For a lot of verticals, Instagram must be an important a part of their digital advertising and marketing technique to assist develop their viewers and their model. With over 2 billion month-to-month energetic customers, Instagram is a powerful social media channel the place manufacturers can join with their viewers.
Nonetheless, when constructing your following on Instagram, don’t fall into the lure of chasing numbers. Engagement counts.
Engagement is a significantly better measure of your model’s affect. It tells us how nicely your content material was obtained, how energetic your viewers is, and the way these interactions translate to conversions or loyalty.
We reviewed the engagement charges for a few of the prime manufacturers on Instagram to see who’s participating their prospects and never simply shouting right into a void.
To realize engagement, the manufacturers beneath aren’t simply posting randomly or continuously – they’re leveraging storytelling, leaping on well timed developments, and cultivating communities.
By the top of this text, you’ll have actionable insights and inspiration that would assist your advertising and marketing staff rethink the best way to join along with your prospects on Instagram.
Notice, the next manufacturers are grouped by theme and never ordered by engagement fee*.
12 Manufacturers & Their Successful Methods On Instagram
Storytelling & Model Identification
1. Nike (@nike)
- Followers: Roughly 302 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.03% (Whereas this appears low, this measurement is “common” given its large variety of followers, and the identical goes for the large manufacturers listed beneath.)
- Common Likes: 103,000.
- Goal Viewers: Millennials and Gen Z, aspiring athletes from all generations.
Nike’s bio – “You may’t win. So win.”– units the tone for its whole Instagram presence, mixing in excessive black-and-white photos and motivational quotes. Their Instagram posts really feel like a troublesome however encouraging coach, pushing followers to attempt for extra.
That is all exemplified of their latest submit: Nike teamed up with Grammy-award-winning rapper Doechii to voice their new mantra, that includes highly effective girls in numerous sports activities difficult what they’re instructed they will’t do and breaking free from societal expectations.
In the meantime, high-energy neon colours deliver sneaker pictures to life. Nike is doing an superior job inspiring its viewers with its motivational content material.
The flood of feedback are jam-packed with flame emojis, trophies, and applause fingers – clearly exhibits the deep connection they’ve constructed with their viewers. Their highly effective messaging really resonates and hits the mark.
2. McDonald’s (@mcdonalds)
- Followers: 5.3 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.93%.
- Common Likes: 49,000.
- Goal Viewers: Quick-food lovers, Gen Z, Millennials, and nostalgia-driven shoppers.
McDonald’s Instagram takes audiences straight again to the ’90s with its use of vivid, daring colours, disposable camera-style pictures, and the return of McDonaldLand characters.
Its technique blends product promotion with collaborations with culturally related manufacturers, just like the Pokémon Completely happy Meal, to enchantment to Millennials.
It additionally faucets into current developments, utilizing popular culture memes associated to their fast-food staples, corresponding to one referencing the enduring Kendrick vs. Drake rap battle.
Creating user-centric content material – like polls, memes, quizzes, and teasers – for established manufacturers like McDonald’s goes a good distance.
With solely 360 posts, it has an engagement fee of 0.93% in followers previously month, averaging 882 feedback per submit.
This success isn’t simply on account of its fame however as a result of it persistently produces easy but participating content material that resonates with Gen Z and Millennials. Quick meals manufacturers can take a cue from McDonald’s.
Consumer-Generated Content material (UGC) & Neighborhood Constructing
3. GoPro (@gopro)
- Followers: 20.8 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.07%
- Common Likes: 14,800.
- Goal Viewers: Journey seekers, excessive sports activities athletes, and content material creators.
It’s simple to see why GoPro has 20 million followers – their account is crammed with immersive, adrenaline-pumping POV pictures. However that’s not all.
By showcasing actual person expertise by UGC and contest giveaways, like its #GoProLineOfTheWinter winners’ submit, the model is participating its viewers of GoPro customers and thrill-seekers whereas providing a transparent demonstration of the product in motion. And that could be a technique you may replicate in your product.
