Pemberley Rose Social Media Survey

July 2015

Social Media Overview: • Facebook: Be diverse. Post pertinent articles, create original

content, and advertise sales and giveaways. • Instagram: Post artistic photos with a consistent color scheme,

as well as organic and natural tones. Crop the photo to ensure that product is always the focal point.

• Twitter: Mix Twitter-only content with Instagram/Facebook posts.

• Pinterest: make boards diverse, but maintain particular product collections as the focus. Use a consistent backdrop, and ensure the pin:board ratio is appropriate.

Social Media Platform #1: Facebook

• The most effective competitors (Aden and Anais, One Kings Lane) post on average of once a day

• Although these two competitors post consistently, the type of content posted is both diverse and varied. Specifically, they– Post pertinent articles– Create Original Content– Advertise particular products, giveaways, and

mentions.

Facebook Strategy Number 1: Post pertinent articles.

• As a company specializing in baby clothing, Aden + Anais does not limit their Facebook posts to their own product.

• By including articles pertinent to mothers, sharing content relevant to mothers increases the likelihood of reposts.

Facebook Strategy Number 2: Creating Original Content

• In particular, A+A have succeeded in creating their own digital photo frame, and incorporating clever/humorous words/images within it.

• Doing so increases interaction with followers, while increasing the likelihood of shareable content. Image 1 (on the left) garnered 370 likes and 78 shares, while image 2 compiled 434 likes and 94 shares.

Facebook Strategy Number 3: Sales, Giveaways, and Mentions.

• With all of that said, the focus should nonetheless be upon the product itself.

• Therefore, incorporate an assortment of media that sheds light upon the company.

• Specifically, sharing new articles featuring your product, posting company-sponsored giveaways, displaying new collections and sale items available for purchase, and even celebrity/blogger mentions are ways of achieving exactly that.

Sale Items and Collections

• Notice that Little Giraffe always includes a stylized image with the product as the focal point, and a link to the particular items for sale.

Sale Items and Collections Continued

• Dwell Studio, meanwhile, incorporates artistic, Instagram-style photos with a short and concise caption. INCLUDE MORE PHOTOS

• Therefore, when selling on Facebook, 1.) include vivid images of product, 2.) Include a link to the site., and 3.) Make descriptions concise.

Celebrity and Publication Mentions• In addition, be sure not to skimp out on photos and links of

celebrities or bloggers with your product, as well as links to articles that highlight particular collections.

Giveaways: • Moreover, be sure to post giveaways that are occurring. • A+A posts links to site-specific giveaways, while Little Giraffe has

trivia questions (answered through Facebook comments) to engage followers with the brand. The first to answer the question correctly receives a free product!

Last but not Least…• One Kings Lane not only includes product links within their

posts, but also has the optional “shop now” button below their cover page. Doing so creates more opportunity for product engagement.

• In addition, Facebook can also be used as a medium to interact with your fans. A+A answers questions from fans, while Little Giraffe uses the comments section to announce winners of giveaways.

Instagram• The top two competitor Instagrams--Aden + Anais and

One Kings Lane—have been able to attract such a following by posting high-quality, product-specific photos on a daily basis.

• Specifically, Aden + Anais maintains a consistent visual aesthetic, while One Kings Lane posts photos in a way that symbolizes their company mission.

Case Study 1: Aden + Anais:

• With over 27.5K followers, A+A’s Instagram success can be attributed to two characteristics: consistent posting (1-2 pictures per day) and high-quality photography.

Strategy 1: High Quality Photography

• To create a high-quality photograph, Aden + Anais follows three simple rules: – Use a consistent color scheme.– Capture photos with the product as the focal point (but not

overbearingly so). – Paying attention to form, geometry, and angles.

Consistent Color Scheme

• By juxtaposing soft and supple colors (blues, grays, creams) with bright and eye-popping colors (whites, reds, pinks), Aden + Anais’s Instagram post is both appealing and easy on the eye.

Product as Focal Point • The photo should always be cropped so that the product is the

focal point (but not overbearingly so). • To accomplish this, A+A captures action shots of babies and/or

the surrounding environment with particular products.

Paying Attention to Form, Geometry, and Angles

• By paying attention to aesthetic details such as form, geometry, and angles, Aden + Aneis gives the viewer a diverse array of shots, all the while providing a consistent aesthetic of warmth and tranquility.

• Doing so also limits the “overbearing” nature of a normal product shot.

Case Study 2: One Kings Lane

• Similar to A+A, One Kings Lane also follows similar photography guidelines within their Instagram posts.

• However, one unique variation is that One Kings Lane elicits a “natural” and “rustic” aura in every single one of their photographs.

One Kings Lane: Natural and Organic• Specifically, by consistently juxtaposing man-made with nature-made,

One Kings Lane bridges the gap between “sterile” interiors and “untamed” exteriors.

