Best Shoe Stores on Instagram Making Strides in 2024

While shoes can be lumped in with clothing brands, shoes — and shoe brands — have a dedicated audience of their own. Shoes have evolved from simple accessories to a key part of global culture, from pop culture influences like Sex and the City to social media influence. Instagram in particular is a hotspot where shoe lovers, collectors and brands come together to share passion. Instagram’s visual nature is the perfect platform for people to showcase and share unique tastes with the world.

This data was pulled using Dash Hudson’s Competitive Insights, with metrics taken from January 1, 2024 until June 30, 2024 from 7,358 Instagram handles — the following shoe brands are categorized from highest to lowest engagement rate. As we dive into the best shoe brands on Instagram this year, we explore how these brands sell products and shape social media trends.

Best Shoe Brands on Instagram

It’s clear that social media continues to redefine how brands connect with its audience. According to recent insights, the sneaker market in the U.S. is booming, with brands like Nike and Adidas leading the pack — in fact, 94% of consumers know Adidas by name. Instagram is a pivotal platform for these brands to showcase its latest designs, engage with sneaker enthusiasts and set new trends and innovations. This section explores how these brands leverage Instagram to build brand awareness and reach even more users.

1. Mizuno (@mizunousa) 

• Engagement rate: 0.72%
• Follower growth rate: 17.35%
• Followers: 14.1K 

Mizuno’s Instagram feed, focused on its shoe offerings, presents a cohesive showcase of its diverse range of footwear. Each post is thoughtfully curated and is often accompanied by engaging captions that emphasize the brand’s dedication to innovation and excellence. The aesthetic is clean and professional, aligning with the brand’s identity as a trusted name in sports and athletic gear.

What makes Mizuno’s strategy stand out is its ability to balance product promotion with community engagement. Despite having a relatively modest following of 13.4K, Mizuno has achieved a notable engagement rate of 0.72%, proving that its audience is highly interactive. This is further supported by its impressive follower growth rate of 17.35%, demonstrating a rapidly expanding and engaged community. Its strategy underscores the importance of authenticity and connection, building a strong and loyal customer base through consistent interaction and high-quality content.

2. Clarks (@clarksoriginals)

• Engagement rate: 0.67%
• Follower growth rate: 5.04%
• Followers: 1.2M

Clarks' Instagram feed showcases a blend of its classic and contemporary shoe designs, emphasizing its heritage and craftsmanship. The visual content includes high-quality images and videos of its shoes, styled in various settings to appeal to a broad audience. The feed also features user-generated content, collaborations and behind-the-scenes looks to build a deeper connection with its followers.

Its Instagram strategy stands out because they curate a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing feed, which effectively highlights its brand's unique identity and product range. Influencer marketing and featuring user-generated content further amplify its reach and authenticity. An engagement rate of 0.67% indicates a moderate level of interaction with its content, suggesting that its followers are reasonably engaged, likely due to the high-quality and relatable content they post. A healthy follower growth rate of 5.04% reflects its effective marketing strategies and consistent content that attracts new followers. A significant following of 1.2 million demonstrates its strong brand presence and wide appeal.

3. Lacoste (@lacoste)

• Engagement rate: 0.67%
• Follower growth rate: 4.85%
• Followers: 7.9M

Lacoste’s Instagram feed reflects its sophisticated yet sporty aesthetic, with a focus on clean and visually appealing content. The brand showcases its footwear in stylish and aspirational contexts, often highlighting the versatility and elegance of its designs. 

Its strategy stands out through its consistent brand messaging and high production quality. This explains its engagement rate of 0.67%, suggesting that its audience responds well to its aspirational and relatable content. With a large follower base of 7.8 million, they have a healthy follower growth rate of 4.85%, indicating a strong brand recognition and a broad appeal. Lacoste has successfully established itself as a key player in the fashion and lifestyle space on Instagram.

4. Salomon (@salomon)

• Engagement rate: 0.52%
• Follower growth rate: 5.74%
• Followers: 1.2M

Salomon’s Instagram feed is filled with visually compelling content that showcases its range of shoes in various environments, from rugged outdoor terrains to urban settings. The imagery emphasizes the functionality, design and lifestyle appeal, intriguing to both outdoor enthusiasts and style-conscious individuals.

