Social media marketing has become essential for any business strategy. It’s hard to find brands and stores that don’t have a social media profile. However, while some succeed in gaining followers and boosting sales, others don’t. So, what is the secret to effective social media marketing, and is there a perfect SMM strategy?
Learn from the best
We have already detailed how to conquer social media, build a social media marketing strategy, and use SMM to promote products and services in 2024. In this article, we will explore how to apply popular SMM tools effectively and replicate the success of well-known companies.
Glossier
Glossier specializes in cosmetics and skincare. The company grew out of the blog «Into The Gloss», founded by Emily Weiss in 2010. In 2014, Glossier launched its first products, leveraging a strong social media presence. The main focus was on Instagram, where the brand posted photos of its products and user-generated content.
Emily Weiss’s story and Glossier perfectly captured the spirit of the 2010s. The rise of feminism, the rejection of 2000s glitz, and the embrace of authenticity all resonated with Weiss’s brand. People were inspired by Emily’s journey as a strong, independent woman running a major company almost single-handedly.
Weiss became associated with the girlboss phenomenon. In 2015, she was featured in Forbes’ «30 Under 30» in the retail and e-commerce category.
Glossier actively engaged with its audience in social media by asking questions and conducting surveys to better understand customer needs. Over 70% of the company’s sales came from direct customer recommendations.
In 2018, Glossier shifted its focus from product creation to developing its website and functionality. During this period, the company raised $100 million in investments, boosting its valuation to $1.2 billion. Glossier started hiring heavily from the tech sector, poaching employees from Google, Facebook, and others. However, these changes led to a decline in product quality and increased negative reviews. The brand’s social media content also suffered, losing its previous allure. Glossier’s marketing campaign no longer stood out among hundreds of similar brands.
Recently, the founder returned from maternity leave, promising to restore Glossier’s former glory. Currently, the brand’s Instagram account has 3 million followers, but the content doesn’t keep up with the platform’s rapid changes and trends. We recommend Glossier read our Instagram promotion guides to increase their reach and engage their audience:)
The main lesson of this case is keeping balance: don’t force changes and don’t forget about reputation.
Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club is a company that develops men’s grooming products, including razors and shaving accessories. Dollar Shave Club gained fame thanks to a viral video on YouTube in 2012, which quickly gained millions of views and helped attract a massive number of subscribers.
The viral video on YouTube has over 28 million views.
In 2016, the company was acquired by Unilever for $1 billion. At the time of the sale, the company had over 3.2 million subscribers, though now they have only around 40,000. Dollar Shave Club also actively used Facebook and Instagram to engage with customers and promote their products.
However, their current social media statistics are disappointing: with 215,000 Instagram followers, their videos rarely get more than 10,000 views, and likes are often under 100. While their SMM team tries to create Reels, they fail to consider trends, write engaging captions, or organically use hashtags.
Airbnb
Airbnb, a renowned company in the tourism and hospitality sector, has expertly utilized social media to create a global community of hosts and guests. By sharing unique stories and user reviews, Airbnb has built trust and attracted new clients. In 2020, the company’s revenue reached $3.4 billion. Airbnb has also launched various campaigns, such as «We Are Here» to promote unique travel experiences.
Airbnb boasts over 5 million followers on Instagram and more than 4 million hosts registered on the platform. Their Instagram Stories often feature reposted videos from partners, demonstrating that even major players rely on collaborations. Additionally, they leverage trending content that gains millions of views, and their feed consistently includes posts tied to major news events.
Gymshark
Gymshark, a sportswear manufacturer, has significantly boosted its brand recognition through active collaborations with fitness influencers on Instagram and YouTube. Since 2012, the company has been sharing fitness and healthy lifestyle content, attracting a massive audience. In the first five years, Gymshark’s annual revenue soared from $0 to $128 million. By 2020, the company was valued at $1 billion.
Today, Gymshark boasts over 7 million followers on Instagram. They actively keep up with trends by launching challenges on Reels, generating viral AI-driven ads, and testing unique ideas. Some types of content perform much better than others; for instance, photos get fewer likes, and some Reels receive hundreds of thousands fewer views.
Our advice for Gymshark, which you can also use: analyze what resonates most with your audience and shift your focus accordingly. Sometimes, it’s better to refine your concept and release fewer high-quality videos than to regularly post unpolished content. Check out our comprehensive Reels guide to learn more.
Wendy’s
Wendy’s has become a standout player in the restaurant industry, thanks to its active and clever strategy on X (formerly Twitter). Their witty and provocative tweets have helped the brand distinguish itself from competitors, attracting the attention of both young and adult users. In 2017, one of Wendy’s tweets became the most retweeted tweet of the year, and in 2020, the company reported a 30% increase in digital sales.
Wendy’s describes itself as: «We like our tweets the way we like our fries: hot, crispy, and better than anyone expects from a fast food restaurant». Currently, they have 3.7 million followers, and their feed features a mix of competitor trolling, memes, user polls, and pun-based jokes.
Key takeaway from this case: Find what resonates with your audience. Choose your tone of voice (TOV) and post content that engages your followers, sparks discussions, and captures attention, setting you apart from the competition.
Duolingo
Duolingo is a prime example of successful social media marketing in the education and tech sectors. If you haven’t seen jokes about their persistent green owl, you’re probably living under a rock. On TikTok, Duolingo boasts over 5 million followers. The number of active users increased by 40% in 2023, and the app saw over 10 million downloads in just the first quarter of 2024.
Duolingo leverages humorous and creative content to captivate their social media audience, particularly on TikTok and Instagram. They frequently post memes, funny videos, and engage with users, which helps to strengthen their community connection.
