Lauded as one of the big brands to first do Facebook and then Twitter right back in 2008, Whole Foods Market has expanded its social media presence to engage with its shoppers and fans on their passion points in all of the top social channels existing to date. As of December 2012, the grocer is engaging with more than 4.5 million people through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram through its national channels, managed by a team of only three people. Twitter – 3.2 million followers Managed by a two-person team, content includes products, trends, recipes, engagement with followers and customer service. #WFMDish #WFMWine and #WFMBeer chats generate a tremendous amount of conversations, with over 25 million impressions in 2012 alone! We also work with other personalities and brands like @TheBeerWench, @MicheleNischan and @Food52. On-the-ground people mange 245 localized accounts for hyper-local content, focusing on store-specific sales, events and community happenings. Facebook – 1.1 million “likes" The opportunity for in-depth engagement (read: more than 140 characters) allows us to communicate with our fans on subjects that matter to them. We’ve led fun campaigns that not only achieve business objectives but are also fun for fans. The “give your friends the bird" Facebook contest empowered fans to learn about our holiday poultry offerings and our animal welfare standards, all while finding out which holiday game bird fit their personality and then they could share with friends. The contest had 9,831 participants giving their friends the bird 47,443 times. Pinterest – 105,000 followers We led the charge of brands on Pinterest back in July 2011. Noticeably missing are product photos – we chose not to use Pinterest as a form of advertisement. Instead, through more than 45 boards, it’s a way to engage with fans on topics beyond food – such as cool kitchens, recycling and gardening. Campaigns such as the virtual cookie swap, encouraging people to pin cookie recipes from our site along with other cookie recipes they find online, encouraged visits to our website without being overly promotional. That board has more than 69,000 followers. Pinterest is the second traffic driver to wholefoodsmarket.com. Tumblr Within a few weeks, the Dark Rye Tumblr reached almost 3,000 subscribers. Along with recipes, imagery, and video stories brought in from magazine site, the Tumblr features original interviews, inspiration, and DIY prompts that spin off the theme the month. Instagram – 85,000 followers We share photos of what’s happening in our stores, on our plates and in our lives. We’re host contests like our #EarthMonth promotion in April 2012, which asked for picture submissions around reusing/recycling, organic food and green transportation, showing that our focus goes well beyond the four walls of the store. With 1,604 photos shared and 17,000 new followers, the initiative resonated deeply with our audience.
www.twitter.com/wholefoods wholefoodsmarket.com/twitter (to see all company Twitter links) www.facebook.com/wholefoods wholefoodsmarket.com/facebook (to see all company Facebook links) www.pinterest.com/wholefoods http://dark-rye.tumblr.com/ On Instagram: Whole Foods Market
