It’s obvious social media is the place for marketers to be. And it’s no secret that some companies just know how to rock it.
Even if you’re a company who is struggling with your social strategy, keep in mind that there is a lot you can learn from businesses who are excelling on these platforms. Check out 4 companies who we think are killing it on social media right now, and our top tips for how you can improve your own social content strategy.
1. Tastemade’s tasteful Facebook strategy
I don’t know about you, but there’s just something about those food videos that grab my attention. They make their recipes look so easy and the end product is always so satisfying.
I know I can’t be the only one.
With Tastemade, I’m always hungry for more. Okay, that was cheesy (I’ll stop with the food jokes) but Tastemade is definitely killing it when it comes to their video content—especially on Facebook. This video network offers food and travel related programming, inspiring a large online community of foodies and travelers alike. One of their most popular videos was their potato pizza video (obviously, who wouldn’t want that?), racking up around 113,183,694 views and counting.
What they do really well is sell the experience to their viewers.
They are authentic in both their food and travel videos—whether it’s wandering travelers experiencing “Bier Yoga” in Berlin, or feeding flamingos on a beach in Aruba, they make you want to eat, see, and do more.
Our tip:
Tastemade had me saying to myself, “I see enough of their ads and I always watch them, I might as well follow them on Facebook.” Our tip: embrace the Facebook ads with HQ video that inspires. What’s more, Tastemade is creating video content that is authentic and human-centered. People are sharing them with their friends saying, “let’s make this!” Since Facebook has increased their video requirements for opportunity for more ad placement, Tastemade has also perfectly played this—finding out how to time their videos to make people hang on longer even as a 30 second ad plays in the middle.
2. GoPro is an Instagram pro
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about GoPro’s success over the past few years. And who hasn’t seen the crazy videos of people holding those cameras as they cliff jump in Greece or wearing the camera on their helmets as they go biking in Nepal? Being an action-camera company, it’s no surprise that they have over 15.1 million followers on Instagram alone—and they have taken full advantage of this visual platform. With their spectacular photos and insane videography, you’d think it was all the work of, well, a pro.
But what’s interesting about their Instagram is that it’s entirely UGC (user generated content). They post photos and videos taken by their #GoProFamily, showing their real-life customers having fun capturing amazing photos and video content.
Our tip:
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Embrace the UGC. GoPro became extremely successful without the paid advertisement solely because of their HQ product and loyal customer base. This helped them to capitalize on their brand. But what GoPro is also really good at is maintaining consistency across their Instagram platform—they have managed to maintain HQ photos and videos across their page, meaning they only feature the very BEST on their account. This stays true to their brand—providing a high-quality camera while cultivating authentic relationships with the people who use their product most.
3. Wendy’s way with words on Twitter
Next time you’re on Twitter, check out Wendy’s Restaurant (if you’re not already following them). We’ve gotta say, for a company whose logo is a sweet red-headed girl, Wendy’s is serving up some smart sass on Twitter. The family-friendly restaurant chain takes pride in their “roasts” with their competitors and customers alike.
While it might be a fine line they’re walking between maintaining a family-friendly reputation and somewhat snarky humor—what they have done well is found both their tone and voice for this platform. They took a chance with the social strategy—and have managed to come out on top. Their banter and interactions with their customer-base has led them to 2.85M followers and growing.
Our tip:
For every piece of copy you create, from a quick Tweet, to a well-planned blog post, your voice should be consistent. Your tone can and should change depending on what platform you are on, but people like consistency; that’s why customers and competition continue to retweet and follow Wendy’s. Their company has found balance in their banter while also managing to keep their food at the center of each conversation—making their followers want to rally around them AND crave a frosty. What’s more, they frequently retweet what their customers have to say—proving that they understand how to delight their customers after they’ve made a stop at their restaurant.
4. Starbucks perfectly timed Snapchats
Starbucks is obviously the largest player in the coffee industry. Other than making the beverages everyone loves, they’ve also proven themselves as Snapchat savvy when it comes to selling themselves. Like Wendy’s, Starbucks knew exactly what platform to use to reach out to their target market. Only, they took Snapchat’s story feature a step further by incorporating daily stories during times most people get their coffee cravings—the mid-morning and afternoon pick-me-up.
It’s proven simple, smart, and highly effective. They continue to raise the bar on this platform as a way to delight their customers too. Partnering with Snapchat, they promote their Snap-It-Forward Day; an exclusive offer where you can buy one seasonal drink and get a free one for a friend. Showing the Snapchat filter to your barista, you get a deal. Now THAT’S smart. Starbucks knows how to keep bringing their customers back by also giving back. And using a popular platform like Snapchat is the perfect way to do it.
Our tip:
Maybe your target market is on Snapchat, maybe they’re not. Our tip: always find out where your target market is and meet them there. That doesn’t just mean gathering information about your target market but also find out everything you can about the platform they are using. Who knows what new ideas you’ll come up with? Starbucks knows the optimal times to post for their target market on Snapchat. Can you say the same about your use of LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest? Have you unlocked every feature these platforms have to offer?
Want to learn more about how you can step-up your social game? We’d love to help! Send us a message at [email protected].