The mix of professional suggestions to smooth product pictures, seamlessly tying in dynamic POV footage and pictures from customers in opposition to beautiful landscapes drive real engagement with its viewers – they’re genuinely excited, as proven on this product submit of Go Professional Hero13 that obtained 8,000 feedback.
Social media managers ought to keep in mind to collaborate with, not in opposition to, their followers, rewarding their efforts and conserving company branding to a minimal.
4. Shopify (@shopify)
- Followers: 1.6 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.08%
- Common Likes: 1,012.
- Goal Viewers: Ecommerce entrepreneurs, on-line enterprise homeowners, and small enterprise startups.
Shopify’s strategic use of blue, inexperienced, and yellow neon accents enhances its visually interesting feed. With carousel tutorials and reels that includes entrepreneurs, it caters to on-line store homeowners who’re quick on time or annoyed potential enterprise homeowners who lack motivation to lastly open up store.
The model’s content material is transient, instructional, and conversational, like this submit about their bundles’ function, which generated over a thousand feedback. It additionally recurrently addresses matters that resonate with its viewers, corresponding to restocking points, cart abandonment, and influencer collaborations.
Comparable platforms may benefit from emulating Shopify’s optimistic branding on Instagram in order that customers are enticed to demo their merchandise. Takeaway: clearly upbeat messaging not solely attracts customers to attempt your product but additionally builds a neighborhood of hopeful enterprise homeowners.
5. Zendesk (@zendesk)
- Followers: 46,000.
- Engagement Price: 0.36%
- Common Likes: 160.
- Goal Viewers: Customer support professionals/groups, small- to medium-sized companies.
Zendesk’s Instagram looks like a small, welcoming neighborhood of customer support professionals. Every submit function a white textual content overlays that clearly introduce the subject, from buyer success recommendation to considerate discussions on AI integration.
For instance, posts concerning the “excellent service buyer voice” or “very best maintain music” are conversational and approachable, serving to construct rapport with help professionals slightly than focusing solely on product specs.
This method fosters genuine connections and conversations, which may ultimately result in conversions, making its buyer support-focused feed each helpful and real.
SaaS manufacturers would do nicely to take this humanized method to allow them to demystify their expertise whereas present a secure house for his or her customers, on this case, customer support professionals and SMBs.
Humor & Relatable Content material
6. Liquid Dying (@liquiddeath)
- Followers: 5.1 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.24%
- Common Likes: 11,932.
- Goal Viewers: Millennials, Gen Z, various life-style shoppers.
Undoubtedly standing out from the gang, Liquid Dying feels extra like a heavy metallic band than a beverage firm.
Whereas it could look like an alcohol model at first look, its non-alcoholic drinks carve out a novel area of interest as an alternative choice to mainstream alcohol and sugary iced teas.
On Instagram, the model embraces edgy aesthetics, that includes metallic gold accents, darkish colours, and daring typefaces.
Its brash, in-your-face advertising and marketing technique drives engagement – evidenced by its collaboration with The Deep (from Amazon’s The Boys), which racked up 24,000 feedback.
Since launching in 2019 within the extremely aggressive F&B house, Liquid Dying has skyrocketed in reputation due to its intelligent, viral advertising and marketing – amassing thousands and thousands of views on TikTok and tens of hundreds on YouTube – proof that unconventional approaches can interact and create new communities, too.
For entrepreneurs constructing new manufacturers and even present ones, that is proof that unconventional methods can work, particularly when tailor-made for particular social media platforms.
The hot button is guaranteeing model id interprets seamlessly throughout channels with out sacrificing originality, so don’t be afraid to brainstorm “refreshing” concepts along with your advertising and marketing staff.
7. Duolingo (@duolingo)
- Followers: 4.2 million.
- Engagement Price: 7.14%
- Common Likes: 316,000.
- Goal Viewers: Overseas language college students, meme lovers, and Gen Z.
