To be honest, we already had a huge Facebook presence at the beginning of 2016. We had more likes on our main page than our top two competitors combined. And all of that without buying media or investing money on Facebook. Everything organic. The goal was to keep growing. But you know how it is – since we were already the leaders in Brazil, it was like Coca-Cola trying to get that extra 1% market share. And we wouldn't advertise.
We do own Portal R7, R7 Famosos, R7 Pop, and Hora 7; and, for Record TV, we do own the broadcast channel itself, the jounalistics Cidade Alerta, Balanço Geral, Jornal da Record, Domingo Espetacular, Câmera Record, Fala Brasil, Esporte Fantástico, Repórter Record Investigação, Domingo Show, and Gugu; Entertainment: Legendários, Hora do Faro, Hoje em Dia, Programa da Sabrina, Xuxa Meneghel, Programa do Porchat, Justus Mais, Power Couple, A Fazenda, Batalha dos Cozinheiros, A Escrava Isaura, and A Terra Prometida.
Combined, they had more than 50 million likes, as of January 1st of 2016. We had to keep it growing (and hit a 10%, or even 20% growth, maybe). And we did it!
This category is all about using the Facebook native tools effectively. Since we don't do advertising and/or buy media on the social network, we do that very well. Within our page arsenal, we have been using memes, GIFs – even "gameficated" -, links, photo galleries, VOD, Q&As with our cast (on vídeo or Facebook Live), 360 photos, 360 videos, Canvas, pools, interaction between acounts, many shares and mutual activations and much more. Everything at our disposal was used.
The core of the strategy were the funny GIFs and memes, and VOD as well. Since we're broadcasters by trade, that's exactly where we are strong.
We are very inclined to do the edgier stuff. Always in the vanguard, always trying to put our profiles as a beta tester for new tools. Since we're partners with Facebook here in Brazil and are very open to those new habits, we've been doing the brand new functions as soon as they're launched.
For example, we did the first MSQRD FB Live here in Brazil, when it comes to brands. We had a green light about the service being avaliable, from Facebook itself, and did it as soon as it went public. One of the first 360 FB photos in Brazil was ours, too.
And Facebook Live is a tool somewhere we've put a lot of effort as well. It's even competing separately this year. We had broadcasts on many of our pages, being it Q&As with eliminated reality show contestants (right after they left the show), broadcasts right from the newsroom – or on the spot -, branded transmissions, casting talking to the public, our show hosts doing aftershow content, and even a music studio where guests sang and were interviewed.
We have a huge fanbase, and our goal is to be likeable, shareable. That's how we grow: organically. We are very popular here in Brazil, and we do everything to be engaging. Being very "pop" was the key to have such numbers.
We have 8 pages that are bigger than the rest: Portal R7 (13 M), Record TV (9 M), Legendários (7 M), Cidade Alerta (5.5 M), A Terra Prometida (4.4 M), Hora do Faro (4.1 M), Hoje em Dia (4 M), and Balanço Geral (3,4 M). Together they own now more than 50 million likes already. With our other 15 to 20 pages, depending on which are active, we have at our disposal more than 72 million likes.
Our growth was significant on 2016. And that top 8 is a good way of measuring it. On January 1st of 2016, they had 44,9 million likes combined. Exactly one year later, they had 50,3 (11% growth).
During 2016, the reach for PortalR7 alone peaked at 60 million.
When it comes to our market niche, it is even clearer. Portal R7 is the most followed news outlet in Brazil. Our main competitors, G1 and UOL, are way behind us – 8.7 million likes for G1, 7.2 million likes for UOL. We are almost what they are combined.
Our engagement is huge. Just take a look at posts like this one. Or our 360 videos. And our Facebook Live broadcasts are so cool that they're competing at the 9th Shorty on their own!
