect new hashtags you can use in the future. 

Pixlee

Pixlee is a platform that focuses on providing social reports. The platform has the goal of helping you gain access to functional data. Several large brands utilize Pixlee. This proves its efficiency in delivering data that helps to drive better results with Instagram campaigns. In addition to its ability to connect with your Instagram account, Pixlee also monitors data from other social media platforms.  Pixlee analytics tool One particularly important function that Pixlee offers is the shareable reports. By setting up one of these reports, it is easy to distribute the data amongst large teams. This helps to ensure the right people gain access to critical data that will serve as a driving point behind the campaigns you develop in the future - this may include the technical analysis team, as well as the marketing team.  Apart from these functions, Pixlee also comes with a built-in Influencer system. This allows you to identify influencers in your industry. These influencers can assist with the promotion of your business products or services. 

Union Metrics

Hashtags play a major role in ensuring an Instagram campaign is successful. This is, after all, how new people find your account and engage with your posts. Union Metrics is an excellent platform for people and companies looking to find new hashtags to target. Union Metrics analytics tool It should be noted that Union Metrics has both free and paid plans, but there are many limitations to the free options. You do get a free checkup on your Instagram every month when you sign up for an account at Union Metrics, even if it is not a paid membership plan.  The tool provides analytical data for the last 30 days. This is a great option for people who are looking to get a shorter-term view of their account performance. When it comes to setting up campaigns that are relevant to a current occasion, the short term data can prove useful.  Conclusion Instagram is an important platform for businesses who want to showcase their products or even offer customers an inside view of the company itself. By learning how to use analytics on Instagram, you gain access to a range of analytical data reports that can be useful when optimizing future campaigns. We look at some of the best free Instagram analytics tools to help you get started without additional investments. It is generally a good idea to keep track through multiple tools. Some people are asking “can Google Analytics track Instagram?”. Unfortunately, this would pose multiple limitations. Use Instagram’s built-in tool, along with external tools. This helps you collect the data you need to optimize your campaigns.