The Instagram advertising landmark was doubled over six months – the same amount of time it took the social network to grow from 500,000 to one million advertisers.

As a growing or established business, you want your brand messaging to obtain eyeballs and, apparently, Instagram advertising is the way to get the job done.

The Facebook-owned channel continues to attract new clients of all sizes at pace. While two million companies use Instagram advertising, some 15m companies now have a business profile on the platform.

Encouraging figures that will likely only add further growth include 180m users sought more information on a business they found on Instagram, either visiting a website, seeking directions, calling, emailing or sending a direct message.

Users under 25 spend 32 minutes on Instagram daily, while video is a big area for potential – Instagrammers are spending 80 per cent more time watching videos compared to this time last year.

And making the most of the app’s features, some 50 per cent of companies have created an Instagram Story over the past month.

Speaking about the growth of Instagram advertising, Jim Squires, head of Instagram Business, said: “Our community, including businesses, is growing, and we’re excited to see the continued engagement with brands on the platform. 80 per cent of people choose to follow a business they care about on Instagram, further proving that people are looking actively engage with brands in a meaningful way.

“Our community is spending more time on the platform than ever before, and we know video is a huge part of that. For businesses, motion is becoming the new filter for advertisers as they embrace Stories to connect with and inspire their customers through an immersive video experience, with 60 per cent of Instagram videos watched with sound-on.”

Other Instagram advertising findings showed that the UK is among top countries for advertiser growth, even though the country only accounts for 18m users. The top sectors succeeding are in ecommerce, FMCG, retail, entertainment & media and gaming.

Reeling off the UK brands with the best examples of Instagram advertising, the social network highlighted:

(1) Mulberry

Showcasing its Amberly collection, Mulberry made use of the Canvas in Stories tool, which allowed users to view videos and photos, as well as buy products.

(2) Deliveroo

Also embracing Stories was Deliveroo, which leveraged Instagram advertising as part of its first UK TV campaign.

(3) Lionsgate UK

For the arrival of La La Land, Lionsgate had ten unique pieces of video content featuring stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, which were targeted to those aged 18-24. The idea was to boost awareness and ticket sales for an age group unfamiliar with traditional Hollywood musicals. It increased awareness eight points and ad recall by 24 points.

(4) Renault

The car firm ran its #BehindCarDoors campaign, showcasing Instagrammers Mother Pukka and Father of Daughters as part of a year-long dash cam experiment.

(5) Sainsbury’s

A lighthearted seasonal approach was used by Sainsbury’s to spread brand awareness of summer products, consisting of a mix of photos, video and Boomerangs.

One key message Instagram had for businesses was this: “Have a strong, consistent visual message: If you tell a different story every time you come to Instagram, people will struggle to understand what you’re trying to communicate.

“Make sure that you’re thoughtful about what you want your customers to know and ensure that you’re consistently reinforcing this over time.”

For more insights on getting the most from Instagram, check out our video interview with the social network’s head of small and medium business, Jen Ronan, below.

Image credit: Dale Robinette