{"id":25360,"date":"2020-09-14T06:00:37","date_gmt":"2020-09-14T06:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/?p=25360"},"modified":"2023-02-09T05:17:52","modified_gmt":"2023-02-09T05:17:52","slug":"top-convenience-stores-social-media-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/top-convenience-stores-social-media-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Convenience Stores on Social Media"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s one thing for travelers to pop into a convenience store for gasoline, food, beverages, and restrooms. It\u2019s quite another to make the convenience store itself the main destination thanks to creative social media marketing.<\/p>\n<p>And yet, that\u2019s exactly what some of the country\u2019s top c-store locations have become, with their positive reputations only growing through the powerful vehicle of social media.<\/p>\n<p>Standout convenience store marketing transcends geographic limitations by smartly captivating audiences on social networks. We turned to the data to discover how best-in-class performers remain top of mind among target audiences, and reveal the social media trends and strategies that catapult them to the convenience store marketing hall of fame. Here are our findings.<\/p>\n<h2>The Convenience Store Top 20 Market Landscape<b><\/b><\/h2>\n<p>For our analysis, we evaluated 20 convenience stores profiled in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cstoredigitalranking.com\/all-rankings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2020 C-Store Digital Ranking<\/a> and rated their social media performance relative to audience, activity, engagement, and top content over a six-month period. We focused our assessment on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.<\/p>\n<p>We surveyed top-performing convenience stores on social media between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020 on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Using this data and a weighted formula, we generated an overall engagement ranking for each c-store. The top-ranked convenience stores on social media have high engagement rates with average or better audience size and posting volumes.<\/p>\n<p>We define engagement as measurable interaction on social media posts, including likes, comments, favorites, retweets, shares, and reactions. Engagement rate is defined as the total engagement divided by the number of followers.<\/p>\n<p>As you can see below, <a href=\"https:\/\/kwiktrip.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kwik Trip<\/a> is the front-runner, edging out the competition by outperforming in overall rank and score, as well as claiming the top spot for Facebook and Instagram respectively. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loves.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Love\u2019s Travel Stops &amp; Country Stores<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kumandgo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kum &amp; Go<\/a> weren\u2019t far behind in overall rankings, clutching second and third place in our landscape. Our content deep dive revealed the reasons why these brands dominate the convenience store marketing landscape.<\/p>\n<table class=\"tg-data\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th class=\"tg-lqy6\">Overall Rank<\/th>\n<th class=\"tg-0lax\">Convenience Store<\/th>\n<th class=\"tg-lqy6\"><i style=\"color: #274b82;\" data-x-icon-b=\"\uf39e\"><\/i> Rank<\/th>\n<th class=\"tg-lqy6\"><i style=\"color: #507da2;\" data-x-icon-b=\"\uf16d\"><\/i> Rank<\/th>\n<th class=\"tg-lqy6\"><i style=\"color: #62c2f5;\" data-x-icon-b=\"\uf099\"><\/i> Rank<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">1<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">Kwik Trip<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">1<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">1<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">2<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">Love&#8217;s Travel Stops &amp; Country Stores<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">2<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">4<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">3<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">Kum &amp; Go<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">9<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">2<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">4<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">7-Eleven USA<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">5<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">9<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">5<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">QuikTrip<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">13<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">5<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">6<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">Wawa<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">14<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">3<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">7<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">Sheetz<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">3<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">13<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">8<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">Maverik<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">7<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">13<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">6<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">8<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">Thorntons<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">4<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">9<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">8<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">Casey&#8217;s General Store<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">7<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">9<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">11<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">Pilot Flying J<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">5<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">18<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">12<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">United Dairy Farmers<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">10<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">6<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">13<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">Hy-Vee<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">10<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">9<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">13<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">GetGo