Instagram: It’s not just for selfies and #foodporn anymore. More and more small business owners are finding that this photo-sharing app is a crucial tool for marketing their brand, showing off their products, boosting sales and – yes – maybe snapping a few selfies with employees. With that in mind, here are 10 game-changing Instagram stats to help you reach thousands, create fans, captivate your audience, broadcast your brand, engage your community and define your competitive advantage.

1. 10 Instagram stats to
maximize your reach

2. Instagram gets 15 times more user engagement than
Facebook and 40 times more engagement than Twitter.
Here are 10 stats to help you ascend above the
crowd.

3. 30% increase in engagement for
images showing real customers
using (or wearing) your products
Source: http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/08/01/how-to-increase-instagram-engagement-by-182/?display=wide

4. 29% increase in likes for images
with a lot of the background
showing vs. low background space
Source: http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/08/01/how-to-increase-instagram-engagement-by-182/?display=wide

5. 25% increase in likes for light images vs. dark images
Source: http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/08/01/how-to-increase-instagram-engagement-by-182/?display=wide

6. 6% increase in engagement when posting on Sundays
Source: http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/08/01/how-to-increase-instagram-engagement-by-182/?display=wide

7. 24% increase in likes if the dominant color of an image is blue
Source: http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/important-instagram-stats/10/

8. 12.6% more
engagement when
a hashtag is used
Source: http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/important-instagram-stats/10/

9. 38% increase in engagement &
32% increase in comments on
images with faces
Source: http://louisem.com/5812/increase-instagram-engagement

10. 2% increase using Mayfair filter vs. Toaster filter
Source: http://louisem.com/5812/increase-instagram-engagement

11. 1% increase in photo
engagement weekdays
vs. weeknights and
weekends
Source: http://louisem.com/5812/increase-instagram-engagement

12. Photos get 26% more engagement than videos
Source: http://mysmallbizresources.com/2014/who-else-wants-to-increase-their-instagram-engagement-by-182/

13. Cute dogs are always a win