7 Examples of Companies Using Social Media Right
You’d be hard pressed in 2015 to find a company that isn’t using social media. From restaurants to barber shops to Political Action Committees, businesses and organizations know that there’s a huge audience to be reached online. But is it just a matter of creating a page and keeping it updated?
Sometimes it’s hard to tell what social media site suits your business best. Even worse, it can be difficult to see the fruits of your labor. What if a large portion of your clientele doesn’t use Twitter? Is anyone even reading those Facebook posts? And what in God’s name is a “snap chat”?
There’s plenty of literature out there trying to solve the answer to this social media riddle, but we’ve decided to take a different approach. Here are seven companies using social media right — and as you’ll see, that looks a whole lot different than you might expect.
T-Mobile USA
T-Mobile is a tech giant — one of the wireless industry’s “big four.” So it’s no surprise that they’re doing all they can to reach out to their customer base in an extremely competitive market. But they take it beyond mere engagement: T-Mobile, according to Social Bakers, has been a consistent leader in social media interaction through their Facebook page.
Boasting more than five million “likes,” T-Mobile’s Facebook page had an unprecedented 91.13% response rate in the third quarter of 2014. That means 9 out of 10 customers who are engaging with T-Mobile’s page are hearing directly back from the company.
By comparison, AT&T had a 68.3% response rate, and Verizon was at 65.66%.
Taco Bell
With the success of Doritos Locos Tacos, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Taco Bell has their finger on what the Internet masses love. But it still may come as a surprise that Taco Bell has a smart, hilarious presence across several social media channels — and their Vine is no exception.
This particular 6-second bit stars the already Vine-famous Zach King, known for his masterful editing abilities, allowing Taco Bell to capitalize on something Vine users already love. Watch it here.
Frank Body
For another lesson in the power of visual aides, we turn to Frank. Frank Body is a small beauty company that specializes in a body scrub made from coffee grounds. Frank Body’s genius use of Instagram combines customer engagement with a dash of mischief.
Customers are encouraged to post pictures of themselves using their new product, and tag the company’s Instagram handle in the picture. Directions for use include: “Get Naked. Get Dirty. Get Rough. Get Clean.” Now of course that may just mean putting coffee grounds all over your body. But that’s really for the customer to decide.
GoPro
GoPro already has a well-established reputation as the leader in POV camera technology, and no doubt that stands firm in part because of their use of YouTube. How better to showcase what a GoPro camera can really do than by showing almost every conceivable situation in which to use one?
That’s what somebody over at their office must have said, too.
If you visit their YouTube page, it’s littered with incredible videos — all filmed with GoPro. From surfers, to hockey games, guitarists, and even a “lion whisperer,” there’s more than enough to get you hooked.
Pizza Hut
Few things go together like Americans and pizza, and no one seems to understand that more than the people over at Pizza Hut. Rather than making their Twitter feed one long, scrolling series of advertisements and coupons, Pizza Hut’s Twitter account is part ad, part video, and part celebration of Pizza.
Based on those numbers, sometimes all it takes is a word.
Newcastle
For years now, Newcastle has become a pioneer in the new wave of self-aware advertising. Ever vigilant in the quest for “No Bollocks” messaging, one of their most recent ad campaigns centers around acknowledging that they don’t have the budget for a Super Bowl spot.
So what’d they do instead? They used a website, and a series of social media outlets (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook) to show you what they would have broadcast during the Super Bowl, if only they had had the budget.
It really would have been quite the ad.
JetBlue Airways
As competition continues to climb in the airline industry, customer service continues to be one of the most important elements of an airline’s success. If frustrations arise, an airline may be quick to go off the grid. Remember Delta Song? Neither do we.
While it doesn’t boast the same response rate as T-Mobile, JetBlue’s impressive 71% response rate on Twitter is almost as impressive as the account’s average response time of 9 minutes — according to that same report from Social Bakers.
That means users are almost immediately being guided through the sometimes tumultuous process of air travel, without even having to sit through those awful recordings. Well played, JetBlue.
So whatever your strategy may be for social media, consider this: it’s not always about who posts the most, or what you’re giving away. It’s about the impression that you’re giving your audience — and how that either promotes the identity of your brand, or reminds customers that you’re still just as far behind the times.
Sujan Patel has over 12 years of digital marketing experience and has helped hundreds of clients increase web traffic, boost user acquisition, and grow their businesses. Now as the VP of Marketing at When I Work, he’s applying the tactics and strategies he’s learned and developed over the years to take the company to the next level.