Cafe<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">17<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">6<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">15<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">Duchess<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">16<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">13<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">13<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">16<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">Quick Chek<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">19<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">6<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">17<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">Cumberland Farms<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">10<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">16<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">17<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">The Spinx Company<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">18<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">16<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">10<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">19<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-buh4\">Speedway<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">14<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">19<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-p5oz\">17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">20<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-0lax\">ampm<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">20<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">20<\/td>\n<td class=\"tg-lqy6\">18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>While Kwik Trip may be in the lead, other c-store brands deploy notable marketing strategies to firmly put their names on the map. Here are a couple of trend takeaways we observed.<\/p>\n<h3>Top Trend #1: Fan-favorite partnerships for a cause<\/h3>\n<p>To surprise and delight fans, top-performing convenience stores join forces with powerful brands to create unbeatable partnerships. For example, Kum &amp; Go and Budweiser recently launched their first-ever merchandise collaboration: a limited-edition T-shirt and tank top.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-25384 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.27.37-PM-700x510.png\" alt=\"Kum and Go and Budweiser tweet featuring young people wearing merch on a beach\" width=\"700\" height=\"510\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.27.37-PM-350x255@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.27.37-PM-300x219.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.27.37-PM-1024x746.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.27.37-PM-100x73.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.27.37-PM-350x255.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.27.37-PM-1170x853.png 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.27.37-PM.png 1180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The clever campaign is branded as \u201cWorld\u2019s Best Buds,\u201d which is eye-catching and humorous enough that target audiences for both brands would reasonably want to acquire these pieces for their wardrobe. That said, it\u2019s also a powerful corporate social responsibility story for both companies. As part of Budweiser\u2019s partnership with Folds of Honor, all proceeds from the sales will go towards educational scholarships to families of fallen and disabled soldiers. Using social media to promote these products and the program at large earned significant engagement, to the tune of 4.6K likes on Twitter.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, Ohio-based convenience store <a href=\"https:\/\/www.udfinc.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">United Dairy Farmers<\/a> partners with USL Championship soccer club FC Cincinnati to raise awareness for the team\u2019s philanthropic arm, the FC Cincinnati Foundation.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-25387 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.43.09-PM-700x512.png\" alt=\"Tweet from United Dairy Farmers about their partnership with the GC Cincinnati Foundation\" width=\"700\" height=\"512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.43.09-PM-350x256@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.43.09-PM-300x220.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.43.09-PM-1024x749.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.43.09-PM-100x73.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.43.09-PM-350x256.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.43.09-PM-1170x856.png 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.43.09-PM.png 1178w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>By posting mouth-watering product shots on social media, United Dairy Farmers encourages customers to stop in for a scoop of Caramel Pretzel Kick ice cream. A percentage of each sale goes to the FC Cincinnati Foundation, which aims to improve the lives of children in the Greater Cincinnati area through the game of soccer.<\/p>\n<p>This online promotion worked well for UDF with a 4.34% engagement rate by follower, boosting awareness and sales for both United Dairy Farmers and the Foundation. These types of posts are popular among fans because customers can score a sweet treat while also supporting their local team and community.<\/p>\n<h3>Top Trend #2: Going the extra mile during COVID-19<\/h3>\n<p>By the time COVID-19 swept through the United States in March, increased e-commerce consumption by end consumers required more mid-mile transportation. As truck drivers delivered vital goods to families across the country, Oklahoma-based Love\u2019s Travel Stops and Country Stores wanted to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-25369 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM-700x478.png\" alt=\"Post from Love's with a special offer for drivers during COVID-19\" width=\"700\" height=\"478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM-350x239@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM-300x205.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM-1024x699.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM-1536x1048.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM-100x68.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM-350x239.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM-1170x798.png 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM.png 1732w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-3.17.46-PM-700x478@2x.png 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Teaming up with vendors, Love\u2019s took to social to offer truck drivers a $5 coupon as a token of appreciation to be used at any Love\u2019s for in-store purchases. In addition to simply providing goodwill during an unprecedented pandemic, Love\u2019s also used social to incentivize professional drivers to stop at their locations over competitors. Especially as the coronavirus pandemic created a sense of shared difficult circumstances and communities supported one another, this message was particularly timely and well-received at the time of posting.