Social Media Audit
Introduction:
Aerie offers a range of comfortable and stylish clothing items for women. The brand is known for its inclusive and body-positive approach to fashion, focusing on promoting confidence and self-love for all body types. Many of their models show off different body types, races/ethnicities, and even partner with models with disabilities/diseases, like Down syndrome and vitiligo. Aerie offers a variety of clothing items, including lingerie, loungewear, activewear, and swimwear, and is particularly popular among young women (teens to mid-twenties). Aerie is also committed to multiple causes that are important to its most loyal customers, like sustainability and ethical manufacturing practices. They are able to promote these values by using recycled materials and partnering with organizations that promote women's empowerment and mental health.
Platform Analysis:
Aerie has social media presence on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Facebook. However, they are most prominent on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Platform | Link | Number of Followers |
https://www.instagram.com/aerie/ | 1,500,000 | |
https://www.facebook.com/Aerie/ | 1,959,380 | |
https://www.pinterest.com/aerie/ | 57.8 K | |
https://twitter.com/aerie/with_replies | 92.1 K | |
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@aerie?lang=en | 208.4 K |
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@aerie4597 | 43.6 K |
Social Media Audit Listening Analysis
Parameter Used:
When conducting the social media audit and listening report, the following parameters were put in place to define Aerie’s current state in the market clearly:
Platform Analyzed: Instagram, Web, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok
Date: April 2, 2023 - April 9, 2023
Sample Size: roughly 120 mentions
Language: English
Location: United States
Results:
Analysis:
The graphics presented above establishes Aerie’s relationship with their followers/consumers and highlights the community they have been able to build on social media through the hashtag #AerieReal.
These findings have been pulled together over the last seven days, and since this is a cornerstone campaign for the brand, there is the consistent use of the hashtag under a variety of different social media platforms and content.
As we head into summer and people wear shorter clothing and swimsuits, there will likely be an uptick in this hashtag because it helps promote self-confidence, body positivity, and inclusivity, all of which can be difficult to deal with during the summertime. This provides Aerie the opportunity to drill down into its core values and really strengthen the relationship they have with its community by exploring user-generated content and partnering with influencers that are not of the stereotypical body type.
One of the most related hashtags is #aerieswim, further emphasizing the turn of the season and the mindset that is to come with it. Another exciting find with this report is that users typically describe the type of clothing they are wearing. Whether it be a crochet cover, cover pant, or denim short, users posting under this hashtag want to make their content easy to find for other people to find. This speaks partly to the influencer trends that we are seeing, but also shows that this is a tight-knit community that wants to help each other find the perfect piece of clothing from their favorite brand.
Recommendations
Continue to feature diverse models: Aerie’s #AerieReal campaign is based on the principles of body positivity and inclusivity. Many of the posts that feature this hashtag also include other body-positive hashtags, or the pictures highlight those with different body types of disabilities. Those who post with this hashtag do not fit the standard mold and are proud to show off their outfits and confidence.
Encourage user-generated content: Many of the posts with this hashtag had local Aerie stores and the overall brand reaching out to the creator for permission to post and use in advertising. It is also evident on their social media pages that UGC content performs really well in terms of engagement.
Use video Content: Video content is becoming more popular on various platforms, and Aerie has been able to capitalize on the popularity of TikTok and grow a significant following. Video content is the new and most engaging way to showcase the various product and messaging the brand stands behind.
Overall, Aerie should continue to do what they do best: promoting body positivity, inclusivity, and sustainability. Having a core identity allows them to authentically engage with their audience, grow their following, and form genuine relationships with their consumers. Social media should continue to be an extension of any physical/tangible part of the brand and only further solidify these bonds.