How to Create an Instagram Report for Clients (What to Include + Template)

AnalyticsBy the Pixtale Growth team · 25 October 2026 · 5 min read

A clear monthly Instagram report keeps clients happy and renewing. Here is exactly what to include, a simple template, and how to make one in minutes instead of hours.

Most clients don't read a 20-page report. They want to know three things: is the account growing, what worked, and what happens next month. A good Instagram report answers those in a few minutes of reading and makes the next invoice an easy yes.

This guide covers what to put in a client report, a template you can copy, the mistakes that make reports feel like busywork, and how to build one in minutes.

What a good Instagram client report does

• Proves progress with a few numbers that matter, compared with last month.
• Explains why the numbers moved, in plain words.
• Shows the best content so the client sees their money at work.
• Agrees the next steps, so the report leads into next month's plan.

If a section doesn't do one of these four jobs, cut it.

What to include (the 8 sections)

1. Summary in three sentences

Start with the result, not the method. For example: "Followers grew by 1,240 (+2.6%) this month. Reels drove most of it, especially the behind-the-scenes series. Next month we double down on reels and test Thursday evening posts."

2. Key numbers vs last month

Pick five or six and always show the change:

• Followers and follower growth
• Engagement rate (likes + comments ÷ followers)
• Average likes and comments per post
• Average reel views
• Number of posts published

Use the same metrics every month. Changing them each time makes it look like you are hiding something.

3. Top posts

Show the three to six best posts with a thumbnail, the numbers and one line on why each worked: the hook, the topic, the format or the timing. This is the part clients look at first. Our guide on finding your best performing posts shows how to pick them fairly.

4. What didn't work

One or two honest lines about weak posts build trust. "Static product photos got 40% fewer likes than reels, so we are moving that budget to short videos" is far better than pretending everything went well.

5. Content mix

Compare reels vs photos vs carousels: how many of each you posted and the average engagement of each. It justifies next month's mix.

6. Audience and comments

Numbers say how many people reacted; comments say what they think. Summarise the mood, the most common questions and any complaints. If people are asking for prices or where to buy, say so: that is direct business value for the client. See how to find buyers in Instagram comments.

7. Competitors (optional, but clients love it)

A short side-by-side with two competitors puts the numbers in context. An engagement rate of 2% means little alone; "2% vs 1.3% and 1.6% for the two main competitors" means a lot. Here is a full competitor analysis guide.

8. Next month's plan

Three to five concrete actions with a reason each: what to post, when to post (use your best time to post), and what you will test.

A simple Instagram report template

[Client name] · Instagram report · [Month, Year]

Summary: [growth in one sentence]. [What drove it]. [Focus for next month].

Key numbers (vs last month): Followers [x] ([+y]) · Engagement rate [x%] ([+/-y]) · Avg likes [x] · Avg reel views [x] · Posts [x]

Top 3 posts: [post] — [numbers] — [why it worked]

What didn't work: [one honest line + what we change]

Content mix: Reels [n] / Photos [n] / Carousels [n] — best format: [x]

Comments: Mood [positive/neutral/negative] · Top questions [..] · Buying signals [..]

Competitors: [you] vs [A] vs [B] on engagement and posting

Next month: 1. [action] 2. [action] 3. [action]

Mistakes that make reports feel like busywork

• Screenshots of Insights with no explanation. The client can't tell if 12,400 reach is good.
• Vanity numbers only. Followers without engagement or comments tell half the story.
• Different metrics every month. Consistency is what makes progress visible.
• No next steps. A report without a plan looks like the end of the work, not the middle.
• Your tool's branding everywhere. Agencies should send reports in their own brand.

How to make the report in minutes, not hours

Done by hand, a report means screenshots, spreadsheets and copy-pasting, often two or three hours per client. With Pixtale Growth you search the client's Instagram username and get the numbers, top posts, content mix, comment mood and competitor comparison in one place, then export:

• PDF or PowerPoint with your agency's logo and two brand colours (white-label), ready to send.
• A share link to a read-only report.
• A live Client Portal: one private link per client that always shows their latest numbers, in your brand, with no login for the client.

It works on public data, so you never need the client's Instagram password. Private metrics such as reach, saves and audience demographics only appear in the account's own Insights, so add those from Instagram if the client shares them.