Picture-sharing social network Instagram announced yesterday it now has over 500 million users, more than doubling its user base in the last two years.
Of the half-a-billion users, 300 million log onto the platform once a day, and over 400 million reside outside of the US.
The Facebook-owned app says, on average, more than 95 million photos and videos are shared per day.
Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 for $1 billion, and was slow to monetise the app. It expanded its platform to all advertisers last year, rather than a select few, and is expected to make up to $2.8 billion in advertising revenue in 2017, according to research firm eMarketer.
Advertising on Instagram will work similarly to how it works on Facebook. It will target specific people using their demographic information and platform-usage habits gathered on the platform.
In February, the company announced it had attracted 200 000 advertisers to the platform.
Amy Cole, head of brand development for EMEA, says: "Brands have always been a key part of our community - and as the community continues to grow, so does the opportunity for advertisers.
"In the last few years, we've introduced new tools and creative formats, like video carousel, to help brands drive real business results."
Facebook now owns many of the most popular apps, including WhatsApp with a billion users, and its Messenger platform, now the second-most popular app ? behind only Facebook ? with 900 million users.
By comparison, rival Twitter, which began selling advertisements more than five years ago, has 130 000 advertisers and 320 million users.
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