How to do an Instagram competitor analysis
On Instagram the brand's own grid is half the story; the creators who tag it are the other half.
Pick three to five competitors, list each one's last 30 Reels with views and dates, and find their typical views and breakouts. Then read who they collaborate with, which creators tag them, and where the link in bio sends people. That shows whether they grow on their own content or on other people's.
What do I check on a competitor's profile?
Reels views, posting rhythm, collaborations and the link in bio.
- Reels viewsNote the views of the last 30 Reels; the median is their typical reach.
- RhythmPosts per week, and whether breakouts follow a change in rhythm.
- Collabs and tagsCollab posts and the Tagged tab show the creators who send them followers.
- Link in bioWhere it goes (the store, a link page, the App Store) shows what the account is for.
How much does Instagram matter for growth?
Often less than people think: in our 13 stored reports it was a main driver for 2 and supporting for 8.
| Report | Google / SEO | Google Ads | Meta ads | TikTok | YouTube | X | Influencers | Affiliates | App Store | PR | Referral program | Other | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perplexity | ||||||||||||||
| Cursor | ||||||||||||||
| ElevenLabs | ||||||||||||||
| HeyGen | ||||||||||||||
| Notion | ||||||||||||||
| Canva | ||||||||||||||
| Zapier | ||||||||||||||
| Duolingo | ||||||||||||||
| Cal AI | ||||||||||||||
| Opal | ||||||||||||||
| Liquid Death | ||||||||||||||
| Gymshark | ||||||||||||||
| AG1 |
The main drivers are Duolingo and Liquid Death, all of them consumer brands with a strong character on the feed.
How do I compare several competitors at once?
Put the same five numbers in one row each: followers, median Reels views, posts a week, collabs a month, and the link in bio.
| Account | Followers | Median Reels views | Posts a week | Collabs a month | Link in bio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| @competitor1 | |||||
| @competitor2 | |||||
| @you |
Questions
How do I analyze a competitor's Instagram?
List their last 30 Reels with views and dates, find the median and the breakouts, then check collaborations, tagged posts and the link in bio.
Can I see a competitor's Instagram insights?
No. Reach, saves and story views are private; views, likes and comments are public.
How many competitors should I compare on Instagram?
Three to five direct competitors, plus one account in another category whose content you admire.