According to a new analysis from HypeAuditor, a leading AI analytics platform, fast fashion brands continue to be the most popular on Instagram in the UK, despite mounting concerns on the impact on the environment. Since the start of 2023, Zara, Asos, H&M, Primark, PrettyLittleThing and Shein lead in terms of most mentioned accounts on the social media platform by influencers.
While some of these brands (mainly Shein and PrettyLittleThing) have active paid collaborations with content creators, Zara tops the rank in terms of mentions by unique influencers, reach, and Earned Media Value* on Instagram despite having no specific influencer marketing strategy – the only brands, in this category, not being actively engaged on Instagram.
Despite not having ambassador programmes or sponsored posts campaign in place, some of the leading UK influencers (Millie Court, Perrie Sian, and Laura Anderson) continue to endorse the Inditex brand through regular mentions. What’s more, from January to April, Zara was mentioned 7 682 times by 2,691 UK influencers with an estimated reach of 218.5 million followers and $20.9 millions in Earned Media Value. This highlights the brand’s continued appeal, in spite of the impressive growth of Shein in recent years.
HypeAuditor’s latest report points to the role content creators can play in amplifying these brands on Instagram. Posts published by influencers, mentioning these brands, have an average engagement rate* 15 times higher than the retailers’ own posts. This means that when influencers mention and promote a brand on their accounts, it generates a higher level of interaction in the number of likes, comments, and shares from their followers and the wider audience, which demonstrates the impact partnerships with influencers can have for businesses.
