According to a report from social media analytics company Simply Measured, Instagram is fast becoming one of the hottest networks around for major brands to engage with customers.
As of now, 71 of the top 100 brands are using Instagram. By comparison, 98% of the top 100 brands are on Facebook and Twitter, and 73% and 74% of on Google+ and Pinterest, respectively.
While total Instagram adoption among top brands is still the lowest among these 5 major social networks, the rate of adoption has spiked dramatically. In just one year, the number of top brands using Instagram has increased by 55%, from 40% adoption last October. Simply Measured says that makes it the fastest-growing platform for marketers, worldwide.
And the majority of brands aren’t just on Instagram, but they are using it frequently. 57% of the top 100 brands are posting at least once a week. Last year, only 38% were posting that regularly. Over a third of these brands now have over 10,000 followers, and 19% have a whopping 100,000 followers or more.
Because of this blitz, user engagement is also on the rise – so it appears their efforts are paying off.
The volume of posts by these top 100 brands has increased 70% in the past year, leading to a 350% increase in total engagement (likes and comments).
With such results, who in their right mind isn’t using Instagram?
“Which top brands aren’t on Instagram? Mainly B2B financial services companies and several FMCG companies. These brands don’t have visually stunning offerings and struggle to find their audience on the network. However, the ones who’ve found creative ways to get involved have found success,” says Simply Measured.
Automotive brands enjoy the best fan engagement on the network, with Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Audi controlling the 1st, 3rd, and 5th spots, respectively.
As brand use increases, Instagram just rolled out its first-ever ads on the site. In the coming weeks, you’ll begin to see some sponsored posts in your Instagram feed. For more on how those will work and what they’ll look like, check here.
Images via Simply Measured, Nike, Instagram