Overview
The Analytics dashboard shows performance data for Reels produced by Sphot. Data is pulled from the Instagram Graph API and updated every 6 hours.
Key Metrics
Reach — the number of unique accounts that saw the Reel. This is the top of your funnel.
Plays — total number of times the Reel started playing. Higher than reach if some accounts watched multiple times.
Average watch time — the average duration viewers spent watching before swiping away. The most important engagement signal for the algorithm.
Saves — accounts that saved the Reel to their collection. Saves signal high intent — the algorithm weights them heavily.
Shares — Reels shared to stories or sent via DM. The strongest signal for algorithmic distribution.
Comments — direct engagement. Quality matters more than quantity here.
Engagement rate — (saves + shares + comments) / reach, expressed as a percentage. A healthy rate for Reels is 3–8%.
The Engagement Heatmap
The heatmap shows your best-performing publish times based on historical data. Darker cells indicate higher average engagement for Reels published at that hour and day.
Use this to adjust your schedule's publish time. The heatmap becomes reliable after ~20 published Reels.
Production Mode Breakdown
The analytics breakdown tab shows performance by production mode (Auto / Montage / Narrative / Cinematic). Use this to identify which mode performs best for your audience.
If Narrative consistently outperforms Montage for your account, update your default schedule mode accordingly.
Reel-Level Detail
Click any Reel card to see its individual analytics:
- Reach and plays over time (48-hour curve)
- Audience retention curve (where viewers drop off)
- Hashtag reach contribution
- Account discovery source (hashtags, explore, home feed, profile)
The retention curve is the most actionable data point. If viewers consistently drop off at the 3-second mark, your hook isn't working. If they drop off at 50%, your conclusion is weak.
Exporting Data
Go to Analytics → Export to download a CSV of all Reel performance data for a custom date range. Useful for reporting or external analysis.