The document outlines Starbucks' social media strategy for 2016, focusing on increasing online following and driving revenue through engaging content. A social media audit was conducted, assessing the company's performance and comparing it to competitors, revealing opportunities for improvement especially on LinkedIn. Specific objectives include increasing Twitter and Instagram followings, varying content types, and leveraging hashtags like #springwithstarbucks for promotion.

2. Table of Contents:
1.) Executive Summary (February 2016)
2.) Social Media Audit
a.) Social Media Assessment
b.) Website Assessment
c.) Customer Demographics Assessment
d.) Competitor Assessment
3.) Social Media Objectives
4.) Online Brand Persona and Voice
5.) Strategies and Tools
6.) Timing and Key Dates
7.) Social Media Roles and Responsibilities
8.) Social Media Policy
9.) Critical Response Plan
10.) Measurement and Reporting Results

3. Executive Summary
• For the year of 2016, our social media goals will be to increase our online
following of loyal consumers and potential consumers.
• The focus will be to drive revenue goals by creating more traffic on our
social media sites. We will use more engaging and relevant content
designed to capture consumer interest.
Two Major Social Strategies Will Support This Objective:
1.) An organized plan to create unique, engaging content that will generate
interest.
2.) Encourage conversations and respond to consumers to build trust on
social media sites to gain more followers.

4. Social Media Audit
• The following is a social media audit of Starbucks social media
presence on various platforms as of February 21, 2016. The audit
includes social media, website, customer demographic, and
competitor assessments.

5. Social Media Audit: Social Media Assessment
Social
Network
URL Follower
Count
Average Weekly
Activity
Average
Engagement
Rate
Twitter https://twitter.com/Starbuck
s?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%
7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr
%5Eauthor
11.6 million 12 posts per week 42%
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/
Starbucks
36.1 million 3 posts per week 27%
Instagram https://www.instagram.com
/starbucks/
7.8 million 8 posts per week 38%
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/c
ompany/starbucks
661,794 3 posts per week 22%
Social media assessment: According to the presented data, the highest number of interactions
per post occurs on Instagram. (Engagement rate can not be calculated at the present time.)
The smallest average for interactions occurred on LinkedIn. More emphasis on improving the
LinkedIn company page for Starbucks will improve engagement on the site. (Data as of
February 21, 2016.)

6. Social Media Audit: Website Traffic
Assessment
Source Volume Percentage of
Overall Traffic
Twitter 15,000 unique visits 14%
Facebook 7,500 unique visits 8%
Instagram 16,000 unique visits 16%
LinkedIn 3,00 unique visits 7%
Website Traffic Assessment: At present time, Instagram and Twitter have the biggest
followings. Facebook still has a fair amount of unique visits, while LinkedIn could use
some improvement. (Time frame: Monthly average, January 20016 to February
2016.)

7. Social Media Audit: Customer
Demographic
Age
Distribution
Gender
Distribution
Primary
Social
Network
Secondary
Social
Network
Primary
Need
Secondary
Need
50% 18-30
25% 31-40
15% 41-55
10% 56-80
75% Female
25% Male
50% Instagram
25% Twitter
25% Facebook
10% LinkedIn Caffeinated
beverages, food,
pastries, or other
non-caffeinated
drinks.
Friendly, relaxing
atmosphere fit
for studying or
hanging out with
friends.
Survey distributed in January/February 2016 via email and
through visitor registration. Total applicant responses: 3,000.
Audience Demographics Summary: The majority of those who responded to the survey are part of the
18-30 age group. Most of Starbucks customers are female. The primary motivator for purchasing at any
select locations is the food and beverages. Considering Instagram is the most successful, the social
media campaign should be focused on further developing engagement and increasing the following on
this platform.

8. Social Media Audit: Competitor
Assessment Summary
Competitor Name Social Media
Profile
Strengths Weaknesses
Dunkin’ Donuts Instagram Well edited, creative
photos. Lot’s of followers.
Not nearly as many
comments as likes, could
use more audience
interaction.
McDonald’s Twitter Celebrities in tweets and
emphasis on breakfast all
day. Lot’s of followers.
A fair amount of retweets
and favorites, could use
more.
Panera Facebook Interesting content, a
good mix of relevant
videos and photos.
Could use more followers.
Posts need more likes and
shares.

9. Competitor Assessment
Summary
• The competitor analysis focused on three major competitors that also
serve food. Each competitor had a select analysis on a particular
social media site. The biggest strengths competitors displayed on
these sites were interesting variety in content. All could use more
engagement and user interactions.

10. Social Media Objectives:
• In 2016, the main focus of our social media strategy goals will be to
increase our online following of loyal consumers and potential
consumers.
• The focus will be to drive revenue goals by creating more traffic on
our social media sites. We will use more engaging and relevant
content designed to capture consumer interest.

11. Some Specific Objectives Include:
1.) Increase Twitter following by 40% within the next six months.
2.) Increase Instagram following by 50% within the next eight months.
3.) Vary content in posts. (videos, GIFs, articles, not just photos)
4.) Increase unique visits on Facebook and LinkedIn sites.
(Use new hashtag, incorporate picture opportunities to increase engagement, followings,
unique visits)
KPIs
1.) Number of Twitter and Instagram followers.
2.) Number of unique visits on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Key Messages:
• A place where anyone is welcome to grab coffee, whether they are commuting to work
or want a relaxing place to hang with friends.
• Innovative and new holiday-inspired delicious, trendy drinks.

