Social platforms provide brands with a compelling chance to connect with and involve consumers today, encompassing endeavors such as brand storytelling and exploring fresh commerce prospects (in July 2019, WeAreSocial reported that social media users exceeded 3.5 billion).
Strategy is not always easy to get right, especially when it comes to the tricky issue of attribution. With that said, there are certainly quite a few brands who seem to have mastered it.
1. Boohoo
The coronavirus pandemic has heavily affected the fashion retail industry, but Boohoo Group (consisting of PrettyLittleThing and Nasty Gal) has been among the few to prosper, experiencing a sales increase of 45% in the quarter ending May 2020.
Although there are multiple factors at play, Boohoo owes much of its triumph to its social media plan, as the use of influencer approvals has allowed the brand to connect with and attract a youthful market on Instagram, where it currently boasts 6.6 million followers. It has been stated that in 2018, Boohoo invested £80 million towards influencer advertising, a plan it has since kept implementing.
Boohoo effectively captivates its audience with amusing and relatable content inspired by pop culture, in addition to collaborating with popular influencers. The brand’s friendly and relaxed tone of voice consistently accompanies their content. Moreover, Boohoo’s flexibility in creating content that aligns with current trends was exemplified by their recent switch to the hashtag #BoohooInTheHouse, emphasizing on ‘stay at home style’ during the lockdown period.
Boohoo’s numerous social campaigns demonstrate that the brand is adept at remaining current on social media, regardless of the condition of the broader retail sector.
2. PlayStation
Sony’s PlayStation is the most widely followed brand on Twitter, with an impressive 18.7 million followers. UnMetric reports a 376% increase in PlayStation’s following over the last five years, as it gained 12 million followers between 2014 and 2019.
Its high level of activity on the platform is attributed to its consistent posting of various content such as newly released game trailers, gaming footage, and streaming events to build audience interaction.
Through its #PlayAtHome campaign, PlayStation succeeded in spreading a positive message on Twitter, urging individuals to stay home, by offering free downloads of their games “Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection” and “Journey”. Sources reveal that over 10 million users availed themselves of the free games.
The Academy which is Royal
The Royal Academy’s social media strategy is so effective that even those who are not particularly interested in art find it worthwhile to follow them on Twitter.
It seems that its Social and Content Editor, Adam Koszary, who used to be employed by the Museum of English Rural Life, is responsible for this. You may recall one of his popular tweets, which featured a photo of a strong-looking ram with the caption: “check out this total unit.”
Koszary’s ability to combine historical and upscale themes with relatable and contemporary humor has boosted The Royal Academy’s social media presence.
The Royal Academy has been implementing some engaging and entertaining initiatives lately, including the #RAdailydoodle challenge that urges individuals to embrace their artistic side while staying at home. With a Twitter following of more than 441,000, the Royal Academy serves as a prime illustration of how strategic employment of social media can infuse vitality into the cultural industry, rendering it enjoyable and reachable to everyone.
4. Depop
Depop, likened to a hybrid of Instagram and eBay, is a thriving social commerce platform with a vibrant user base of 15 million fashion aficionados. Catering largely to Generation Z, Depop is regarded by its users on par with Snapchat and TikTok – serving both as a marketplace and a community hub to connect and engage while transacting in pre-owned fashion items.
According to an article in Marketing Week, Yoann Pavy, the head of digital marketing for the brand, has asserted that the use of user generated content is crucial for achieving success in social media.
Our approach on Instagram primarily involves sharing the most remarkable stuff found on Depop, in order to showcase it to a larger audience. We supplement this with influencer marketing and paid advertising, all of which are interconnected with our overall strategy.
5. Chipotle
Taking a risk with TikTok was a pioneering move for Chipotle, but it has proven to be a profitable venture for the establishment.
The majority of its substance is centered around TikTok challenges. The initial challenge, #ChipotleLidFlip, amassed over 240 million views on the app. The next one, #GuacDance, was even more victorious, with 430 million video initiations within a span of six days.
