Depop Redefines Social Media Marketing

Depop Reinvents Fashion Marketplaces

If you're anything like me, you love thrift shopping, but you don't love having to spend hours upon hours in a store trying to find the perfect look. Enter: Depop, a social e-commerce app that allows users to buy and sell clothing. A hit among the Gen Z audience, Depop is the perfect example of a brand successfully utilizing social media marketing. 

What Gen Z Dreams Are Made Of 

The Depop app utilizes social media as the backbone of its marketing campaigns. This decision makes perfect sense, due to the heavily Gen Z audience on the app. Reposting cool images created by the Depop community is the main social strategy used by Depop’s team. The Depop community is chock full of diverse and stylized users. Highlighting these individuals has worked well for Depop’s marketing campaigns. Depop marketing strategist Yoann Pavvy points out that people tend to trust one another, especially among the younger generation. By pushing Depop’s audience to the forefront, this trust is strengthened.

Depop Plus Influencers Equals Love

Depop has launched the careers of several young creators and has even acted as the starting point for many of these users to grow their other platforms. Similarly, the app has also served as an outlet for preexisting celebrities to sell their clothes and connect with their audience on a much more personal level.

Celebrities like Lilly Allen and Emily Ratajowski have sold iconic pieces from their collections on the app. Most recently, rising it-girl Olivia Rodrigo utilized the app to sell recognizable articles of clothing featured in her music videos for her record-breaking album. Named after her debut album, the “Sour Shop” proceeds all went to charity, which is a familiar approach displayed by celebrities on Depop. Rodrigo’s case in particular is a perfect example of an organic relationship between a business and a celebrity. Rodrigo and Depop have fan bases that overlap in every regard. This partnership proved to be successful for both Rodrigo and the app, with her items selling out in record time and lots of traction being drawn toward the app. 

The reason Depop works so well is that there is a large amount of trust between the seller and the buyer.  Depop influencers are selling their own products directly to their followers while cutting out the middleman in the process. Each user curates a collection straight out of their own wardrobe. The Depop community even has its own signature fashion trends. The app allows for an intimate buying experience that is very rewarding in each and every step. 

Spontaneity Is Key

Depop’s social strategy is very reactive. The company does not operate on a rigid publishing schedule, instead, they move fluidly with each and every trend. Depop’s rule of thumb when it comes to social strategy is that if a decision has to move through three or more people, there are too many people involved. The fashion marketplace app believes that by consulting too many people, a pivotal moment can be lost in the process. By keeping their social strategy team small, Depop is able to capitalize on each and every moment in culture with perfect timing. 

Depop has a very young audience that aims most of its attention on social apps like Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube, and TikTok. The company takes this concept and runs with it, by targeting most of its promotion on these sites. Depop’s Instagram in particular highlights some rising creators such as artist Stefani Colvin, Tiktoker Noah Millz, and more.

Why Depop Works

Depop is not afraid to partner up with other brands. Recently, Depop partnered up with Adidas to give 40 Depop sellers the opportunity to customize their pair of Stan Smith Primegreen shoes – with proceeds going to the charity of each creator’s choosing. Three Depop creatives also collaborated with members of the Adidas family to rework different clothing pieces. The collection is composed of unique pieces meant to be sported together. 

Another brand working hand in hand with Depop recently is Samsung Galaxy. This campaign highlights different ways that Depop users can utilize their Samsung Galaxy phones to become fashion stars. Depop and Samsung Galaxy linked up with a team of influencers to set this idea into motion. Focusing on the attempt to get pro photos for your profile, Samsung Galaxy’s high-tech camera is a no-brainer.

Looking to Learn More? 

The wide world of social media is constantly changing and growing, and in order to stay successful as marketers, it is vital that we stay in the know with any and all new changes in the industry. Be sure to take a look at the blogs below to become an expert in all things social media marketing and fashion! 

• The Top Female Social Media Influencers of the Moment
• Come with HB to Social Media Marketing World
• Why Social Media Engagement is Important for a Brand's Social Influencer
• The Top Fashion Brands in TV Series 
• What Brands Can Learn from Fashion's Biggest Event 

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