Launched in 2008 as a food discovery app, Zomato went on to revolutionize the way Indians eat. From helping foodies find new food joints to enabling online ordering (since 2015), the brand has some guts to defy all odds and rise up.
Right market analysis by Zomato helps them to form a business presentation that continues to attract more and more people. Maybe it’s the brand’s quirky sense of humor or plain luck. Let’s find out.
Targets ‘Hot’ News
When it comes to social media engagement, very few brands have been able to nail it the way Zomato has with their creative social media marketing strategy. It seems like the company just knows what clicks with the audience.
The brand engages with the audience, especially on Facebook by posting on topics that are trending, along with very simple-looking images (quite similar to what Amul does). So, invariably, the audience not only likes and comments but also shares the content again and again.
For instance, Zomato capitalized on the release of Avengers: Infinity War by posting something like this:
Another witty post by the brand to remain in the news was after Donald Trump’s election as the US President and his proposal of building a wall.
The brand had made use of similar posts to be a part of the 2016 Olympics discussion, as well as, Pokémon Go craze.
Zomato creates successful marketing campaign by posting on topics that are currently trending to built connectivity with the audience. To be honest, social media users do not always thoroughly read every post, but when they find something attractive, cute or funny and relating to something that is currently happening, they post such content for sure!
Giving Popular Primetime a Foodie Twist
Zomato knows how to keep the audience hooked with its powerful branding strategies. The brand made use of the popularity of TV shows, such as Game of Thrones, How I Met Your Mother, House of Cards and so on, to be the talk-of-the-town. Their posts looked something like this:
This Zomato social media strategy is absolutely brilliant because every time consumers watch the TV shows, they are reminded of Zomato. Talk about constantly being on consumers’ mind!
Comparison Posts
No matter how much everybody hates being compared, it is a natural instinct to compare people. Zomato tapped into this psyche and created engaging posts citing various comparisons as its business plan, such as:
1. Those who eat and maintain their weight while those who are overweight
2. Girls and boys (a hot topic, which was instantly viral)
3. How people eat
4. 2 ways of eating pizza
The images that the brand used was simple and relatable, which compelled social media users to share, like and comment.
Naughty Sarcasms
There is a fine line between vulgarity and sensuality. Zomato seems to have successfully maintained that and not gone overboard. Secretly, everyone enjoys touches of sarcasm, especially those peppered with a sense of eroticism. Zomato tactfully uses this in their digital marketing strategy to grow. However, on-the-face might offend a lot of people who you wouldn’t want to offend.
A fine example of Zomato’s fine sense of humour and sarcasm is this:
The word ‘nudes’ is enough to make the millennial oil their imagination. And love it or hate it, but the audience simply cannot ignore such posts.
Instigating Posts
A little spice is needed every now and then to keep holding the attention of the audience. After a series of mellowed down posts regarding trending topics, current affairs and debatable topics, Zomato came up with the master stroke of social media marketing in the form of this hoarding:
The hoarding was strategically placed for all to see and even though Zomato pulled down the advertisement and retracted the words said, the hoarding created the buzz that the brand needed. The hoarding became the topic of discussion for days on both Facebook and Twitter. It helps the brand garner a lot of attention from the audience, especially in India and even those who never heard of the brand instantly came to know about Zomato.
Once the brand had all the attention it needed, it openly apologized for the hoarding being in bad taste.
An experienced marketer from a reputed Digital Marketing Company in Kolkata commented on this social media strategy of Zomato as a masterstroke to grow its recognization without losing its brand reputation.
Active Interaction
Where Zomato wins and other brands fail is the constant interaction with the audience. The brand makes it a point to reply to every criticism and praise, making the audience feel special which is a very unique App Marketing Strategy to follow. As the brand gives love to its consumers, it receives double back!
Lessons to take away from Zomato:
1. Create attention-grabbing, creative images
2. Be aware of what’s happening around you and how you can use it to your advantage – it may be current news, a controversy, a crisis situation and so on
3. Engage consumers and provide them with personalized customer service
4. Make use of a debatable topic to draw attention to your brand
5. Make social media posts crisp
6. The number of active users on Zomato’s social media accounts is constantly on the rise. What only remains to be seen is how the company translates its social success into business leads.
Image Credits: Zomato