A month ago, Lush UK officially announced its abandonment of social media.
The UK brand affirms that the constant changing of algorithms and the almost inexistent organic reach don’t integrate with the company’s values, which include open conversation and one-to-one communication.
But has Lush actually left social media?
Let’s have a look at some key factors and what we can learn from this, apparently, very sudden move in terms of social media marketing.
Lush UK ditches social media
On the 8th of April, the Internet exploded because of this announcement on the FB and IG Lush’s accounts.
Apparently, the brand doesn’t want to deal with the changing algorithms anymore and to invest in terms of resources, time and budget to reach its online audience.
“Increasingly, social media is making it harder and harder for us to talk to each other directly.
We are tired of fighting with algorithms, and we do not want to pay to appear in your newsfeed. So, we’ve decided it’s time to bid farewell to some of our social channels and open up the conversation between you and us instead.”
There’s nothing to blame with this opening phrase. In fact, to reach a new audience or to engage with your existing one has become more and more challenging. The brand’s concern is that there’s a big possibility of a return to the so-called one-to-many way to communicate and the whole “social” factor of social media platforms might regress to an old school advertising.
In their statement, Lush UK continue to explain how “this is not an end, but a new beginning” in a way to connect with its users and community.
In fact, the company has decided to invest in other channels, and a marketing strategy not directly linked with Facebook’s increasingly demanding algorithms.
What Lush is aiming to achieve is actually build independent platforms where its community can continue to be updated, and its members share, communicate and stay in touch with the brand.
What is the response of Lush’s online audience?
At first, most of the adverse reactions came from social media managers and content creators considering a purely professional point of view.
A majority of the headlines on the topic ignored the response of Lush’s audience.
On the one hand, many of Lush’s aficionados appreciate the bold move.
On the other hand, a big portion of them don’t understand this move. They claim that nobody asked for this, that demanding to follow hashtags, and subscribe to newsletters is undoubtedly too much to ask of a mostly young audience, born and raised with social media. Let’s not forget that social media accounts have to deliver the type of content they’re expected to.
Has Lush really left social media?
In the official statement, we can see how the brand lists different channels and communities its audience can continue to follow to stay updated.
In other words, Lush won’t produce content specifically for paid advertising but will continue to rely on User Generated Content, micro, and nano influencers.
The company aims to connect people with the brand and to continue to nurture its community.
So, has Lush actually abandoned social media? Absolutely not.
Simply, the brand will invest more in:
- organic content
- Digital PR
- content marketing.
At a closer look, Lush UK has built its community not only, but to some extent to thanks to social media.
Was claiming to abandon social platforms a smart move? It’s certainly part of a bigger picture. Lush has a massive online community, built and engaged through the years, and it’s a worldwide renowned brand.
Obviously smaller companies and businesses wouldn’t and couldn’t adopt the same strategy and will have to rely on producing engaging content and smart targeting.
At the end of the day what Lush has done is evolving its social media strategy and not ditching it altogether.
What can we learn from Lush’s social media strategy?
1. You cannot survive only on social media
Investing in social media is still a wise choice, even though you cannot rely solely on social platforms to engage and promote your brand. A holistic content strategy is still the key to raise brand awareness and find new customers.
2. The importance of building a community
One of Lush’s main concerns is that social media has become a one-to-many channel, where big budgets are fundamental to stand out from the crowd. Still, the rise of communities and groups plays a crucial role if you want to engage with your customers without spending crazy money.
3. Brand values
Lush is a whole business based on values and never failed to highlight them thanks to social media.
Leaving social platforms is utterly relatable to the company’s beliefs and mission.
Considering the whole situation, we can see how this was a smart move to actually engage even more with its community and drive it to where the action will take place.
4. Knowing your buyer persona
Contrary to what seemed in the beginning, Lush’s move wasn’t improvised at all. During the years the UK brand managed to build different channels and touch points to connect with clients and users. Shifting the emphasis onto new channels and using mostly hashtags and established communities is a bold move in terms of investments and better communication.
Also, the company is well aware of the fact that content marketing, User Generated Content, and offline activities are a great way to connect with its audience, i.e., buyer’s personas.
Do you want to build your first buyer’s persona, but you don’t know where to start? Download this free template and start using the right channels to connect with your potential clients!
