Why These Brands Are Taking Instagram By Storm
Nike
It’s hard to think of Nike without thinking of their legendary slogan “Just Do It.” The iconic slogan was released in 1988, but the story has been retold through social media in a way that has made a major impact on a modern audience. The “Just Do It” phrase has been used to tell motivational stories of celebrities, influencers, and regular people alike. Nostalgia is one of the most powerful human emotions, and Nike taps into the nostalgia of their slogan while digitally connecting on an emotional level. You can see an example of this below when the brand reframed its classic slogan in order to take an impassioned stance on equality.
Boasting 180m Instagram followers, the fourth largest following of any brand on Instagram, Nike is far from a starter-up account. In addition to being one of the most recognizable brands in the world, Nike has long established itself as a leader on social media. This might be because Nike has tapped into the emotional element that many of the major brands are missing. Even though they are a massive corporation, they reach their audience on a personal level, and brands that want to reach that level could learn a thing or two from their wholesomeness.
Fashion Nova
Instagram is often dominated by aspiration and luxury, but Fashion Nova is a perfect example of how audience familiarity can trump even the biggest names in the business. Fashion Nova is by far and large the dominator of fast fashion retail. In the past, Fashion Nova has been known to surpass iconic luxury brands like Gucci and Noir in terms of Instagram engagement. One lesson that brands can learn from Fashion Nova is how important it is to embrace diversity and to avoid isolating potential followers.
Although Fashion Nova is now known for celebrity and influencer sponsorships, they did not always have this reputation. In addition to these high-profile sponsorships, Fashion Nova has been known to repost their followers who post on their own accounts sporting one of the brand's outfits. The brand began the campaign by encouraging their followers to tag photos of themselves wearing Fashion Nova with the hashtag #NovaBabes. Now, their followers can still post their outfits for a chance to have the photo re-posted on the brand's feed or Instagram story by simply using the hashtag #FashionNova. By placing their followers on the same page as major celebrities and influencers, the brand makes their followers feel special, which is a great tactic to implement if you want to maintain and increase engagement.
Chipotle
As a company, Chipotle has made its mark by being straightforward and natural. Interestingly enough, their Instagram account has taken the platform by storm using the same philosophy. Chipotle’s social media is the perfect example of how far a bit of humor can take you. On top of having a massive Instagram following of over one million and receiving hundreds of thousands of likes on every post, they have the most followers on TikTok out of any food platform, ringing in at 1.4 million.
Back in the days of traditional advertising, companies spoke to their audiences in a way that could be perceived as boring. Nowadays, audiences are seeking out engagement. They want to interact with a brand the same way they would interact with an old friend, and Chipotle delivers that sense of familiarity. They understand that their audience wants to have genuine conversations with their social network. You can see this reflected in the Instagram post, which was also posted on their Twitter profile. They are staying in line with their brand’s unique voice, while talking to their customers with the same playful tone one would use with a friend.
What Can Your Brand Learn From the Top Brands on Instagram?
If we could sew a common thread between these brands and the types of posts that have launched their success, it would be that this content brings out some level of emotion in their followers that makes them feel connected with the brand. These feelings can be wide-ranging depending on the brand, from nostalgia to social inclusion and familiarity. When you think about the kind of emotions you want to evoke from your followers, think about the overall goals of your brand.
This does not have to look like the flashier examples you see from well-known brands above. Sometimes, simply educating your followers about the work you do will help them feel informed and involved. Content-heavy posts can still be highly engaging, as long as the information is presented in an attractive way. A marketing team that specializes in your specific industry can communicate the message you want to get across in a way that will help you attract and maintain your audience. Even if your day-to-day work seems more tedious than that of a brand like Nike, you can still excite your followers with a dose of strategy and a bit of creativity.
If you need a little help with social media, Scorpion can help. Check out this Beginner's Guide to Social Media.
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