In case you haven't heard, Instagram video should be a really important part of your social media strategy. The tricky thing is, the metrics to measure performance are slightly different than those of static content. For that reason, we're rolling out some Instagram video benchmarks to help you understand how you're measuring up to your competition.
We began with the apparel sector, and now we're onto beauty.
Video Content or Bust
20% of users time on Instagram is spent watching Instagram Reels — while this might seem low, it's fairly significant when you consider how much time is spent simply scrolling through content and not viewing or interacting.
Video content can take many forms: lo-fi, short form video, longer length formats, rapid motion loops, animated drawings, giphys, and artsy cinemagraphs — we could go on. If the image moves in any way, it will propel your brand story narrative in an even more engaging way than with static creative.
But you already know that videos are important for your audience and that they enable deep connections with your followers. You're aware that your consumers are eager to see your merch in motion — and because you're a smart brand, you're serving it up to them. You test different styles, you experiment with different levels of production of value, and you measure the results to understand the ROI of that investment.
What's interesting about Instagram video content is that the metrics to measure it are not exactly the same as those for static creative. Using identical KPIs for video content or motion pictures won't actually represent their performance seeing as audiences engage with them differently than with photos. Enthusiasm for static posts is demonstrated though double-taps and comments, but the way audiences engage with videos is by simply watching.
And when users are viewing that content, giving a 'like' can slip their mind because their attention is taken by what's happening in the clip. That typically results in less literal likes and often fewer comments. So while the traditional engagement metric can still be useful to analyze, it's not always the best indicator of a video's performance — the most important KPI for in-feed video content is views.
Instagram Video Benchmarks
The amount of times people have watched your video post is a true indicator of its resonance. And since knowing how your sector is generally performing, we decided we would put together Instagram video benchmarks to help you get a sense of how your industry is doing while understanding where you stand in comparison to your competitors.
We took a sample of 150 brands belonging to the beauty sector and analyzed all of their videos — each and every one that's ever been posted. We extracted the averages for traditional engagement, follower engagement, and average views. We included the median as well to let you know if you fall in the bottom or top half of the category.
We laid them out on a super easy to save card for you to benchmark against your own numbers. Drag the below onto your desktop to have on hand for quick reference when building out your goals and measuring performance.
There are a number of factors that come into play as it relates to Instagram video performance, notably strategy, creative quality, audience size, consumer relationships, the list is endless. The crazy beautiful thing about the channel is that not one business is alike — what works for one might not work for another. Being able to reach your goals requires a unique, brand-specific approach that you've got to hone over time.
Now that you know the general health of the beauty industry's Instagram video content, you know exactly what numbers to beat.
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