<\/p>\n<p>While the pandemic increased demand for certain industries, others were not as fortunate. Practically overnight, many people quickly saw reduced hours and lost jobs across the world. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.7-eleven.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">7-Eleven USA<\/a> immediately took to social media to promote current job openings, suggesting that people facing reduced hours at work could find secondary or new employment with 7-Eleven. The brand\u2019s Facebook post (which was likely boosted with social media advertising) earned over 73,000 positive reactions and many comments thanking the company for providing opportunities during the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-25388 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.46.47-PM-700x660.png\" alt=\"Facebook post from 7-Eleven advertising job openings during COVID-19 to its community members\" width=\"700\" height=\"660\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.46.47-PM-350x330@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.46.47-PM-300x283.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.46.47-PM-100x94.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.46.47-PM-350x330.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.46.47-PM.png 988w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"blog-inline-cta-image light\" >\n  <img src=\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/sonder-quest-vXW6oz0k6ZQ-unsplash-small.jpeg>\n  <div class=\"cta-wrapper\"> <p>\n   Compare your performance to top convenience stores with live benchmarks.  <\/p><a class=\"x-btn ss-light x-btn-global\" target=\"_blank\" href=\/live-benchmarks\/convenience-stores\/ style=\"\">Explore live C-store benchmarks <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2>Kwik Trip is the Landscape Leader in Total Social Engagement<\/h2>\n<p>In theory, one wouldn\u2019t think a convenience store would inspire brand loyalty. They\u2019re all pretty interchangeable, no? Gas, check. Food and drink, check. Clean restrooms, check (well, if you\u2019re lucky). Ask any Kwik Trip enthusiast, and you\u2019ll soon learn not all convenience stores are created equal.<\/p>\n<p>With more than 700 locations across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, family-owned Kwik Trip is a favorite among Midwesterners and has the social media track record to prove it. After all, their 964K total engagements across all channels are head and shoulders above the landscape average of 126K.<\/p>\n<h3>Kwik Trip really knows their audience<\/h3>\n<p>Affectionately known as KT by loyal patrons, Kwik Trip knows what its fandom wants and serves on-brand content to both delight followers and fan the subculture flames. Best known for its friendly customer service, clean restrooms, high-quality food, and signature catchphrase, \u201cSee you next time!\u201d, KT is more than a convenience store, but a place customers identify as part of their lifestyle.<\/p>\n<p>KT could teach a master class in social engagement with one fundamental takeaway: Prioritize getting to know and listening to your customer base.<\/p>\n<p>The brand is intimately familiar with its audience. They know fans will go out of their way to bypass competitors, even if that means sacrificing the convenience of other store options along the way. They know customers crave products they can\u2019t get anywhere else, whether it be Kwikery cookies, pothole pizzas, glazers, or roller dogs. They know fans have a strong allegiance to the brand and a competitive spirit, believing KT to the superior choice on the road. Most of all, they know they talk about their KT passion among friends in person and on social media.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><div style=\"background:#E4F3FA; padding: 20px;margin-bottom: 20px;font-style:italic;\"><strong>\n  \n<\/strong>&#8220;We do a lot of listening and community management to see what our followers are excited about when they visit a Kwik Trip. There\u2019s even a Facebook Group called the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/446778815870865\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wisconsin Kwik Trip Enthusiast Club<\/a>\u00a0created by our fans which we actively pull inspiration from,&#8221; says David Jackson, Digital Marketing and Loyalty Manager at Kwik Trip. &#8220;Our fans as a collective are infinitely more creative and humorous than us, so we\u2019re always looking for ways to amplify their voices rather than our own. This results in easier content for us and ultimately more relatable content for our fans.&#8221; <\/div>\n\n\n<p>All of this means KT can confidently post jokes and shared sentiments they know will resonate with their fans. Just look at this top performing tweet with a 3.4K total engagements and a 6.63% engagement rate by follower.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-25389 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.50.00-PM-700x212.png\" alt=\"Pithy tweet from Kwik Trip making fun of Wisconsin\" width=\"700\" height=\"212\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.50.00-PM-350x106@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.50.00-PM-300x91.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.50.00-PM-1024x311.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.50.00-PM-100x30.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.50.00-PM-350x106.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.50.00-PM-1170x356.png 1170w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.50.00-PM.png 1174w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Nice try, Chicago.<\/p>\n<p>The approach, which may seem simple and even random to an outsider, works well for the audience that truly \u201cgets\u201d KT.<\/p>\n<h3>Inspiring the audience to share<\/h3>\n<p>As evidenced in the example above, KT consistently uses a witty, deadpan tone of voice. This personifies the brand, turning the convenience store into a familiar voice that customers often agree with, respect, and seek out. By sharing relatable points of view, the audience is invited to join the conversation, resulting in fans flooding the comments section with opinions and stories of their own.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-25390 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.53.02-PM-700x793.png\" alt=\"Facebook post from Kwik Trip encouraging followers to post about dates at Kwik Trip\" width=\"700\" height=\"793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.53.02-PM-350x396@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.53.02-PM-265x300.png 265w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.53.02-PM-904x1024.png 904w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.53.02-PM-100x113.