The Dolly Parton Challenge: Our Favorite Examples and What Marketers Can Learn From Them
By: Robiny Jamerson
Tags: Digital Strategy, Social Media Marketing, Video Marketing, Digital Marketing Agency, Dolly Parton

In the past few weeks, almost anyone on social media has come across the Dolly Parton Challenge. The meme was popularized by Dolly Parton with a post that gained her over 1.2 million likes on Instagram, which includes a four-framed collage: one photo each for LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Tinder. Users took up the trend as an opportunity to represent the funny ways they present themselves differently across the platform settings. Soon, the posts became viral, gaining participation from big names, including Oprah Winfrey, Celine Dion, Will Smith, Ellen Degeneres, and Hannah Montana (see below).

Brands also threw their hats into the ring, hoping to capitalize on the virality.

But if there’s one thing that the Dolly Parton Challenge can teach marketers, it’s that their consumers interact with each platform differently, taking on entirely different personas as they shift across apps. To effectively connect with consumers, brands must find ways to tailor creative content accordingly. Check out our overview of how to tailor your creative across platforms, built with the help of SocialInsider and Planable’s Social Media Content Study.

How To Tailor Your Content Across Platforms

Facebook

Keep the promos to Facebook . Facebook is the only platform that shows a positive correlation between promo-related posts and an increase in engagement. That said, “contest” and “giveaway” posts drive engagement on all platforms.

Facebook is the only platform that shows a positive correlation between promo-related posts and an increase in engagement. That said, “contest” and “giveaway” posts drive engagement on all platforms. Advertising around Christmastime ? Facebook shows a 0.35% increase in engagement on Christmas posts, proving to be the only platform that evidences a Christmas boost.

Facebook shows a 0.35% increase in engagement on Christmas posts, proving to be the only platform that evidences a Christmas boost. Elaborate . While other platforms prefer shorter captions, Facebook users engage more with images and videos when captions are >30 characters. Take the space to give potential consumers more information about your brand’s perspective and the significance of your content.

While other platforms prefer shorter captions, Facebook users engage more with images and videos when captions are >30 characters. Take the space to give potential consumers more information about your brand’s perspective and the significance of your content. Organic engagement increases in the afternoon. Try scheduling your posts and ads to optimize for afternoon Facebook-surfing.

Instagram

Speak peer-to-peer . On Facebook, posts about “tutorials” decrease engagement by almost 40%. Says SocialInsider, “Tutorials have a tendency to offer information from a ‘higher authority,’ and that ends up creating distance rather than closeness.”

. On Facebook, posts about “tutorials” decrease engagement by almost 40%. Says SocialInsider, “Tutorials have a tendency to offer information from a ‘higher authority,’ and that ends up creating distance rather than closeness.” DIY posts work . Looking to share new perspectives on how to use your product? Instagram’s your best bet. While users respond negatively to these posts on Facebook, they drive engagement on Instagram.

Looking to share new perspectives on how to use your product? Instagram’s your best bet. While users respond negatively to these posts on Facebook, they drive engagement on Instagram. Expect better engagement . Instagram is the most engaged platform by far. It’s worth your time to invest ensuring high-quality posts that build brand loyalty, rather than posting more frequently.

Instagram is the most engaged platform by far. It’s worth your time to invest ensuring high-quality posts that build brand loyalty, rather than posting more frequently. Want to drive comments? Post video. While the biggest boost from video happens on Twitter, Instagram videos garner more comments.

LinkedIn

Provide value to your customers . LinkedIn makes up more than 50% of all social traffic to B2B websites and blogs. Find ways to provide valuable industry knowledge in order to build rapport within your network.

LinkedIn makes up more than 50% of all social traffic to B2B websites and blogs. Find ways to provide valuable industry knowledge in order to build rapport within your network. Learn from Dolly and keep it professional . When using LinkedIn for promotional purposes, avoid anything that might come off as clickbait or controversy. This is where clients, potential employees, and industry experts will expect high-quality industry-related content, so keep posts high-quality and less frequent.

When using LinkedIn for promotional purposes, avoid anything that might come off as clickbait or controversy. This is where clients, potential employees, and industry experts will expect high-quality industry-related content, so keep posts high-quality and less frequent. Text-based posts work . Text-based posts get more engagements, comments, and views on LinkedIn than any other media-based post. So, need to populate your LinkedIn feed but don’t have enough content? Just share your perspective.

Text-based posts get more engagements, comments, and views on LinkedIn than any other media-based post. So, need to populate your LinkedIn feed but don’t have enough content? Just share your perspective. Factor in the workday. Brands typically won’t post more than once a day on LinkedIn, so don’t try to flood your followers’ feeds, and instead priority high-value content. Optimize your engagement with the knowledge that traffic often increases during the first few hours of the workday.

Twitter

Post. A lot . On average, brands post twice as much on Twitter than Instagram and Facebook and Instagram. Because of the amount of noise on Twitter, Tweets are frequently drowned out in the sheer mass of content. CoSchedule recommends 15 Tweets per day.

On average, brands post twice as much on Twitter than Instagram and Facebook and Instagram. Because of the amount of noise on Twitter, Tweets are frequently drowned out in the sheer mass of content. CoSchedule recommends 15 Tweets per day. Videos win . More than any other platform, videos drive engagement on Twitter. Twitter ads with video are 50% cheaper in cost-per engagement.

More than any other platform, videos drive engagement on Twitter. Twitter ads with video are 50% cheaper in cost-per engagement. Cater to curiosity. Twitter boasts to be the platform for “discovery.” As proof, Twitter users linger on ads for 26% longer than other social platforms. That means for video and content, you have slightly more time to convince a user to be genuinely interested in your brand.

Plus: Our Favorite Celebrity Dolly Parton Challenges

Oprah

Celine Dion

Will Smith

Ellen Degeneres

Hannah Montana