With inputs from Tarun Menon we decode the Urban Company social media strategy, understanding the inner working of the brand's marketing blueprint focussed on dealing with a diverse audience in the post pandemic world.
Who doesn’t like getting pampered at the comfort of their abode? What’s better than the concept of spa at home and more such services at your doorstep? Building on this insight UrbanClap, now Urban Company was launched in 2014. As strong as its services portfolio, Urban Company claims to stay up-to-date in the social universe with the latest trends and developments. We cruise through its social media strategy equipped with strong influencer-led content marketing with insights from Tarun Menon, Director-Marketing, Urban Company.
The Urban Company Social Media Strategy
With an objective to empower millions of professionals worldwide to deliver services at home, Urban Company kickstarted its journey to build a startup to watch out for. With numerous campaigns and content creation on multiple occasions, the brand aimed to drive conversations around the platform and leveraged digital marketing to amplify the platform reach.
The social media gamut of Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter has played a pivotal role in its brand building over the years combined with immersive marketing techniques through an omnichannel approach.
Commenting on the brand’s objective from social media marketing, Menon states that the company aims to build brand awareness and brand love by initiating conversations or becoming part of cultural events that bring people together.
Social Media Footprint:
- Facebook: 4L plus likes and followers
- Twitter: 14.7k followers
- Instagram: 152k followers
- YouTube: 62.6k subscribers
Key Hashtags used by the brand include #urbancompan #ucimpact playtime #reels #feeding #stressfree #reminders #relaxation #stressreliever #relaxmode #reeltoreel #reminderoftheday #spaathome #reelitfeelit #athome #massagetherapy #breaktime #unwinding #stayhome #staysafe #unwindtime #refreshed #refreshyourself #reelsofinstagram and #rechargeyourlife.
Menon informs that the Urban Company’s strategy for Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter is unique to each platform. Hence, a platform-specific content approach has given it an edge for those getting involved in all and everything.
“We view social media as a way to reach out to consumers and be a part of their conversations. The goal is not to acquire or retain consumers but to connect with the masses at a human level,” Menon says.
On Instagram, it has multiple interest-based handles. For those interested in beauty content, it has an Urban Company Beauty handle which showcases the 50 plus services, beauty hacks, and curated content. For those interested in interior decor, Urban Company Homes come in handy which is a community-led handle and champions people and the way they style their homes.
YouTube
On YouTube, the content is broadly divided into videos showcasing the TV ads, services, tips & tricks, and service professionals. Harnessing the power of influencer marketing, Urban Company has also collaborated with established and upcoming influencers to create slice-of-life content for the channel The Urban Guide.
Urban Company leverages Twitter to disseminate information with respect to company developments. However, it often engages in conversations on the micro-blogging site, with the following being the most recent:
The Content Divide & Themes
The brand can be seen talking about various themes around Beauty and Wellness, Health at Home, Repairs, and Maintenance, Cleaning, and Pest Control, Home Projects - all while virtually making users acquainted with the vast range of services it offers. A subtle tone is followed while communicating the same wherein there is no direct product placement but a sense of belonging and reliability created through the content and campaigns.
The Brand New Urban Company
In January 2020, UrbanClap was rebranded to Urban Company wherein the new umbrella brand captures the company’s ambition to be a horizontal gig marketplace, with a global footprint.
With a clear ambition and high-end marketing blueprint, the brand rolls out content around the company’s strategy to offer multiple types of services at home that’s been divided into different segments - Urban Beauty (Salon and makeup services for women at home), Urban Spa (Massage therapy for men and women at home), Urban Grooming (Haircut and grooming services for men and kids at home), Urban Repairs (Electricians, plumbers, carpenters, AC and appliance repair), et al.
Also Read: Democratizing education with a modern-day twist: Decoding Unacademy’s social media strategy ft. Karan Shroff
Safety Measures
In this day and age of uncertainty, Urban Company ensures to communicate the necessary protocols and precautions the company has set with regards to COVID-19 safety patterns. Through creatives, reels, and videos on social media, it conveys that all professionals are background checks and verifications for quality done by them.
The UC Safe Salon Campaign launched in June 2020 encouraged women to try Urban Company salon services while reassuring that it is the most hygienic salon for all their essential needs in the post-COVID-19 world.
#UrbanCompanyImpact Or #UCImpact
Recently, the at-home service marketplace launched a content series titled ‘Urban Company Impact’ where viewers can get a peek into the lives of the very professionals who visit your homes and deliver services that you love and rely on. The followers get a glimpse into how these micro-entrepreneurs have taken over the reins of their lives as well as the impact that better income, more time for family, and deciding when and how much to work has had on their lives.
Topicals & Meme Marketing
Apart from the always-on content on our platforms, the brand dabbles with topical content and festive greetings with a uniquely Urban Company twist. “Our approach to trend jacking has been to participate in trends that have inherent cultural capital and are relevant to our brand or suite of services,” states Menon.
In 2021, Urban Company participated in several trends, with interventions on larger topical events as well. For instance, April Fool’s Day and Father’s Day were opportunities to land the platform and services in conversations, while events like the Friends Reunion were opportunities to graft cultural capital for our brand.
To make the platform a safe and more relatable place and to connect with consumers on a human level, Urban Company’s social team shares everyday memes and creative that speak to the viewers directly and hit the core with pop cultural references or daily human activities.
Influencer Marketing
Menon highlights that Influencer marketing is a very important aspect of all the marketing efforts at Urban Company. However, when engaging with influencers or even deciding whom to work with, the company claims to look at how the campaign can benefit the brand and not become an outright sales push.
For example, the recent Salon campaign with Urvashi Dholakia and Rupali Ganguly leveraged their onscreen personas while talking about Urban Company’s prices.
“The objective was to create buzz and the videos have been well received across social media with people relating, reacting, and engaging with the content,” adds Menon.
Zodiac series with Sima Taparia for the Big Home Rush sale campaign in August saw 20M+ impressions.
Social media and influencer marketing allow the platform to build tentpoles of awareness and consideration for a wider range of categories or services with seasonal use cases, without necessarily having to invest in traditional media.
Meanwhile, Menon also asserts that Performance marketing plays a key role in informing and attracting consumers towards the brand’s latest campaigns.
He briefs, “We do not use performance marketing to drive app installs but actual conversions. We stopped considering app installs as a metric long back.”
The company rolls out a significant number of Sales during the year and engages with consumers on social media while making regular announcements and creating pre-buzz campaigns to push the sales, Menon concludes.