In our fast-paced digital world, social networking is taking over as the primary way most people receive information. Instagram, one of the fastest-growing social networking platforms, is used daily At a time when visual content is critical for any brand to execute on a successful marketing strategy, Instagram presents a unique opportunity to position your brand creatively and showcase its personality. Plus, it’s a place where your consumers can see your curated content on the daily without feeling overwhelmed Companies have not only grown but have been born on social platforms like Instagram. So what makes them so insta-good?
Basics and Beyond
We all know You might be thinking, OK. So I’m doing all of that. What’s next?
- Show your personality. Define your point of view. Are you funny? Inspirational? Heartfelt? Sarcastic? What are you trying to say and to whom are you trying to say it?
- Engage your users. We know that Instagram is a bit self-involved, so use that to your advantage! Users love to see themselves regrammed 1. Nike (73.3 million followers) is one of a handful of fitness brands that have really blown up on Instagram. Once the reigning champion of successful brands on this social network, it has recently slipped to second place, just behind Nat Geo.
Setting the bar for social brand identity, Nike posts images that embrace lifestyle, rather than focusing solely on product. Inspirational, motivational, and inclusive, Nike uses creative copy that speaks both to professional athletes and exercise newbs alike, in all areas of life, not just at the gym.
2. Cosmetics retail giant Sephora (12 million followers) is super successful at engaging followers with visually stunning content that clearly reflects the brand’s identity. Playful captions pair with colorful images and fun patterns. Sephora is not afraid of posting video content with the same playful vibe.
Made in Sephora (438,000 followers), a secondary account for the brand, uses its handle to source user generated content (UGC) and hold contests that expand its ever-growing fan base and increase their daily engagement.
3. Vans (8.2 million followers) is a great example of a brand that uses its social content to engage users outside of its brick-and-mortar stores. It’s very successful at creating a brand identity around lifestyle, rather than product, staying true to the company’s roots and values established more than 50 years ago.
Vans uses music, art, and culture in its visual content, and takes advantage of user generated content that does the same. Vans hosts offline events (such as its famous Warped Tour) and meets customers and prospective customers where they live, work, and play.
4. Finfolk Productions (173,000 followers) uses Instagram to build a community of mermaid followers (called the pod squad–can it get any cuter?). Finfolk is great at reposting photos of its customers in its product, getting buy-in from Instagram users who love to see their own photos on the Finfolk feed.
The company also asks questions, requesting its pod members to leave comments, and posts giveaways. Its most successful post included a long copy, heartfelt message written 5. Yoga-focused athletic apparel brand Lululemon (2.1 million followers) uses visually exciting content, shot in awe-inspiring locations, and motivational messaging to connect with its audience. The company walks the line between activewear and lifestyle, with a lot of content featuring regular people doing regular things — cooking, woodworking, painting — showing their passions outside of sweating. They build community around live events, festivals, and group activities.
6. With more than 79 million followers, National Geographic is now the most popular brand on Instagram. Nat Geo proves that long captions, once considered an Instagram faux pas, just might be the new short caption. As a print publication dating back to the 1800s, National Geographic has taken digital media and social content 7. ASOS (6.2 million followers) uses individual accounts as sub accounts, working as brand ambassadors. This means more personality, more visibility, and more connection. The individual ambassadors are given a deal of autonomy, curating their own followers but tying everything back to the main brand page. Using personal accounts creates authenticity and relatability, which makes users more inclined to engage.
8. Ah, Starbucks, the Instagram best practices model. One of the first brands to see the benefit in user generated content, Starbucks (14.9 million followers) reinvented itself using social platforms, taking content marketing to a new level.
Once ranked the second most popular brand on Instagram (behind Nike), Starbucks remains among the strongest at leveraging creative hashtags and sourcing user generated content. The company creates hashtags to promote new flavors and seasonal products, and users are more than happy to share its photos.
Now that you’ve seen how some of the most successful brands on Instagram are using creative content to build their brands, what will you do differently? #getinstafamous