In our latest report on the top 10 fastest-growing auto brands on Instagram, we looked at which brands gained the most new followers between March 2024 and March 2025. BMW ranked second. The German automaker added 2.3 million new followers over the year, showing strong global traction in both established and emerging markets.
BMW’s Instagram strategy is built around community. The brand doesn’t rely on big-budget campaigns or celebrity partnerships. Instead, it shares fan content, supports enthusiast creators, and stays rooted in car culture. With more than 17,000 creators contributing content and an exceptionally high engagement rate, BMW shows what can happen when a brand focuses on consistency, clarity, and culture.
A content strategy centered on storytelling and fan energy
BMW’s Instagram feed combines clean visuals with community-led energy. You’ll see edits of M-series models, rolling shots filmed by fans, delivery-day reels, and car meetup footage. The content isn’t overly polished or corporate. It feels like it comes from people who genuinely enjoy driving and modifying their cars.
This approach helps BMW stay relevant to different types of audiences, from motorsport fans and car modders to lifestyle-focused drivers and photographers. The brand also gives equal attention to classic and current models, featuring retro builds alongside newer releases like the M4.
By leaning into formats that work on Instagram, especially Reels, BMW keeps its content visible without straying from its identity. The tone is focused, the visuals are consistent, and the brand doesn’t overcomplicate things.
Influencer marketing powered by real owners
One of BMW’s most effective tactics has been activating its fan base. The brand has been featured in over 46,000 posts by some 17,700 influencers in the past year. That includes a wide mix of creators – not just automotive professionals, but also everyday drivers and lifestyle creators who own and love BMWs.
Some of the top creators include:
@lena
@teyanataylor
@naomi
@huddy
@carodaur
What makes this strategy work is that most creators already have a connection to the brand. They’re not just promoting a product: they’re part of a community. That makes the content feel more relevant and more likely to engage audiences who care about cars.
By activating a large number of creators across different formats and regions, BMW is able to keep content flowing without needing to generate everything in-house.
Global reach with focused regional relevance
BMW’s Instagram audience is global, with strong followings in the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The brand is also gaining ground in emerging markets like India and Brazil, where interest in luxury and performance cars is growing quickly.
BMW’s visual-first approach makes it easier to communicate across markets. Most of the content is either short-form video or high-quality imagery, which performs well regardless of language or location. At the same time, BMW works with creators in each market to keep its posts locally relevant without running separate campaigns for every region.
That balance between global consistency and regional authenticity is one of the key reasons for the brand’s sustained growth.
BMW’s Instagram performance metrics
Here’s a snapshot of BMW’s performance from March 2024 to March 2025, based on HypeAuditor data:
Follower growth: +2.3 million
Reach: 1.6 billion
Engagement rate: 11%
Influencers activated: 17,770
Posts featured: 46,713
Average views per post: ~12,322
Average likes per post: ~3,249
Average comments per post: ~24
Top markets: United States, Germany, United Kingdom
Most common content types: M-series edits, showroom and delivery reels, classic car restorations, rolling shots, test drives, and community meetups
An 11% engagement rate is significantly above average, especially for a global brand with such a large audience. It reflects both high-quality content and a strong connection between the brand and its community.
What other brands can learn from BMW
1. Turn your audience into contributors
BMW’s content isn’t just created by the brand. It comes from people who already engage with and care about the product. That makes the feed more active, more relatable, and easier to scale.
2. Stay connected to culture, not just campaigns
Rather than promoting only product specs, BMW leans into the lifestyle of driving and car ownership. It posts about mods, meetups, and fan stories – topics that spark engagement.
3. Balance heritage with relevance
BMW features classic cars and modern builds in the same feed. This helps the brand speak to different generations of fans without needing to split its identity.
4. Use UGC to scale content consistently
Working with thousands of small and mid-sized creators allows BMW to post more frequently, maintain quality, and stay visible, without the pressure of constant in-house production.
Final thoughts
BMW’s success on Instagram comes from a strategy that puts the community first. The brand shares content created by people who drive, film, and care about its cars. That’s what makes the posts feel authentic and keeps engagement high.
This is a useful reminder that brands don’t always need to create every piece of content themselves. With the right structure in place, your customers and creators can help build and maintain momentum. For BMW, that’s turned into consistent growth, stronger visibility, and one of the most engaged audiences in the automotive category.
Curious about more brands like this?
You can download the full Top Auto Brands on Instagram 2025 report to see how other names in the space are growing, what their strategies look like, and which ones to keep an eye on this year.
