Transavia’s success
Take Dutch airline Transavia, for example. In just six months of strategic TikTok usage, they’ve seen remarkable results: viewers under 35 showed 11% higher brand awareness and 27% stronger brand preference compared to non-viewers. Even more impressive, their current customers who engage with TikTok content are 31% more likely to become brand advocates.
These aren’t just numbers – they’re proof that social media can drive real brand impact. But how did they measure this? And how can you do the same?
The challenge and how to measure real impact
Social platforms like TikTok are capturing massive attention worldwide, with marketing budgets increasingly shifting from TV to social media. But with audiences scattered across different platforms, measuring impact isn’t straightforward. Traditional surveys aren’t enough anymore – after all, who can remember exactly where they saw your content, whether on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, TV, or a billboard?
The key is going beyond basic metrics like views and likes.
Instead, focus on measuring impact throughout your brand funnel. This means tracking awareness (Mind), preference (Heart), and action (Market) stages separately.
However, in the current fragmented media landscape it is difficult to recruit pure viewer and non-viewer groups. Who remembers where they saw a message – whether it was on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, TV or a billboard? Traditional panel research, which relies on viewers’ memories, is therefore less reliable.
The secret to Transavia’s success?
Smart retargeting campaigns that created pure viewer and non-viewer groups. This allowed them to accurately measure the difference in brand perception between those who saw their content and those who didn’t. By comparing these groups, they could prove TikTok’s impact on both brand awareness and preference.
This approach works particularly well for current customers. In Transavia’s case, existing customers who engaged with their TikTok content showed significantly higher brand advocacy compared to those who didn’t – proving social media’s power to strengthen existing customer relationships.
Making it work for your brand
As you plan for 2025, now is the time to review your social media impact. Start by setting clear goals for each stage of your funnel. Then, use smart retargeting to create proper test and control groups. Finally, focus on metrics that show real business impact – from brand awareness to customer advocacy.
Cross-platform tracking and performance insights are key to understanding how your channels work together. With these insights, you can make smarter decisions about your social media investments and maximize their impact.