Instagram’s new engagement tools explained

Instagram has introduced a series of feature updates in August 2025 aimed at giving brands and creators more detailed insights into audience behaviour. The changes move beyond basic measures such as likes, comments, shares and reach, providing granular data points that are expected to influence how marketers and creators approach content planning and engagement.

Until recently, view counts and reach were considered primary indicators of success. The new set of tools expands performance tracking to reveal where, how, and when users interact with posts and reels. Metrics such as watch-through rates, time spent on content, drop-off points, and audience demographics are now accessible, allowing creators to identify patterns in consumption and optimise content length, format, and posting schedules.

Let us take a look at all the new updates, and how to use them.

Key Updates

Granular data for reels

Under a series of updates to its Insights tab, one of the key features provides more granular data for Reels. Creators can now track the exact moment a viewer taps the ‘like’ button within a reel. It is to help creators better understand what kind of content or segment of their video performed the best, potentially aiding in the improvement of future clips. The data will be available under the Reel Insights tab, in the form of a graph.

Carousel post analytics

Users can see which particular image within a carousel was being viewed when a user tapped Like. While the data may not definitively indicate whether the engagement was tied to one image or the entire set, it offers users another layer of insight into carousel performance. The data will be available under the Post Insights tab, which will indicate what the moment the viewers liked your post.

Post-level demographic data

Creators and brands can access demographic insights showing which posts led to new followers, providing clarity on what type of content converts audiences into followers most effectively. The feature can be accessed under the 'Post Insights' tab to view the data and thus modify the content.

The ‘Accounts Reached’ graph has been replaced with a ‘Views’ metric, positioning it as the core measure of post-performance.

Repost tab

A new tab allows users to repost public reels and feed posts. Reposts are credited to original creators and may be recommended to wider audiences, potentially extending organic reach. The feature can be easily leveraged by the brands to increase organic reach. These reposts appear in followers’ feeds and in a dedicated ‘Reposts’ tab on the user’s profile. 

Friends tab in reels

This tab highlights content friends have engaged with, as well as recommendations from user-created Blends. It provides additional visibility for original creators through social discovery. It allows users to access what their friends have been engaging with and further increases organic reach for the creators' and brands' content on the platform.

Retention chart

Each reel now includes a chart showing the percentage of viewers who continued watching over time, indicating exactly when audience drop-off occurs. It will further help businesses to approach the creators more thoughtfully, as it will let them know the actual engagement and not the superficial likes and views. It will allow creators to know what kind of content their viewers resonate with.

Skip Rate Metric 

To be rolled out in the coming weeks, this metric will replace 'view rate', showing the percentage of viewers who skipped a reel within the first three seconds.

Link a Reel

A new option allows creators to link multiple reels into a series, including older content. The feature adds a ‘Watch Part 2’ button, supporting sequential storytelling and organised discovery. It allows viewers to easily access the next part of the series on the creators' page.

Screenshots as a Metric 

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has suggested that screenshots may eventually be counted as a performance measure, although this update has not yet been implemented.

These updates collectively signal a shift towards measuring quality of engagement over superficial interactions. By introducing detailed performance insights such as retention rates, skip rates and granular activity tracking, the platform is enabling businesses and creators to evaluate content impact more precisely and tailor strategies for both acquisition and re-engagement. This will allow the businesses to approach the creators more precisely, based on real metrics and not superficial likes and view counts.