Ever wonder how brands like Airbnb went from humble beginnings to household names overnight? Well, grab a snack and settle in—I'm about to tell you.
Once upon a time, in the good old 2008, Airbnb was just a small startup struggling to get noticed in a sea of vacation rental offers. Giants like HomeAway and VRBO were already serving up those travel accommodations, so how on Earth did Airbnb rise to the top so quickly? Two words: growth hacking.
Here's what they did: Then-CEO Brian Chesky & Co. realized that most people looking to rent vacation properties were using Craigslist (Throwback). Instead of competing head-on, they snuck in through a side-door. With some clever coding (or what I like to call internet wizardry), Airbnb created an automated posting system that allowed users to cross-post their listings directly onto Craigslist—no extra work required.
People searching Craigslist for vacation rentals started seeing identical posts leading them straight onto Airbnb's platform. Genius, right? Within months, Airbnb went from struggling to surviving, and eventually thriving. Today, it's one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
Moral of the story: Smart growth hacks, especially ones leveraging existing platforms and social media and marketing strategies, can be just what a brand needs to tip the scales from "meh" to "hell yeah!"
Now, what exactly does growth hacking mean for businesses today, especially if you're not Airbnb with a team of coders ready to hijack Craigslist? Fear not, dear reader, because the principles of growth hacking can be used by any marketer with a little creativity, a sprinkle of cleverness, and a dash of social media savvy.
Let's dive into 5 key growth hacking strategies, tailor-made for the wild world of social media and marketing.
UGC is like finding money in your couch cushions—unexpected and super valuable. When your followers engage with your brand on social media (think Instagram posts, TikToks, YouTube videos), they're creating content that not only boosts your brand's presence but also reinforces trust. People trust people like them, not brand spokespersons or highly polished ads.
Growth hack this by running simple challenges or contests that encourage people to share content. Want an example? Look no further than Starbucks and their annual RedCupContest. It's simple: Post a cool photo of your Starbucks cup, slap on a branded hashtag, and voila! You're in the running for prizes. Starbucks doesn't just get UGC; they get thousands of free brand impressions on Instagram with minimal effort.
Pro Tip: Make your UGC campaign about more than just tagging. Tie it to an emotional narrative ("Here's how our brand fits into your story!") and watch the magic unfold.
A satisfied customer is the best marketing you'll ever get because their friends will believe them more than your flashy ads—any day. Now, mix that with a solid reward system, and you've got yourself a viral referral program
Need a classic example? Dropbox. Their referral program is the stuff of Silicon Valley legend. By offering users additional free storage for inviting friends, Dropbox doubled its users in a matter of months. The key? Hooks! Make sure your reward is something irresistible and relevant (think discounts, free add-ons, or exclusive content).
This strategy works especially well with small to midsize businesses trying to grow their acquisitions without spending a boatload on ads. Bonus: Referral programs supercharge social media and marketing efforts when people share their referral links across multiple platforms.
Gone are the days when you could just ask customers to "Like and Share if you Care!" It's 2024, and people are bombarded with content. To truly get shares (and shares that matter), you've got to give your audience a reason to want to pass that post along to their network.
Think memorable, funny, or emotionally-charged moments. Take the infamous Old Spice "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign. It practically oozed "share me" potential with its quirky humor and over-the-top theatrics. Though it wasn't strictly a social-first campaign initially, it went viral across various social platforms and to this day acts as a blueprint on how to create share-worthy content.
Actionable hack: Make your social media posts about them. Use memes, unexpected twists, or relatable scenarios that encourage your users to tag their friends in the comments.
People love a good challenge, even if it's a simple quiz or a spin-to-win game. It's why gamification is such a solid growth hacking strategy for social media and marketing campaigns. Incorporate elements like challenges, giveaways, or interactive quizzes. Facebook and Instagram are perfect platforms for this.
Case Study: Remember when McDonald's ran their Monopoly game online? It took a classic, in-store game and turned it into an interactive experience that got people visiting not just the website but also physical stores in droves. The best part? Those little game pieces were all over social media, with friends sharing their progress, trades, and hopes of scoring boarding passes to faraway places.
Pretty neat, right? Leverage gamified elements in your content by creating interactive experiences that require users to engage. It not only keeps users on your page longer but also encourages them to return.
Sure, everyone dreams of getting Kim Kardashian to be their brand ambassador, but unless you have hundreds of thousands of dollars lying around, it's probably a pipe dream. Enter micro-influencers, the unsung heroes of modern social media and marketing.
These influencers—people with a few thousand to tens of thousands of followers—have crazy loyal audiences. They're trusted. They're engaged. And, bonus, they're much more affordable.
When Glossier took off, it wasn't because of celebrity endorsements or giant media budgets. It was due to the army of micro-influencers spreading the word. These micro-influencers praised their skin care products like their most closely-guarded beauty secrets, and their followers listened.
If you're looking to boost your brand cred without the budget of a Fortune 500 company, micro-influencers could be your ticket to fame. Start by looking for influencers whose values align with your brand and offer them creative control (with a few polite guidelines). Oh, and never underestimate the power of a heartfelt DM—it could just be the start of a lucrative partnership.
Don't just take our word for it. We've seen marketers and businesses—from small local shops to tech-savvy startups—rave about how growth hacking combined with social media and marketing tactics transformed their brands:
Now, if some of those examples have you scratching your head wondering how you can implement them without a 10-person marketing team, don't worry—I've got you covered. Enter FAISCO, the game-changer for small businesses and marketing teams who need quick set-up, seamless execution, and real results.
With FAISCO, you can create highly engaging, growth-hack-worthy marketing games like spin-the-wheel or scratch-off campaigns in less time than it takes to finish your morning latte. The best part? It's designed for social media and marketing success, offering tools like instant social shares, referral signups, and viral campaign components that encourage sharing and interaction.
With its easy-to-use interface and customizable templates, FAISCO does all the hard work on the back end so you can focus on what really matters—growing your brand.
Ready to supercharge your marketing with powerful growth-hacking strategies? Sign up for FAISCO today, and start creating campaigns that will make your audience say, "Wow, how did they do that?"
