We hope you’re not done with award season just yet.
Hootsuite (that’s us) has some very prestigious (or ridiculous) awards to hand out for Instagram excellence. Without further ado, here’s a list of some of our favorite Instagram content from the past year and what you can learn from the brand behind the account.
And the winners are…
Disclaimer: I am very pro dairy. Cheese, yogurt, ice cream—I’ll take it all. But the winner in this category makes dairy-free milk and cream products, and I’m not even mad about it. Why? Because Califia Farms has mastered the art of showcasing their products in creative ways. Instead of just posting videos of nut milk being poured in a glass over and over again, they demonstrate how to repurpose their bottles, how to heat up their cold brew (go figure), and step-by-step recipes.
Yes, you can heat up our cold brew + make it *warm* brew.
A post shared by Califia Farms (@califiafarms) on Jan 25, 2018 at 7:53am PST
Key takeaway: Video is a wildly engaging content format on any platform—but it doesn’t make up for boring content. If you’re going to use videos on Instagram, put some effort into it. Check out our 10-step guide to creating great social videos for guidance.
Best pregnancy announcement: @Beyonce
Kylie Jenner may have almost broken Instagram recently with a post announcing her baby’s name (17 million likes and counting) but when it comes to pregnancy announcements, no one touches Beyonce. This post became iconic instantly, inspiring copycat announcements and Halloween costumes around the world. Call me hyperbolic, but it’s basically our generation’s Mona Lisa.
Key takeaway: All hail Queen Bey.
Reynolds Consumer Products is an American household goods company that produces kitchen essentials like Reynolds Wrap foil and Hefty garbage bags. On first glance, you might think their Instagram account is simply a nice collection of delicious food photos shot from above with perfect flat lay technique. But look closer, and you’ll notice that each shot creeps into the one beside it. When looking at their profile in gridview, it looks like one long continuous table that I desperately want an invitation to dine at.
Key takeaway: Focusing on the details of your individual posts is obviously important, but don’t forget about the whole. There are plenty of ways to get creative with the overall look of your Instagram grid. You can make it appear to be one continuous shot like Reynolds Kitchens, or focus on three pictures at a time so that each row of your grid has a common look or theme.
I’ll be honest, I was forced by my co-workers to include this post, but I don’t know why. They obviously don’t know what “product placement” means, because all I see here is a beautiful, inspiring picture of a dog relishing his accomplishment in the great outdoors with his favorite drink. Makes perfect sense. I’ll take three cases, please.
A post shared by Aspen the Mountain Pup (@aspenthemountainpup) on Oct 24, 2017 at 7:44am PDT
Key takeaway: I am very susceptible to subliminal advertising.
Take it from me, you don’t need to be high to enjoy the videos on this Instagram account—but you might end up feeling that way after watching them. For example: a wave in slow motion! Skating on crystal clear ice! A soap bubble freezing in real time! Whatever this is! Not only does this account command my full attention every time I see it appear on my feed, I’m often so hypnotized I watch the same video two or three times in a row.
Key takeaway: Be interesting. You’re competing with some incredibly eye-catching content on Instagram. Make sure everything you post is worth admiring, watching, and liking.
Who knew the Venn diagram of people who like Drake and people who like cake would overlap so much? Joy Wilson (who has her own equally impressive Instagram account), has struck gold putting the emotionally rich poetry of this hip hop mogul onto beautiful, intricate cakes. My only question is: what happens to these cakes after the photoshoot? Asking for a friend.
Key takeaway: If you want to create content that’s sure to be a hit on Instagram, find creative ways of using what’s already popular on the platform. Gorgeous photos of food have always worked, but this unexpected twist makes them that much more appealing.
Coolest user-generated content: @Sharpie
The makers of this iconic permanent marker understand there’s no better way to cultivate a strong community on Instagram than by reposting user-generated content (UGC). They regularly share beautiful photos and videos created by artists around the world using Sharpie products, which is a win for everyone involved. The creators get their work exposed to Sharpie’s 200k+ followers, and Sharpie gets to show the incredible potential of their products.
Key takeaway: It ain’t all about you. Instagram revolves around sharing content, finding new…
