On Day Three of our monthly look back on social media, today it is Instagram in the spotlight.

Olytico’s overall December 2024 analysis covers over 8,600 posts across our four highlighted social channels, 3 million engagements and close to 8 million views of Sport for Business members content on TikTok alone.

That is almost double the number of video views that was the case 12 months ago

Here is how our coverage of the monthly report will shape up during the week.

X Analysis – Monday
Facebook Analysis – Tuesday
Instagram Analysis – Wednesday
TikTok Analysis – Thursday

In the infographics below, we have ranked each of the organisations across a range of metrics on each network, including the most active, the most engaged with, and the most engaging content as well as engagements per 1,000 followers where possible.

 It is important to note that this analysis is based on publicly available data. It does not include any analysis or insight on paid or promoted content. When % figures are used (unless otherwise stated), they refer to the previous month’s figures.

 

December 2024 Highlights on Instagram

 

 

We have an unwanted hat trick of declines across the first three social media channels in this month’s analysis. 

Month on month Instagram activity fell 17% to 1,950 posts, and with it we saw a 41% decrease in engagements to just over 2.55 million.  A year ago the number of posts was slightly lower at 1,801 but the engagements was at 2.9 million.

Nonetheless when we look back a little further the number two years ago was down at 1.64 million so that is still progress.

The League of Ireland topped the Instagram activity charts once again with 321 posts, more than double the level of activity from 12 months ago.  One of their best performing posts with almost 12,000 likes came from asking fans for the best goal they saw live in the LOI.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by League of Ireland (@leagueofireland)


Leinster Rugby (170, +72%) were in second as they brought us into the dressing room to see Jordie Barrett receive his Leinster cap, and in third, Athletics Ireland (143, +51%) saw some of their stars from Paris 2024 feature on the Late Late Toy Show.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby)

IWA Sport (40, +25%) featured the Emerald Rollers in a compilation of their 2024 highlights.

 

 

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A post shared by IWA SPORT (@iwa_sport)

 

Tennis Ireland who are new to our analysis this month as members of the Sport for Business community saw Conor Niland, the William Hill Sports Writer of the Year, put some of Ireland’s top tennis players through their paces.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tennis Ireland (@tennis_ireland)

Irish Rugby topped the average engagement per post chart and there is the afterglow of the Rugby World Cup last year to pin the decline in the number from 13,420 in 2023 to 10,455 in 2024.  They took a look forward forward to the Guinness Men’s Six Nations kicking off this weekend.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Irish Rugby (@irishrugby)

They were followed in the top three of engagements per post by Dublin GAA (4,201, up from 3,253 last year) and the GAA (4,195, also up from 3,493 in 2023).

 

Paralympics Ireland delivered a four fold increase on where they were last year, highlighting the benefit of being in a Games year as they  showcased their stars on the red carpet ahead of the RTÉ Sports Awards.

 

 

The Camogie Association (255, +55%) saw Sarsfields of Galway become the AIB All Ireland Senior Club Camogie Champions, and Horse Racing Ireland (1,127, +51%) celebrated history made in the Middle East as Snellen became the first ever Irish-trained winner in Bahrain (link)

 

 

 

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A post shared by Horse Racing Ireland (@hriracing)

 

The League of Ireland (3,246) once more claimed the top spot for ‘highest engagements per 1,000 followers’, up 25 per cent on where they were in the same number 12 months ago when they came third in this category.

 

 

 

An Instagram Reel from Dublin GAA generated the most public engagements during December – this footage of Con O’Callaghan’s goal against Mayo in the 2020 All-Ireland Final, as Dublin made it six in a row, has over 60,000 engagements to date.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Dublin GAA (@dubgaaofficial)

 

X Analysis – Monday
Facebook Analysis – Tuesday
Instagram Analysis – Wednesday
TikTok Analysis – Thursday

 

If you would like to be part of the Sport for Business community and be added to the list, email us today and let’s see what is possible. If you would like a more detailed analysis of your social media activity, contact ross@olytico.com

 

SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

The declining engagement numbers is now evident across X, Facebook and Instagram.  This might be just a bump or they might be indicative of a wider shifting of the sands in this space. Next months numbers in comparison to those of January 2024 will be interesting.

WHAT’S UP NEXT?

TikTok will be covered tomorrow.  Olytico will be presenting at our Annual Sport and Data event taking place on February 27th, and will be able to shed some light on the emerging trends.

MEMBERSHIP AND EVENTS

All of the sporting organisations listed in this analysis are full members of the Sport for Business community.

 

 

 

The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies. 

Find out more about joining us.