Top 12 Brands on Social Media: Lessons to Take Away From Them

Social media has become a non-negotiable in the digital marketing landscape. Whether it is reaching a broader audience, driving website traffic, or boosting conversions, brands on social media have endless opportunities to grow and connect. With other brands and their customers. But let’s face it, not all brands see success on social media. Today we’re talking about the ones that did. 

In simple words, to truly succeed on social media, brands need to be relevant. This means creating content that resonates with their audience, engaging in meaningful conversations, staying up-to-date with the latest trends, and a lot more. 

In this blog, we’ll explore the strategies of top brands on social media. By doing this, we aim to take away a few useful strategies to help you refine your approach and achieve your social media marketing goals. 

Essential Social Media Stats to Kick Things Off

To begin with, the number of social media users worldwide is expected to grow from 5.17 billion in 2024 to approximately 6.05 billion by 2028. This massive growth shows no signs of slowing down, making social media an essential space for businesses to leverage.

In addition to this, according to recent insights from Statista, around 83% of marketers consider social media to be one of their most valuable tools for increasing brand exposure. This makes it indispensable not only for new businesses looking to make their mark but also for established brands seeking to expand into new markets.

Another crucial factor to bring up here is that when it comes to ROI, social media continues to stand out, with 63% of marketers reporting it as the top channel for returns. 

It has also become the go-to platform for product discovery. Think about the last time you watched a YouTube review before making a purchase or felt tempted to buy something after watching a Reel or TikTok video—social media has become a powerful force in today’s retail landscape.

All of this underscores the importance of having a strong social media presence. But how can brands make the most of it? That’s where analyzing top-performing brands on social media comes in. By studying those who have mastered these platforms, businesses can learn valuable strategies to boost their own success.

12 Brands Hitting All the Right Notes on Social Media 

On Instagram 

1. Ben & Jerry’s 

Ben & Jerry’s is more than just an ice cream company; it’s a brand with a strong voice and a commitment to social and environmental causes. Their Instagram page is a perfect reflection of their brand activism.

Climate change, political discussions, elections – the brand has posts delving into all the topics they stand for. 

But what makes these posts truly unique is their authenticity. These are not just surface level discussions but highlight actual events and efforts the brand makes like their political event here. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ben & Jerry's (@benandjerrys)

Takeaways: 

• Ensure that your social media page is a reflection of your brand values. This helps you connect with like-minded customers. 
• Focus on authenticity. Featuring real people and real-life settings makes Ben & Jerry’s posts easier to connect with and thus makes it one of the most impactful brands on social media. 

2. Reese’s 

For brands on social media to boost their reach and engagement, there’s one must-have element – interactivity. Posts that are open-ended and conversational are the best kinds to break the ice and initiate meaningful conversations with your customers. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups brand from Hershey’s shows how this is done. 

From fun memes to interactive videos, the brand’s Instagram page is fun and engaging. 

Another standout detail is the brand’s effective use of the various post formats on Instagram. You’ll find an interesting assortment of Reels, carousels, single-image posts as well as Story posts on their page. 

Takeaways:

• Use brand colors effectively. On most of Reese’s posts, you’ll see their signature yellow-orange palette being incorporated seamlessly. 
• Most successful brands on social media have one thing in common – optimal use of the platform features. Use the supported formats and add-ons like interactive stickers and more to keep your page interesting. 

3. Instagram for Business

When talking about strategies that work for brands on Instagram, what better reference to draw inspiration from Instagram themselves?!

Here’s a snapshot of what some of their posts look like. 

The noticeable element here is their signature visual style especially when it comes to differentiating posts. While they share diverse kinds of entertaining and engaging content, educational posts that highlight tips for using the platform are some the most popular ones. Carousels with such useful tips follow a cohesive style with respect to the use of fonts and layouts. This creates a rhythm and makes the grid more aesthetically appealing. 

