Richard Branson Reveals Virgin's Social Media Secrets

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Virgin's planes are decked out. So is the company's business plan. Virgin Group founder and chairman Richard Branson uses social media to make them that way.

A small example: In 2011, Richard Branson blogged a question: "keep Virgin's iconic shiny salt and pepper shakers, or replace them with cheaper versions?" Overwhelming support for the accessories by Virgin's social media followers elicited an enthusiastic response from Branson a year later, also on his blog: the shakers would stay. "Thanks social media!" he quipped.

"We have one of the highest growth rates on Twitter and Facebook out of any domestic airline," says Jill Fletcher, a content and social media manager for Virgin. The success of the airline brand's Twitter hashtag sales, Groupon deals, and Foursquare partnerships have generated a lot of interest in exactly what Virgin Group's social media strategy entails.

A recent LinkedIn post by HootSuite CEO Ryan Holmes features a video exploring Virgin's social media and user engagement secrets. Here is a rundown:

• Everyone in the company is social media active. All Virgin employees, from the chairman to new recruits, engage directly with their customers through social media. "Richard tweets and blogs 24/7 every day, so it's knitted into the fabric of the whole company now," says Virgin's Content Manager Greg Rose.
• They listen. They interact. They use social media to tap into conversations about Virgin and its competitors. Without feedback, Virgin can't improve, and there has never been a greater and more accessible feedback offering than there is now through its social media channels.
• Virgin focuses on positive stories, but doesn't disregard negative activity. Rather, employees use it to find what customers WANT and NEED — this is how they expand their brand and network.
• Virgin uses a social media dashboard: HootSuite. It's a simple way to connect each team to the rest of the company and link all internal and external networks in one place. HootSuite replaced a lot of extra screens at Virgin, and now allows them more flexibility and efficiency.
• As in any area of business, energy and innovation are key. In terms of social media, Virgin works hard to be at the forefront and stay ahead of the game.

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