The Instagram Metrics That Matter Most in 2025

Instagram has rolled out several updates that are reshaping how creators and brands should measure success on the platform. Mathilda, our Senior Social Media Manager at PUBLiSH, pulled together the key metrics that matter right now, so you can make sure your reports are tracking what actually drives growth.

1. Views Take the Lead

Across Reels, Stories, and Feed posts, views have overtaken likes as the primary measure of performance. This shift highlights how Instagram’s algorithm now rewards reach and visibility over surface-level engagement. If you’re not tracking views, you’re missing the clearest signal of what the platform values.

2.  Reposts Are the New Growth Lever

Instagram has introduced a “repost” button for posts and Reels, similar to Threads or X. This makes sharing content frictionless and dramatically increases potential reach. Meta has confirmed that reposted content may be recommended more widely, giving creators a new organic pathway to new audiences.

3. Sends Per Reach = Deep Relevance

This under-the-radar metric reveals the percentage of viewers who found your content compelling enough to privately share it. The Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, recently emphasized content that sparks private sharing holds more weight in the algorithm than public likes or comments because it signals personal relevance and extends the content’s life in trusted, private conversations where influence is often higher than publicly.

4. Retention Insights Sharpen Strategy

Instagram’s new retention analytics show exactly where users drop off in Reels or carousel posts, and which points spark likes (if you don’t have the update yet, it should come soon!). For Stories, exits and forward/back taps provide valuable feedback on narrative pacing and CTA placement. This makes it easier to fine-tune storytelling and replicate what resonates.

5. Don’t Forget the Classics

While these updates mark a shift, saves, shares, DMs, and clicks continue to be powerful drivers of both algorithmic ranking and conversions. And follower growth remains a core baseline—after all, reach only matters if your audience is growing.

Does your current reporting framework capture these new signals? If not, now’s the time to update.