Instructional expertise needn’t be boring, and Duolingo’s Instagram web page is something however. It has capitalized on how customers have a love-hate relationship with Duo, its ubiquitous inexperienced owl mascot, and its infinite reminders to take their subsequent language lesson. And so it has ‘killed’ er, introduced the chicken is useless.
With posts stuffed with Gen Z/Millennial humor and commentary on present developments, it manages to maintain a really excessive engagement fee (the very best on this checklist as seen above and a whopping 265% enhance in followers previously month), and but nonetheless reminds everybody to make use of the app and proceed the training course of.
Based on Meme Advertising: Era Z Shopper Conduct on Social Media,
“Profitable and viral memes ought to match their pursuits and values, corresponding to leisure, informative, pattern–related, and replicate the distinctive traits of tech–oriented, revolutionary, curious Era Z.”
Social media managers of EdTech ought to study to talk the slang of their target market on Instagram as it really works. Total, playful content material with cultural memes and trending occasions blended with training connects with youthful, digital natives – use memes to your benefit to extend your model consciousness.
8. Ryanair (@ryanair)
- Followers: 1.6 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.16%
- Common Likes: 2,500.
- Goal Viewers: Finances vacationers, frequent flyers, and meme tradition lovers.
Ryanair’s Instagram bio reads, “Catch flights, not emotions with Europe’s favourite airline.” It completely sums up its model and units the tone for your complete web page – which means it’s not afraid to poke enjoyable at its viewers.
It posts hilarious quick movies, and each submit to the left on its grid contains a relatable flying meme in its signature royal blue branded template.
Occasionally, it mixes in beautiful chicken’s-eye pictures of unique locales. It additionally caters on to funds vacationers with frequent flight offers and bulletins.
Finances journey apps and websites ought to take word: Figuring out your target market and tailoring your messaging, whether or not humorous or severe, is essential. They swap between humorous and sensible content material with out shedding their model persona.
Ryanair’s Instagram works as a result of it has mastered content material that resonates with funds vacationers who simply need to be entertained and on the similar time, decide up helpful journey data.
Influencer & Partnership Methods
9. Vans (@vans)
- Followers: 16 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.06%
- Common Likes: 10,000.
- Goal Viewers: Skate boarders, streetwear followers, and music tradition lovers.
Vans appeals to varied teams of individuals around the globe as a way of life alternative as a substitute of only a shoe model.
Loyal followers flock to its web page to examine if previous favorites have been restocked. Style manufacturers managers, you must be aware of showcasing your model as a way of life for and to ensure that this technique to work, rigorously select collaborations that signify their target market.
Its success on Instagram is partly on account of strategic collaborations with musicians like The Paranoyds and rising membership DJs for the model’s Premium Previous Skool Music Assortment, which contains a daring leopard print.
It additionally collaborates on shoe designs with skaters, surfers, and athletes, just like the Skate Previous Skool 36+ that includes Olympic athlete Zion Wright.
Vans mixes grainy, quirky product pictures with life-style imagery and behind-the-scenes takes that make viewers really feel like they’re a part of the membership.
It has accomplished this over the previous decade, but this technique nonetheless works to interact folks subconsciously, with seemingly low-effort content material, however the allure takes some effort to drag off.
10. Crimson Bull (@redbull)
- Followers: 26 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.33%
- Common Likes: 85,000.
- Goal Viewers: Excessive sports activities followers, journey seekers, and adrenaline junkies.
As anticipated from the world-famous power drink, Crimson Bull’s Instagram is filled with adrenaline.
Working example: multi-gold-winning bike athlete David Godziek driving on prime of a shifting practice! That is simply one other day for the model, because it has featured Adam Snosler leaping his snowmobile over a bus.
Crimson Bull’s Instagram showcases jaw-dropping feats by legendary athletes doing the seemingly unimaginable, with practically each submit being a collaboration.
Like Vans, Crimson Bull highlights a variety of sports activities and stunts – on foot, two wheels, or 4 – and can also be well-known for its F1 staff, Oracle Crimson Bull Racing, with some posts devoted to pushing velocity boundaries.
