How Skittles Is Killing It on Social Media
Millions of people follow a page about candy, so what’s behind it?
Last week, I was scrolling through Facebook when I came across a 21 million follower profile. And the profile belonged to none other than… Skittles? Don’t get me wrong; I love to “Taste the Rainbow” just as much as the next person, but 21 million followers? Really?
I just had to check out exactly what the craze was and found that it was well-deserved. The crew behind Skittles’ social media seems to be doing everything right, and here are the genius content choices they make to keep the views (and sales) coming.
1. They Don’t Advertise. They Entertain.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t the whole point of using social media for your business to advertise? Not at all. People go to social media to be entertained, not to see ads. If you’re using your platform to advertise, chances are you won’t get far. Instead, it would be best if you looked to entertain.
People go nuts over Skittles’ jokes and cleverly crafted memes. Many businesses are understandably apprehensive about incorporating humor, especially with memes, because they feel it will detract from their brand’s “look” or professionalism. Skittles has found a way around that.
In their “memes,” they have the iconic sky background from their video advertisements, bright lighting, and colors. Skittles uses humor without deviating from its brand image.
Next time you make a post about a product drop or sale, take a few minutes to come up with something that will give your followers a quick laugh or exciting insight. As long as you keep your colors and visuals with your theme, you’re good to go. You get to maintain your brand while appealing to social trends, the best of both worlds.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. And when marketing with social media, create content that fits what people use social media for in the first place: entertainment!
2. They Start Conversations.
Not every post should be directly about selling products and services. In fact, a large portion of Skittle’s posts consists of them asking questions.
By actively seeking their audience’s thoughts, Skittles builds rapport. Followers don’t like feeling like they’re constantly being sold to. And because Skittles doesn’t do that, people are much more receptive when they do reach out with new product launches.
The same goes for your business. For example, if you’re selling clothing, ask your followers what their favorite (or least favorite) trends are. Put together some outfits and ask them which they like better. By doing these things, you let them know their opinion is valued. (Bonus points if you reply to their comments!)
Something that works well for any brand is AMAs or “Ask Me Anythings.” Usually done on Instagram, you can post a story with prompting, engaging questions, and respond to your followers throughout the day. When followers see that you have personally considered them, they are more likely to keep coming back to support you.
3. They Create Series.
Consistency is always key, but it’s also important not to be boring. Skittles has multiple content series on its page. Below is a horoscope series, where, as a new horoscope period begins every few months, they create their own Skittles-related predictions.
With series like this, followers have a fun reason to keep on coming back for more. They have the same effect on people as Buzzfeed quizzes — a fun pastime to scroll through. And fun is exactly what you want your page to feel like.
While you shouldn’t copy what Skittles is doing with horoscopes, use your own brand theme to develop something unique. Do you have a candle business? Start a series where you ask followers to vote between two made-up candle scents. Do you have a health blog? Start a series where you give a quick daily snapshot of common medical misconceptions.
Spend some time to put yourself in your follower’s shoes. Ask yourself, “If I saw this on my feed, would I stop to look?”
Let’s Sum It Up
If there’s any common thread between all these strategies, it’s that they all bring Skittles’ page away from selling things. Whether it be the horoscope posts, questions, or memes, no product is directly advertised on most of Skittles’ posts. They’re not telling people to buy this type of Skittle or buy the merch they have. (Which, by the way, I took a look at and impulse bought a sweatshirt.)
When people visit your page, you want them to get the same feeling they would when they follow a non-business page, like a theme page. Get them to follow for the content, build trust, and then and only then sell your product. Following this order with strategies just like Skittles will let you “Taste the Growth” for years to come.
