Instagram Used By 40% Of Top Global Brands [Report]

If you’re shopping social media outlets for your brand and nearly gave social photo sharing site Instagram the pass, think again. According to new research, 40% of the top 100 brands use the photo sharing site.

Social media data gatherer Simply Measured reviewed Interbrand’s Top 100 Global Brands list to see how many of the top brands are currently using the social photo sharing platform. Though Instagram doesn’t quite enjoy the brand participation of rivals Facebook (98%) and Twitter (94%), it’s still an up-and-coming social media site, and is growing quickly. Earlier just this year, Instagram only boasted about 15 million users and was available only on iPhone. With the year about halfway through, the social photo sharing site now has 80 million users and is available on Android, and though it still sits behind Google+ and Pinterest according to Simply Measured’s numbers, it’s growth shows that it might not be there long.

“This aggressive growth has provided a massive marketing opportunity and top brands are taking that seriously,” Adam Schoenfeld, CEO of Simply Measured, wrote on the company’s blog Wednesday.

Of course, as an emerging platform, Instagram’s top brand list doesn’t exactly mesh with Interbrand’s. Instagram’s top brand is MTV with 813,201 users, followed by Starbucks with 758,146 users. Engagement is another important measure as well, with more high-profile and posh brands taking the cake. Simply Measured puts Burberry, Tiffany & Co., Audi, Hermes and Gucci at the top of the engagement list.

Still, many brands are taking to Instagram and using the photo sharing site to reach new audiences, reports Mashable. “Whatever [marketers] do, they should not lose sight of Instagram’s core mission: sharing a passion for photography and stunning images,” said a Red Bull spokesperson.

Here are some graphs, for people who like graphs: