How to Analyze an Instagram Reels Account in 2024

Understanding Instagram Reels analytics is essential for anyone aiming to enhance their content strategy, grow their audience, or boost engagement on the platform. In this guide, we’ll show you how to analyze Instagram Reels accounts effectively using tools like Instagram’s native Insights and advanced platforms such as Shortimize. By analyzing your Instagram Reels account, you can understand which tactics are effective and learn how to build upon your success.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about the key metrics to look out for and the best tools for the task.

---

Why Instagram Reels Analytics Matter

Instagram Reels have become a central feature for creators and brands alike, offering a powerful way to reach wider audiences through short-form video content. However, simply posting videos isn’t enough—you need to understand your audience’s behavior and how your Reels are performing. Analyzing Reels data helps you:

• Identify What Resonates with Viewers: Insights can reveal the types of content that drive the most engagement, whether it’s specific topics, formats, or visual styles.
• Optimize Posting Schedules: Knowing when your audience is most active allows you to post at optimal times for maximum reach.
• Understand Demographics: Insights provide details on the age, gender, and location of your viewers, enabling you to tailor content to your audience.

For any brand or individual looking to grow on Instagram, tracking Reels performance is crucial. Here’s how to make the most of the analytics available.

---

Key Metrics to Track on Instagram Reels

Before talking about tools, it’s important to understand the core metrics that provide valuable insights into your Reels’ performance:

• Total Plays: Tells you how many times a Reel has been viewed. High play counts suggest that your content is attracting attention, though it includes repeat views by the same user.
• Reach: The number of unique accounts that have viewed the Reel, reflecting how widely your content is spreading.
• Engagement (Likes, Comments, Saves, Shares): These interactions offer insight into how engaging and shareable your content is.
• Profile Visits: The number of times viewers visit your profile after watching a Reel. This metric shows if your content triggers enough interest for viewers to feel compelled to explore the details of your offer.
• Follower Growth: Tracking new followers gained from a Reel can reveal how well your content resonates and attracts new fans.
• Completion Rate: Measures how many viewers watched the Reel to the end, indicating the overall engagement throughout the video’s duration.

Analyzing these metrics provides a clear picture of your content’s performance and guides adjustments in your strategy.

---

Step-by-Step Guide to Accessing Instagram Reels Insights

To view your Reels analytics directly on Instagram, follow these steps:

1. Switch to a Professional Account: If you haven’t already, switch to a Business or Creator account to access Instagram Insights. Go to Settings > Account > Switch to Professional Account.
2. Access Insights: Navigate to your profile, tap the menu (three horizontal lines), and select Insights. This dashboard provides a summary of your account’s performance.
3. Navigate to Reels Insights: Under Content You Shared, select Reels. Here, you’ll find details on plays, reach, likes, shares, and saves for each Reel.
4. View Insights on Individual Reels: For deeper analysis, go to a specific Reel, tap the three dots, and select View Insights. This provides metrics specific to that Reel.
5. Use Engagement and Discovery Insights: Check the Discovery metrics to understand how many people outside your followers saw the Reel, and Engagement metrics to see interaction patterns.

---

Advanced Tool for Reels Analysis: Shortimize

If you’re managing a brand or business, you will likely need something a bit more advanced for your analysis. If that’s you, and you’re looking to get a deeper level of analysis beyond what Instagram Insights offers, Shortimize is a powerful tool that brings more data and visualizations into your analysis. Shortimize allows you to analyze any public Instagram account—including competitor accounts—providing a detailed look at video performance, audience engagement, and trends across the platform.

How Shortimize Stands Out

Shortimize simplifies Reels analysis with features such as:

• Advanced Video Metrics: It captures metrics like average play times, median views, and identifies outlier videos—those with unusually high or low views.
• Engagement Over Time: The dashboard visualizes trends in engagement, making it easy to see how interaction levels fluctuate over time.
• Posting Patterns: Discover optimal posting times and days based on engagement data.
• Viral Potential: Shortimize’s proprietary metrics highlight videos with viral potential, helping you refine strategies based on what’s likely to perform well.

Using Shortimize: Step-by-Step

1. Enter the Instagram Handle: On Shortimize’s homepage, input the handle or URL of the Instagram account you want to analyze.
2. Wait for Data Processing: Shortimize will pull data from the account and analyze it in real-time, including historical data for all public Reels.
3. Explore Insights: View various insights such as the account’s most popular videos, peak posting times, and engagement breakdowns. These insights are visualized in tables and charts that make spotting trends straightforward.
4. Export Data: Shortimize allows users to export insights for further analysis or reporting, which is handy for teams or agencies handling multiple accounts.

Using Shortimize provides a broader context for performance, especially when comparing multiple accounts or seeking inspiration from similar profiles.

If you want to know more about how you can use social media monitoring tools like Shortimize to run an extensive competition analysis, check out our full guide.

---

Optimizing Your Reels Strategy with Data

Once you have the data, the next step is turning insights into action. Here’s how to adjust your Reels strategy based on your findings:

• Adjust Content Based on Audience Preferences: If certain themes or styles consistently outperform others, focus more on those and don’t be afraid to cut back on what doesn’t work so well.
• Experiment with Posting Times: Use insights on when your followers are most active to schedule posts during peak times, increasing reach and engagement.
• Leverage Popular Effects and Audio: Identify which effects, filters, or sounds receive the most interaction, and consider incorporating them more frequently.
• Monitor Competitors and Industry Trends: With tools like Shortimize, you can keep an eye on competitor performance to see what’s working across the industry. Adapting trending topics or formats can give your content an edge.

If you want to know more about the best times to post on TikTok and Instagram Reels in 2024, read our guide here.

---

Troubleshooting Common Analytics Challenges

Sometimes, Reels insights may not display correctly. Here are a few fixes:

• Check Account Type: Ensure you’re using a Business or Creator account; insights are unavailable for personal accounts.
• Update the App: Instagram periodically updates its app, so make sure you’re using the latest version.
• Log Out and Back In: Refresh your account by logging out and back in to restore missing insights.
• Use Shortimize as a Backup: If issues persist, Shortimize offers a reliable alternative for comprehensive Reels analysis.

---

Final Thoughts: Making the Most of Instagram Reels Analytics

Leveraging Instagram Reels insights can completely transform your content strategy. Whether you rely on Instagram’s native tools or a comprehensive platform like Shortimize, data-driven insights will provide the clarity needed to improve engagement and expand your reach. Consistently monitoring and adjusting your approach based on analytics will help you create content that truly resonates with your audience and drives growth.

---

By enhancing your ability to analyze Instagram Reels accounts, you’re positioning yourself or your brand for greater success on one of the world’s most influential social media platforms.