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Starbucks Definition
Starbucks is arguably the world’s leading social marketer, ranks number one in online engagement, number one on Facebook, and the number one Tweeted brand.
They were the first to have over ten million fans on Facebook, with the number still growing (over 11 million to date). It has just under million followers on Twitter. However, digital marketing efforts go far beyond just Twitter and Facebook.
And Starbucks’ initial objective engages the customers outside the four walls of the coffee shop. The social media space lends itself well to brands likes Starbucks, as they aim to use social media to build relationships with their customer rather than marketing towards them.
The message
- Starbucks uses social media as a tool to get its messages out. For instance, on April fools day.
- It creates campaigns that an element of fun (coffee from a USB stick). The message here that Starbucks is a fun brand that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
- It resonates well with its customer base as they want to see themselves as fun people and part of a fun brand.
- These marketing efforts create great content integrated throughout all the Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, PR and advertising activities, and the retail teams. The result of these particular campaigns increased the non-US Facebook fans by 20%.
- However, Starbucks states that the number doesn’t matter; they see these campaigns as an opportunity to engage and build new relationships. Likewise, they ran the campaign to save the forests by getting customers to reuse their old coffee cups.
- Here, the message shows that Starbucks cares about the planet and creates a sense of community by galvanizing customers around a shared idea. And Starbucks’ key in creating a message is to be authentic and not to outsource their voice.
- And agencies act as good eyes, and the company’s ears analyze and listen to the market. But, the mouth that talks about the brand come from in-house.
- All messages are must complement both the personality of the people within the company (the person tweeting, for example) and its brand message.
Making the Commitment
- Starbucks that the key are connected directly to the most loyal customers who will drive future growth.
- And Starbucks decided to take the risk and invest in the most dedicated customers to see the outcome. They created a website called ‘My Starbucks Idea,’ an online community where customers can suggest ideas.
- The site took off with great success, generating thousands of ideas, with hundreds of them are put into action.
- The first idea that place into place was free Wi-Fi throughout the coffee shops. Its community today built into the Starbucks culture for generating new ideas and enhancing the customer experience.
Analytics
- Starbucks is using analytics to gain insight into future content strategies. They believe that the art of good content.
- The only content that should be released should be that which will add value to Starbucks ‘ relationship with their customer.
- With insight into the market through analytics, specific content can be create relevant to their customers, rather than spamming them at every opportunity.
- It also likes to point out that they don’t take analytics from just one platform. It incorporates the analytics from across all platforms to offer a complete voice of results to the leadership and then decide its next direction.