Why Instagram Insights are not displaying

Instagram Insights, a pivotal tool for influencers and marketers, presents detailed analytics about the interactions on their Instagram content, thereby facilitating strategic planning and execution. However, issues with Instagram Insights not displaying can significantly hamper this process. Users may occasionally encounter a situation where Insights are not displaying. In this guide, we will explore the reasons behind this issue and provide solutions to resolve it.

Why Insights are unavailable

1. Incorrect account type. One of the primary reasons for the “Insights Not Available” error is having the wrong account type. Instagram Insights are only available for Business or Creator accounts. Personal profiles do not have access to this feature, as the platform considers it unnecessary for non-professional users.

Solution: To check, enable, or change your account type, navigate to Settings > Account > Account Type. To switch to a Business or Creator account, Instagram will require you to connect a Facebook page, as it also enables access to the ad manager.

2. Temporary unavailability. Sometimes, Instagram itself displays the message “Insights Not Available.” This is not a cause for concern, as it simply means that the platform requires time to collect and process data. This issue is most commonly encountered with Instagram Stories insights, and it is a characteristic of the social network rather than a problem.

Solution: Wait for 5-10 minutes, and the insights should become available.

2. Lack of engagement. If you have waited for more than 10 minutes and still cannot see insights, it could indicate that your content has not gained traction, your audience has not seen it, you are experiencing a shadowban, or your account is new and not yet established. In other words, there may be no data to display because there is no actual engagement.

Solution: Determine if you are facing a shadowban and focus on comprehensive promotion strategies to increase engagement and avoid similar situations in the future.

3. Privacy Policy changes. When viewing metrics, you may notice a footnote stating that not all data is displayed due to the new Privacy Policy. This means that the numbers for reposts, direct messages, story replies, and post shares are not fully represented.

Solution: Accept the reality. You will never have access to 100% accurate data. Be grateful for the information that Instagram does provide.

4. Disappearing Insights. In rare cases, insights that were previously available suddenly disappear. This usually occurs when someone has tampered with the settings and switched the account type back to a personal profile.

Solution: Unfortunately, while you can re-enable the Business or Creator account configuration to restore the Insights feature, any previous data will be lost. Reprimand or dismiss the person responsible for making the changes.

Instagram Insights not working

1. Missing buttons. If you cannot find the “Switch Account Type” button in Settings or the “Insights” button, it may indicate that your app is outdated.

Solution: Update the Instagram app through the App Store or Google Play Store, which should resolve the issue.

2. Limited historical data. After converting a personal profile to a Business or Creator account, you may notice that historical insights are unavailable. Each time you switch back to a personal account, your insights data is reset. You will only have access to insights for posts, live broadcasts, stories, and videos (including Reels) published after the conversion to a Business or Creator account.

Solution: To view insights for a specific time period, open the menu at the top of the screen and select the desired option. You can access insights for preset or custom periods within the last 90 days.

3. Insufficient audience size. When attempting to view audience insights, such as age, gender, or location, you may encounter the message “Demographic data is unavailable.” This indicates that you have an insufficient number of Page likes or Instagram followers to display the relevant data.

Solution: To resolve this issue, consider the following recommendations:

• Fully set up your business Facebook Page;
• Increase your Page’s audience and engagement;
• Improve your Page’s visibility and encourage follower actions using these tips;
• Promote posts to boost your Page’s popularity and expand your audience.

Once your audience reaches the required size within the selected date range, the insights will become available.

Why Instagram Insights are not showing

1. Recent business account. If you have recently switched to a Business account, you may need to wait for data to accumulate on posts published after the transition;
2. Disconnected facebook page. Insights may become unavailable if your connected Facebook Page is disconnected;
3. Lack of audience engagement. If your posts are not generating interest or receiving comments and likes, insights data may not be available;
4. High-demand profile. For profiles with a high number of followers, insights data may not update promptly due to the volume of information processing required;
5. App bugs. Occasional glitches in the Instagram app can cause insights to disappear temporarily;
6. Banned follower accounts If Instagram bans follower accounts, the insights data associated with those users will be reset to zero.

Resolving the issue

To convert a regular profile to a Business account and enable insights:

1. Go to your profile settings by tapping the three-dot icon and the gear icon;
2. In the “Account” section, tap on the highlighted line in the screenshot;
3. Tap “Continue”;
4. Specify your personal Facebook page;
5. Tap “Next”;
6. After confirming the operation, tap “Done.”

If you need to update the Instagram app (using Android as an example):

1. Open the Google Play Store;
2. Go to the “Installed” tab;
3. Next to the Instagram app, tap “Update”.

Troubleshooting Instagram Insights Issues

Leveraging competitive analysis through Instagram Insights

Utilizing Instagram Insights for competitive analysis can provide strategic advantages by offering a deeper understanding of how competitors engage with their audiences. By observing trends, peak activity times, and the types of content that resonate most within your industry, you can refine your own content strategy to better meet the needs and interests of your target audience. This analysis can also reveal gaps in your competitors’ strategies that you can exploit. For instance, if competitors are underutilizing video content or certain hashtags, incorporating these elements into your strategy could attract their audience to your page. Regular competitive analysis through Instagram Insights not only keeps you informed about industry standards but also inspires innovation in your content approach, keeping your brand relevant and ahead of trends.

Let’s sum it up

Instagram Insights is a powerful analytics tool that provides valuable data on audience demographics, content performance, and engagement metrics. However, technical issues like the “Insights Not Available” error can hinder its effectiveness. This error can be caused by various factors, including incorrect account configuration, outdated app versions, privacy policy changes, and temporary glitches.

To minimize the occurrence of this error, users must ensure their Instagram account is set up as a Business or Creator account, regularly update the app, and actively engage with their audience to generate sufficient data for insights analysis. Staying informed about privacy policy changes and platform updates is also crucial to anticipate and adapt to potential disruptions in insights availability.

By following the troubleshooting solutions outlined in this article, users can effectively resolve the “Insights Not Available” error and leverage Instagram Insights to make data-driven decisions. A proactive approach to troubleshooting and a commitment to data-driven decision-making are essential to harness the full potential of Instagram Insights.