Its strategy stands out due to its high-quality, adventure-oriented content that resonated with its target audience. With a moderate engagement rate of 0.52%, it suggests that its content is well-received and that its approach attracts followers. Its 5.45% follower growth also points to how they’ve built a strong brand identity, with a large 1.2 million follower base. These impressive numbers showcase the brand’s ability to provide a strong foundation for its ongoing engagement and brand loyalty.

5. Jordan (@jumpman23)

• Engagement rate: 0.52%
• Follower growth rate: 0.74%
• Followers: 27.8M

Jordan's Instagram feed predominantly features high-quality images and videos of its shoes, often highlighting the unique design elements and cultural significance of each pair. The aesthetic is bold and visually striking, with a consistent emphasis on the brand's signature style and legacy. The posts often feature athletes, celebrities and influencers wearing the latest releases, further cementing the brand's status within the sports and fashion communities. Each post is meticulously crafted to reflect the brand's heritage while staying relevant to current trends.

What makes Jordan's social media strategy stand out is its ability to blend nostalgia with modernity. By leveraging its rich history and iconic status, they create content that resonates with both long-time fans and new followers. While the engagement rate of 0.52% might seem modest, it's important to consider the massive follower base. With 27.8 million followers, even a 0.52% engagement translates to a significant number of interactions per post, indicating a strong and active community. Its widespread follower base suggests that Jordan continues to attract new fans consistently. This can be attributed to its compelling content and the brand's ongoing relevance in both sports and fashion. Jordan's Instagram strategy successfully capitalizes on its legacy while engaging with current trends and audiences, solidifying its position as a leading brand in the shoe and sneaker culture.

6. Adidas (@adidas)

• Engagement rate: 0.37%
• Follower growth rate: 1.61%
• Followers: 29.2M

Adidas’s Instagram feed is a vibrant blend of athleticism, fashion and culture. Steve Madden uses high-quality visuals, dynamic videos and engaging stories that highlight everything from the latest sneaker releases to behind-the-scenes glimpses of major sporting events and collaborations with fashion icons. Its consistent theme of performance, diversity and creativity resonated throughout its posts, creating a strong brand identity that appeals to a wide audience.

What makes Adidas’s social media strategy stand out? Their ability to seamlessly blend performance and lifestyle content. This appeals to athletes and fashion enthusiasts alike, which fosters a sense of community and inclusivity. The brand’s engagement rate of 0.37% indicates that its audience actively interacts with its content, which maintains visibility and relevance. Their follower growth rate of 1.61% suggests a steady increase in their audience base, with their evergrowing following count of 29.1 million. Adidas demonstrates a strong presence on Instagram, showcasing its ability to connect with a global audience through compelling storytelling and consistent branding.

7. Reebok (@reebok)

• Engagement rate: 0.27%
• Follower growth rate: -0.76%
• Followers: 4.3M

Reebok’s Instagram presence reflects a blend of innovative technology and engaging content aimed at expanding the boundaries of sneaker culture. Its feed showcases the Reebok Impact initiative, an AI-driven fashion experience that allows users to create custom digital sneakers by sending photo memories via Instagram DM to @reebokimpact. These digital sneakers can be personalized with AI-generated art and are available for sharing or purchase as game-ready files compatible with platforms like Fortnight and Roblox. 

Reebok’s Instagram feed demonstrates its integration of cutting-edge technology with UGC, fostering a highly interactive and personalized experience. This approach enhances user engagement and broadens its reach by connecting with tech-savvy and fashion-forward audiences. Reebok’s engagement rate is slightly higher than the industry average at 0.27%, and although its follower growth rate has declined by 0.7%, they’ve maintained a substantial following of 4.3 million. These metrics suggest that while its technological innovations are impressive, bolstering its overall retention strategies will help convert these initiatives into sustained growth and interaction.

8. Puma (@puma)

• Engagement rate: 0.26%
• Follower growth rate: -0.67%
• Followers: 13M

Puma’s Instagram feed features a blend of lifestyle shots, product showcases and athlete endorsements. This approach helps create a vibrant and engaging visual narrative that appeals to a broad audience, from sports enthusiasts to fashion-forward individuals. By leveraging high-quality imagery and videos, Puma effectively showcases its products in dynamic settings, enhancing its appeal and relatability.

