With over 64 million dedicated followers and counting, pop icon Rihanna is undeniably Instagram royalty. For perspective, Rihanna has more Instagram followers than media mogul Oprah. Her engagement rates consistently hover between 2-4%, higher than the 1.9% average for accounts with over 1 million followers.
Clearly, Rihanna knows a thing or two about captivating an audience on Instagram. By analyzing specific examples from her profile, we can unpack why she‘s such a force on the platform. Then we can apply similar strategies to level up our own Instagram game.
Rihanna Promotes Products with an Artistic Eye
Rihanna never overwhelms her feed with relentless product promotion. But when she does highlight her personal brands, her creative vision always shines through.
Take this sultry photo highlighting her Savage X Fenty lingerie line:
The photo manages to showcase the lingerie while retaining Rihanna‘s signature artistic flair. The color palette, positioning, and soft lighting are all carefully considered. It feels much more like an art photo you‘d see in a magazine editorial than a typical Instagram ad.
In 2021, Rihanna promoted the latest Savage X Fenty fashion show by tapping into current trends. The video clip adopts an elevated selfie-style format popularized by TikTok:
This clever video promotion attracted over 7.3 million views and 32k comments – insane engagement that any brand would covet.
Rihanna‘s products shine because she presents them beautifully. She leads with her artistry rather than slapping her followers with sales pitch after sales pitch.
Rihanna‘s Feed Has Personality For Days
Yes, Rihanna utilizes her colossal Instagram platform to promote her brands. But she balances product placement with funny memes and engaging glimpses into her personal life. This winning formula keeps her content from skewing too heavily promotional.
For instance, Rihanna loves to regram funny viral videos. This quick video of a soda-loving baby scored over 2 million views:
Pop culture moments also get the Rihanna remix treatment. Check out her silly World Cup meme:
Rihanna‘s Instagram demonstrates that your brand‘s social channels don‘t have to be 100% business, business, business. The occasional funny or irreverent post gives your audience a welcome break while showcasing your personality.
Behind the Glam, Rihanna Keeps It Real
Considering her status as a glamazon from planet Fenty, Rihanna could easily seem completely unrelatable. But she offsets her opulent fashion and beauty photos with family snaps reminding fans of her Barbados roots.
For example, Rihanna shared this precious pic for her baby niece Majesty‘s 4th birthday:
How cute is that? And she frequently posts loving video tributes to her beloved grandmother Clara "Dolly" Braithwaite, who passed away in 2010:
These intimate family moments really resonate with Rihanna’s followers. They serve as a grounded counterbalance to the flawless superstar imagery.
Rihanna Adopts Trending Instagram Features
Video currently dominates Instagram, and Rihanna‘s account is no exception. Her videos portray an authentic, engaging side of her bombastic personality:
When an influencer or brand adopts current Instagram formats like Stories, Reels, and live video, audiences notice. Posting a variety of video shows your grasp of the ever-evolving platform and desire to connect where fans are most active.
Over 75% of Instagram‘s user base engages with video daily. So brands that solely stick to static posts are really missing out. Don‘t be afraid to press that record button!
Let Rihanna Inspire Your Instagram Marketing Approach
Hope breaking down Rihanna’s uber-successful Instagram technique gives you ideas for your own brand building, my friend! Here are a few high-level tips to borrow from the social media maven herself:
- Promote aesthetically: Highlight products with artistic flair, not just boring pack shots. Make it magazine-worthy.
- Spotlight personality: Funny memes and hilarious videos make you more relatable.
- Get personal: Family photos and tributes remind followers you’re human.
- Adopt video formats: Leverage reels and streaming to drive maximum engagement.
At the end of the day, Rihanna‘s Instagram shines because every post radiates authenticity. Yes, she wants to promote her ventures and make that money, honey. But forming genuine connections with her audience takes priority over aggressive selling.
Keep it real online, and the followers will come. Rihanna’s astronomical success proves that relationships drive loyal communities, not thinly veiled sales pitches.
So take a cue from Riri herself and lead with the heart as you build your digital platform. I can’t wait to see what you create!