23 most followed brands
on Facebook in 2019

Vanity metrics on social media may not give you actionable insights but they sure are to leave the viewers impressed. And one metric that surely impresses a viewer is the number of followers a brand owns.

Facebook has over 80 million active business pages and statistics show that over 2 billion people can be reached through Facebook ads. So it comes as no surprise that brands all over the world vie for their consumers’ attention to their Facebook pages.

So which are the most followed brands on Facebook in 2019 and how did they get there? Luckily, we have a Facebook analytics tool that tracks, among other things, which brands have the most followers.

Top brands on Facebook

1. Samsung – 160 million followers

Samsung is the most followed brand on Facebook with a massive fan following of 160 million people. No competitor of Samsung is anywhere close to the starting line of this list on the most followed brands on Facebook.

The chart below projects Samsung’s follower growth over the last 5 years. The visibly noticeable spikes and dips account for the change in Facebook’s API. Until March 13, 2018, the Samsung United States page had 27,000 followers but on the same date, it shoots up to 128 million followers. This is because all of Samsung’s local Facebook pages were merged with its global account, leading to a spike in growth rate.

 

Facebook is the dominant network where Samsung discusses product launches, supports existing campaigns, and spreads news and information to its audience. The brand’s content strategy is a mixed bag that includes live events’ coverage, video clips, and images that win them a ton of engagement. The brand has multiple Facebook accounts catering to specific countries and geographical locations they have a presence in.

2. Coca-Cola – 107 million followers

Coca-Cola is a legendary brand that has captured the hearts of millions of people since its inception. So it comes as no surprise for this brand to bag the second position in this list of the most-followed brands on Facebook.

The brand added more than 29 million followers since 2014, a 37.4% growth in followers with an average of 15K followers added per day!

Coca-Cola’s list of viral and successful campaigns on social media deserves an article of its own! The “Share a Coke” campaign which allowed people to order personalized Coke bottles through Facebook did phenomenally well for the brand winning them tons of engagement and loyal followers. Coca-Cola is also a pro at chiming in on trending topics by adding a spin to them like this one right here:

3. McDonald’s – 79 million followers

Joining the list of big names with a massive fan following is this QSR giant. McDonald’s added close to 24 million followers since 2015, a 43% growth in followers with an average of 15K followers added per day!

The brand has multiple Facebook accounts catering to specific countries and geographical locations they have outlets in (which pretty much covers the whole planet!). McDonald’s uses Facebook for product promotions, to address consumer queries, and also for some occasional fun banter. The brand also takes inspiration from real-time events and major holidays to curate content that always win tons of engagement from its fans.

4. Netflix – 60 million followers

Netflix’s approach to Facebook is centered around authenticity and interactions with people, with a dash of humor and wit sprinkled in. Netflix has a total fan following of 60 million on Facebook which is 10X more than its closest competitor, Amazon Prime Video. The brand added 46 million followers over the last 5 years with an average of 28K followers added every day.

Netflix’s content strategy usually revolves around upcoming movies and TV shows, giving their audience a sneak peek of what’s in store for them. Netflix’s witty replies to consumer queries and engaging conversations with them have also helped it build both a compelling social presence and a loyal fanbase.

5. KFC – 54 million followers

KFC doesn’t just deliver finger-lickin’ good buckets of chicken wings but also an equally worthy social media strategy. KFC added 46 million followers in the last 5 years, a 663% growth in followers, with an average of 24K followers added per day!

Earlier this year, KFC’s #WattABox campaign launched in India took the internet by storm! KFC launched a limited edition 5-in-1 meal box containing their juicy chicken meal along with a built-in power bank and USP cords that support both Android and Apple users. This was an initiative to capture the minds of millennials who are always on the lookout to not just feed themselves but also the gadgets they carry along with them everywhere they go. Well played, KFC!

6. Red Bull – 48 million followers

Red Bull’s social media presence is everywhere, But their biggest fan following comes from Facebook with over 48 million likes and followers. The brand doesn’t just talk about the drink itself but also taps into content centered around sports, adventure, and lifestyle. This just shows how Red Bull wins the social media game knowing that people aren’t interested in just advertisements but rather prefer engaging content captured with visuals and storytelling.