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.53.02-PM-350x396.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.53.02-PM.png 994w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>For example, this humorous post triggered nearly 700 comments and 700 shares, as well as a slew of meaningful user-generated content.<\/p>\n<p>The clever quip quickly turned nostalgic as readers shared funny and endearing stories of personal date nights past and present. By creating a space for followers to feel comfortable sharing, the brand strengthens its bond with consumers.<\/p>\n<h2>Humorous Kum &amp; Go Crushes It on Twitter<\/h2>\n<p>Overwhelmingly, we found the convenience stores with the most effective online presence use an authentic and humorous approach to social content and engagement. After all, liking or following a company, especially a convenience store, is inherently kind of odd, right? Therefore infusing content with witty humor is the best way to make a corporate presence something worth talking about. It also goes without saying that the goal of any social media effort is to capture the target audience\u2019s attention. If a brand posts great content and no one responds, something is wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Iowa-based Kum &amp; Go, another family-owned operation with 400 stores in 11 states, does not have this problem. The brand has some of the highest engagement rate by follower on Twitter in the landscape, with the average number of interactions per follower clocking in at 2.3%. Kum &amp; Go&#8217;s average engagement rate by follower is exceptionally high when compared to other brands on our list who are falling behind with a median of just 0.13%.<\/p>\n<p>With a name like Kum &amp; Go, you definitely can\u2019t take yourself too seriously. Luckily, Kum &amp; Go has established an engaging and exciting presence by using creative and sometimes crude humor to successfully get the Twitterverse\u2019s attention. Exhibit A:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-25385 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.32.18-PM-700x160.png\" alt=\"Humorous tweet from Kum and Go encouraging follows is some of the best convenience store marketing of the year\" width=\"700\" height=\"160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.32.18-PM-350x80@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.32.18-PM-300x69.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.32.18-PM-100x23.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.32.18-PM-350x80.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.32.18-PM.png 884w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s silly, it\u2019s fun, it makes people want to RT. For reference, this tweet has a 12.2% engagement rate by follower, which is approximately five times greater than their average tweet.<\/p>\n<h3>High engagement rates now create higher engagement rates later<\/h3>\n<p>Much like when a stand-up comedian interacts with audience members during the show, Kum &amp; Go applies the same philosophy to Twitter. People can either follow Kum &amp; Go as a passive spectator, or engage to truly be part of the community. Many choose to engage.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"border-no-caption aligncenter wp-image-25386 size-large-modern\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.37.17-PM-700x140.png\" alt=\"Tweet from Kum and Go encouraging followers to respond with their sign and favorite food\" width=\"700\" height=\"140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.37.17-PM-350x70@2x.png 700w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.37.17-PM-300x60.png 300w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.37.17-PM-1024x204.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.37.17-PM-100x20.png 100w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.37.17-PM-350x70.png 350w, https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Screen-Shot-2020-09-02-at-5.37.17-PM.png 1134w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Recently, Kum &amp; Go ran a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weareiowa.com\/article\/life\/heartwarming\/kum-and-go-twitter-account-social-media-following-iowa-gas-station\/524-803be0dd-5a9a-4723-8fdd-39e0ec670ab0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">campaign<\/a> asking followers to share their astrological sign and favorite food in exchange for a customized convenience store name. Kum &amp; Go actually replied to nearly every single person for ten hours straight. The significant time investment pays dividends: the more frequently they earn engagement on the \u201cfun\u201d tweets, the more likely they are to get a similar level of engagement on more traditional business messages related to corporate social responsibility, product marketing, and news announcements.<\/p>\n<h2>Convenient conclusions<\/h2>\n<p>The moral of the convenience store marketing story is: superior brand development, memorable products and service, and diehard customer loyalty directly contribute to putting top convenience stores on the map (both literally and figuratively). Those with the strongest points of differentiation, both offline and online, often attract loyal, lifetime customers; and reaching them through social media could not be more convenient.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re hungry for even more stats or are ready to start comparing your performance against these top c-stores, start a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/signup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">free 14-day trial<\/a> with Rival IQ.<\/p>\n<p>Did we miss your favorite convenience store, or do you just want to tell us what your convenience store name is? Let us know on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/rivaliq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitter<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s one thing for travelers to pop into a convenience store for gasoline, food, beverages, and restrooms. It\u2019s quite another to make the convenience store itself the main destination thanks to creative social media marketing. And yet, that\u2019s exactly what some of the country\u2019s top c-store locations have become, with &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":25372,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,54,24],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.4 (Yoast SEO v22.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Top Convenience Stores on Social Media | Rival IQ<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"We profile this year&#039;s top convenience store marketing on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter including rankings, case studies, trends, and more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/top-convenience-stores-social-media-2020\/\" 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