HootSuite and the adoption of Social Media Marketing in LATAM

Here´s the list of the brands that I think that I´m doing a remarkable work in Social Media Marketing, and how HootSuite is helping…

The last week, I received great news in my inbox, sent by Thiago Leite, Localization & Community Manager at HootSuite, that I was accepted in the HootSuite Global Ambassador team, specifically for LATAM region.

Well, an image says more than 1000 words:

This program allows to individuals who love to share their knowledge in the adoption of HootSuite and Social Media Marketing in general; to promote the use of the platform in the region, giving talks, helping to people and brands in events called HootUps. Just remember, this is a volunteer position, but precsiely that’s the main reason why I love this.

Then, talking with Thiago and several members of the HootSuite´s Communities in Google Plus (HootSuite Latino and HootSuite Global Ambassadors); I told to them that I wanted to write a new post about my new position, but not the traditional way to do it, but instead focused in the state of the art of the Social Media Marketing in the latin countries and in how HootSuite is playing a key role in the growth of the region.

So, I launched a survey, in the HootSuite´s communities with 4 key questions:

• How HootSuite have impacted in your daily work?
• Of the great HootSuite’s features, which are your favorite?
• Which organizations or companies that you have helped to improve its Social Media Marketing strategy have done a remarkable job using HootSuite?
• From your viewpoint: Which are the best companies in the region who are doing a great job using Social Media Marketing?

I had two great answers that I want to put them here. The first one was from Luis Oscar Maymi, from Puerto Rico, who is the founder of Xeneuxe Corp, a HootSuite´s Solution Partner, a HootSuite App Developer (their applications is called HootBulk), and a HootSuite Certified Professional:

1- Everyhing I do in my business is by HootSuite. Honestly, without HootSuite, I could not have possibly a company2- Eveything is one place. I love Twitter´s searchers. They are incredibily useful. In any case to use an external application, I can make it and add it to my application in my dashboard for my use and my team´s. Everything is on HootSuite
3- Usually, I help to users who already are using HootSuite, in particular HootBulk’s users. I don´t know in other countries, but particularly in Puerto Rico; business owners don´t see the benefits of Social Media platforms for Marketing (many of them using just Yellow Pages). Usually, I have to guide them to since the simpler stepts.
4- All those companies that listen to their users/followers/customers and answer them their comments. There are many companies that send millions of messages without a mission or a clear objective in mind.

The second answer was from Arturo Ruiz (@Celtic_King), from Mexico, who works at Mensa Mexico:

1- Definitively, HootSuite simplifies the job with Social Media to have in one place all accounts and to be able to administer them, and to carry real-time conversations with customers2- There are a lot. I love the HootLet, post scheduling, to divide feeds by columns, among others.
3- Mainly, HootSuite has helped me with my company, because we are a Media company, but currently we are including Digital Marketing services thanks to the platform, with a partner and an experienced Social Media Marketing Manager.
4- There is a site called Sopitas.com, which publishes several topics, including funny posts which are doing a great work. I could mention to Merca 2.0, Entrepreneur, CNNExpansion, CNNMexico. These are the main companies which come to my mind now.

Then, based in these excellent recommendations by Luis and Arturo, I began to see more deeply for some countries of the region how Social Media Marketing was being adopted, and which platform was been used for it. This is why I found.

One of the companies that are doing a great job is Starbucks Mexico (@StarbucksMex), which make use of big pictures in Twitter and Facebook to carry more users to their locals:

Some of the hashtags with more success are #vamosporuncafe #MyStarbucksRewards and #DesayunoDueto. They use TweetDeck to share everything at Twitter.

Colombia

I think that one of the companies with an oustanding global Social Media Marketing strategy is Virgin Mobile, and Colombia is not the exception. Making use of images too like the start line, they have an amazing engagement for its followers, in Twitter(@Virgin_MobileCo) and Facebook:

The most popular hashtag have been #SeBuscaTelonero giving promotion for a serie of concerts of the rock band Metallica in the country. They used Zendesk.

