Instagram might be ad-free for now, but that doesn’t mean top brands aren’t making the most of the platform.

A new study from TrackMaven looks at how Fortune 500 companies are successfully using Instagram to engage fans and build their brand.

Here are some of the key takeaways.

Top five

The five most active brands on Instagram are Nike, Starbucks, Footlocker, Apple and Ralph Lauren.

Photos verses video

Instagram launched its own video offering earlier this year, and within 48 hours 300,000 video links were shared. 

While photos still lead the way, videos are closing the engagement gap. TrackMaven suggests videos are valuable because less brands are currently using them, meaning any early adopters have head start.

Filters

Does a filter make a difference? Perhaps.

While most companies surveyed uploaded photos with no filter effect, those that did preferred the Mayfair filter. 

Is timing everything?

TrackMaven’s study found that Instagram users don’t always mean business.

Posts generally perform equally as well during business hours as on evening and weekends.

One key difference is that videos performed best out of hours, a fact attributed to the audio of videos.

To read the full report visit trackmaven.com.

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