These days, it’s almost like your business doesn’t exist without a strong presence on social media. The companies that understand that are building communities to strengthen their brands. And one of the best platforms for buildings those communities is Instagram.
So if you’re new to the platform or need to get inspired for your next content calendar, here’s our roundup of the best brands on Instagram across seven key industries.
Let’s check them out!
Best restaurant brands on Instagram
The world of restaurants has gone through a massive change since we all started hanging out on Instagram. Now, you can rarely eat anywhere without the person next to you interrupting your first bite to take “one good snap for Instagram”.
It’s all about documenting our meals. So restaurants have had to adjust their strategy to cater to the Instagram world we’re living in.
Here’s how these five most successful restaurant brands on Instagram make us all drool over their profiles.
1. McDonald’s
Followers: 5 million
It’s no wonder that the absolute king of marketing (sorry Burger King) is bringing its A game on Instagram. With more than 5 million followers across the globe, McDonald’s is delivering daily content that goes way beyond showcasing their burgers and menus.
The brand is regularly posting brand-related memes, trendy videos like their get ready with me (GRWM) tutorial with Ronald McDonalds, and themed posts to celebrate new product releases.
Who wouldn’t love them?
For more inspirational marketing content from McDonalds, check out our article featuring the eight best McDonald’s marketing campaigns.
2. Chipotle
Followers: 1.2 million
Chipotle offers fast-casual, fresh Mexican food in restaurants across the US. To distinguish themselves from countless competitors in the fast food business, Chipotle is building a big community on Instagram with creative videos, user generated content, and mouthwatering images of their offer.
By staying on top of social media trends, posting amateur looking videos, and partnering with influencers and other powerful brands (like their recent partnership with Strava), Chipotle stays relevant and promotes their offers to a wide audience.
3. Monty’s Good Burger
Followers: 214K
Am I the only one who feels like everywhere you turn these days, there are new burgers in town? Regular burgers, plant-based, Asian- or Italian-inspired – you name it, and they probably exist!
With such tough competition in the burger industry, it’s hard to establish your brand. So, to make sure their plant-based burgers stand out as the most delicious on Instagram, Monty’s Good Burger built an Instagram account packed with images and videos of delicious burgers, saucy fries, and great looking shakes.
The company adopted a seemingly simple recipe for success: make your offer look irresistible and the customers will follow.
And it seems to be working!
4. Gordon Ramsay Restaurants
Followers: 634K followers
Gordon Ramsay is probably the most famous chef in the world, and his chain of restaurants attracts visitors from around the globe. So how does this famous chef translate his personal brand into a powerful Instagram presence for his Gordon Ramsay Restaurants?
Besides showcasing the luxurious food they offer, the chain often posts behind-the-scenes videos with their chefs, and even Ramsay himself. They also practice interview style content with the customers, plus collaborations with other brands to offer the most engaging content possible to their followers.
5. Strakers
Followers: 220K
Straker’s, a London-based restaurant, is a great example of how smaller businesses can still make it big on Instagram and attract a large number of visitors thanks to the platform. During the COVID-19 pandemic, chef Tomas Starker started his butter series on Instagram and delivered new recipes for delicious flavored butter every day.
The account took off, and eventually Starker opened his own restaurant that is now leveraging his personal brand. But the restaurant itself serves great Instagram content to food lovers on a daily basis. From behind-the-scenes snippets to delicious recipes, the restaurant gives its followers an exclusive look into what they can expect to experience when coming to the restaurant.
I mean, 220K followers for a local restaurant isn’t so bad, right?
Best fitness brands on Instagram
If you’re on Instagram, then you know that fitness brands are really living their best lives on this platform. From smaller niche brands to global icons, everyone is investing in their Instagram presence.
Let’s take a look at who’s doing the best job.
1. Nike
Followers: 306 million
It’s almost impossible to make a list of anything related to fitness marketing that doesn’t involve Nike. Their powerful campaigns are inspiring, socially relevant, and beautifully directed – making sports fans fall in love with them over and over again.
The brand has a very clean aesthetic on Instagram, often featuring images of some of the best athletes in the world paired with powerful slogans. With over 300 million followers on the platform, Nike is one of the biggest brands on Instagram!
See how this sports apparel giant masters other parts of the marketing mix with our roundup of the seven best ads and marketing campaigns from Nike.