Its strategy stands out through its emphasis on diversity and inclusivity. They often highlight various athletes, influencers and real-life users of its products, like a variety of Olympic athletes who wore Puma sneakers while competing. Its 0.26% engagement rate is slightly higher than the average fashion industry engagement rate of 0.2%, which indicates that its focus on athleticism connects with its audience. A decline in followers by 0.67% hints at waning interest or ineffective content strategies, necessitating a reevaluation of its approach to retain and attract followers. Despite the challenges, they do have a substantial follower base of 13 million, presenting an opportunity to re-engage and rejuvenate its audience with more tailored and interactive content.

9. Converse (@converse)

• Engagement rate: 0.23%
• Follower growth rate: -0.66%
• Followers: 10.7M

Converse’s Instagram feed combines vibrant imagery and community-driven content. The brand showcases its diverse range of footwear, often highlighting collaborations, UGC creators and creative campaigns. Its posts feature a mix of lifestyle shots, product close-ups and engaging visuals that resonate with its audience’s love for individuality and self-expression. By incorporating various cultural and artistic elements, Converse effectively captures the essence of its iconic brand while maintaining a contemporary appeal.

Its social media strategy stands out due to its focus on community engagement and creative collaborations, featuring content that is both authentic and visually appealing. Its engagement rate surpasses the industry average of 0.23%, indicating that despite its large following, its content aligns well with its audience’s interests. A declining follower growth rate of -0.66% reflects challenges in attracting new followers, highlighting the importance of continuously innovating and adapting its content strategy. Despite a declining follower growth rate, Converse’s substantial follower base of 10.7 million demonstrates its strong brand presence and widespread recognition.

10. allbirds (@allbirds)

• Engagement rate: 0.19%
• Follower growth rate: 0.96%
• Followers: 504K

Allbird’s Instagram feed showcases its commitment to sustainability and comfort through visually appealing and eco-friendly aesthetics. Its content features stylish shoes in various natural settings, which emphasizes the story behind each shoe, including the material used and the environmental impact, which creates a narrative that resonates with the audience. The feed maintains a cohesive, clean look, often with neutral tones and minimalist designs that reflect its eco-conscious brand ethos.  

Allbird’s Instagram shows a consistent focus on sustainability and storytelling. They use its platform to sell shoes and educate and engage its followers about eco-friendly practices and the journey behind its products. The brand’s relatively low engagement rate of 0.19% suggests that while its followers appreciate the brand, there is room for improving interactions. A steady follower growth rate of 0.96% indicates a consistent influx of new followers, likely attracted by the brand’s unique value proposition of sustainability and comfort. With over half a million followers (504K), its large following is a testament to its successful brand positioning and the growing market for sustainable fashion. Allbird’s strategy effectively combines eco-conscious storytelling with visually appealing content, building a strong brand presence and engaging a dedicated audience, despite the potential for higher engagement levels.

11. Steve Madden (@stevemadden)

• Engagement rate: 0.17%
• Follower growth rate: 0.17%
• Followers: 2.8M

Steve Madden's Instagram presence is marked by high-quality images of stylish and trendy footwear, from chunky boots and sleek heels to casual sneakers and chic sandals. Each post is meticulously curated, often incorporating eye-catching backgrounds and well-coordinated outfits that highlight the brand’s edgy and modern aesthetic. The visuals not only display the shoes but also convey a lifestyle and attitude that resonate with its audience, emphasizing individuality and fashion-forward thinking.

What sets Steve Madden’s social media strategy apart is its consistent emphasis on trendiness and customer engagement. This approach leverages social proof and allows customers to see real-life applications of the shoes in diverse settings, enhancing relatability and appeal. Despite the low engagement rate of 0.17%, which indicates a smaller portion of followers actively interacting with posts, the brand maintains a substantial follower count of 2.9 million. This suggests that while immediate interactions may be limited, the overall reach and influence remain significant. The follower growth rate of 0.17% indicates a steady, albeit slow, expansion of its audience, reflecting sustained interest and relevance in the market.

12. Skechers (@skechers)

• Engagement rate: 0.14%
• Follower growth rate: 27.18%
• Followers: 1.5M

Skechers’ Instagram feed features product shots, lifestyle images and celebrity endorsements, reflecting the brand’s diverse range of footwear and its broad appeal. The aesthetic is colorful and energetic, aiming to capture the essence of its brand — fun and comfortable, yet stylish.

