We just love how creative and innovative social media branding has been this year, so we’ve compiled another “year in review” favorites list!   This time, we’ve polled our team and have come up with some of our favorite social media marketed brands in 2013 for each of the following: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Vine.

Keep in mind, there were so many impressive brands this year, that this list could go on and on; so we’ve narrowed it down to four of our personal favorites, who are offering helpful tips, great customer service, motivational posts, and some good ol’ fashioned silliness.  Read on, and please let us know your feedback!

Instagram – Nike

Instagram exploded in 2013, and with it, the opportunity for brands worldwide to take advantage of huge marketing potential.  SumAll, a marketing analytics provider, has recently released a report stating Instagram is the best social media service for businesses, and beats out Twitter and Facebook for brand engagement.

“All four of the networks continue to show their value, with Facebook still established as the overall leader in sales ROI,” SumAll CEO Dane Atkinson said in a statement. But according to our results, if a company has a visual product to sell and it’s currently not on Instagram, that company is missing out on significant brand awareness and revenue.”

Nike has been all over this – with almost 3 million followers, brilliant, motivational, and inspirational posts, and hashtagging #justdoit on nearly every crazy picture, Nike has earned their status as one of the most engaged brands on Instagram.  They choose relevant photos, add powerful comments, and reply to their followers.  They make use of their active audience to post contests, preview new products, and stay current in the world of sports – they even created the new Nike PhotoID app, which allows users to customize shoe designs through their Instagram feeds.  Genius. They are a classic brand who clearly know what they’re doing – kudos to you, Nike!

Facebook – Oreo

Almost every Oreo Facebook post is worth a giggle.  Their writers are clever and witty, and almost every Oreo post makes great use of their brand hashtags: #OreoSnackHacks, #DunkSwag, #BeyondTheCookieJar, #Cookiethis, just to name a few.  In 2012, they launched a massive 100-day “Daily Twist” campaign to celebrate their 100th birthday, and gained over 1 million new fans.  Since then, Oreo continues to make culturally-relevant posts on their Facebook feed on a regular basis and also support and engage their audience by re-posting fan videos and photo contests, like this  “Cookie vs. Creme” one.  They are already a beloved brand, and they do a great job of appealing to an all-ages audience with their amusing and entertaining posts.

Twitter – Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines’ Twitter account is a perfect example of evolving customer service.  They have a 17 employee team dedicated to responding to customer inquiries through the @DeltaAssist Twitter feed. They are available 24×7, and each reply with a separate nickname so that you can keep track of who you deal with and when.  Now, keep in mind that this isn’t the first place to contact if you have a serious concern or last-minute flight issues, but it’s an easy way to get answers to quick questions without having to wait on hold or in a customer service line.  The use of today’s technology to increase customer service levels and brand awareness is smart and we’re looking forward to more companies offering these types of services in the future.

Vine – Lowe’s 

Have you ever received one of those email forwards that contains a list of useful household tips and shortcuts, that makes you exclaim “I wish I had known this years ago!”?  Following Lowe’s on Vine will give you the same reaction:  they have a whole series of useful #lowesfixinsix six minute clips that will save you time, money and frustration during those super-fun household repairs and chores.  Offering these simple, useful video tips is a great way to grow and maintain a loyal audience, because they are actually providing a service.  Followers will be intrigued to return back to Lowe’s Vine feed and learn something new each time a video is posted.  This is an an excellent way to engage and keep their audience.

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As stated above, this list could have gone on for days, but we selected our top picks based on what we found to be important and engaging.  If you’re wondering what your company can do next, you should start by following your favorite brands’ social media pages: take note of which posts you found memorable or enjoyable, and which posts garnered the most attention (likes, comments, shares) from followers.  Use this feedback to brainstorm away!

What are your thoughts – are there any brands that you think we are missing and are doing an excellent job with their social media?