Follower counts get you noticed by an agency. Your Views and Sends per reach decide your actual rate. Brands no longer care about generic engagement rates based on likes.
The exact Instagram metrics brands look for today
Brands want to see your Views, Sends per reach, and 30-day non-follower reach. Follower count acts like a filter for agencies to find you. These three performance metrics dictate what they will actually pay you.
Most agencies quote Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 for a Reel from a creator with 50,000 followers. Your Views dictate if you get the top end of that range. A generic engagement rate based on likes is losing value fast. A like does not prove a person actually watched your video. People often double-tap out of habit and keep scrolling.
Agencies now ask for specific screenshots from your Professional Dashboard. They verify these numbers before they send you a contract. They want proof that your content holds attention.
The 2026 update: Views are the new Impressions
Instagram unified its metrics in late 2026. The platform replaced Impressions with Views across all formats (Instagram blog: Prioritizing views and shares over impressions in media kits, 2026). Meta officially deprecated the Impressions and Plays metrics through its API on April 21, 2025.
Views count repeat plays. Reach counts unique accounts. A user watches your Reel once. They scroll away. They come back and watch it again. That is one account reached. That is two Views.
Brands care about this change. It shows exactly how many times their product was seen on screen. You must quote your average Views per Reel over your last 10 posts when you pitch a brand. Do not just quote your total follower count. Your follower count includes inactive accounts and bots. Your Views show your active, current audience.
Why Sends and Retention beat Likes and Comments
Likes are cheap and easy to get. Sends show actual intent. People share Reels in DMs when they find them funny, useful, or relatable. Shares drive algorithmic reach.
Agencies now calculate Sends per reach. This tells them if your content moves people to act. A high Send rate means your audience trusts your recommendations.
Retention graphs on Reels show if viewers stay past the 3-second mark. A 5 percent engagement rate means nothing to a brand. It is completely useless if your audience swipes away before the sponsored product appears on screen. Brands want watch time. They want to know the viewer stayed long enough to hear the brand name.
| Old Metric | New Metric | Why Brands Care Today |
|---|---|---|
| Impressions | Views | Shows the total number of times the content actually played. |
| Likes | Sends | Proves the content was interesting enough to share with a friend. |
| Follower Count | 30-Day Reach | Shows active viewership rather than dead or inactive accounts. |
The exact screenshots Indian agencies will ask for
Agencies want uncropped screenshots directly from your Instagram Professional Dashboard. Never edit or fake these screenshots. Agencies use third-party tools to spot anomalies. They check the font and the alignment of the numbers. They will blacklist creators who lie.
30-day account overview
Agencies look at your total reach here. They want to see the split between followers and non-followers. This proves you can reach new customers for them. A high non-follower reach means the Instagram algorithm is pushing your content to the Explore page and the Reels feed.
Individual Reel performance
Agencies will ask for insights on your recent sponsored posts. They want to see the Views, Sends, and average watch time. This shows them what to expect if they pay for a Reel.
You must also show that you follow the rules on these past posts. ASCI disclosure rules for Indian creators mandates that material connections must be disclosed clearly using labels like #Ad, #Sponsored, or #Collaboration. Agencies check your past work to see if you use these labels correctly.
Story views and link clicks
You must show the 24-hour view count and link clicks for Stories. This proves you can drive traffic to a brand website.
Industry benchmarks place the average tap-through rate for an Instagram Story link sticker at 1-3 percent. A brand paying you Rs 10,000 for a Story wants to know how many actual clicks they will get. Your link clicks screenshot gives them that exact number.
Audience demographics: Proving your followers can buy
Brands need to know your audience matches their target market before they spend money. Instagram requires a minimum threshold of 100 accounts reached or engaged to populate demographic data.
You must share your top cities. Brands want to see cities like Mumbai, Delhi, or Bangalore for premium products. You must share your dominant age ranges. A finance app like Groww wants to see the 18-24 or 25-34 age brackets.
Gender split is critical. A homegrown beauty brand wants a 70 percent female audience in India. They do not want a global male audience. Share the Top Locations and Age Range screens from your insights. This proves your followers are the exact people the brand wants to reach.
How to match metrics to campaign goals
You need to pitch the right numbers for the right campaign. Tell the brand exactly which metric you will optimize for. This shows you understand their business.
Awareness campaigns
Some brands just want visibility. They are launching a new product and want everyone to see it. Pitch your Views and non-follower reach for these campaigns. This shows how many new people you can introduce to their product. Tell the brand you will focus on a broad hook to maximize Views.
Conversion and sales campaigns
Other brands want direct sales. They want people to click a link and buy a shirt. Pitch your Story link clicks and Saves for these campaigns. Share past conversion data if you have it. Tell the brand you will focus on a strong call to action to drive clicks.
| Campaign Goal | Primary Metric to Pitch | Secondary Metric to Pitch |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Awareness | Views | Non-follower reach |
| Product Sales | Story link clicks | Saves |
| App Installs | Sends | Profile visits |
You can keep your media kit automatically updated with these live stats using Neroex. This means you never have to pull manual screenshots every time a brand DMs you. A live Neroex media kit shows agencies your real-time Views and demographic splits instantly.
FAQs
Which Instagram insights do brands ask for?
Brands ask for Views, 30-day reach, Sends, audience demographics, and Story link clicks. They want to see uncropped screenshots directly from your Professional Dashboard to verify these numbers.
How to calculate engagement rate on Instagram?
You can use an engagement rate calculator to determine your performance. You calculate engagement rate by adding Likes, Comments, Sends, and Saves. You then divide that total by Reach and multiply by 100. This is the standard industry formula for Engagement Rate by Reach.
Do brands care about reach or followers?
Brands care about reach for performance and sales. They still look at followers for prestige and base rate calculations. Your follower count gets you in the door, but your reach gets you paid. When negotiating, remember that micro vs macro creators in India often have vastly different reach-to-follower ratios.
Sponsorship ke liye Instagram insights kaise share kare?
Share insights by sending uncropped screenshots of your Professional Dashboard. You can also send a link to a live media kit that syncs your data automatically.
The short version
- Brands want to see your Views, Sends per reach, and 30-day non-follower reach.
- Meta deprecated Impressions in 2025, making Views the primary metric for all formats.
- Agencies calculate Sends per reach to see if your content actually drives action.
- You must share uncropped screenshots of your 30-day overview, Reel performance, and Story link clicks.
- Always disclose paid partnerships clearly with labels like #Ad or #Sponsored.
Sources
- ASCI FAQs | Influencer Advertising Guidelines & Compliance
- top 1.jpg (ascionline.in)
- asci ai labelling guidelines (PDF, ascionline.in)
- hIgXQYx4rEI (youtube.com)
- ASCI Influencer Guidelines (PDF, ascionline.in)
- Guidelines for influencer advertising in digital media (PDF, ascionline.in)
- Instagram Statistics 2026: 35+ Facts Every Marketer Should Know
- Instagram Demographics 2025: Key Audience Insights and Statistics · Ayrshare
Researched and drafted by the Neroex research desk, an AI pipeline that checks each claim against live sources before it publishes, at Qubera Technologies Private Limited. Nothing here is tax or legal advice. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.