Luxury brands are notorious for arriving more than casually late to the digital marketing party. They’ve earned a rap for being reluctant to adopt digital in their overarching marketing strategies for fear of losing their allure.
There are a handful of aspirational brands, though, that have bucked that trend. They have adapted social marketing methods to align with their luxury brand, and have figured out a way to maintain that air of exclusivity while also broadening their reach through digital media.
Although it’s been around since 1873, Tiffany & Co. has created a content marketing strategy that feels fresh and innovative. The brand has figured out a way to embrace social media while remaining just elite enough to come out on the other side with their well-earned reputation intact.
We can all stand to learn a thing or two from the way this timeless jewelry brand is killing it on social media.
3 Digital Marketing Lessons All Brands Can Learn from Tiffany & Co.
1. Quality over quantity.
Tiffany & Co. knows the value of their reputation, and has figured out a way to establish a presence on social media that reinforces, rather than competes with, that reputation. Much of that can be credited to the high-level of their posts across platforms. Each piece of content they share seems deliberate and tidy, rather than mechanical. The copy they write is top-shelf, just like their products. Each image is beautiful, sophisticated, and matches the aesthetic quality that the brand is known for. There seems less of a drive to churn out content, and more of a desire to share only that which is amazing.
How this digital marketing lesson can work for your brand:
When it becomes an overwhelming chore to keep a steady flow of content coming, inevitably, the value of that content suffers. Hold your brand to strict standards as far as the quality of content you are posting. That’s not to say everything you post must be beautiful and perfect if these are not qualities that your brand represents. But if the visuals or language don’t align with the core identity of your brand, don’t post it! Your brand is your company’s reputation, and as hard as you have worked to build it, a few off-brand social posts can be enough to derail it in a big way.
2. Be consistent… but change it up.
Just because the luxury brand treats content with the same attention to quality that customers have come to expect from their jewelry, doesn’t mean they don’t post regularly. They know that their most loyal followers need to feel valued, and want to stay up-to-the-minute on the latest company news, trends and products. Tiffany & Co. obliges with a steady stream of top-notch content for their fans to consume. In keeping with the brand’s allure, Tiffany has mastered the art of giving the audience just enough to leave them wanting more.
They also know that there’s a lot of noise competing for their audience’s attention, so their message and imagery are varied, and the delivery changes based on which platform they are creating content for. In any given week on Instagram, for example, their audience is treated to an animated GIF promoting a new hashtag campaign, a video showcasing a new product and a sketch promoting a new partnership. Glossy images of a magazine cover and a model showing off a classic piece of jewelry round out the week.
How this digital marketing lesson can work for your brand:
Probably not telling you anything you don’t already know… consistency is key when it comes to social posting. If you’re doing it right, your audience will come to anticipate hearing from you, and you don’t want to disappoint. Create momentum for your brand on social media by coming up with a plan — a well-thought out content calendar can be your best friend — and sticking to it.
Be mindful of not sacrificing the aforementioned quality in the name of churning out posts — even the most loyal of audiences won’t tolerate it. You don’t need a Tiffany-sized marketing budget to keep your posts fresh — working in a behind-the-scenes snapshot, an animated GIF or a short video shot on a smartphone will do the trick to make things just unexpected enough to keep your audience on its toes.
3. Tell a story.
Marketers have long appreciated the power of storytelling — and through social media, it continues to be one of the most compelling tools for allowing customers to get to know your brand. Tiffany & Co. has created several successful social campaigns that harness this emotional tool, combining a memorable hashtag with captivating images and powerful text. #LoveNotLike is a recent campaign around which they’ve created a series of posts across different platforms that feature both photos of their jewelry as well as other imagery designed to evoke an emotional response from their audience.
How this digital marketing lesson can work for your brand:
People love stories, and the emotional power of social storytelling is not reserved solely for luxury brands. Creating a story around a product or service — rather than simply pushing its features or touting its benefits — gets the audience involved and feeling. And research shows that people don’t buy a product or a brand — they buy what that product or brand represents, and how it makes them feel.
How CMDS Can Work For Your Brand
CMDS is a full-service marketing agency that can assist you with a fresh, innovative content strategy. CMDS will tie in these digital marketing lessons and provide you with all the tools needed to strengthen your online brand identity. Tell your story and let it be heard by contacting us today!