The Best of Instagram 2016

The numbers are in – and this year’s biggest Instagrammer of the year is Selena Gomez. Gomez has claimed eight of the top ten Instagrams of the year based on the number of likes – with Cristian Ronaldo rounding out the other two in the top ten.

What’s interesting, is that the most-liked Instagram post of the year was a sponsored image from Selena Gomez featuring Coca Cola.

What this tells us is that marketers need to continue to take notice. Instagram will be a force to be reckoned with in 2017. Marketers will need to continue to leverage influencers, celebrities and athletes as a cornerstone to their marketing campaigns – with a few keys to success:

Make it authentic – the Selena Gomez Instagram does a good job of blending with her current Instagram visual aesthetic as well as feeling native to the platform.

Don’t overdo it – avoid the trap of over-posting. Focus on creating really strong moments.

Timing is everything – align your content with unique real-time moments and product opportunities.

For a full list of the top Instagrammers, hashtags and locations from 2016, head over to SocialTimes for a wrap up! Happy ‘Gramming!