Most Followed: 5 Learnings From Cristiano Ronaldo’s Instagram Strategy
The latest edition of Mention & Hubspot’s Instagram Engagement Report has revealed that world-famous footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is once again the most followed person on Instagram this year, with over 442 million followers as of 18th May 2022.
While Ronaldo’s superstar status, washboard abs and record-breaking sports performance has certainly helped, this alone is not responsible for his overwhelming success on follower building and engagement on Instagram.
Mention has taken a deep dive into Ronaldo’s strategy to pinpoint five elements he does well that all Instagram marketers can apply to their strategy today, no million-dollar budget or muscles required.
1. Post Regularly
You’ll notice that Ronaldo posts almost every day without fail to maximize his visibility. Instagram’s algorithm gives an additional boost to posts that receive a lot of engagement within the first hour of posting, so catching your audience when they’re online is important.
For accounts with a global audience, like Ronaldo’s, posting every day allows you to vary the time of day you post to ensure you’re catching as much of your audience as possible across the week. Scheduling tools can help to make this task much easier.
2. Vary the Type of Media you Post
Instagram offers a wide range of options: stories, videos, carousels, reels and single image posts. Ronaldo definitely takes advantage by mixing his media regularly, and we see him using all of these options.
Right now, Instagram gives a lot of extra visibility to original Reel content as Instagram competes with TikTok on the short-form video stage. Try adding this to your Instagram content strategy for an easy way to boost your engagement.
3. Keep it Clean and Simple
Sometimes the best message is the simplest one. Even with Cristiano’s sponsored collaborations, the message is simple, understandable by everyone and is presented in a sharp, aesthetic way.
In this example, we see one of his many paid partnerships with Nike, where their branding is discreet, but recognisable. The post also has a motivational, inspirational message, which resonates with Ronaldo’s audience well.
4. Be Relatable
Cristiano often keeps it real by posting unedited selfies, or a proud dad moment of his kids - just like anyone else would - reminding the world that he’s not too different to us. For example, he also came to Instagram in April 2022 to share some difficult news about the passing of his newborn son.
Not every post needs to be professionally designed or edited, and your audience will appreciate the opportunity to interact with the human side of your brand. Try posting behind-the-scenes content, show off your colleagues, or even use Instagram as an opportunity to share something honest.
5. Don’t Forget your Core Values
While there is a visible mix of family-focused, casual and promotional content on his feed, we certainly don’t forget that Ronaldo is actually a world-class sportsperson. He keeps his followers updated on his professional progress, shares his big football wins and shows off what he does best.
At the end of the day, this is why many of his fans follow him, and delivering the content they are expecting ultimately ensures his Instagram success. Being clear on your core values and ensuring they shine through all of your posts will go a long way.
Download Mention & Hubspot’s free Instagram Engagement Report for more data-powered tips on how to boost your Instagram marketing to Champion league level, and to find out who else made it in the Top 50 ranking this year.