Putting the Customer at the Center:

How American Airlines Uses Instagram & Vine

Visual Social Communications Leadership Forum

December 12, 2013

About Me

• Oversee community management and content strategy across American Airlines’ nine social networks

• Worked in social media since 2009

• Tweet me at @stephaniescott

• #BDI1

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Agenda

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• Our Team Structure• Our Digital Footprint• Our Social Strategy• Instagram Overview & Case Studies• Vine Overview & Case Studies • Key Takeaways

Our Team Structure

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Social Customer Service 16 team members

Social Customer Engagement5 team members

Social Analytics1 team member

Our Digital FootprintAmerican Airlines Social Channels

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Our Social Strategy:

“Build relationships in the spirit of the new American.”

Define the social customer experience withauthentic conversation, real-time resolution, energyand inspiration.

American Airlines on Instagram

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• www.instagram.com/americanair

• Followers: 20,411:•• Strategy: Appeal to robust

#avgeek community by using aviation-themed photos, often repurposed

• Results: #46 on Statigram’s list of brands by engagement; consistently receive 1,500+ engagements per post

Case Study: #AmericanView

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• Cross-platform social posts invite customers to share their views from the wing using #AmericanView

• Engagement team uses Statigramto monitor and engage with photos using hashtag

• Social customer service team is trained to spot and share appropriate photos with engagement team

• Engagement team repurposes on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest

Case Study: #WeekendInBogota

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• Captured unique experiences in Bogota, Colombia via Instagram video to highlight new route from DFW-BOG

• Shared moments as if we were live during a #WeekendInBogota

• Saw decreased engagement (e.g. 500 likes per post) but positive comments

• Tested idea, used engagement data to measure success and reinforced our strategy of pure aviation focus

American Airlines on Vine

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• Process: Publish Vine videos through Twitter and Facebook

• Twitter Followers: 686,300

• Strategy: Maximize visually-appealing content by sharing via Vine; nurture influencer relationships via personal messages; create quick promotions to build engagement

• Results: Personalized messages generated significant buzz and cemented relationships; content and promotions generate ample retweets

Case Study: Influencer Outreach

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• Identified top 20 brand influencer-advocates

• Crafted personalized messages based on recent dialogue and filmed team sharing them

• Sent directly to influencer-advocates via @reply

• Strengthened relationships with influencers and, via sharing, generated positive buzz

Case Study: #TakeOff Dunk Contest

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• Goal to generate awareness of American Airlines support of Dallas Mavericks

• Filmed pilot making ‘trick shot’

• Posted with call to action to share your dunk or trick shot with #TakeOfffor a chance to win miles

• Generated engagement, but minimal entries

• Key learning: High barrier to entry so fewer entries, but highly engaged

https://vine.co/v/hTdjTtTahlP

Key Takeaways

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• Listen to your customers • Develop a clear content strategy by platform • Don’t be afraid to test ideas and content • Measure success• Use data to refine content strategy • Repurpose user-generated content• Make the customer the hero • Identify, recognize and nurture influencers• Even a ‘favorite’ goes a long way

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Questions?

Stephanie Scott@stephaniescott