The company also runs various challenges that quickly go viral. For example, videos featuring the Duolingo mascot owl performing comedic tasks have garnered millions of views. On Instagram, they actively use Stories to conduct polls and quizzes, boosting engagement. Additionally, they cross-post videos across different platforms to maximize reach.
Take note of the green owl’s techniques: they use everything from current events to subtle self-mockery. It’s a strategy worth emulating to enhance your social media presence.
Chipotle
Chipotle is another stellar example of a restaurant business leveraging social media to promote its products through viral videos and influencers. They engage with their audience by running challenges and promotions, particularly aimed at the youth demographic. On TikTok, Chipotle has amassed over 2 million followers. In 2023, their online sales grew by 25%, and social media engagement increased by 30% over the past year.
One of Chipotle’s most successful challenges was the #GuacDance, which attracted millions of participants and boosted guacamole sales by 68%.
Recently, Chipotle collaborated with the cosmetics brand Wonderskin to create a limited edition lip gloss line called Lipotle, which stays intact even after eating at Chipotle.
This collaboration is a prime example of a strategic partnership likely to spark a trend of testing the quality of this new product, benefiting both cosmetics sales and restaurant visits.
Bumble
Bumble, a leading social networking app for dating, uses Instagram and TikTok to promote new features and create content emphasizing healthy relationships and self-respect. Their safety and positivity-focused videos, often in collaboration with influencers, have helped attract a growing audience. In the past year, Bumble has seen over 1.5 million mentions on social media and a 20% increase in users in 2023. This social media buzz has also contributed to a 15% rise in revenue.
Bumble effectively addresses users’ concerns about the dangers of online dating by sharing success stories from users, inspiring others to join the platform. These testimonials help alleviate fears and build trust among a hesitant audience. Additionally, Bumble’s focus on boosting self-esteem and caring for its followers fosters strong loyalty and engagement.
Aritzia
Aritzia, a growing player in fashion retail, leverages Instagram to share stylish and inspirational images, often partnering with fashion influencers. With over 1.5 million Instagram followers and a 30% increase in online sales in 2023, their social media engagement has also risen by 25%.
Aritzia frequently collaborates with popular bloggers and models, boosting brand recognition. They also use Pinterest to share fashion tips and style ideas, drawing in additional audiences.
Their strategy diverges from current trends, focusing on minimalism with simple videos, monochromatic posts, and leveraging Pinterest as a growth engine. By committing to minimalism, Aritzia might be ahead of the curve, setting trends rather than following them. This approach highlights how a brand can stand out by sticking to its unique vision, making it intriguing to see where this strategy will take them.
Oatly
Oatly actively promotes its products and beverages through humor and creative campaigns on Instagram and X, emphasizing sustainable development and healthy eating. In 2023, their Instagram followers increased by 50%, sales grew by 20%, and social media engagement rose by 35%.
Oatly frequently shares funny and provocative posts, capturing attention and sparking discussions. They also run campaigns focused on eco-friendly lifestyles and healthy nutrition.
Oatly isn’t afraid to experiment with formats and engage with their audience, introducing regular segments and continuously testing new ideas. This makes Oatly a great example of an emerging company finding its tone of voice while building a base of active followers.
These examples demonstrate how companies can effectively use social media to attract attention, boost sales, and strengthen connections with their audience. Let’s summarize the most popular and unique SMM techniques that work.
Quick summary
As we can see, both large and small companies have mastered social media best practices: leveraging social media engagement strategies and various styles of content marketing. Building a social media presence is crucial for improving metrics, increasing profits, and enhancing brand recognition.
Effective techniques we’ve observed include:
- Smart use of social media trends: Staying current with what’s popular.
- Cross-posting on different platforms: Expanding reach by sharing content across multiple platforms.
- Collaborations and influencer marketing: Partnering with influencers to tap into their audience.
- Maintaining a consistent TOV: Keeping the audience engaged with a consistent brand voice.
- Generating AI-viral content: Using AI to create content that has the potential to go viral.
- Testing different mechanisms: Experimenting with various strategies to see what works best.
- Standing out from competitors: Finding unique ways to differentiate from the competition.
- Humor and self-irony: Using humor to connect with the audience.
- Community management on social media: Actively managing and engaging with the community.
- User-generated content: Encouraging users to create and share content related to the brand.
By employing these techniques, companies can effectively utilize social media to attract attention, boost sales, and foster stronger connections with their audience.
FAQ
Start by defining your goals and target audience.Then craft a content strategy that aligns with your brand’s voice and values. Use data-driven insights to inform your tactics and regularly evaluate your performance for continuous improvement.
Blend wit and relevance with a compelling call to action. Use storytelling techniques to spark curiosity and encourage interaction, while keeping your brand’s personality front and center.
Create buzz-worthy challenges that align with your brand and drive participation with desirable rewards. Make sure the rules are clear and the process is seamless to maximize engagement and reach.
Leverage a mix of authentic content, strategic collaborations, and consistent engagement. Tru to build a community around your brand, while using analytics to refine your approach and amplify your efforts.
Provide timely, personalized responses that address customer concerns and feedback. Transform your social media channels into dynamic platforms for building trust and enhancing the overall customer experience.
Conclusion
We’ve explored numerous insightful stories of both success and failure. Learning from these examples is a fantastic way to avoid others’ mistakes or adopt effective strategies and ideas. Make it a habit to not just scroll through social media, but also to note successful and unsuccessful SMM concepts. This will greatly enhance your observational skills and aid in promoting your own brand.
