Wildfang
1. Wildfang is a national online clothing brand focusing on gender neutral and gender nonconforming fashion.
2. They post on a number of social media sites which are listed at the bottom of their webpage.
a. Instagram: They are extremely active on Instagram, posting nearly every day and sometimes more than once a day in both Posts and Stories. They boast 227k followers and are very active in their comments section. Their latest post was 8/31.
b. Facebook: They last posted on Facebook in November of 2023 and appear to have abandoned that platform. They still have 66k followers.
c. Twitter: As with Facebook, they have not made an appearance on Twitter since November of last year. They have 15.8k followers on Twitter.
d. TikTok: Their TikTok site is not listed on their webpage, but it s very active, with videos posted every few days. The last video was posted on August 12. The account has 3,371 followers.
3. Focusing mainly on photo spreads and videos which highlight the style, fit, and function of their clothing, it isn't surprising that Wildfang favors the visual-heavy platforms offered by Instagram and TikTok over the wordier Facebook and Twitter. As their audience skews younger, it also makes sense that they would gravitate more to these youth-oriented platforms.
Glamnetic
1. Glamnetic is a national online and in-store brand that specializes in high quality false lashes and press-on nails.
2. They post on a number of social media sites listed on their home page.
a. Instagram: With daily posts and stories, Glamnetic has a large following of 597k subscribers. Their latest post was 8/31.
b. TikTok: As with Instagram, Glamnetic posts on TikTok at least once daily. They have 186.2k followers and last posted on 8/31.
c. FaceBook: They are less prolific on Facebook, posting a few times per month. They have 119k followers and last posted on 8/8.
d. Twitter: They seem to have abandoned their Twitter account, last posting in June of 2023. They still have 23.6k followers.
3. Similarly to Wildfang, Glamnetic's reliance on visuals to sell their product makes visuals-heavy platforms like Instagram and TikTok the way to most effectively advertise. In the case of Glamnetic's products, formats like Instagram's Reels and TikTok highlight the special effects they use in their nails, which can be better seen while in motion. Since their products necessitate an application and removal method, video formats are also the best way to post tutorials.
Smoking Glue Guns
1. Smoking Glue Guns is a small, single person crafts business which makes custom gaming dice.
2. All of their social media pages are linked to their main website.
a. YouTube: This is the first business I have researched for this assignment that utilizes YouTube, although it looks as though the channel has been abandoned. Containing mainly process videos, the last video was uploaded two years ago. The channel still has 2.08k subscribers.
b. TikTok: This creator is prolific on TikTok where I first discovered their process videos. They post regularly, with the latest upload on 8/31. They have 363.3k followers.
c. Instagram: They post photos and small videos on Instagram regularly, the latest post being 8/31. They have 6,616 followers on Instagram.
d. Facebook: The business posts sporadically on Facebook, but the business owner uses the platform as a hybrid business/personal site, posting not only product photography, but convention blogs. They last posted on 8/31 and have 583 followers.
e. Twitter: The owner posts regularly on Twitter, with the latest post being 8/31, but this account is another personal/business blog, used widely to discuss conventions. They have 1.1k followers on Twitter.
3. Smoking Glue Guns is a perfect example of a small business marketing the people who make up the business along with the product. We buy the product partly because we like the person who is making it. It's a business model that has come into fashion with the advent of the Influencer and small businesses are making good use of it.
Purple Light Vacations
1. Instead of a product, Purple Light Vacations offers a service. It is a local travel agency specializing in vacations for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
2. All social media links are listed on their homepage.
a. Yelp: This is the first business researched that links to their yelp reviews. In an industry that is made on its customer service, this is most likely the most important link on their site.
b. Facebook: This business posts regularly on Facebook, with its latest post made on 8/31. They have 2.9k followers on the platform.
c. Twitter: The business also posts daily on Twitter, posting last on 8/31, where they have 2.4k followers.
3. This is the first business researched that aims for an older audience and it's evident in the platforms they choose to advertise on. Although their content is naturally very photo-based--posting picturesque scenes of exotic vacation spots--they have no presence on the platforms which are more popular with younger demographics, even though those platforms are full of young jetsetters travelling the globe. This business knows who it is trying to attract.
Yes Asia
1. Yes Asia is an international online business based in Hong Kong that sells a variety of products from Japan, Korea, and China ranging from entertainment, cosmetics, clothing, and home goods.
2. All social media platforms that they advertise on are linked on their homepage.
a. Facebook: The company posts regularly on Facebook, with 198k followers. Their latest post was on 8/31.
b. Twitter: They also post regularly on Twitter, posting on 8/31. They have 12.4k followers.
c. Instagram: They post regularly on Instagram, posting on 8/31. They have 9,831 followers.
3. Yes Asia is unique in this group in that its products attract consumers from multiple demographics and age groups. On the younger-skewing Instagram, the company focuses on the entertainment aspect, advertising the latest in KPop and anime while also featuring trending beauty products. On Facebook and Twitter, the emphasis is more on spa-treatment style skin and hair care, clothing, and home goods.
A lot can be learned about a business's desired demographic by which social media platforms it utilizes. In the case of this small study, businesses that are geared towards consumers in their teens to thirties post on trendy platforms Instagram and TikTok, while businesses looking for an older clientele stick closely to Facebook and Twitter, where the demographic skews towards users middle aged and older. Politics may also play a factor. A business like Wildfang, which is geared towards the trans and nonbinary communities, has abandoned its Twitter account like many LGBTQ+ users did after the platform was purchased by Elon Musk, who is openly transphobic. Interestingly, Purple Light Vacations, and LGBTQ+ company, is very active on Twitter, suggesting that the company either chose to separate business from politics, or realized that the bulk of its customer base comes from that platform. It is unclear whether company politics played a role in either of these decisions. It is, however, a lesson in conducting business on privately owned social media platforms. One must consider whether one's personal ethics and the ethics of their audience clash with the ethics of the platform and the publicity that may follow choosing to either stay or leave.
Demographics and ethics aside, businesses must also consider what format best serves the product. While all platforms provide options for videos and graphics, the platforms that focus primarily on visuals are usually the best option for advertising. Products that are aimed at a young audience also benefit from the trend factor of these sites. If a company can showcase their product using a trending sound or skit, millions of potential customers may see it, driving sales. This makes sites like Instagram and TikTok ideal for small businesses. TikTok is especially eared towards videos that highlight the creation of a product. If the creator knows how to sell both the product and themselves in the right way, the algorithm will reward them. While the production value certainly takes more effort that a photo on Facebook or a clever tweet, producing one's own content on Instagram or TikTok is essentially putting out a commercial on the cheap. In a world that is glued to our phones more than our television sets, that's an opportunity that's difficult to bypass.
Hi Sara,
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the great websites I havent used any of these and learned so much from this. I think overall you did a great job showing the consistency with posting and how important it is. I love how you bring up “ In the case of this small study, businesses that are geared towards consumers in their teens to thirties post on trendy platforms Instagram and TikTok, while businesses looking for an older clientele stick closely to Facebook and Twitter, where the demographic skews towards users middle aged and older.” I feel like you just overall did such a good job showing how social media marketing is working every day thank you.
Hey again Sara!
ReplyDeleteMagnificent work yet again lol! I really appreciate the sweet and to the point of each review you put down for each website here. Not only that, the structure of each review makes it easy to understand what is being explained as we go through your post. Lastly, the breakdown of each websites use of social media is well thought out and easy to understand.