How Instagram's Updated Marketing API Metrics Work and What They Actually Measure

In December 2025, Meta added a batch of new metrics to the Instagram Marketing API Insights endpoint, giving third-party platforms access to engagement signals that were previously locked inside native analytics. The update covers Reels skip rate, repost counts at two levels, profile visit tracking for ads, and crossposted Reels view counts. Each metric has specific requirements and limitations worth understanding before you build anything on top of them.

Reels Skip Rate

This metric returns the percentage of viewers who scrolled past a Reel within the first three seconds. It is a retention signal, not a reach signal. A high skip rate means the opening frame is not holding attention. A low skip rate means the hook is working.

A few things to know. The three-second threshold is fixed. You cannot configure it through the API. The metric applies only to Reels, not to Stories, carousels, or static posts. It also requires a minimum number of views before Meta will return a value. For newer or lower-reach Reels, the field may come back empty. There is no published minimum view count, so your integration should handle null responses gracefully.

Repost Counts

Meta introduced two repost metrics. The first is a media-level count that tells you how many times a specific Reel or post was reposted to another user's profile. The second is an account-level aggregate across all eligible content.

The important constraint is scope. These counts track public reposts to user profiles only. Shares to Stories and direct messages are not included. If your reporting dashboard already tracks "shares" from older API fields, repost count is a different measurement. Combining them without a label will confuse your users.

Reposts became more visible across Instagram throughout 2025 as Meta expanded the feature. This metric gives external tools a way to quantify that behavior at scale.

Profile Visits from Ads

This metric counts how many times users visited an advertiser's Instagram profile after interacting with a paid ad. It is exclusive to campaigns. Organic content does not generate this data point.

Profile visits are counted within a defined attribution window after ad interaction. The exact window depends on account-level attribution settings and campaign configuration. The metric tells you someone arrived at the profile, not what they did next. Connecting profile visits to follows or subsequent engagement requires joining this data with other signals.

Crossposted Reels Views

For Reels crossposted to Facebook, Meta now exposes two additional view metrics through the Insights Graph API. The crossposted views field returns the total view count across both platforms. The facebook views field returns only the Facebook portion. Subtracting one from the other gives you the Instagram-only count.

These fields only populate when a Reel is actually crossposted. For Instagram-only Reels, they will not appear in the response. Plan your data model accordingly.

Access Requirements

All four metrics require a professional account, either Business or Creator. Personal accounts will not return data for any of these fields. Profile Visits from Ads additionally requires active ad campaigns through Meta's ad system.

The metrics are not enabled by default. Your API calls must explicitly request each field. If you omit them from the fields parameter, you will not see them in the response even if the account qualifies.

FAQ

Why does Reels Skip Rate return null for some Reels? The metric requires enough views to produce a statistically meaningful percentage. Meta does not publish the minimum threshold. Low-reach Reels may never return a value.

Do Repost Counts include Story shares or DM shares? No. Only public reposts to user profiles are counted. Story reshares and direct message shares are excluded.

Can I get Profile Visits data for organic posts? No. This metric is tied to paid campaigns only. There is no organic equivalent in the current API.

Do crossposted view metrics work for all Reels? Only for Reels that have been crossposted to Facebook. Instagram-only Reels will not return these fields.

Is the Basic Display API an option for these metrics? No. The Basic Display API was fully deprecated in December 2024. All new metrics are available exclusively through the Marketing API and Graph API for professional accounts.