2. GymShark
Followers: 6.8 million
GymShark is another fitness giant that built its fame thanks to smart social media strategies. GymShark was one of the first fitness brands that focused its digital marketing efforts on collaborating with fitness trainers and influencers.
By posting regular Instagram challenges, hosting events, and partnering with influencers, fitness clubs, and gyms worldwide, the brand built a huge online community that keeps inspiring and bringing new followers.
3. Alo
Followers: 1.7 million
Alo is one of the newer fitness brands that quickly realized the power of Instagram. The brand realized a gap in the market for sleek, trendy, yet comfortable pilates and yoga clothes for women that can be worn outside the gym.
To make sure their leggings and hoodies gained quick fame, the brand invested in influencer marketing. And soon every trendy woman wanted to be a part of this “cool club”.
On Alo’s Instagram page, everything is about a clean, feminine aesthetic where beautiful women feel comfortable wearing their classic pieces. The brand isn’t jumping on the latest video trends on the platform, and their seemingly simple image-oriented approach to the Instagram grid seems to be working!
4. Asana Rebel
Followers: 3 million
To move slightly away from the fitness clothing brands, Asana Rebel is an amazing example of how workout, sleep, nutrition, and wellbeing platforms can use Instagram to grow their customer base.
The brand’s Instagram strategy is all about sharing impactful but peaceful workout plans in combination with results their existing customers have already achieved.
5. Bala
Followers: 229K
Compared to other brands on this list, Bala is a smaller, more niche brand. But they’re getting some serious numbers on Instagram.
Their feed redefines how we look at fitness equipment – giving it some much-needed visual appeal. There’s a combination of perfectly framed Insta-friendly images and videos showcasing users in action. This makes the brand’s Instagram feed feel more like a lifestyle brand than a fitness equipment company.
Best car brands on Instagram
The automotive industry is more on the traditional side when it comes to marketing. But seeing some of the biggest brands turning to Instagram to appeal to the younger audience makes me believe that things are slowly changing.
Here are the five best Instagram profiles of famous car brands.
1. BMW
Followers: 38.3 million
BMW is almost a synonym for tradition, quality, and luxury. On their popular Instagram profile, the brand is constantly playing with combining their established identity with a more modern touch.
While you will most likely see their grid filled with beautiful cars driving through amazing landscapes, every now and then BMW likes to spice things up with explainer videos or creative campaigns. Like the one where animals took center stage!
2. Porsche
Followers: 30.2 million
Another luxurious car brand that’s adding their unique touch on Instagram is Porsche. Well known for elegance and luxury, Porsche cleverly uses Instagram to establish itself as a cool sports car to the younger generation.
The company often posts reels where they pay respect to the tradition while providing a new look into what the brand wants to be today. And it looks like more than 30 million people are loving the approach!
3. Tesla
Followers: 9.8 million
Everything about Tesla screams that the brand is living in the future. And their Instagram profile is no different. As one of the biggest new car brands, Tesla is using its grid to take followers to the future with innovative charging stations, design, and robotics.
The brand also offers “Tesla tips” in their Instagram Stories to help their existing and potential customers make the most of their feature-packed cars.
4. Jeep
Followers: 8.4 million
Designed for adventurers, Jeep is using Instagram to appeal to a larger community of enthusiasts who love to combine safe traveling with visiting incredible places. If you check out their profile, you’ll see a number of rugged cars featured in amazing locations that will simply make you want to be there.
To engage their large following, the company often uses stories where they share user generated content of customers on exciting adventures. I guess wanderlust always works!
5. Mini
Followers: 2.3
Mini has over 60 years of tradition. But they’re always trying to do things differently to give their brand a modern edge.
This comes through in their Instagram feed, where they highlight their playful design and engage with customers through energetic reels.
Best tech brands on Instagram
Most tech brands struggle to create a different and interesting social media presence – especially on Instagram.
But there are still some tech companies that could teach all of us a lesson or two on how to use the platform.
Let’s see who they are!
1. GoPro
Followers: 20.9 million
What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of GoPro? Probably adventure and amazing landscapes. Well, that’s exactly what you’ll get from visiting the brand’s Instagram profile.
From beautifully-framed landscape images to UGC content, the brand established its Instagram profile as your number one destination for exciting outdoor shots.
2. SpaceX
Followers: 16.8 million
There’s nothing ordinary about SpaceX. And the same can be said for their Instagram profile.
