In the world of digital marketing, size isn’t everything.
Momentum is.
While Instagram might not be the biggest or the most trafficked social media site (though a #7 global slot isn’t bad), it is the fastest growing social media platform. And, the way things are shaping up on Instagram, there’s no sign the platform will be slowing down. Here are a few figures to chew on….
Instagram Growth Stats
- 23% growth in active users between Q2 and Q4 2013. (Runners up – to show you how far Instagram is outpacing other platforms – include Reddit at 13%, LinkedIn at 9%, and Yammer at 8%.) (source)
- The platform boasts more than 200 million active users.
- More than 65% of whom are outside the U.S.
- Over 20 billion photos have been shared.
- There are 1.6 billion likes daily.
- 60 million photos are shared per day (on average).
With Instagram, the question isn’t should you market? It’s when will you market? To give you some inspiration, we’ve put together a list of some of Instagram’s recent movers-and-shakers, which we discovered via Totems, an Instagram marketing and analytics company.
Tour de France
+233 in Rank (in 30 days) to 497
67,689 Followers
@letourdefrance
With 33 posts in a single day – and then silence for two days (and counting) – the Tour de France Instagram has a penchant for tour de force binge posting. If you’re new to Instagram strategy, you should know this is not “the way it’s done.” Generally, posting 1-2x per day is a healthy max limit. Variety, however, is a lesson that can be learned form @letourdefrance. Action shots, wide angle, and close-ups are all present in this feed, making for an interesting mix of content.
Beyond Coconut Water
+304 in Rank (in 30 days) to 1,979
16,479 Followers
@beyondcoconutwater
Beyond Coconut Water, a quickly growing Australian beverage company, includes pictures of customers, brightly lit health food dishes, local celebrities, and peppy short-copy posts. This refreshing display of diversity seems to be a hit with followers.
County of Milan
+78 in Rank (in 7 days) to 1,039
41,563 Followers
@countyofmilan
County of Milan, a street fashion company with plenty of street cred, is ratcheting up the ranks of Instagram by featuring images of celebrities wearing the brand’s famous logo and designs. While fashion brands usually avoid iPhone shots in their feed, County of Milan embraces an interesting mix of lo-fi and hi-fi photography.
Curioos
+80 in Rank (in 7 days) to 2,198
4,805 Followers
@curioos
New York City print gallery Curioos is seeing a nice rise in rank, using plenty of hashtags to boost post visibility. In addition to featuring artist work, Curioos posts special offers and other exclusive content.
Time To Start Building Your Instagram Strategy?
This short-list isn’t the best or the biggest in Instagram handles. However, they do serve as examples of what’s working. What Instagram profiles inspire you?