12. Demographic Visuals

13. Online Brand Persona and Voice
• Adjectives to describe our brand:
o Trendy
o Innovative
o Urban
o Seasonal
• When interacting with customers we are:
o Helpful
o Understanding
o Encouraging
o Solution-oriented
o Polite

14. Examples: Seasonal

15. More Examples: Trendy

16. More Examples: Friendly

17. Strategies and Tools
• Paid: Boosting Facebook and other sites to gain more followers and unique visits. Also pay for
talented photographers to maintain competitive, well-composed photos for all sites.
• Owned: Introduce the hashtag #SpringWithStarbucks to promote new seasonal drinks just in time
for spring. Introduce new promotions for in store locations as well. Promote this hashtag on
Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram especially. Promote hashtag on Snapchat as well.
• Earned: Partner with eco-friendly nonprofits to promote green efforts to associate with the
company on social media. Develop GIFs, videos, or photos of customers trying the new spring
drinks. Allow guests to tag their friends with their own spring special drinks by tweeting the
hashtag with the photo to @Starbucks.
• Tools:
• -Approved Tools: Hootsuite, buffer.
• -Existing Subscription/ liscenses: Vimeo, all Adobe apps, all Microsoft apps.

18. Timing and Key Dates
• Holiday Dates:
o Valentine’s Day
o Fourth of July
o Halloween
o Christmas
o Hanukah
• Internal Events:
o TBA, any coffee or tea related holidays as well.
• Reporting Dates:
o Reporting will occur once every quarter in February, May, August, and November. Precise dates
TBA.

19. Social Media Roles and Responsibilities
• Marketing Director: Sally Smith
• Social Media Manager: Drew Schmidt
• Social Media Coordinator: Carol Cochran
• Supporting Social Media Team Members: Jack Miller,
Kelsey Sharp, Cindy Smith, Sarah Brown

20. Social Media Policy
Our policy in regards to social media is simple. Be polite, listen, be respectful to consumers.
Always try and find a solution when plausible. Maintain the integrity of the brand. Here are
some guidelines:
• Be respectful, put the customer first
• Do not under any circumstances, use foul or disrespectful, aggressive language
• Do not speak directly in any negative way about competitors
• Always ask before you post if you are unsure
Starbucks seeks to uphold this policy in every post, picture, and Tweet. Violation of this
policy may result in corrective action, and possible termination. The company also reserves
the right to take any further action, as it sees fit. Any questions? Speak with higher
management on the social media team.

21. Critical Response Plan
• Scenario 1- Inappropriate Tweet or Post Sent
1.) When Tweet is detected:
o Take screenshot of Tweet
o Delete Tweet
o Alert social media manager (Drew Schmidt)
2.) Discuss impact, reach and evaluate proper action to take with entire social media management
team
3.) Get approval from social media manager for appropriate follow up tweet
4.) If media has picked up on the Tweet, the social media manager will manage all contact with the
media
5.) Employee responsible for the Tweet will be talked to. Further disciplinary action may occur

22. Measurement and Reporting
• Quantitative KPIs
• Reporting Period: 3 months
• Website Traffic Sources Assessment
• Timeframe: Monthly Average, February 2016 to April 2016
Source Volume Percentage of
Overall Traffic
Facebook 3,000 unique visits
+12percent growth
20%
LinkedIn 1,200 unique visits
+7 percent growth
14%

23. Social Network Data
Social
Network
URL Follower
Count
Average
Weekly
Activity
Engagement
Rate
Twitter https://twitter.co
m/Starbucks?ref_
src=twsrc%5Egoog
le%7Ctwcamp%5E
serp%7Ctwgr%5Ea
uthor
14.8 million
+55% growth
14 posts per week
+8% growth
45%
Facebook https://www.face
book.com/Starbuc
ks
37.2 million
+40% growth
5 posts per week
+10% growth
35%
Instagram https://www.insta
gram.com/starbuc
ks/
8.5 million
+60% growth
10 posts per week
+10% growth
45%
LinkedIn https://www.linke
din.com/company
/starbucks
1 million
+30% growth
6 posts per week
15% growth
25%

24. Social Network Data Continued
• Follower counts, post activity, and average engagement rate have all
increased.
• The Twitter following has increased over 40% (55% growth) to meet
one of the objectives.
• The Instagram following also increased over 50% (60% growth) to
meet another objective.
• Unique visual content, such as video and GIFs have been added to
sites to increase engagement and content variation.
• Unique visits increased on LinkedIn (14% growth) and Facebook (20%
growth).

25. #SpringWithStarbucks
Hashtag Performance
• Between February 2016 and April 2016, the hashtag went viral. It was mentioned over 2
million times within a two month period. Users tagged themselves in thousands (around
500,000 photos) with their new spring Starbucks seasonal drinks.
• Partnership performance: with nonprofits increased engagement in comments by users
of all sites by 20% collectively. Favorable attitudes were detected in comments, and
Starbucks helped many green hashtags take off and start trending on Twitter.
• Proposed Action Items:
• Continue #SpringWithStarbucks Campaign
• Consider a go green campaign incorporating the Starbucks green tea to increase
awareness for nonprofit green causes on social media sites and promote a company
beverage.
• Continue creating engaging content to increase following and interaction on LinkedIn.