For a company that builds rockets and spacecrafts, SpaceX is pretty in touch with the social media trends. They often post reels with rocket launches, showcase their crew, and keep followers in the loop about their latest developments.
No wonder they collected more than 15 million followers!
3. Google
Followers: 14.9 million
One of the biggest tech companies in the world, Google, isn’t missing the opportunity to engage its target audience on Instagram. From showcasing the latest product and features, to releasing interesting tech stats, the brand built a significant presence on the platform.
What makes the brand stand out from other tech platforms on Instagram? Their way of mixing up content types and presenting everything in a fun and engaging way.
4. Behance
Followers: 1.9 million
Behance is the world’s largest creative network where creatives can showcase their own projects or discover other people’s work. To make sure they engage their community of creatives on Instagram, Behance created a profile where they display users’ work and everyone can come for their dose of creative inspiration.
Their followers can enjoy various types of visual art pieces – everything from AI-generated images to beautiful graphic designs and photographs taken by their users.
The way that Behance takes UGC to the next level is a win-win for all. They get a ton of followers by curating the content, but they also drive new followers to the artists!
5. Adobe
Followers: 1.8 million
Since Instagram is a highly visual platform, it’s no wonder design and creative platforms are finding great ways to use it to their advantage. But, besides displaying great content that can be done in the tool, Adobe found a unique way to add more value for its followers.
They create videos where they feature artists who showcase their use of technology in work, educating and inspiring other creatives to do the same.
Best beauty brands on Instagram
Like fitness brands, beauty is another industry that’s profited from Instagram in a big way. Especially since video became so important.
So let’s take a look at who’s doing the best job.
1. Huda Beauty
Followers: 54.1 million followers
Some of us just love seeing other people’s makeup routines. And that was definitely an advantage for beauty brand Huda Beauty. Huda Kattan, a Palestinian entrepreneur, makeup artist, and blogger built one of the biggest beauty empires in recent years, and Instagram had a lot to do with it!
As an already successful influencer and an established figure in the world of makeup, Huda strategically used her personal brand and attached her name to every makeup tutorial and session they released. This helped the brand build the biggest following among beauty brands on Instagram.
2. Sephora
Followers: 22.1 Million
If any industry loves user generated content and influencer collaborations, beauty is it. And one of the biggest makeup shops in the world, Sephora, uses Instagram to display just that.
Its profile is filled with makeup tips from famous makeup artists, and shots of irresistible makeup. So irresistible it almost feels edible. I know, it may sound strange, but that’s the exact look they’re going for!
3. Fenty Beauty
Followers: 12.7 million
When Rihanna decided to shift her focus from music to makeup, no one could anticipate what kind of beauty beast she would create.
Like other major beauty brands, Fenty Beauty posts a lot of makeup tutorials on Instagram. But their major USP is that they’re famous for showcasing different skin tones and body shapes, so everyone can find the best products for them.
4. Rhode
Followers: 1.3 million
In the last couple of years, we’ve witnessed more and more celebrities using the power of their personal brands on social media to start their beauty brands. And Hailey Bieber is no different.
Her brand, Rhode, quickly rose to fame thanks to her personal involvement, strategically associating her name with everything the brand does. Because who wouldn’t want to look like Hailey Bieber?
Recently, the brand released a new viral phone case that can hold your favorite Rhode lipgloss, setting certain corners of Instagram on fire. And since the brand was only established in 2022, we can all watch with excitement for what they’ll do next!
5. SKKN by Kim
Followers: 5.7 million
There’s probably no one else in this world who uses the power of her personal brand on Instagram as successfully as Kim Kardashian. To introduce one more revenue stream to her portfolio, Kim Kardashian started her SKKN brand and her fans are crazy about it.
The brand established a unique, elegant look for their product packaging that translated well to the Instagram grid. Earthy tones and a clear, minimalistic aesthetic combined with representation from real women is what her followers come for to the profile. Plus, the occasional mega stars like ex-Victoria Secret models that she uses for marketing campaigns positively influence engagement on the platform.
Best fashion brands on Instagram
Instagram is a big deal for the fashion industry. For high fashion brands, it’s a way to let fashion enthusiasts take a look at what happens behind the scenes. And for smaller brands, Instagram represents a window to the rest of the world.
Here are five of the best fashion brands on Instagram.
1. Jacquemus
Followers: 6.3 million
Jacquemus is a French luxury brand that is redefining how fashion brands communicate on Instagram. The account is managed so that it feels like a private account of the founder, Simon Porte Jacquemus, with images from his childhood and private events like his wedding.
