Presentation: Putting the Customer at the Center: How American Airlines Uses Instagram & Vine Presented by: Stephanie Scott, Social Media Specialist, American Airlines American Airlines believes listening to customers powers an effective social media strategy. On Instagram and Vine, as on its other social networks, American uses customer feedback and engagement data to continually refine its content strategy. In addition to leveraging data to improve content, American puts the customer at the center by repurposing user-generated content and engaging influencers directly. www.bdionline.com

1. Putting the Customer at the Center:
How American Airlines Uses Instagram & Vine
Visual Social Communications Leadership Forum
December 12, 2013

2. About Me
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Oversee community
management and content
strategy across American
Airlines’ nine social networks
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Worked in social media since
2009
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Tweet me at @stephaniescott
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#BDI1
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3. Agenda
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Our Team Structure
Our Digital Footprint
Our Social Strategy
Instagram Overview & Case Studies
Vine Overview & Case Studies
Key Takeaways
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4. Our Team Structure
Social Customer Service
16 team members
Social Customer Engagement
5 team members
Social Analytics
1 team member
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5. Our Digital Footprint
American Airlines Social Channels
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6. Our Social Strategy:
“Build relationships in the spirit of
the new American.”
Define the social customer experience with
authentic conversation, real-time resolution, energy
and inspiration.
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7. American Airlines on Instagram
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www.instagram.com/americanair
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Followers: 20,411:
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Results: #46 on Statigram’s list of
brands by engagement;
consistently receive 1,500+
engagements per post
Strategy: Appeal to robust
#avgeek community by using
aviation-themed photos, often
repurposed
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8. Case Study: #AmericanView
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Cross-platform social posts invite
customers to share their views from
the wing using #AmericanView
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Engagement team uses Statigram
to monitor and engage with photos
using hashtag
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Social customer service team is
trained to spot and share
appropriate photos with
engagement team
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Engagement team repurposes on
Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest
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9. Case Study: #WeekendInBogota
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Captured unique experiences in
Bogota, Colombia via Instagram
video to highlight new route from
DFW-BOG
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Shared moments as if we were live
during a #WeekendInBogota
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Saw decreased engagement (e.g.
500 likes per post) but positive
comments
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Tested idea, used engagement data
to measure success and reinforced
our strategy of pure aviation focus
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10. American Airlines on Vine
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Process: Publish Vine videos through Twitter and Facebook
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Twitter Followers: 686,300
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Strategy: Maximize visually-appealing content by sharing via Vine;
nurture influencer relationships via personal messages; create quick
promotions to build engagement
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Results: Personalized messages generated significant buzz and
cemented relationships; content and promotions generate ample
retweets
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11. Case Study: Influencer Outreach
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Identified top 20 brand influenceradvocates
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Crafted personalized messages
based on recent dialogue and filmed
team sharing them
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Sent directly to influencer-advocates
via @reply
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Strengthened relationships with
influencers and, via sharing,
generated positive buzz
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12. Case Study: #TakeOff Dunk Contest
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Goal to generate awareness of
American Airlines support of Dallas
Mavericks
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Filmed pilot making ‘trick shot’
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Posted with call to action to share
your dunk or trick shot with #TakeOff
for a chance to win miles
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Generated engagement, but minimal
entries
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Key learning: High barrier to entry so
fewer entries, but highly engaged
https://vine.co/v/hTdjTtTahlP
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13. Key Takeaways
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Listen to your customers
Develop a clear content strategy by platform
Don’t be afraid to test ideas and content
Measure success
Use data to refine content strategy
Repurpose user-generated content
Make the customer the hero
Identify, recognize and nurture influencers
Even a ‘favorite’ goes a long way
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14. Questions?
Stephanie Scott
@stephaniescott
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