Start small, then capitalize on small wins. Embrace the Flicker, Flash, and Flare framework, optimize for what works, and focus on entertainment first. TikTok may seem daunting, but by analyzing Duolingo we have a playbook to rely on. Most brands fail to experience this level of success. They’ve since doubled down on what works (that crazy owl) while ditching what doesn’t. Their social content is a reflection of those values.īy being creative, patient and open to experimentation, they ultimately uncovered what people love. It’s in their brand DNA.ĭuolingo’s teaching methodology emphasizes standout content, continuous improvement and many ways to learn. After all, who wouldn’t love to see Duo playing red light/green light while talking smack to Google Translate? Duolingo’s success is more than a tactic. To stand out, brands have to appeal to the expectations of consumers who have endless content at their fingertips.ĭuolingo learned this well. We scroll through 500 feet of content a day. They leaned into entertainment as the hook to lead consumers to education. Through their iterative process, they discovered that being entertaining first and highlighting their message second was key to their success. To reach their current scale, Duolingo had to appeal to the masses and they had to create content native to TikTok. That optimization lent itself to hockey stick growth. At the same time, they phased out their flash/tutorial videos. They increased the frequency of this new format. In the process, Duolingo found the formula that worked for them:ĭuo + trends + funny/menacing tone = success. The video has gotten over 3.3 million views and 700,000 likes. The onscreen caption reads, “when you’re just tryna do your work without being terrorized by an owl.” It references the widespread joke depicting Duo as threatening students who did not finish their daily language learning sessions.

Meanwhile the popular “live, laugh, love” audio trend plays in the background. That first breakout TikTok showed an employee sitting in a chair while the camera pans over to Duo looming over the table. They found that people were responding positively to Duo and leaned into that. It’s important to iterate and be open to feedback from your audience. Is an SOS #DuolingoEmployee #owltok #livelaughlove #helpme #imscared

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