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Instagram has now officially surpassed Twitter (NYSE:TWTRTwitter (NYSE: as the second largest social media network after Facebook (NASDAQ:FBFacebook (NASDAQ: measured in number of users. When Facebook bought out the photo-sharing site in 2012, Instagram users were pegged at just 40 million. Three years down the line, Instagram has managed to rack up ten times as many users–more than 400 million at the last count up from 300 million just nine months ago. Instagram says in a blog post that the explosive growth has mainly been coming from Europe and Asia, and cements the notion that it remains by far the most popular photo-sharing website out there.

Instagram remains the #1 social site for teens, with 32% of teens using the site according to Piper Jaffray. In sharp contrast, only 14% of teens now use Facebook down from 33% just two years ago. Instagram therefore plays a very key role for FB, by helping the company to net a younger demographic that it would otherwise have a hard time reaching. This is important for marketers who would like to build brand affinity with younger users through Instagram videos.

There are a couple of reasons why Instagram is so popular. The platform is free and easy to use with no need for a complicated help page to get it up and running. Instagram’s photo-editing bell and whistles are completely free to use. And, Facebook’s decision to keep Instagram free of all that ad clutter that is common in other photo-sharing sites seems remarkably prescient. Instagram boasts a clean interface that loads quickly and allows users to focus more on viewing their friends’ photos instead of viewing unsolicited banner ads shoved in their faces.