I’m always on the lookout for brands that are doing innovative things in social media. My latest find combines great marketing, customer service, and employer branding for an authentic, compassionate experience. See how Zillow engages customers, job-seekers and employees through inventive social strategies.
Shining a spotlight on Facebook comments
As I always tell clients, social media is a conversation. It’s not a one-way billboard to blast out your message. Still, many companies post great content on Facebook but then ignore the comments, which conveys a lack of interest or care in their fans.
Not Zillow. Their social media tip is quick to respond to comments, questions, and complaints. A glance at their Facebook page shows replies throughout the comment section of every post — often within a few hours of the original query. Most wisely direct the fan to an email address for more thorough and private assistance. Some have nothing to do with recovery; one follower simply commented “I [heart] Zillow,” to which the company responded “You’re too kind! We’d love to send a little something your way to say thanks for using Zillow. Mind sending your mailing address to surprise@zillow .com?” The company gave a prize to a follower just for posting two words and an emoji!
Providing a resource on Twitter
No one follows a brand’s Twitter account to receive marketing messages all day long. Zillow uses Twitter as a platform for educating their followers about real estate. Along with property listings, the company links to Zillow-authored articles, from general pieces like “Why Your Rent is More Expensive Than Ever” and to decorating tips like “Top Outdoor Patio Trends for 2015.”
As a tech company, Zillow has been quick to jump on some of the latest innovations. Just weeks after the debut of Periscope, Twitter’s live-streaming video function, Zillow hosted a behind-the-scenes Periscope session of its Hack Week event. The result of all these efforts is a diverse feed of information, photos, and videos that conveys both personality and authority ot the brand, instead of just a stream of houses for sale.
Responding to reviews both good and bad
Social media is more than just Twitter and Facebook. Review sites like Yelp and Foursquare qualify as well, since they let users post updates and share content with each other. Like most tech companies, Zillow has a presence on Glassdoor, the review site for jobs. Unlike virtually every other company, Zillow’s CEO, Spencer Rascoff responds to employees’ reviews on the site. Even the negative ones that include “Disapprove of the CEO” and “Run by a spineless leader” in the headline.
The responses are honest and caring, with Rascoff thanking the employees (who are anonymous) for their opinion and their time at Zillow. Sometimes it’s the CTO or the HR Director who responds. Sometimes they include an email address and invite the employee to privately discuss their concerns. It’s an incredibly bold and rare bold philosophy that speaks volumes about the company’s culture and values. Perhaps as a result, the company has a Glassdoor rating of 4.2 out of 5, while Rascoff enjoys a 98% approval rating.
Employer branding though social media
Zillow’s Facebook page includes a Jobvite app for job applications. It allows job-seekers to search and apply for positions at Zillow all over the country and to sign up for job alerts. The app also lets job-seekers “like” the job listings, which makes it visible to their friends, or to send a listing to a Facebook friend, making it a great referral system. Jobvite’s plug-in is simple and powerful, but not many companies I encounter use it; by doing so, Zillow stands out among its competitors.
Zillow’s Twitter also sometimes veers into recruiting, with posts about employee perks and photos of employee events. Zillow has rightly assumed that its potential workers come from its fan base, who follow real estate news even if they’re not buying or selling.
Zillow’s social media efforts have paid off: 272,000 Twitter followers, 1.36 million Facebook likes. The company’s Klout score is 82, putting it on the same level as comedian Amy Schumer and the New York Islanders hockey team. From Periscope to Jobvite, from fast responses to useful information, Zillow has built a brand of honesty, education, and fun. For all these reasons, I name it a Social Media Superstar.
Want your social media campaigns to reach superstar status? Contact Brandemix for help.
Jason Ginsburg is Director of Interactive Branding at Brandemix.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jody Ordioni is the author of “The Talent Brand.” In her role as Founder and Chief Brand Officer of Brandemix, she leads the firm in creating brand-aligned talent communications that connect employees to cultures, companies, and business goals. She engages with HR professionals and corporate teams on how to build and promote talent brands, and implement best-practice talent acquisition and engagement strategies across all media and platforms. She has been named a "recruitment thought leader to follow" and her mission is to integrate marketing, human resources, internal communications, and social media to foster a seamless brand experience through the employee lifecycle.