What makes Skechers’ Instagram strategy notable is its focus on inclusivity and relatability. By frequently featuring a variety of people, including influencers, athletes and everyday users, Skechers showcases how they fit into different lifestyles and activities. The effectiveness of this strategy is clearly reflected in its metrics. Its 0.14% engagement rate surpasses the industry average, and its follower growth rate of 27.18% is very impressive and indicates a rapidly expanding audience. Along with a substantial follower base of 1.5 million, Skechers has established a significant presence on Instagram, leveraging its content to continuously attract and retain a diverse group of followers.

13. Vans (@vans)

• Engagement rate: 0.13%
• Follower growth rate: -1.36%
• Followers: 16.3M

Vans’ Instagram feed is a vibrant showcase of the brand’s rich heritage and deep-rooted connection to skateboarding, art, music and street culture. The feed features a mix of professional and UGC, with dynamic visuals that often capture action shots of skaters, artists and musicians, which helps create an authentic and engaging narrative that for its audience. Its content frequently incorporates bold and colorful aesthetics, which is a testament to Vans’ creative and rebellious spirit. 

What sets Vans’ social media strategy apart is its deep cultural integration. The brand effectively incorporates its historical ties to skateboarding and youth culture, creating a sense of belonging and identity among its followers. This homage to heritage is reflected in its content, often featuring community-driven initiatives, collaborations with artists and live event coverage. However, its metrics reveal some challenges — despite having an impressive 16.3 million followers, its engagement rate is slightly below the industry average at 0.13%. In addition, its follower growth rate of -1.36% indicates a slight decline in its follower base, which could be a result of various factors such as market saturation, changes in content strategy or shifting audience interests.

14. Asics (@asics)

• Engagement rate: 0.08%
• Follower growth rate: 6.69%
• Followers: 1.2M

Asics’ Instagram feed is a mix of high-quality images and videos, highlighting its innovative footwear and its involvement in various sports and partnerships with athletes. The content features a range of posts from close-ups of its latest shoe designs to action shots of athletes in motion, which is all unified by a consistent and energetic aesthetic that aligns with its brand ethos. 

Its Instagram feed focuses on authentic athleticism, by regularly posting content that resonates with both casual and professional athletes. Its use of real athletes and event coverage enhances its brand authenticity, which makes its posts more relatable and engaging for its audience. While its engagement rate of 0.08% might seem modest, it reflects a highly targeted audience. The specialized nature of its content means that those who do engage are likely deeply interested in the brand and its products. Its impressive follower growth rate of 6.69% indicates that Asics is successfully attracting new followers. With an already substantial following of 1.1 million, Asics has a significant platform to showcase its brand and products. This allows for greater reach and visibility, amplifying the impact of its posts and campaigns.

15. Saucony (@saucony)

• Engagement rate: 0.08%
• Follower growth rate: 5.28%
• Followers: 531K

Saucony’s Instagram feed showcases its range of athletic shoes, highlighting the brand’s commitment to both performance and style. The feed is visually cohesive, with high-quality images and videos that feature its shoes in dynamic settings, from urban landscapes to natural trails. The content often includes user-generated posts, professional athlete endorsements and artistic representations of its footwear, creating an engaging mix that appeals to a wide audience.

What makes Saucony’s Instagram strategy stand out is its effective use of visual storytelling, where it showcases its products and tells stories of athletes, everyday runners and outdoor enthusiasts who embody the Saucony spirit. This helps build community and connect with its audience through its interests, not just the product. However, its 0.08% engagement rate suggests that while the brand has a sizable follower base of 526K, its content might not elicit strong interactions. A follower growth rate of 5.28% is impressive and indicates that Saucony is on its way to attracting new followers effectively. By focusing on authentic storytelling and leveraging the pow

16. New Balance (@newbalance)

• Engagement rate: 0.08%
• Follower growth rate: 5.01%
• Followers: 7.9M

New Balance’s Instagram feed blends lifestyle content with product showcases, including high-quality images and videos of its latest shoe releases, collaborations with athletes and influencers and behind-the-scenes looks at its design process. Its posts often feature lifestyle shots that emphasize the versatility and style of its footwear, while catering to a wide audience from casual wearers to professional athletes.

