How the NFL is Winning on Instagram—and How You Can Too

As social media continues to evolve, the NFL is setting the standard for how brands can drive engagement on Instagram. If you're a social media manager or a marketing leader, especially in sports or entertainment, there’s a lot to learn from their strategy. This post will break down their key tactics and show you how to easily replicate their success using Slate.

1. The Power of Carousels with Bold Fonts and Lo-Fi Visuals

The NFL is heavily leaning into carousels this season, using lo-fi video screenshots paired with bold, on-brand fonts and colors. This strategy creates visually compelling posts that encourage users to swipe, which leads to higher engagement and more video views.

Why this works:
Carousels allow the NFL to show multiple pieces of content in one post, keeping users engaged for longer. Fans swiping on carousels also helps give a boost to the post in the algorithm. The bold, branded fonts catch the eye, making the content feel native to the platform while still standing out in the feed. This combination is driving high engagement and video views. It just makes you swipe! And because they're not overproducing the content, they can maintain their brand identity without sacrificing authenticity.

How to do it in Slate:
Creating carousels in Slate is easy. Drop in your video screenshots or images, arrange them in the ideal 4x5 layout, and quickly add your own brand’s fonts and colors. With Slate’s new font customization features, like drop shadow and outline, you can make your text pop while staying true to your brand’s identity.

2. Using Split-Screen Reels to Increase Engagement

The NFL has also mastered the art of split-screen layouts for Instagram Reels, combining interviews with relevant highlights. This approach transforms typically dull postgame interviews into dynamic, engaging content for social media, resulting in high views and interactions.

Why this works:
By showing the interview footage on top and pairing it with game highlights on the bottom, the NFL captures attention quickly. This format is not only visually engaging but also helps tell a story, making even routine interviews more interesting to viewers. For social media teams, this is a great way to bring life to content that might otherwise feel flat.

How to do it in Slate:
In Slate, you can easily create split-screen videos. Simply drop in your interview and highlight clips, position them in the vertical layout, and add captions with a single tap. It’s a quick, efficient way to turn your raw content into polished, professional Reels without the need for complex edits like b-roll.

3. Balancing Native Social Content with Brand Identity

One of the most impressive aspects of the NFL’s Instagram strategy is how they maintain their unique brand identity while still embracing native social elements. They aren’t afraid to create content that looks like “the NFL” rather than trying to blend in too much with typical social trends.

Why this matters:
For social media teams, finding that balance between being authentic to your brand and still engaging with native social formats can be tricky. The NFL shows that it’s possible to do both. They keep their fonts, colors, and overall visual identity strong while making sure the content is designed for maximum engagement on Instagram.

How Slate helps:
With Slate’s easy-to-use design tools, you can maintain full control over your brand’s visual elements while creating content that feels native to social platforms. From bold fonts to custom layouts, Slate gives you the flexibility to stay true to your brand while delivering high-quality social content faster than ever.

Conclusion: The NFL’s Instagram Strategy is One to Watch

If you're in the social media space, particularly in sports or entertainment, the NFL's Instagram strategy is worth paying attention to. Their use of carousels, bold fonts, split-screen Reels, and on-brand visuals is driving impressive engagement without sacrificing their identity.

The good news is that you can replicate these strategies in Slate with minimal effort. Whether it’s creating carousel covers, adding engaging text, or producing split-screen Reels, Slate makes it easy to elevate your social media content.

Ready to bring your brand’s social game to the next level? Try Slate today and start creating content like the NFL.