Beyond Meat, a Los Angeles-based producer of plant-based meat substitutes was founded in 2009. The company’s primary goal was to provide consumers with healthier, more sustainable food options without compromising taste. As a pioneer in the plant-based meat industry, Beyond Meat has had to employ innovative and effective digital marketing strategies to launch its products and gain market traction successfully.
Digital Marketing Strategies:
- Social Media Marketing: Beyond Meat has actively used social media platforms to promote its products and create brand awareness. The company has a strong presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. As of May 2021, Beyond Meat had over 527K followers on Instagram and more than 146K followers on Twitter. The content shared on these platforms often includes appealing food images, recipes, health benefits of a plant-based diet, and positive customer testimonials, thereby engaging with its existing and potential customers. Their approach exemplifies the effective use of social media marketing strategies in the food industry.
- Influencer Marketing: To reach a wider audience, Beyond Meat has collaborated with renowned chefs, athletes, and celebrities. For instance, NBA star Chris Paul and actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Jessica Chastain have endorsed the brand. The company has leveraged the influencers’ large follower base through these partnerships and enhanced its brand credibility.
- Content Marketing: Beyond Meat maintains a blog sharing information about its products’ sustainability, health benefits, and delicious recipes. The company uses this platform to educate consumers about the advantages of a plant-based diet, indirectly promoting its products.
- Email Marketing: Beyond Meat has a subscription-based email marketing strategy that sends subscribers newsletters. These emails contain updates about new product launches, recipes, and upcoming promotional events. This approach is very effective in enhancing customer loyalty, as seen in other popular companies such as Subway, which you can read about in this article.
- SEO and SEM: Beyond Meat has employed SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SEM (Search Engine Marketing) strategies to improve its online visibility. The company’s website is optimized with keywords related to plant-based Meat and diet, and it also uses paid ads on Google to drive more traffic to its site. It’s crucial for food businesses to utilize an effective SEO strategy, and this 10-point local SEO checklist can be a useful tool for every food business owner.
Results
Beyond Meat’s digital marketing strategies have yielded impressive results. The company reported a 141% increase in net revenue from $88.1 million in 2018 to $212.6 million in 2019. The brand’s social media engagement also saw a significant boost, with a 140% increase in Instagram followers and a 60% increase in Twitter followers in the same period.
Conclusion
Beyond Meat’s success in the plant-based meat industry can be attributed to its effective digital marketing strategies. The company has created a strong online presence and engaged with many consumers. Its approach to digital marketing offers valuable insights for other companies looking to launch a new product in a competitive market.