7. Converse – 46 million followers

Converse gets social media. How? You may ask. For instance, take their back-to-school campaign launched in 2017. The focus of the campaign was to bring back the first day feels one has of going back-to-school. Converse nailed these emotions by releasing 32 reaction gifs that cover all the first-day jitters one would have by using their iconic sneakers in these gifs. What has Converse achieved out of this campaign? Simple, they spoke the language millennials used these days and earned themselves tons of mentions and shares on social media. No wonder this brand has 46 million followers on Facebook.

8. Oreo – 42 million followers

While there are plenty of options to make desserts using Oreo, the brand opts to use their cookie to represent as many real-time events and holiday-inspired creatives as possible. Head to their Facebook page and you’ll be inspired by their use of the cookie to send a message across their fans. Creativity is at the core of Oreo’s social media strategy, so it comes as no surprise that this brand has over 42 million followers on Facebook.

9. PlayStation – 38 million followers

PlayStation uses Facebook to promote their games through trailers, promotional posters, and gameplay footage. During the launch of PS4, the brand used Facebook to release multiple photo albums with images of the video games, the console, and photos taken from the event, garnering a ton of engagement for the brand. PlayStation posts an average of 6 posts in a day and those with videos engage the best.

10. Pepsi – 37 million followers

Pepsi’s follower count is nowhere close to that of Coca-Cola, their biggest rival, yet Pepsi gives them a tough fight on social media. Campaigns ran during major sporting events like the NFL and the Cricket World Cup have performed extremely well for Pepsi. Earlier this year, Pepsi celebrated the NFL’s 100th anniversary by releasing limited edition Pepsi cans and other collectibles that helped the brand gain a lot of engagement and social mentions.

11. Starbucks – 36 million followers

No amount of appreciation would suffice for Starbucks’ social media strategy! Such is their presence on social media. A lot of Starbucks’ popular drinks are seasonal—like the pumpkin spiced latte—and their recurrence always generates a major buzz on social media. The brand posts more photo content of their products, set in beautiful locations, than any other content type and it gets them a high level of engagement.

12. Adidas – 36 million followers

Adidas is yet another great brand that does well on social. Facebook is the only network where Adidas has more followers than it’s competitor Nike, owing to the latter’s inactive presence on Facebook. Images of sports personalities adorned in the brand’s label and motivating campaigns helped Adidas grow an ardent fan following of 36 million people.

13. H&M – 36 million followers

H&M is the Fashion industry leader with 36 million followers on Facebook.
The brand mostly posts product updates and images of models adorned in H&M apparel, which gets them tons of engagement from their followers.

14. Maybelline – 35 million followers

Maybelline’s quality assurance doesn’t just apply to its products but is a reflection of the brand’s social media strategy as well. With a consistent posting strategy and compelling content, this cosmetic brand stands tall in the Cosmetics industry with 35 million followers.

15. Walmart – 34 million followers

Walmart is a fine example of how brands translated their offline success into the digital world. The brand uses Facebook to post product updates, promotional videos, and much more that always wins them a ton of interaction. The brand also effortlessly blends its employees and work-related content in its feed.

16. Nike – 33 million followers

Nike is an iconic brand that needs no introduction. In the recent past, we noticed that the brand has invested more in dark posts than public content on Facebook. It is also interesting to note that Nike has deleted a lot of its posts and videos on Facebook from 2017-18. Nevertheless, their past campaigns and celebrity influencers like Cristiano Ronaldo, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams at their campaign forefront have helped this brand grow a loyal fan following of 33 million followers.

17. Nutella – 31 million followers

This world-famous breakfast spread is a social media savant and knows how to play to its audience on Facebook. In 2014, the brand launched the “50 Years Full of Stories” campaign to celebrate its 50th birthday and asked it’s fans to share their fondest memories they have of Nutella. This campaign earned them thousands of mentions as fans all over the world shared their stories with the hashtag #nutellastories.