The brand also posts beautifully playful shots of everyone, from his family members to mega stars wearing the clothes. And it also plays with AI technology to market some of his most iconic products.
With his incredible sense of style and the ability to present high fashion in an approachable and more personal way, Jacquemus keeps attracting new followers.
2. Ganni
Followers: 1.4 million
Fashion marketing used to be all about exclusivity, where big brands would set new trends with little to no flexibility around who has the right to join. Now, brands like Ganni are changing the game, and they are doing it mostly through social media.
The Danish contemporary fashion brand is all about inclusivity and representing different body types and looks on their instagram page. They celebrate natural beauty and are passionately working towards a more sustainable future in fashion – all while marketing their trendy garments.
3. Acne Studios
Followers: 4.1 million
Acne Studios is another luxury brand that tries to do things differently with their designs and on social media.
From interesting partnerships, to street photography, to captivating closeup snaps of their designs, Acne covers it all. It’s almost like you’re watching an artist’s canvas on display instead of a clothing brand’s Instagram profile. And that’s exactly why they attract so many followers.
4. Depop
Depop is a London-based circular fashion platform that allows its users to buy or sell second-hand fashion from anywhere in the world. The brand stands out on Instagram for its strong community focus by featuring fashionistas from all over the world styling pieces you can find on the platform.
They also create videos like “How to create a Depop video” to help sellers learn some of the tricks for the most successful selling process on the platform. Their followers can always come to the profile if they are looking for styling inspiration, which is bringing the platform a lot of success on Instagram.
5. Comme des Garcons
Followers: 2.7 million
As one of the more artistic fashion brands on Instagram, Comme des Garcons often posts art installations and interesting interiors on their profile. The brand also collaborates with celebrities like ASAP Rocky, making their content appealing to a wider audience.
So if you’re looking for an inspirational, conceptual art-style fashion Instagram account, Comme des Garcons should definitely be your choice!
Best furniture brands on Instagram
In the vibrant world of furniture design, Instagram has become a captivating canvas for brands to showcase their creativity and connect with design enthusiasts worldwide.
Here are my five top picks!
1. HAY Design
Followers: 1.9 million
HAY Design, a Danish furniture company, has created an Instagram presence that mirrors its modern and minimalist furniture aesthetics. The account showcases their latest collections, interior design inspirations, and collaborations with renowned designers, making it a dream online destination for every interior design enthusiast.
2. IKEA
Followers: 1.4 million
Known for its innovative and affordable furniture designs, IKEA dominates Instagram among other furniture brands. The brand showcases a perfect blend of aesthetic home setups, DIY ideas, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of their design process.
IKEA also invests a lot in their influencer marketing, making their products even more prominent across Instagram. And with the rise of DIY trends on social media, IKEA is collecting extra points by being one of the most common base furniture pieces that people tend to redecorate.
3. Jonathan Adler
Followers: 922K
Jonathan Adler is an American designer, renowned for his bold and vibrant creations. And the Instagram account of his furniture brand reflects just that. With almost a million followers, the account showcases eclectic designs, colorful interiors, and sneak peeks into the making of Adler’s signature pieces.
This helps his followers visualize his pieces in their own homes, inspiring them to try something new in interior design.
4. Gustaf Wesman
Followers: 354K followers
Though a smaller and more niche company, the Swedish furniture brand, Gustaf Westman, is taking Instagram by the storm. And these days, almost every lifestyle influencer is using their cups and side tables.
Their unique and artistic creations may be expensive to many of us but their Instagram feed is a real visual delight, featuring luxurious and eclectic furniture pieces seamlessly combining form and function.
5. Smith & Goat
Followers: 19.6K
Smith & Goat, a smaller contemporary furniture brand, has gained a significant following on its Instagram account. Known for blending natural materials with modern design, the brand’s feed features stylish furniture arrangements and behind-the-scenes looks at their creative process. A true heaven for design lovers!
Final thoughts
Despite a constant change in the social media landscape, we’re seeing that Instagram is definitely here to stay. Their constant experiments and upgrades are helping them outperform competitors and it will be interesting to see how the best brands adjust their content over time.
I hope this list has given you a good overview of what works for brands on Instagram, filling you with ideas to maximize the platform’s potential for your business. And if you’re looking for a solution to help you review all your social content, make sure to try Filestage for free →
