Trends in How Teens and Tweens Use Instagram

Instagram is still a popular platform among teens, with over 60% of them using it. Here are some interesting trends about how they use Instagram.

Girls Are More Likely to Use it Than Boys

While most teens of both sexes use Instagram, girls use it more often. Around 69% of girls use it, while 55% of boys are on Instagram. This may be due to the very nature of the platform, which brings more girl-centered activities such as fashion. However, the platform has a lot to offer for boys, since more than half use it.

They Are Using it Much More Than Other Platforms

Between 2014-2022, many prominent social media platforms saw a decrease in teen use. Facebook, once a platform primarily used by the youth, drastically fell. In 2014, 71% of teens used Facebook. In 2022, that number dropped to 32%. Facebook is a site that increasingly appeals to older generations, turning many teens away from using it. Teens may be on Facebook out of obligation, and may find a platform where they have to be friends with their parents to be unappealing. However, the number of teens on Instagram jumped from 52 to 62 between 2014-2022. Since Facebook (Meta) owes Instagram, the company has youth and older adults in their pockets.

They Spend Around an Hour a Day on Instagram

Social media is a great time waster, with it taking priority over other activities for some teenagers. In the case of Instagram, teenage girls use it for 1.1 hours (around 66 minutes) daily, while adolescent boys use the platform for 0.7 hours (42 minutes) daily. It’s a platform where teens can get lost in liking posts, watching videos, and exploring its algorithm.

What Are They Posting?

What a teen posts largely depends on who they are, but there is data to give you an idea.

Accomplishments

Accomplishments make up most of what teens post, with 43% of teenagers doing so. This makes sense, as Instagram, along with most social media platforms, is where people go to create an elevated image of themselves. Teens want to flex, make themselves feel good, and create a little envy or FOMO for their friends or followers. They may even post about their social media achievements, such as the number of followers or comment likes they received.

Family

Many teens (34%) post about their family members on Instagram. They may talk about their siblings, parents, or other family members. Sometimes, it’s positive, showing everything is alright in their worlds. However, other times, a teen may rant about their family, too.

Emotions

No matter the generation, teen angst is prominent. Many teens may go to social media to express their emotions, from happiness to depression. Sometimes, this is to get something off their chests or to seek validation from others. Other times, they want to tell their followers how happy they are.

Other Posts

One in ten teens will post about their dating lives. Instagram is a platform where a teen influencer may want to appear single to make herself more desirable, or they may not want to talk about who they see for privacy reasons.

Despite Gen Z appearing more politically active, few teens talk about their politics and religious beliefs. Some may not want to question their followers about such controversial issues.

Who Do They Follow?

We could not find any data about which teens most follow Instagram accounts. However, a list of some of the biggest teen influencers gives you an idea of who they follow.

Teens like to follow young celebrity influencers who post about their lives or fashion. As teens like to post about accomplishments, they also want to see the rich and famous flexing their lifestyles. Teens may feel like that is their life goal, to be just as popular as their favorite influencers. In fact, 1 in 4 teens want to be prominent influencers on social media.

Besides influencers, teens may follow the usual. They may follow their friends or family on Instagram. They may follow relatable meme pages or pages related to their hobbies.

What Does This Mean for Parents?

Now that you know how teens use Instagram, you, as a parent, may wonder what this means for you. Here are some lessons from this article.

A Reminder That Instagram is Not Real Life

Many teens on Instagram flex about their achievements. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can create envy and depression in some teens. It’s a reminder to tell your child that social media is not real life. The people on Instagram who flex have struggles like anyone else, and they may be stretching the truth to feel better about themselves.

Use it in Moderation

Over an hour a day is too much time. As a parent, encourage a window to use Instagram. You may even use parental control tools to limit your teen’s time on the platform.

Related: Is Instagram Safe for Your Kids: A Parental Guide to Instagram

Don’t Overshare

Since many teens are posting about their friends and family, this is a good reminder to tell your teen not to share too much about their personal lives. There’s always a chance that some of their followers may be bad actors who are looking to find where the teen lives.

Have Realistic Goals

There’s nothing wrong with dreaming about being an influencer; it’s not much different than kids 40 years ago wanting to be rock stars. However, it’s also vital for you as a parent to give your kids realistic life goals to accomplish and help them find their interests to make into a career. You can even stress that if your kid gets good at an interest, it can be a part of their influencer personality.

Final Thoughts

Instagram is a platform that shows no signs of slowing down, and unlike Facebook, it’s still popular among teens. While there are many benefits to the platform, there are also many concerns a parent may have. Knowing how teens use Instagram can help parents determine how to moderate it.