Chipotle has managed to capture the attention of younger audiences through their enjoyable and distinctive content on TikTok, re-establishing themselves as a significant brand. This move has proven successful as demonstrated by the company’s Q3 2019 digital sales growth of 88% and revenue growth of 14.6%, resulting in a total of $1.4bn. Experts suggest that their emphasis on social media is a contributing factor to this achievement.
6. Warby Parker
Warby Parker has generated a large amount of its success through word of mouth marketing, spurred on by clever social content. Recently, the brand has enjoyed a bit of extra exposure from its ‘Spinnies’ – a spinnable pair of glasses supposedly created by the US comedian, Jimmy Fallon.
One more instance of this is the April Fools Day prank of Warby Parker called ‘Warby Barker’, where the company tricked its clients into believing that it was unveiling a line of spectacles designed for dogs. Even though this trick goes back to 2012, it is still prevalent via the @WarbyBarker Instagram account as it displays user-generated content.
Having a strategy created by the users has always been essential to the brand’s success on social media. The usage of hashtags such as #atwarby and #warbyhometryon has greatly assisted in promoting the Warby Parker’s online and offline experience. Currently, the latter hashtag has been used in over 24,400 Instagram posts.
7. Gymshark
Gymshark holds a prominent presence on Instagram with a combined following of almost nine million across three channels, making it one of the leading fitness brands on the platform. The brand’s success in boosting its turnover by 73 million in the year ending July 2019 can largely be attributed to its astute comprehension of social media and the influential figures in the fitness realm who hold sway over it.
Gymshark partners with numerous renowned fitness influencers, also referred to as brand ambassadors or Gymshark ‘athletes,’ to leverage their audiences. A notable ambassador, Nikki Blackketter, with 1.8 million Instagram followers, has collaborated with the brand on various collections.
In addition to their organic content, Gymshark has also put money into social media advertising. During their 2017 Black Friday sale, Gymshark’s paid advertising led to a 6.6x return on investment and contributed to 40% of their sale purchases happening on Instagram.
8. Greggs
Greggs had an exceptional year in 2019, starting with a YouTube advertising campaign promoting their renowned vegan sausage roll. Following the advertisement’s positive public reception, which poked fun at Apple’s iconic commercials, the bakery chain gained even more attention by responding impishly to Piers Morgan’s tweet. The retort garnered over 140,000 likes and 20,000 retweets.
YouGov reported that following the introduction of the vegan sausage roll in early January, Greggs’ Buzz Score, which gauges the positive or negative feedback about a brand in the past two weeks, surged to +8.2, its peak since the preceding March.
Greggs’ comparable sales increased by 9.6% during the initial seven weeks of 2019, a period that involved the introduction of the vegan sausage roll launch, as reported by Marketing Week.
Greggs has demonstrated a clever comprehension of social media, as evidenced by the brand’s amusing persona that effectively appeals to its intended demographic. Although Twitter is frequently employed by businesses as a means of customer service, Greggs’ authentic and engaging approach provides more substantial value.
9. Slack
Slack’s user-friendly platform is beneficial to both big corporations and small ventures as it enables efficient communication and online collaboration amongst teams. Through social media, Slack caters to a diverse audience to appeal to different segments of its target market. The company’s inclusive approach allows them to effectively connect and interact with a broader customer base.
Slack distributes various useful content about improving productivity, creating a healthier work-life equilibrium, and sharing news articles to benefit every member of the team, regardless of their position. Moreover, to keep the users engaged in their brand narrative, Slack also provides motivational quotes and narratives of successful customers.
10. Nike
Nike is dominating in the realm of social media with almost 150 million Instagram followers and 35 million Facebook followers. They are not afraid to show support for meaningful social causes and are skilled at captivating audiences by featuring diverse athletes and cultures from around the globe. Their ability to engage and inspire millions is unmatched.
By keeping the focus on players, athletes, teams, and their viewers, Nike portrays the consumer as the protagonist of the narratives they communicate.
Nike excels on Instagram by showcasing motivational photos and videos of individuals striving to reach their aspirations. Facebook is predominantly utilized for major promotions, while twitter is utilized for engaging with their followers and addressing urgent issues.
