Lessons for Your Business: A Study of Successful Black Friday Social Media Campaigns

Black Friday is one of the most important events on the retail calendar, with businesses large and small competing for the attention of millions of eager shoppers. Social media plays a crucial role in the success of Black Friday marketing campaigns. With platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter offering businesses direct access to a vast audience, crafting engaging social media campaigns can significantly boost your Black Friday sales.

In this article, we’ll examine some of the most successful Black Friday social media campaigns and gain insights into how businesses of all sizes can incorporate these tactics to drive their own success.

1. Gymshark: Building a community and pre-launch hype

Gymshark, a fitness apparel brand, used a community-driven approach to build anticipation for its Black Friday sale. The brand began its campaign weeks in advance, teasing upcoming deals and using influencer partnerships to expand its reach.

Gymshark created buzz through countdown posts, giveaways and limited-time offers, encouraging customers to follow the brand closely. Gymshark’s 2020 Black Friday campaign generated a staggering $66.5 million (USD) in sales over the Black Friday weekend, proving the effectiveness of their pre-launch hype and community-driven approach.

Key takeaways:

• Pre-Launch Hype: Gymshark didn’t just drop its offers on Black Friday; it built up anticipation with teaser posts and countdowns. The brand’s use of social media stories and influencer-generated content helped create a sense of excitement and urgency around the sale.

• Community Engagement: By partnering with fitness influencers, Gymshark tapped into the power of social proof, showing potential customers how real people were excited about the brand. This strategy helps businesses of any size by leveraging user-generated content (UGC) to build authenticity and trust.

How to apply this strategy:

Small businesses can create pre-launch hype with a similar approach. Start teasing your Black Friday deals on social media a few weeks in advance, creating a sense of anticipation. Partnering with local influencers or brand advocates can help spread the word to a broader audience. Consider running contests or giveaways to engage your audience and keep them interested until the sale day.

2. Glossier: Seamless user experience and personalization

Beauty brand Glossier leveraged Instagram Stories and targeted ads to create a seamless shopping experience during its Black Friday sale. Glossier focused on simplifying the buying process for its customers by ensuring that their social media posts were directly linked to product pages.

They also used personalized email marketing to tailor their messages to different customer segments, encouraging conversions across multiple touchpoints. Glossier’s strategy paid off, with the company experiencing a 30% increase in sales during the Black Friday weekend.

Key takeaways:

• Simplified Shopping: Glossier made it easy for customers to go from seeing a product on Instagram to purchasing it with just a few clicks. This seamless transition between social media and the online store can dramatically increase conversion rates.

• Personalized Marketing: By segmenting their email lists and tailoring their social media ads to different audiences, Glossier ensured that customers received relevant promotions that resonated with their preferences.

How to apply this strategy:

Even if you don’t have Glossier’s budget, you can still create a seamless user experience by ensuring your social media posts link directly to your product pages. Use Instagram Stories’ “swipe up” feature or add direct links to your Facebook posts to guide customers smoothly to checkout. For personalization, use email marketing platforms that allow segmentation, ensuring your messages reach the right people at the right time. Tools like Mailchimp can help with this.

3. Cards Against Humanity: Humor and virality

Cards Against Humanity has become famous for its unconventional Black Friday campaigns. In one memorable instance, the brand ran a “Holiday Hole” campaign, asking customers to donate money to dig a literal hole in the ground. The brand’s offbeat humor resonated with its audience, who participated for entertainment rather than any tangible reward.

This quirky approach went viral and helped Cards Against Humanity stand out in a crowded marketplace. It resulted in over $100,000 being raised without offering any tangible product, showcasing the power of humor and brand identity.

Key takeaways:

• Humor: By embracing humor and taking risks, Cards Against Humanity created a campaign that was highly shareable and attention-grabbing. While digging a hole may not suit every brand, it underscores the importance of aligning your campaign with your brand’s voice and identity.

• Virality: The brand’s campaign was successful because it was unconventional and unexpected, prompting social shares and widespread media coverage. This type of virality can be powerful during the competitive Black Friday season.

How to apply this strategy:

Use humor and creativity to connect with your audience. If it fits your brand identity, don’t be afraid to try something unconventional or playful to generate buzz. Even smaller brands can go viral with a clever idea. Focus on creating authentic content that reflects your brand’s personality and encourage your followers to share it with their own networks.

At Dream Local Digital, our team of digital marketing experts can help you craft compelling campaigns tailored to your brand, ensuring your offers stand out in a crowded marketplace. From building pre-launch buzz to simplifying your customer experience to creating shareable, attention-grabbing content, we’re here to assist you every step of the way. Contact Dream Local today, and let’s create a winning social media strategy that delivers real results.