An Example of Social Media for Business Done Well: Starbucks

When it comes to using social media for business, sometimes it helps to have an example to see how it can be done well. One of my favourite examples is Starbucks.

Starbucks engages with customers through a variety of social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, a blog, and even a dedicated “ideas” site called My Starbucks Idea. Granted, most are only associated with Starbucks.com (not Starbucks.ca – wah!) but they’re pretty cool and well implemented nonetheless.

For example, how can you resist this video from the Starbucks YouTube channel?

What makes Starbucks’ social media marketing so effective? It’s not just the number and variety of platforms. It’s also the quality of the content and the level of customer engagement. There’s true interaction here, not just one-direction promotional messaging.

Of course, not every business needs to implement social media to this degree. But even smaller companies can borrow from the Starbucks example. Take the best features of their social media marketing, such as quality content, responsiveness and platform diversity, and implement them on a smaller scale.

What other companies are doing social media for business well? Feel free to list some below.