Black Friday’s Online Impact in Numbers
In the week leading up to Black Friday, interest surged across TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn. The topic generated more than 3,000 posts per day and over one million interactions. With 77 percent of internet users across the EU purchasing goods online during the past year, monitoring online conversations has become essential to understanding how consumers engage with brands at key retail moments.
Sony, Amazon and Shein Driving the Black Friday Buzz
A look at the most mentioned hashtags reveals which sectors captured attention. #sony, #bravia and #playstation dominated the discussion, reinforcing the strength of premium electronics during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. At the same time, the frequent appearance of #amazon and #shein points to a growing pull towards affordability and fast moving e commerce. This combination shows how Black Friday brings together aspirational brands and mass market players within the same digital space.
LinkedIn Takes a More Thoughtful Approach
While platforms like TikTok were filled with offers and product recommendations, LinkedIn adopted a more reflective tone. The top posts came from Boston Consulting Group, which shared an article about consumers rewriting the rules of the retail season, and from Veja, which showcased its alternative initiative called Repair Friday, offering free shoe repairs. These examples illustrate how Corporate Social Responsibility messaging helps brands stand out on a professional platform where audiences respond positively to value driven communication.
Screenshot: Visibrain platform - Top posts on LinkedIn
TikTok: A Hyper Commercial Powerhouse
TikTok was the most commercially charged platform in this analysis. Almost 10 percent of all Black Friday related posts included the hashtag #TikTokShopBlackFriday, showing just how deeply the shopping feature is embedded into user behaviour. The platform continues to blur the lines between entertainment and commerce, and Black Friday amplifies this dynamic.
The top performing posts provide a clear picture of how the platform drives sales. Creators promoted their TikTok Shops through short, persuasive videos that combined personal recommendations with real time product demonstrations. Beauty brand Laneige also featured prominently, using TikTok's native shopping tools to showcase product bundles and limited time offers. These posts generated significant engagement, highlighting how seamlessly users move from watching a creator to making a purchase within the same interface.
This behaviour reflects a broader shift. TikTok is no longer simply a place for trends to emerge. It has become a fully integrated shopping environment where discovery, influence and conversion happen simultaneously. For brands, the lesson is clear. In order to capture Black Friday demand, content must be adapted to TikTok’s fast moving, creator led ecosystem. Authenticity, speed and direct purchasing options are key to unlocking the platform’s full commercial potential.
Instagram: Essential Territory for Beauty and Lifestyle Brands
Although Instagram generated lower engagement levels than TikTok, it remained a key platform for brands in visually led sectors. Among the top performing accounts were Morphe, Laneige and Lancôme, highlighting Instagram’s continued role as an essential environment for beauty and lifestyle storytelling. The platform remains particularly valuable for brands that rely on aesthetics and identity to drive engagement. This is most evident when we take into account the top 10 brands driving engagement on Instagram over the past week:
- 1. SHEGLAM
- 2. Five Below
- 3. IKEA UK
- 4. Laneige US
- 5. Morphe Cosmetics
- 6. Carrefour France
- 7. Tree Hut
- 8. PLOUISE Cosmetics
- 9. BOXRAW
- 10. Lancôme
Why Brands Cannot Ignore Black Friday Trends
Whether brands choose to participate in Black Friday or opt out entirely, understanding the conversation around it is crucial. These seasonal moments influence consumer expectations and shape industry narratives. The most effective way to keep pace is through a social listening tool such as Visibrain. With real time insights, cross platform analysis and competitive benchmarking, social listening helps brands stay agile and make informed decisions during high impact retail periods.
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