Who’s Actually There
Instagram’s strongest Australian cohort is 25–34, and the platform skews slightly female.
The 18–24 group is present but splits attention with TikTok, making them less reliable as a primary Instagram target unless the creative is genuinely format-native and high quality.
What People Are Actually Doing
Australians use Instagram to validate, not discover.
By the time someone visits a brand’s profile, they’ve usually already encountered it somewhere else. They’re looking for proof — consistent posting, real social proof and creative that signals the business is credible and active.
Reels vs Feed
Reels now account for the majority of organic reach. Static feed posts reach a fraction of what they did previously.
If your content strategy relies on graphics and still images, expect limited distribution without paid support behind it.
The Mid-Funnel Role
Instagram sits most effectively between awareness and conversion. It’s where consideration happens.
Someone sees a Facebook ad, searches the brand name, finds the Instagram account and makes a judgement call. A weak Instagram presence will kill conversion rates even when the ad itself is performing well.
Stories and DMs
For service businesses, Stories and direct messages increasingly function as first contact points.
A significant portion of Instagram enquiries now come through DM rather than link clicks — which means response speed and tone matter operationally, not just in creative.
How ROI Helps Businesses Win on Instagram
ROI helps businesses treat Instagram as the conversion lever it actually is, rather than a vanity channel.
That starts with getting the profile to a standard that converts browsers into enquiries — then building a Reels-first content approach that earns reach rather than just buying it. For paid activity, ROI structures Instagram campaigns to work in concert with Facebook, using Instagram’s mid-funnel strength to shorten consideration cycles and lift overall return. The biggest gains typically come not from more followers, but from a higher percentage of existing visitors taking the next step.