Its Instagram strategy stands out because its content consistently highlights the brand’s heritage and innovation, appealing to both long-time fans and new followers. While its engagement rate of 0.08% might seem relatively low, this is common for large accounts where the sheer volume of followers dilutes the engagement percentage. The impressive follower growth rate of 5.01% suggests successful campaigns and content resonating with new audiences, and bringing in followers consistently. A substantial follower count of 7.8 million underscores the brand’s popularity and strong presence in the competitive sneaker market, providing a solid foundation for engagement and brand loyalty.

17. Nike (@nike) 

• Engagement rate: 0.08%
• Follower growth rate: -0.29%
• Followers: 304M

Nike’s Instagram feed is vibrant while showcasing its brand ethos, with high-quality images and videos of its products, athletes and inspirational stories. Its content often highlights cutting-edge designs and sports performance with community-based marketing tactics to create an engaging visual narrative that represents its products, athletes and more. 

What sets Nike’s social media marketing strategy apart is its focus on storytelling and community engagement. They leverage user-generated content and collaborations with influencers and athletes to create an authentic connection with its followers. Nike has an impressive follower count of 305 million and a 0.08% engagement rate. its follower growth rate is -0.29% — while that might seem like a negative, it makes sense based on its huge following and market share. Since they’ve already amassed a huge following, this metric is lower than other brands that have fewer followers, while a similarly established brand like New Balance has a higher follower growth rate due to becoming trendy and more popular with a broader audience in recent years. Nike, however, has far-reaching influence across both sports and style, making them a mainstay in the shoe industry with a huge existing follower base that’s less likely to grow.

18. Fila USA (@filausa)

• Engagement rate: 0.08%
• Follower growth rate: -2.03%
• Followers: 2.4M

Fila USA’s Instagram feed prominently features its shoe collections. The visuals emphasize both the design and functionality of its footwear, often incorporating vibrant, lifestyle-oriented imagery that leans heavily into its Italian heritage. Its strategy appears to focus on connecting with a sports and fashion-conscious audience through creative, highly stylized images. 

Using lifestyle imagery and highlighting the product’s functionality showcases the versatility of its shoes. Its 0.8% engagement rate suggests that despite its substantial following of 2.4 million, its content might not align with all of its followers, or simply doesn’t spark users to click, comment or share. A -2.03% negative follower growth rate indicates that there could be a shift in brand perception or even increased competition among other shoe brands. 

19. EGO Official (@egoofficial)

• Engagement rate: 0.07%
• Follower growth rate: -1.79%
• Followers: 3M

Manchester-based EGO Official's Instagram feed primarily showcases its trendy and bold footwear designs, targeting a youthful and fashion-forward audience. The feed features high heels, boots and statement shoes, often styled with vibrant and eye-catching outfits. The visuals are high-quality and consistent, emphasizing glamor and modern aesthetics.

What makes EGO Official's strategy stand out is its focus on bold, fashionable imagery that appeals to a young, style-conscious demographic. However, despite having 3 million followers, its engagement rate is notably low at 0.07%, indicating that its large follower base is not highly interactive. Additionally, its follower growth rate is negative at -1.79%, suggesting a decline in follower count. This discrepancy might be due to various factors, such as a lack of effective engagement strategies or changes in Instagram's algorithm affecting visibility.

20. Champion (@champion)

• Engagement rate: 0.02%
• Follower growth rate: -2.65%
• Followers: 4.8M

Champion’s Instagram feed is curated to reflect its brand’s sporty and classic aesthetic. The content features high-quality images and videos showcasing its shoes in various settings, from athletic environments to casual streetwear contexts. It also includes a mix of product shots, lifestyle imagery and possibly influencer collaborations to highlight the versatility and appeal of its footwear.

Champion’s strategy is set apart because of its focus on authentic engagement and maintaining a consistent brand image. However, they do have a relatively low engagement rate of 0.02% suggesting that its content might not be resonating deeply with its audience. This also explains its negative growth rate of -2.65%, which can likely be attributed to a shift in audience interests. While Champion has a significant follower count of 4.8 million, there is a disconnection between the high number of followers and low engagement and growth rates. These metrics reflect the popularity of other shoe brands, and an opportunity to revitalize the brand’s approach to retain and attract active and engaged followers.

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