Only 23% of Brands Use Instagram Despite Popularity Among Consumers

It's no surprise that CPG brands looking to enhance consumer engagement have deployed a carefully curated social media strategy.

But surprisingly, only 23 percent of brands actively include Instagram as part of that strategy, despite the platform drawing followers at more than twice the rate of other social platforms like Facebook and Twitter, according to digital marketing service provider Yesmail.

Based on a social media analysis of more than 2,000 brands, Yesmail discovered that CPGs utilizing Instagram as part of their engagement strategy realized a 278 percent growth in followers in 2014, or an average of 8 percent per month.

Of the brands analyzed, the majority maintain a consistent social media presence -- 80 percent have Facebook pages; 82 percent are active on Twitter; 60 percent engage on YouTube; and more than one third of brands have a Google+ profile. 

Brand adoption of Instagram, however, seems to happen at a substantially lower rate, according to the research. In fact, when brands promote themselves via three social channels, just 12 percent include Instagram as part of their social marketing strategy. If brands add a fourth channel, those employing Instagram jumps to 37 percent. If five, that number jumps to 47 percent.

“It surprises me that more brands are not developing their presence on Instagram,” said Michael Fisher, president, Yes Lifecycle Marketing. “With over 300 million users and 70 million photos and videos shared daily, by not investing in a social strategy that includes Instagram brands are missing a sizeable opportunity to further engage with their customers.”