18. Victoria’s Secret – 29 million followers

Victoria’s Secret publishes an average of 2 posts a day and the ones with photos engage the best for the brand. The brand’s content strategy centers around behind-the-scenes photos of fashion shows, product promotions, and new product launches that boost their engagement rates.

19. Zara – 27 million followers

Zara’s Facebook page mostly showcases their latest collections earning them a ton of engagement. With captivating images, videos, and killer influencer campaigns this brand has captured the hearts of 27 million followers (and counting!).

20. Monster Energy – 26 million followers

Monster Energy has launched several campaigns in the past that have won them a lot of mentions and shares on social media. One such campaign that took the internet by storm is their #44Unleashed campaign. Launched in 2017, Monster Energy joined hands with the 4-time F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton to launch a limited-edition drink at the time of the F1 World Championship. This post from their #44Unleashed campaign had the highest engagement score the brand has ever seen in the last 5 years.

21. Levi’s – 26 million followers

Levi’s is a fine example of brands that have successfully captured the millennial love.
Their focus is to give their audience an original experience of the product as that is exactly what millennials crave these days. The brand takes its customers’ interests into consideration and blends them into their content strategy. Music, art, and lifestyle seem to be the top interests of the brand’s fans and Levi’s effortlessly puts that together with their signature denim to attract their audience.

22. Pringles – 24 million followers

Pringles is a globally renowned brand known for its premium potato chips served in a can. Pringles recently made it to the Guinness World Records for creating the ‘Largest Sentence Made from Packaged Food’ as part of the brand’s Cricket World Cup campaign this year. The brand used over 10,000 unopened cans to form the sentence “Get it back India”.This stunt of theirs was making the rounds on social media winning them a lot of engagement.

23. Target – 24 million followers

Target is one of the most successful retail brands on Facebook. Community involvement and Target are like peas in a pod. The brand’s “Give with Target” campaign asked it’s Facebook users to vote for their favorite local school in order to win Target gift cards that the schools could use. This campaign was a huge success on social and Target collected over $2.5 million as donations to these local schools.

Here are some tips to score big on Facebook:

1. Consistency is key

Maintaining uniformity in posting pattern helps your audience get used to your style, tone of voice, and also know what content to expect from you. Victoria’s Secret and Walmart are fine examples of brands reaping the benefits by maintaining a consistent posting pattern.

2. Timing matters

Look for insights on when is the best time to post on Facebook to get maximum engagement. Facebook analytics tools come in handy to get insights on the best and worst time to post, days when your audience is most active, and so on.

3. Content is king

This isn’t something you haven’t heard before, but I’m going to reiterate anyway because no amount of emphasis on the importance of a well-crafted content strategy will ever suffice. The content that you post acts as the voice of your brand. Build a narrative around your products and post content that isn’t just product updates. Give your audience a glimpse of your company culture, entwine employee stories, and insights on the social activities your brand indulges in as part of your content strategy.

4. Customer relationship

Netflix and Starbucks are two great brands that know how to play to their audience. Engaging with your audience and embracing all kinds of feedback will create a sense of belonging with your community. Your audience will appreciate it when their complaints are heard and responded to by you. Always have a friendly and approachable attitude with your customers.

5. Leverage trending topics

The internet never runs out of trending topics! There is always some crazy challenge or trend making the rounds on the internet that brands love to put a spin on (FOMO is real, people). These trending topics may have nothing to do with your brand or business but then again there is no harm in trying new things from time to time when they have proven to be successful in the past. So seize these moments as they are sure to win you good interactions.

If you admire the strategies of these top 23 brands and want to evaluate your social media marketing plan, be sure to track your efforts with Unmetric Analyze.

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This report was put together using Unmetric Analyze. It listens to what over 100,000 brands are saying on social media and understands how audiences are reacting to that. Clients use Unmetric to help them create better content, get more certainty around their social media strategy, and automate all their reporting. Pricing starts at $1,000 per month.

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