Chile

Here we have to mention again to Virgin Mobile Chile (@VirginMobile_cl), that with the #LaNuevaMinoriaExige hashtag han had an incredible growth very quickly in the country:

They used Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Uruguay

In this country, I just want to promote an event focused in the Social Media Marketing called Social Media Day UY (@smdayUY), which want to join in one place several experts in the field, and to give talks, panels, forums about this challenging industry. If you will in Uruguay the next July 23th, don´t wait and participate, sharing your experiencies with the #smduy hashtag.

Argentina

In the Tango´s land, one of the companies which have impacted me is Phillips Argentina (@Phillips_Ar), which have used Visual Storytelling to an exceptional level. In fact, they don´t just have used Social Media platforms to promote its products, but they give more things like nutrition tips to have a healthier life, like how lighting innovation is making a true global impact to build better cities, or the Avent extractors line (#PhillipsAVENT) which have had a great engagement with the mothers around the world:

This is one of the my favorite companies for the fact that its strategy to a global level is being executed. A good example? They took the chance and made to Damien Cummings its Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer at Philips ASEAN & Pacific; who worked at Samsung and is one of the experts of the field in that region. They used Twitter and Instagram.

Brasil

I think that here, I don´t have to think a lot. The Twitter account to has more potential is the official account of Portal Da Copa (@copagov), the official account of the portal of the World Cup. It´s my pleasure to see that they use HootSuite for the promotion, so stay tuned HootSuite´s Ambassadors from Brasil:

Venezuela

Here in Venezuela,I love what Maltín Polar (@MiMaltinPolar) is doing at Twitter and Instagram. The most popular hashtags are #LoqueNosGusta and #TómatelaLight which are part of a very well executed cross-platform Marketing strategy, giving an unique message trought several media platforms (including TV ads and printed press):

They use HootSuite too:

Ecuador

In the hot land of the Ecuador, there´s a Marketing campaign which is having a great success called Vive Tu Sueño, from McDonalds Ecuador (@McDonalds_Ecu) which pretends to promote the use of sports, and in the soccer in particular to move away children of the bad steps of violence and drugs, giving like a prize the chance to several children to act like accompanists of great soccers players in the World Cup in the official games:

But, not just this campaign have had success in McDonalds. There are several hashtags that has done a great job: #CuentosEnLaCajitaFeliz and #QueBuenoQueViniste. They used Tweetbot for iOS.

Paraguay

One of the comnaies with more success in Paraguay is Tigo (@TigoParaguay), which with the #TigoMoney and #TigoSmartTruck hashtags, they have increased its user base and its services:

They use Conversocial.

Panama

Making emphasis in the promotion of Panama´s tourism, the Republic of Panamá have done an excellent use of Social Media platforms throught Twitter (@disfrutapanama) and Facebook:

They use Buffer.

Costa Rica

Deloitte is one of the best companies around the world that make a better use of Social Media platforms, and in Costa Rica, they has made use of uts expertice to promote its products with its Twitter account (@DeloitteCR) and its Facebook page, where they have the major quantity of followers:

They use Twitter.com and the Facebook´s Plugin for Twitter.

Conclusions

What I learned from this small research?

Images has an incredible effects in the users, so they have to make an emphasis in the use of Visual StorytellingThey are many of these companies which use several tools for its Social Media Marketing strategy, then Why not to use an unique tool where you could share the same message in every major Social Media platform, and after that, to make useful Analytics-based reports to see which are the best channels? The answer is obvious: HootSuite.

So, I want to say it again: it´s a pleasure to be part of this incredible team of HootSuite Ambassadors in LATAM, and I hope to help to every person or organization to improve its Digital Marketing strategy making a better use of the platform. In general, I think that HootSuite has great business opportunities to part of the strategy of these companies.

I want to thank to again to Thiago, Stephanie, Luis, Adel, Trang, Andy and all HootSuite Latino team to give me the confidence to write this post. I hope to meet us very soon in a next HootUp. Feel free to share the article with the #HootLatino hashtag.

Thanks for reading.