Whole Foods Social Media Strategy 2018

1. Whole Foods
Madeleine DeSena

2. Table of Contents
• Executive Summary ……………………………………………………………………… 3
• Social Media Audit ……………………………………………………………………… 4&5
• Social Media Objectives ………………………………………………………………6
• Online Brand Persona and Voice …………………………………………………7
• Strategies and Tools …………………………………………………………………8
• Timing and Key Dates ………………………………………………………………9
• Social Media Rules and Responsibilities ………………………………………………10
• Social Media Policy …………………………………………11
• Critical Response Plan ………………………………………………………………………12
• Measurement and Reporting Results ……………………………………………13 & 14

3. Executive Summary
• Our major priorties for 2018 will be increasing our online presence on
social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook LinedIn and
Twitter.
• The main goal is to increase revenue goals through engagement via
social media
• Two main strategies
• Increase presence on social media platforms by introducing social media
influencers
• Respond to customer inquiries via social media channels in a timely manner
to increase customer service standards

4. Social Media Audit
This is an assessment of Whole Food’s social media presence and includes an assessment of social
media networks and website traffic.
Social Network URL Follower Count Average Weekly
Activity
Facebook https://www.face
book.com/wholef
oods
4,292,234 6 posts
Instagram https://www.inst
agram.com/whol
efoods/
2.6 million 10 posts
Twitter https://twitter.co
m/wholefoods/
4.84 Million 10 posts
LinkedIn https://www.link
edin.com/compa
ny/whole-foods-
market
273, 074 1 post per week

5. Social Media Audit
Competitor Analysis
Competitor Name Social Media PRofile Strengths Weaknesses
Fresh Market Instagram @FreshMarket Strong pnline presence in
number of followers
Content is not specifically
associated with the strong
brand images. Strays from
core concepts and values
of the business
Trader Joe’s Instagram @traderjoes Good presence in number
of followers
Content is strongly
associated to core brand
messages and values
some pictures are low
quality and not as
aesthetically pleasing as
Whole Foods’

6. Social Media Objectives
• The primary social media objective is to increase our online presence
in order to provide a better experience for customers.
• Specific Social Media objectives:
• Create quicker response from customer service team on social media to ensure
customers’ questions and issues are addressed.
• Each direct message should be addressed within 24 hours.
• Increase content posted weekly on social media platforms to increase engagement.
• Increase content posted on Twitter by 30% in 4 months.
• Increase Instagram followers by 2,000 in 5 months
Key Messages
• Live happily and healthily in 2018
• #HealThySelf

7. Online Brand Persona and Voice
Adjectives that Describe Whole Foods
• Energetic
• Innovative
• Healthy
• Inspirational
To our customers, we are:
• Understanding
• Helpful
• Non-jugemental
• Informative

8. Strategies and Tools
• Paid media:
• Incorporate Facebook and Instagram ads because right now they are very
affordable and offer great customer engagement rates.
• Unpaid Media/ PR
• Partner with a public relations firm to prepare a crisis response plan and
other PR measures
• Owned
• Increase content posting on social media networks ( Facebook, LinkedIn,
Twitter, LinkedIn) to increase customer engagement
• Earned
• Increase exposure via public relations efforts to contact journalists about
grand openings and new product launches, etc.

9. Timing and Key Dates
• Father’s Day
• Fourth of July
• High school/ college Graduation
• Summer vacations
• Labor Day Weekend
• Halloween
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• New Years Eve
Reporting on social media efforts will occur
monthly throughout the year on the second
week of every month, with a meeting on the
Thursday of that week.

10. Social Media Roles and Responsibilities
• Marketing Director: Jonathon Kristy
• Social Media Department Manager: Grace Metol
• Social Media Assistant: Carol Greenwood
• Social Media Interns: TBD
• Graphic Designer: Bill Murphy

11. Social Media Policy
Social Media has become a necessity among people’s everyday lives. As
a company with a large social media following on various networks, it is
important that we promote an environment on our accounts that is a
positive space for all of our audience. We will not permit bullying or
hate speech on or towards any of our content or followers. Our
accounts uphold all of the values in our mission and value statements
listed on our website. All of our content will be factual and we will not
allow any misrepresentation of the brands that we sell or of our
employees.

12. Critical Response Plan
• In the case of an inappropriate post is sent via one of our social media
platforms, it will immediately be removed from our account after a
screenshot has been taken to record it.
• The social media team will handle the issue accordingly, by plan of the social
media manager and marketing manager.
• In the case of physical injury to an employee or customer in a store,
the public relations agency representing our company will be
contacted immediately to make a crisis management plan.
• The CEO of the company will address the public, if necessary and social media
platforms will report on the story according to the plan.
• The employee or customer will be receive medical care if necessary and all
medical costs will be covered according to company policy.

13. Measurement and Reporting Results
#MakesMeWhole Performance
• Whole Foods has launched this hashtag as a promotional effort.
• It has been used approximately 1,500 times per month via Twitter since
February 2018.
Qualitative KPI’s
• Analysis of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter comments and reactions to
posts
• Comments tagging other users in posts, most commonly recipe and promotional
posts. Positive feedback regarding popular brands and products
• No negative feedback, except regarding to higher prices of our store’s products
compared to competitors
• Negative comments in regards to poor customer service have been addressed and
resolved.

14. Proposed Action Items
• Continue #MakesMeWhole Campaign
• Create additional hashtags to promote Amazon merger and new
features offered by this partnerhsip
• Closely monitor all hashtags and trends