• Moreover, the use of natural light elicits an aura of warmth.• Although it is not obligatory to do exactly as One Kings Lane has

done, try to maintain a consistent theme throughout every photo that symbolically represents the mission of your company.

Instagram Continued• Although Instagram is a medium primarily used for photos,

diversify the way you portray those photos. • Specifically, Aden + Anais wonderfully incorporates mosaics,

video photo montages (one post that features multiple photos), and videos into their feed.

• Little Giraffe, meanwhile, makes each post unique by stamping a logo onto the bottom right corner of every photo

A+A Videos and Mosaics Examples• Mosaics (starting from left) are a fantastic way to diversify the

visual aesthetic of Instagram, photo video montages offer an excellent way to highlight color variations, while videosbring new products to the forefront.

Instagram: Dos and Don’ts

• DO:• Use your logo as your profile picture.• Post 1-2 times daily.• Post during holidays and special occasions (with product as

focus). • Use Hashtags

Instagram Profile Pictures & Logos

• Regardless of the company, Instagram profile pictures should show the company logo.

• Doing so is not only professional, but reiterates the brand to followers

• For more exposure, include a combination of logo and company name (similar to the A+A logo in the center).

Most Importantly, However, DO Use Hashtags

• Use 5-10 has to drive Instagram traffic and likeslikes. • Instead of sheer quantity (10+ hashtags is excessive), use

hashtags that are both trending worldwide and relevant to the post. For example, if you are posting a muslin blanket picture, use key words such as “muslin,” “babiesofinstagram,” “babyblanket,” and even “picoftheday.”

Instagram “Don’ts”

• Don’t:• Post pictures with irrelevant quotes• Include bland and mundane photos that excludes the product

as the focal point. In other words, people respond best to products.

• Post pictures that feature little light.

Twitter

• The most successful competitor Twitter accounts are once again A+A and One Kings Lane.

• Both companies post 1-3 times per day. • However, their strategies of obtaining new followers and

social media traffic is quite varied.

Twitter Case Study: Aden & Aneis vs. One Kings Lane

• For one, lots of companies merely repost their Instagram/FB/website posts to Twitter.

• One Kings Lane does EXACTLY that. Although it may seem bland and unoriginal, they nonetheless have a very large following (41.5K followers).

Case Study Continued• However, Aden + Anais offers a different approach. Certainly,

there is the occasional repost of a sale… but A+A provides posts that are Twitter-specific.

• Examples include retweets, humorous tweets, photos, and even links to products.

Twitter Suggestions

• Coalesce the strategy of One Kings Lane and A+A. • Include humorous tweets and “shop now” links similar to

Facebook• However, if there is an Instagram/Facebook post that is

getting an above-average number of likes, share it on Twitter! Chances are there are more than a few Twitter followers who do not follow you on Instagram.

Pinterest:

• Due to its visual aesthetic constant content sharing and, Pinterest is a vital social media platform.

• Specifically, by focusing upon product-specific boards/pins—while simultaneously intermingling the occasional generic “mom” board—One Kings Lane and A+A has considerably grown its brand drastically.

Pinterest Strategy: The Product ALWAYS Comes First!

• Although generic mommy boards and pins have the potential to increase your Pinterest account popularity, the emphasis is first and foremost upon your product.

• Therefore, create “boards” that highlights particular collections.

• Similar to Instagram, the cover photo of the board should be as visually appealing as possible.

Pinterest Case Study: Aden & Aneis• Aden & Anais follows three particular guidelines when posting

boards and pins: 1.) The photos have a consistent theme and backdrop2.) Each “pin” description features a 5-10 word explanation and price. 3.) The focal point of the picture is always the product.

A+A Pinterest Examples & Suggestions• The majority of pins picture either include a frontal view of a baby

with the product, or simply a picture of the product itself. • All backdrops are white/cream.• The explanation is short, while the price is included. • Meanwhile, the cover photo is always the most interesting/creative.• Finally, all pins should include creative product imagery.

A+A Pinterest Continued

• With that being said, A+A does not limit their pins and boards to product shots alone.

• In particular, they occasionally post a board that is pertinent to mothers and/or young children.

• Doing so not only diversifies their Pinterest account, but also attracts new followers.

Pinterest Suggestion: Keep the Pin:Board Ratio Consistent

• In other words, do not have 1 board with 96 pins, and another with 5. As A+A shows, the less pins per board, the less likely you are to acquire re-pins.

• Below: a pin from a board with 96 pins (38 reposts) vs. a pin from a board with 12 pins (0 reposts).

• All boards that are created must be well-populated. • Start with 20 pins per board (with a 100 pin maximum).

Conclusion

• Focus majority of efforts on Facebook and Instagram• Regardless of the social media platform, post consistently

and with specific regards to holidays/special occasions. • Diversify your posts. – Facebook: articles, pictures, and sales. – Instagram: videos, montages, and mosaics. – Twitter: use IG/FB reposts, as well as original content.– Pinterest, post product-specific and generic “mom”

boards.