Social Media Marketing Strategy of Air Asia: An Aerial View

Air Asia, a leading low-cost airline in Asia, has effectively capitalized on social media platforms to boost its marketing endeavors. Through its innovative and impactful marketing campaigns, Air Asia has not only amplified its brand awareness but also remarkably increased its reach to potential customers.

Air Asia's Social Media Philosophy

The airline's social media marketing strategy is anchored on three E-key principles: Engagement, Education, and Entertainment. These principles can be seen throughout their social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Engagement

Unlike conventional strategies, Air Asia engages directly with its audience through open dialogue. The establishment of two-way communication provides customers an opportunity to voice their thoughts, opinions, and concerns directly to the airline. This strategy promotes a sense of transparency, accountability, and trust in the brand.

Air Asia employs several effective ways to engage their audience on social media. Let's take a look at three key examples:

1. Two-way communication: Air Asia maintains an active presence on its social media platforms, ensuring it responds promptly to customer queries or feedback. They allow their customers to comment, share, and interact on their posts which facilitates a healthy dialogue between the company and its audience. For instance, they have a dedicated Twitter handle, @AirAsiaSupport, solely for resolving passenger complaints and queries.
2. User-Generated Content: Air Asia encourages its passengers to share their travel experiences with the airline on social media. One such instance is the "Travel Gr8" contest, where the company invited passengers to share a picture or video of their favourite travel moments on Instagram using the hashtag #TravelGr8. Winners were awarded free flights, promoting more active participation from the audience.

3. Interactive Quizzes and Polls: Air Asia often engages its audience by conducting interactive quizzes and polls on their social media platforms. This not only keeps the audience entertained but also provides useful insights into customer preferences and behavior. For example, while streaming polls, they may seek customers' opinions regarding new flight routes, in-flight amenities, or travel trends. In the example below, AirAsia used LiveReacting platform to stream a Quiz and it worked really well:

These strategies help Air Asia engage with their audience on a deeper level, elicit customer feedback, and create personalized experiences for their followers, thus enhancing their brand loyalty.

Education

The airline also uses its social media platforms to educate its passengers about important updates, policies, promotions, and the brand’s initiatives for social responsibility.

Air Asia uses various methods to educate its audience through their social media platforms. Here are some notable examples:

1. Travel Guidelines and Updates: Air Asia often provides information related to travel regulations, guidelines, and updates about different countries. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Air Asia regularly updated its passengers about travel restrictions, safety protocols, and preventative measures through infographics and videos which were easy for customers to understand and follow.

2. Promotional Campaigns: Air Asia also informs its customers about current or upcoming deals and offers through their social media platforms. They often use aesthetically pleasing visuals to detail flight deals, holiday packages, and other specials. These posts not only aid in promoting sales but also educate customers about possible savings and benefits that come with flying Air Asia.

4. In-Flight Services and Procedures: Air Asia frequently shares videos and infographics detailing in-flight procedures, safety instructions, and other valuable tips. This not only helps passengers familiarize themselves with the airline’s protocols but also ensures a smooth and hassle-free flight experience.
5. Destination Highlights: Through visually appealing posts showcasing destinations they service, Air Asia educates the audience about unique attractions, landmarks, cultures, and cuisines in different regions. Furthermore, through their "Travel Guides" section on Facebook, they provide comprehensive information about different destinations, aiming to educate future travelers about experiences to expect and activities to check out.

Through these activities, they provide customers with relevant and updated information, making their travel planning and experience more convenient and enjoyable.

Entertainment

Air Asia effectively uses unique visual content and video advertising to keep its audience entertained, ensuring that the brand is attractive and memorable. The focus on shareable content allows the airline to extend its reach beyond its immediate audience.

Absolutely, Air Asia employs a variety of tactics to keep its audience entertained on social media. Here are several captivating examples:

1. Fun and Interactive Posts: Air Asia posts humorous and witty content to lighten the mood for its followers. For instance, during the 2019 "Area 51" internet frenzy, Air Asia jokingly posted on Twitter, "Just because we're a budget airline, doesn't mean we can get you to #Area51 quicker”.
2. Instagram Fries Art Contest: Air Asia initiated the Fries Art Contest, where customers were invited to create art using Air Asia's popular Santan fries and share it on Instagram. This brought out the creativity of the audience and it created a buzz which was entertaining for others to watch and participate.
3. Influencer Collaborations: Air Asia collaborates with influencers known for their entertaining content to promote their brand. These influencers travel with Air Asia, documenting their journey in a fun and interesting manner. This creates engaging content for the audience and makes the brand more relatable.

Through these innovative efforts, Air Asia maintains an entertaining presence on social media, thereby encouraging crowd interaction and brand engagement.

Social Media Campaigns - Examples

1. #RedHotPisoSale: Air Asia leveraged Twitter to announce its flash sale. Promotions were announced with the hashtag #RedHotPisoSale, which quickly began trending in several regions. The campaign created a frenzy among audiences, leading to massive engagement and prospective bookings.
2. #AirAsiaMAKNA: In a collaboration with the National Cancer Council (MAKNA), Air Asia launched the #AirAsiaMAKNA campaign to raise funds for cancer patients. They used a distinct purple livery, reintroducing an aircraft with cancer survival stories, signifying their corporate social responsibility. This campaign showcased the brand's community ethos, leading to an accelerated influx of positive customer sentiment.
3. #ThankYou: Recognizing cabin crew members' relentless service throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Air Asia launched the #ThankYou campaign, which elicited an overwhelming response across all social media platforms.
4. Instagram Fries Art Contest: Capitalizing on Instagram's visual nature, Air Asia initiated the Fries Art Contest, inviting customers to create art using fries. This campaign was a creative blend of entertainment and engagement, encouraging user-generated content and paving the way for massive participation.

Air Asia’s social media strategy underscores the importance of customer engagement and interaction. It's clear that this strategy has been profoundly effective, enabling the airline to connect directly with its customers, thus increasing visibility and brand loyalty. The incorporation of entertainment and education in their social media initiatives has drawn extensive involvement and support from the public and the global community, affirmatively impacting their brand image.

Conclusion

Air Asia's social media marketing strategy provides critical insights into the airline industry's evolving dynamics. The airline's strategies highlight that customer engagement, coupled with a robust online presence, is fundamental for branding and clientele expansion in today's digital era. It reiterates the power of authentic and resonant communication in creating ripples and fostering a sense of connection with the customers. Indeed, Air Asia is setting a high standard for social media marketing–one that is grounded in engagement, entertainment, and education.

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