This technique ties in completely with Crimson Bull’s distinctive promoting level and sparks engagement from followers, who fill the feedback with witty jokes, like on this skydiving submit.
Between these stunt posts, it mixes in product updates, like new flavors or pop quizzes. It’s a terrific instance of sticking to what works, showcasing what your product is understood for, and increasing your expertise community to enchantment to an brisk viewers.
Beautiful Visuals & Interactive Content material
11. The Sill (@thesill)
- Followers: 734 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.08%
- Common Likes: 551.
- Goal Viewers: Houseplant lovers, residence decor lovers, and younger professionals.
Like their emblem, The Sill’s Instagram web page feels balanced, that includes eye-catching florals, lush greenery, and chic, cozy residence gardens.
Its branding is robust throughout the board, with posts highlighting its on-line store – like this carousel of a red-and-pink pigmented plant formed like a coronary heart as a part of its Valentine’s Day providing. Scroll previous the primary picture and also you’ll see a number of shut up slots of violet-tinged leaves and flowers – it simulates receiving a bouquet of flowers and admiring them individually, making it inventive.
How would you like your model to come back throughout? What would you like your prospects to really feel once they try your web page – energized or relaxed?
Each image on The Sill evokes heat, sunshine, and numerous shades of inexperienced.
To make sure prospects take pleasure in visiting their web page, social media managers of small manufacturers ought to prioritize high-quality visuals over inventory photos. Don’t scrimp on the funds for inventive shoots. Put money into them and over time, your Instagram web page can evoke a soothing environment, too.
Particularly for B2Cs, no matter your model sells, showcasing it superbly on Instagram with a mixture of close-ups, overviews, and quick movies is essential to sustaining engagement and consciousness.
12. Nationwide Geographic (@natgeo)
- Followers: 279 million.
- Engagement Price: 0.03%
- Common Likes: 84,500.
- Goal Viewers: Nature lovers, photographers, and academic content material shoppers.
Wildlife content material takes the highlight on Nationwide Geographic’s Instagram, with each different submit that includes enjoyable info about animals, the atmosphere, or notable figures.
For instance, this submit about first-documented encounter with a deep sea fish: the black seadevil is accompanied by detailed scientific descriptions. The identical goes for this listicle of 5 enjoyable reality about feminine samurai, that includes colourful drawings and well-placed picture captions with arrows to assist accessibility.
Whereas prolonged, it successfully engages customers in the feedback part, who share their data and opinions concerning the topic.
This works as a result of Nat Geo’s viewers enjoys exploring and studying concerning the world. There’s no have to model each submit, however the refined use of a yellow rectangle and yellow font helps viewers acknowledge the model.
Media and publishing corporations can thrive on social media, utilizing it not only for leisure but additionally as an academic platform for shoppers who could not watch TV.
Proceed adapting your documentaries, interviews, and extra into digestible codecs on social media. Make each submit as accessible as you may for viewers of all ages and develop your web page into an academic hub the place folks foster studying from one another within the feedback part.
Stage Up Your Instagram Technique This 2025
When you can emulate these manufacturers above, true engagement will all the time come from your model’s authenticity.
Keep authenticity by being clear along with your model id and values.
Partaking content material is feasible in any area of interest, whether or not B2B SaaS, multinational meals & beverage, journey, or training.
Even matters that Gen Z would possibly discover boring will be was bite-sized, entertaining codecs, and austere-sounding manufacturers can nonetheless humanize their content material by partnering with the suitable influencer.
Staying in tune with developments, together with key U.S. holidays and occasions, and short-form video codecs, while layering in your model id and messaging may help.
When accomplished proper, creating content material that resonates along with your viewers will lead to real interactions and considerate engagement.
*All stats above are taken from Social Blade however the engagement fee has completely different benchmarks relying on the trade, so the order isn’t a comparable measure for all of the engagement charges above. Based on the 2024 Social Media Business Benchmark Report from Rival IQ, 0.43% is the median engagement raacross all industries.
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Featured Picture: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock