Instagram claims it has doubled its monthly active user base in India within a year, although it chose not to reveal the exact number of its consumers here. The photo-sharing platform says the growth occurred in the period from September 2014 to September 2015.
Facebook-owned Instagram had crossed the 400 million active user landmark during the latter month. Over 75% of its members are located outside of the US. At the time, the brand stated that out of the 100 million consumers it had added, nearly half were from Asia and Europe. The company attributes its rise in India to the youth.
According to PTI, people in the 18 – 24 age group utilize Instagram the most. The US-based brand partnered with Nielsen to understand the usage patterns of its base in India. The study discovered that 90% of Instagrammers in the country were under 30. They were characterized as mobile-first consumers with high spending power.
The report also found Instagram devotees used the service to keep a track of interests like products, deals, food, travel and celebrity trends. Furthermore, 50% of users frequently bought items and services from the accounts they follow. Facebook India MD Kirthiga Reddy explained that these insights had helped it gain a better understanding of its audience.
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Instagram opened its doors to advertisers in India in September this year. The controversial move gave companies greater access to consumers. Changes consisted of things like paid posts appearing within a person’s timeline and 30-second ads, the latter considered unfair since users can only record 15-second videos.
Sponsors on Instagram include brands such as Nestle, Grofers, TrulyMadly Matchmakers, P&G, Sportskeeda and Paper Boat.