While surfing in Australia almost two decades ago, Nick Woodman conceived the idea of a photography tool that could capture awe-inspiring moments. Initially, he had modest expectations, with a vague concept that he later turned into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. GoPro, the high-quality athletic photography and wearable camera company is now synonymous with adventure and is considered one of the technology industry’s most successful stories.
GoPro’s mission to “enable the world to capture and share its passions” has been integral to the company’s ethos since its inception in 2003 and has been consistently incorporated into its marketing strategies. However, GoPro goes beyond this mission in its content marketing initiatives by prioritizing the customer experience in both the content it offers and how it delivers that content to its audience.
Versatility Is The Key To Brilliant Content
Although GoPro is generally associated with capturing extreme sports, the brand has expanded its scope in recent years and highlighted the versatility of its cameras in various use cases. For instance, the Furry Friends and Wild Animals channels feature adorable puppy and kitten content that internet users adore. One example is the video “It’s Always Sunny in Walter’s World,” which depicts a dog joyfully running through a path maze before jumping into the ocean. Despite its simplicity, the one-minute clip has garnered over 1.1 million views. Additionally, the Life’s Moments channel features events with kids, including pool parties and a young boy’s first bike ride without training wheels. GoPro’s intentional effort to reach out to peripheral audiences by creating content that resonates with them demonstrates the sophistication and awareness of its content marketing strategy.
Audience-Specific Content Distribution Across Platforms
GoPro tailors its distribution strategy to accommodate differences in audience engagement across social channels. On Pinterest, the brand targets a female audience with boards like #GoProGirl and Family Time, which feature images of kids and babies. Even boards that showcase GoPro products are not overtly promotional, with action shots and descriptive captions.
Using The Power Of User Generated Content
The company established GoPro Awards in 2015 as a way to incentivize users to submit high-quality action content. By participating in challenges such as the “Photo of the Day Challenge” or “Be a HERO Challenge,” users get to earn cash, gear, and global exposure. The content submitted is often adventurous and sometimes even death-defying and is uploaded across GoPro’s social channels. The use of user-generated content has allowed GoPro to showcase its products while keeping marketing costs relatively low. This has also led to its massive following on all the social media channels including 20+ Million on Instagram, 10+ Million on Youtube, 2+ Million on Twitter, and so on.
The difference between “Share” and “Shop”
GoPro places a stronger emphasis on a share call-to-action rather than a shop call-to-action. Users are presented with three options after watching a video: Info, Log in to Favorite, and Share. The Share button stands out with its blue color, immediately grabbing the user’s attention. If a user chooses the Info button, they will see a brief description of the video, a link to related content, and a “Get This Shot” call-to-action that includes the name and a small image of the product used in the video. Clicking on the image will direct the user to the e-commerce section of the site where they can purchase the product. The use of a small image and the subtle wording of “Get This Shot” instead of “Shop This Video” guides the user through the buyer journey with ease, rather than overtly pushing the product to the forefront.
These are just a few instances of how GoPro prioritizes the customer experience in its content marketing strategy instead of focusing on selling more cameras. This approach makes the brand more authentic to its customer base and also more reliable. It has proven to be a successful strategy, with millions of loyal customers and fans consuming its content and, as a result, continuing to purchase its cameras.
Join World Brand Affairs to explore the success stories of global brands and their marketing strategies. Gain in-depth insights into how these brands are leaving their mark on the world through creative and effective tactics
