Some may say that it’s not wise to base your marketing strategy solely on data. Data is a good indicator of what’s working and what’s not, but it’s sometimes helpful to incorporate other elements to get a sense of the full picture.
Despite this idea, there are some businesses that have successfully used data to create strategies that achieve recurring success.
For instance, Netflix has proven that their data-driven marketing has worked very well for them. Netflix’s constantly changing algorithm compares your actions against millions of other users to come up with more focused recommendations to keep you coming back.
For those of us who aren’t a multi-billion dollar streaming-platform business, there are still several takeaways from Netflix’s marketing strategies to apply on a smaller, local scale.
Choosing The Right Image: Capturing Emotion
Whether it’s a social media post or a blog post, how do you know which image to choose? What factors do you consider when selecting an image?
Netflix conducted a study that found that using images with faces is an effective strategy as it helps the audience connect to the human element of the post. They also found that images displaying complex emotions perform better than those with neutral expressions.
Below is an example of several variations of the main image for Netflix’s series, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. They found that the bottom right image received the most engagement since it contains the most complex emotion.
One way to use this information with your own business is to be more aware of the images you choose. Opt for an image with people in it so that the audience has something to connect to. If your business doesn’t focus around people, you can still apply this to your website and social media pages by featuring a post about the people behind the business.
Attention-Grabbing Social Media Posts
Another reason why Netflix dominates the market is because of their intelligent use of social media. Netflix’s social media pages frequently make use of quizzes and polls to get users talking about their shows:
Should we make another season of Stranger Things?
— Netflix (@netflix) December 1, 2017
This is something that can be applied to any kind of business! Making use of quizzes and poll features on social media is a great way to learn about your audience and what they would like to see more of. It also makes things fun and engaging for them, while still maintaining focus on your business or product.
Humor and Authenticity in Posts
Beyond making use of the social media elements like polls and quizzes, Netflix also creates good, authentic content for their posts.
They use humor and poke fun at things that they know the audience talks about. In this post, they use images from the popular show, Squid Game, and encourage the audience to play along in the comments to build engagement and interactions.
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Another great tactic is to make seasonal posts. In this example on October 1st, they ordered the outfits that the Squid Game characters wore and made a joke about making it their Halloween costume.
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Getting creative with seasonal posts is a great way to keep your audience engaged and increase the volume of your posts. It’s also a great way to continually update content even if you don’t have much to share about your business at the time.
Overall, Netflix has achieved great success with their marketing models, and they are still continuing to improve. Whether you’re a large or small business, you can still apply some of their strategies and achieve great results!
Need assistance with your marketing strategy? Our experts at Sweet Rose Studios can help!