Nike isn’t hesitant to vocalize and advocate for their beliefs, whether it’s promoting social distancing during the pandemic, supporting the BLM movement, or empowering young girls to strive for their dreams regardless of their circumstances. Their campaigns inspire individuals from all backgrounds to embody bravery and reach for success.
11. Starbucks
Starbucks populates its social media channels with vibrant images showcasing beverages and individuals from around the globe reveling in the delight and contentment that consuming them brings.
They have a slogan that aims to encourage and support people’s well-being, focusing on individual, community, and cup-level contributions. Their success is evident in their massive social media following, with over 35 million, almost 18 million, and over 10 million subscribers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, respectively.
Starbucks is known for its frequent engagement on social media where they respond to customer queries and attend to their concerns as a way of showing that they recognize and value them. The company is also adept at leveraging social media to sway the behavior of its audience.
Starbucks’ ability to remain a leading coffee chain is attributed to various factors such as their well-received limited edition drinks, including the renowned Pumpkin Spice Latte, their diverse and inclusive internal initiatives such as the #WhatsYourName campaign, and their commitment to promoting diversity. Additionally, their out-of-the-box approach towards captivating their audience is evident in their #ExtraShotOfPride initiative, which commemorated Pride month in June 2019.
12. Shopify
Shopify caters to all types of entrepreneurs with its ecommerce and point-of-sale platform, which simplifies the process of online selling for enterprises of any magnitude.
Shopify leverages social media by sharing enlightening and instructive videos through YouTube and Facebook. Their social media presence is characterized by lively, eye-catching, and positive posts. Additionally, they openly endorse social and environmental causes to infuse purpose into their enterprise and foster a stronger bond with customers.
By using landing pages that are linked to social media, Shopify is able to attract new leads and expand its customer base successfully. You can achieve similar results for your business by creating written and video content that educates and entertains your desired audience.
13. Square
Square simplifies the process of receiving credit card payments on mobile devices for various enterprises. Rather than boasting about their own achievements, the company prioritizes their clients and demonstrates their concern for them. Through social media, Square highlights the businesses of their customers and authentic individuals sharing their encounters with Square’s merchandise.
Square’s social media content is characterized by minimalism, clarity, and user-centricity. The company follows in the footsteps of other top brands by backing social causes and using social media as a platform to promote them.
Instagram has recently brought attention to its Asian American and African American users, while Square uses Facebook to distribute industry reports, current trends, and educational articles tailored to their target audience.
14. GoPro
“Being deemed as ‘the world’s most versatile camera,’ GoPro has amassed a substantial followership on various social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The company leverages its social media presence to narrate captivating stories that inspire individuals to capture their exclusive perspectives through images and videos.”
GoPro showcases real customers’ projects as a means of inspiring others to join the movement, with their social media strategy effectively promoting the benefits of incorporating a GoPro into one’s life to document personal journeys and adventures.
GoPro adopts a strategic approach with its content for each social media platform, tailoring every post to suit the specific audience. This ensures optimal engagement on each channel.
- On Facebook, the brand promotes the business, connects with customers personally, and strives to expand its reach.
- On Twitter, GoPro focuses primarily on communicating with followers and promoting or announcing new products.
- Instagram is where they get to show off their high-quality photos and videos while sharing user-generated content.
- On YouTube, the brand shares tips, tricks, and tutorials to help newbies and GoPro enthusiasts use products to their full potential.
15. Shutterstock
Shutterstock’s goal is to offer clients top-notch, genuine photographs that can be applied to innovative business strategies, as indicated by their catchphrase, “Shutterstock: It’s more than just stock.”
Shutterstock employs its social media channels to motivate customers in generating something innovative at a reasonable pace. By exhibiting high-quality pictures and videos, they demonstrate to the audience the possibilities that the subscription service offers.
Users now have round-the-clock access to breaking news from journalists, videographers, and photographers thanks to the recent launch of Newsroom by Shutterstock.
Shutterstock’s demonstration of their innovative and adaptable nature is evident in their recent action, which aims to cater to the needs of their users effectively. Their YouTube channel offers various resources such as tutorials, trends, and an artist series that puts a human touch to the brand by highlighting the Shutterstock contributors.