Takeaways:

• Prioritize aesthetics, especially on Instagram. A visually intriguing grid makes a lasting impression on the audience. 
• Use legible fonts to ensure the clear delivery of your message. Instagram uses script fonts to align with their logo style and sans-serif fonts to maintain the contemporary theme. But in all these categories they use clear and legible fonts. 

On LinkedIn 

4. Coca-Cola

Brands on social media have different purposes when it comes to leveraging different channels. With LinkedIn it is mostly about showcasing company culture and the faces behind the brand. Coca-Cola brilliantly leverages this aspect through LinkedIn. 

Coca-Cola’s LinkedIn page is filled with stories about their corporate culture. These are presented in engaging story formats like the one here. 

This post in particular fits into the Coke Side of Life campaign which has been one of the most successful campaigns for the brand to date. 

In addition to these posts that highlight the faces behind the brand, there are also posts highlighting the brand’s corporate social responsibility initiatives. That’s a good way to use LinkedIn to humanize your brand and shape your brand’s image. 

Takeaways: 

• Use storytelling to highlight the work and experience of your employees, the people who make your brand what it is. 
• Incorporate photos and videos to emphasize your CSR initiatives. Visuals make it easier to understand what you do differently. 

5. Google

Google has consistently been on the list of the best places to work. Their LinkedIn page shows why! 

While LinkedIn has grown to become one of the most popular content distribution platforms for B2B marketers, it is also one of the most impactful platforms for brands to find the right talent.

Therefore, on Google’s LinkedIn page you will find posts about workplace culture and employee stories, posts about workplace events and more. In short, there’s content that gives a glimpse of Life at Google. This helps shape the way potential talent as well as investors and customers perceive the brand. 

In addition to this, data shows that the way a company treats its customers has a strong influence on customer purchase decisions (for about 82% of them). Therefore, brands on social media can use platforms like LinkedIn to highlight their employee culture and thus win their customers’ hearts as well.  

Takeaways: 

• When discussing your employees, share authentic stories and experiences through video interviews or direct quotes from them. 
• Highlight the happenings in your workplace like celebrations and events. This goes a long way in preserving the human side of your brand making it appear more approachable.

On Facebook

6. Fendi 

Fendi is one of the most popular fashion brands known for their active and effective use of Facebook. 

Their page often features exclusive content, such as sneak peeks of new collections, runway shows, and limited-edition items. This creates a sense of excitement and anticipation among fans. This shows how brands on social media can use platforms like Facebook to make their customers feel like insiders. 

Takeaways: 

• Use social media to share exclusive content that makes your audience feel special. Whether it’s sneak peeks, early access, or behind-the-scenes moments, this strategy can help foster a loyal following. 
• Integrate high-quality photos with consistent visual styles to create the most impact. 

7. Instant Pot 

The renowned multicooker brand Instant Pot has a strong Facebook presence. They have a page filled with intriguing and visually immersive content about their products and customer stories. But that’s not all. The highlight here is their Facebook Group titled Instant Pot Community. 

Instead of sharing guide after guide about using their products, the brand created a bustling space for customers to engage with the brand and with each others as well. From new recipes to product tips, customers share exciting posts and drive the brand’s popularity. 

Takeaways:

• Use social media to build a strong community. Create a space for customers to connect with each other and share their authentic stories. 
• In addition to creating a community, it’s important to actively participate in conversations as well. 

On YouTube 

8. Ahrefs 

Ahrefs has an aesthetic and effectively branded YouTube channel. From cohesive thumbnails to a clear and straightforward cover image the foundation of their channel is pretty strong. 

Then comes the value they create through the content on their channel. Short instant tips to detailed guides, they have informative videos that answer their customers’ questions. 

Another standout element is the use of expressive thumbnails that make their videos hard to ignore! 

Takeaways: 

• Have a clear theme for your social media page. For instance, Ahrefs is all about educational content particularly on their YouTube channel. 
• Use clear and catchy thumbnails to instantly grab attention. Add your brand elements and a human factor to make your video more relatable. 

