December 21st, 2017
Here’s the deal: If you’re like me, you are mere hours from a much-needed week of freedom. Right now, all you want is too much food, too much wine, and far too many naps (if there is such a thing). With that in mind, I wrote a list of sheer entertainment, just for you. Please enjoy this early vacation for your brain.
As content marketing people, we know the importance of staying up with the times, especially in terms of technology, topics, and trends. As we roll into the new year, I’m sure you’re going to see about 100 lists of tools you should use, technology you should invest in, and trends you should watch.
That said, here is the most important list to drop in the world of content marketing: 12 ridiculously entertaining Instagram accounts you should follow to stay current, fam.
As marketers struggle to create relatable and engaging content, the ability to see through the lens of their audiences has never been more important. Thankfully, as Americans become more active online, we can learn a lot about audience preference through the relatable and inspiring posts of these top Instagram accounts.
Without further ado, in honor of the 12 days of Christmas, I give you 12 Instagram accounts that you must follow as we roll into 2018—partridge in a pear tree not included.
Marketers can learn a lot about audience preference from the world’s top Instagram accounts. Click To Tweet
1. Follow @tank.sinatra for “Dank Memes”
You will laugh; you will cry. You will likely share a couple memes with your friends.
Tank’s meme’s are famously relatable because of how honest they are. Time and time again, he hits the nail on the head with many current issues. Additionally, in his rise to fame, he has started sharing memes created by other accounts, always careful to give credit where credit is due. In doing so, he has positioned himself as a leader in the world of respectful meme sharing.
Finally, Tank wins my gold star of approval for starting @tanksgoodnews this year, an account dedicated to positive stories—the type of content too often in short supply.
I’m not crying, you’re crying!
2. Follow @buzzfeedtasty to Activate Your Salivary Glands
With each video racking in over a million views, the power of this cooking account is nothing to underestimate.
Gone are the days of Paula Dean, Giada, and all those fancy and famous chefs who forced us to tune in for a 30-minute segment in order to better our cooking skills. In about a minute, Tasty will deliver tantalizing tutorials.
While I highly recommend watching at least 10 videos a visit, each video is satisfying enough to inspire at least an ounce of self-confidence. Today, you learned! How extremely productive of you. You won’t feel a teaspoon of guilt when you pass up grocery lines for Taco Bell, yet again. You might, however, feel a little FOMO.
3. Follow @pumpkintheraccoon to Feel Something (Anything) Again
Sometimes all you need in life is the love of an uncommon furry companion. At least that’s what over a million fans think of the rescued Bahamian raccoon named Pumpkin.
Yes, cute animal accounts are nothing new, but accounts of rescued wild animals such as @pumpkintheraccoon and @juniperfoxx have a special, hipster flair.
While @iamlilbub and @realgrumpycat are still where it’s at, @pumpkintheraccon and @juniperfoxx are worth a follow. Take one look at their faces and tell me you’re not regretting every time you coveted a fox fur coat or cursed your neighborhood trash pandas.
3. Follow @cosmopolitan to Regret Following @cosmopolitan
Why follow the Kardashians when you could follow an account that feeds you all important Kardashian news plus that of Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, and Beyoncé? Cosmopolitan will provide excellent Instagram Stories to keep you informed on all the celebrity gossip.
Yeah, I’m cringing a little, too. But, no matter what, you have to give Cosmo credit for engaging young women over many generations. And, of late, Cosmo has become a leading voice for young female empowerment. Hurrah to that!
5. Follow @nytimes to Feel Worldly (and to Avoid the Subscription Fees)
If you are currently a New York Times subscriber, you probably don’t read as many of their articles as you wish you did. If so, your subscription inspires more guilt than anything else. Their Instagram account, however, will just leave you inspired.
Celebrity and/or US news is still @nytimes’s most engaging post topic, but the abundance of world news and slice of foreign life images are powerful beyond words.
6. Follow @photoshop to Dream Again
If a picture is worth a thousand words, these pictures are worth one million. Inexplicably gorgeous, these photos depict waking dreams, as noted by their current #ps_dreams campaign.
Photoshop takes advantage of user-generated content in the best way—these posts are submitted by independent designers and artists. On Photoshop’s Story, you can often see the artist’s process for creating these otherworldly images.
7. Follow @simonegiertz to Wonder Why You Never Thought of That
Originally a YouTube star, Simone Giertz is a darling in the world of DIY tech. Famous for her “sh*tty robots,” one could (and should) say that this self-taught inventor started a movement.
Since appearing on primetime television shows like Mythbusters and The Colbert Show, Giertz has picked up considerable fame. Follow her to embrace your inner nerd, empathizing as she openly begs NASA to make her an astronaut, all the while laughing at her own expense.
8. Follow (the Nearly Secret) @sifullframe for Captivating Sports Photography
Their following is small, but their photos are mighty. Even non-sports lovers will appreciate the brilliance of these images.
In an effort to portray “sports and the human spirit,” these images from Sports Illustrated photographers aim to give you the feels—independent of your team affiliation.
After scrolling through their profile for a couple minutes, you’ll probably think to yourself, “Hmm . . . People are pretty dang cool.”
9. Follow @betches for Hilarious #GRLPWR
No teeny-bopper high school content here—this nearly 100 percent NSFW account is for us strong, independent, powerful, slightly passive-aggressive women.
The posts in @betches are the kinds of posts you’ll want to send to all your friends and co-workers alike. Although, in my experience, aren’t “friends” and “co-workers” the same thing?
As noted above, I’m especially fond of their posts that focus on the hilarious themes of laziness, boredom, and defeat.
10. Follow @9gag to Hang Out with the Internet’s Army of Teenage Nerds
Enter a world where cynicism rules (as long as puppies aren’t involved), to the tune of one million likes. Inexplicably, posts from @9gag reach the engagement and popularity seen only in international celebrity accounts.
The audience, however, is as young as you’d assume. Posts about studying, parents, and unrequited love are especially popular in their audience that runs 43 million deep.
11. Follow @barstoolsports to Fear for Society
You will dislike yourself and the whole world with this one, but influence is influence. Prepare yourself for many puke, fart, or beer jokes with this account. Some gems, such as the video below, do exist.
Pursuing @barstoolsports beyond the example provided is not recommended—because standards.
12. Follow @myhotelcarpet to Renew Your Faith in Society
After Barstool Sports, we all need a little something to cleanse the palate and the soul. This account was created by a man with a passion for carpets. When the following tweet from his daughter went viral, magic happened.
All I Want For Christmas is for my Dad’s hotel carpet instagram to go viral, please help this happen pic.twitter.com/pqCWDglFf9
— Jill (@jillisyoung) November 25, 2017
Now hundreds of thousands of people follow Bill just to like his posts and comment about their appreciation for the pattern he’s captured. Thousands of people cheer him on daily—a giant happy inside joke in which everyone’s invited.