Richard Branson Reveals Virgin's Social Media Secrets

Dominic Green

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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.

Getty Images/Mark Thompson, founder Richard Branson

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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