For more YouTube thumbnail inspiration, check out our blog exploring popular YouTube channels. 

On X (Formerly Twitter)

9. Wendy’s 

One of the biggest mistakes made by brands on social media is single-side conversations. Brands often place their content out there and don’t truly engage with their audience. However, brands like Wendy’s continue to break this trend and put social media to good use in engaging their customers. 

Take a look at some of the Tweets and most importantly, Wendy’s savage replies to them. This was when one of the Wendy’s commercial featuring a guy eating a burrito sideways was not received well. 

In fact, the whole discussion here is downright savage! 

While not all brands can pull off strong tones like this one, Wendy’s use of their X page to showcase their unique personality is a good example of standing out in the digital clutter. 

Takeaways: 

• Don’t just broadcast; respond. Actively engaging with followers, and providing them with timely responses enhances the reach and performance of your social media page. 
• One of the best ways that brands on social media can set themselves apart in a competitive space is through effective use of their tone of voice. From the copy to designs and captions used in your posts, every detail should cohesively represent your brand’s personality. 

10. Netflix 

From timely updates for its audience to personalized responses, the X page of Netflix packs plenty of lessons for brands on social media. 

One of the first things you’ll notice is that none of their posts are generic. The memes they share as well as the short engaging GIFs are all built on fandom. Like the one here that only the fans of the popular Netflix show Outer Banks can relate to. 

The second most important detail is how Netflix makes it all about the people involved, the actors in the movies and shows on the spotlight or the team behind the freshly dropped content. This comes in the form of bloopers, interviews and behind-the-scenes content on their page. Like the video here where the director of the popular Netflix movie It’s What’s Inside talks about some hidden details in the film. 

Takeaways:

• Enhance the authenticity of your social media page and your brand in general by giving customers a sneak-peek into what happens behind the scenes. This can be through short videos or raw images or even ephemeral content like Story posts on Instagram. 
• Use engaging formats like memes to create more personalized conversations with your customers.  

On Pinterest 

11. Sephora 

Sephora’s Pinterest page is visually engaging. Additionally, the use of pastels and gradients makes the grid appear more feminine and grateful which is perfect for a beauty brand. Their creative visuals also create an appealing presentation of their products evoking viewer’s intrigue. 

Moreover, you’ll also notice how there is a visual consistency between their Pinterest Feed and their website. This helps paint a streamlined picture of their brand identity. 

Takeaways:

• Most brands on social media worry about visual coherence between their posts on that particular channel. But it’s equally important to ensure consistency across channels. This clear and consistent presentation of your brand across diverse channels helps esbtalish your brand identity in the digital realm. 
• Little details in your social media, like colors and fonts, are not so little after all. When put together they can collectively make or break your brand presence. 

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12. The Home Depot

The Home Depot has an ideas-filled Pinterest page. They share tips and tricks that people are always looking for when it comes to home organization and upkeep. By answering the common questions, they ensure relevance of their content and reach the right audience thus resulting in more than 10 million views on their Pinterest page. 

Additionally you will find a good mix of trending topics and evergreen topics as well. You need both to expand your business’s reach and engagement. 

Takeaways: 

• Create branded templates to ensure visual consistency on your social media pages. These can be different templates for different kinds of posts like a particular style for audiograms of your podcast, one for testimonial videos and one for weekly updates.
• Use your brand colors and position your brand logo prominently in your social media design. This helps build brand recognition. 

Stand Out From Brands on Social Media With Designs by KIMP 

So, effective social media marketing is essential for brand success amidst growing competition.  By learning from the strategies of top brands and incorporating them into your own approach, you can create engaging content, build strong relationships with your audience, and achieve your business goals.

An unlimited design service like KIMP can take your social media marketing to the next level. With a design subscription you’ll have access to a vast library of high-quality templates, and graphics that capture attention and drive engagement.

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