And to reach those customers, these e-commerce brands are relying on social media to market their shoes, build relationships, and expand their online presence.<\/p>\n
To get an idea of how these companies are performing, we analyzed the top DTC shoe brands on social media to find out what makes these footwear companies stand out.<\/p>\n
Social Media Engagement Rates for DTC Shoe Brands<\/h2>\n
So, who are the top DTC shoe brands on social media? And what are their engagement rates?<\/p>\n
We analyzed 11 of the top DTC footwear companies to see how their content is performing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. The brands include:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Atoms<\/a><\/li>\n
- Allbirds<\/a><\/li>\n
- Birdies<\/a><\/li>\n
- CARIUMA<\/a><\/li>\n
- Diverge Sneakers<\/a><\/li>\n
- GROUNDIES<\/a><\/li>\n
- KURU Footwear<\/a><\/li>\n
- Rothy\u2019s<\/a><\/li>\n
- Soludos<\/a><\/li>\n
- Vessi<\/a><\/li>\n
- Vivaia<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Here\u2019s a breakdown of their social media engagement metrics by platform, compared with the overall median across industries.<\/p>\n
Facebook<\/h3>\n
When it comes to Facebook, DTC shoe brands are performing well compared to other industries. According to our 2022 Social Media Industry Benchmark Report<\/a>, the overall median engagement rate across industries is 0.064%.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the DTC shoe brands on our list have a median engagement rate of 0.11% on Facebook.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Median engagement rate:<\/b> 0.11%<\/li>\n
- Median posting frequency:<\/b> 4.32x per week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Instagram<\/h3>\n
The shoe brands we took a look at have a median engagement rate of 0.27% on Instagram which is lower than the overall median rate of 0.67%, but that\u2019s not to say that the top performers aren\u2019t seeing much higher rates.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Median engagement rate:<\/b> \u00a0<\/b>0.27%<\/li>\n
- Median posting frequency:<\/b> 5.76x per week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Twitter<\/h3>\n
DTC shoe brands are performing much better on Twitter when compared with other industries. The overall median engagement rate on Twitter<\/a> across industries is 0.037% while the median rate for DTC shoe brands is 2.26%.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Median engagement rate:<\/b>\u00a0 2.26%<\/li>\n
- Median posting frequency:<\/b> 2.76x per week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
TikTok<\/h3>\n
Since TikTok analytics are now live in Rival IQ<\/a>, we can see how DTC shoe brands are performing on the newer platform (though we don\u2019t yet have TikTok benchmarks to compare with other industries). The median engagement rate for the top shoe brands is 1.86%.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Median engagement rate:<\/b>\u00a0 1.86%<\/li>\n
- Median posting frequency:<\/b> 0.40x per week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
To get a better idea of what types of content and engagement strategies tend to work well on each platform, let\u2019s take a look at the DTC shoe brands that stand out on the main DTC channels Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.<\/p>\n
Top DTC Shoe Brand on Facebook<\/h2>\n
Vivaia<\/h3>\n
Though it was only founded in 2020, sustainable shoe brand Vivaia<\/a> has already amassed a major following of nearly 800K across all social media platforms combined. In addition to the immense growth achieved in such a short period of time, the brand has also outshined the competition on Facebook<\/a> as it had the most engaging post of all the DTC shoe brands we analyzed.<\/p>\n
Vivaia\u2019s top-performing post received an engagement rate of 6.56%, which is a whopping 60x higher than the median engagement rate for DTC shoe brands on Facebook.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Vivaia-Facebook-700x488.png\")
<\/p>\nAs social media professionals know, Facebook is a pay-to-play space. And judging by the engagement totals on this post, there\u2019s a good chance the engagement rate was so high because this post was likely boosted.<\/p>\n
As organic engagement continues to decline, marketers must lean into what works \u2014 and right now, that\u2019s paid engagement. Vivaia demonstrates how boosting posts may be the key to reaching new customers<\/a> on Facebook, especially when the content is relevant to your brand.<\/p>\n
Top DTC Shoe Brands on Instagram<\/h2>\n
Atoms<\/h3>\n
DTC shoe brand Atoms<\/a> stands out on Instagram for its thoughtful approach that has resulted in highly engaging posts. Atoms\u2019 Instagram<\/a> strategy is one that\u2019s clearly rooted in forming connections with its audience that go beyond the surface level.<\/p>\n
If you take a look at the brand\u2019s top-performing posts you may notice something interesting: none of them feature shoes.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Atoms-Top-Instagram-Posts-700x220.png\")
<\/p>\nIn fact, three of the brand\u2019s top posts feature the co-founders of Atoms \u2014 which makes sense when you consider how much consumers appreciate seeing the people behind a brand, especially the founders. According to research from Sprout Social, 70% of consumers feel more connected to a brand<\/a> when the CEO is active on social media.<\/p>\n
When we take a closer look at one of Atoms\u2019 top posts, we can see that the post below \u2014 an image of co-founder Sidra Qasim \u2014 received an engagement rate of 4.31%, which is 16x higher than the median engagement rate for DTC shoe brands on Instagram.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Atoms-Shoes-Instagram-700x447.png\")
<\/p>\nStorytelling is one of the leading characteristics of successful DTC brands<\/a>, and Atoms\u2019 engaging Instagram posts are proof of that.<\/p>\n
When you consistently tell your brand\u2019s story and showcase the people behind the scenes, you give meaning to the product which helps your audience form a stronger connection to the company.<\/p>\n
Birdies<\/h3>\n
It\u2019s worth mentioning that aside from Atoms, the other top-performing shoe brands on Instagram, which include Vessi, CARIUMA, and Birdies, received the most engagement on their posts when they ran giveaways.<\/p>\n
Giveaways are a tried and true method for boosting engagement across all industries, but they are particularly popular among DTC shoe brands on Instagram. After all, who doesn\u2019t love a good pair of (free) shoes?<\/p>\n
This giveaway post from Birdies<\/a> earned the shoe brand an engagement rate of 1.03%, which is 4x higher than the median rate for the shoe brands we analyzed.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Birdies-Shoes-Instagram-700x716.png\")
<\/p>\nBirdies<\/a> takes its giveaway up a notch with a holiday-themed giveaway for Galentine\u2019s Day and sweetens the prize by partnering with a complementary jewelry brand. It\u2019s safe to assume that the two brands have similar customers, so it makes sense to collaborate on a giveaway to gain exposure to each other\u2019s Instagram audiences and achieve a growth in followers.<\/p>\n
Even though Instagram giveaways are naturally engaging, it\u2019s always a good idea to brainstorm creative ways to make your giveaway even more enticing to followers.<\/p>\n
Maybe you partner with a group of brands for one massive prize, or perhaps you can run your giveaway around a holiday when everyone is shopping for gifts. If putting a little more effort into your giveaways results in even greater engagement, then it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n
Top DTC Shoe Brand on TikTok<\/h2>\n
Vessi<\/h3>\n
Vessi<\/a> is by far the top-performing DTC shoe brand on TikTok. Of the brands from our list, Vessi is one of only five shoe brands on the platform. While marketers may still be on the fence about whether or not joining TikTok is the right move for their brand, Vessi is a prime example of how to successfully leverage the platform before the competition.<\/p>\n
With 162K followers, a 3.05% median engagement rate, and over three million total video views so far this year, Vessi\u2019s TikTok<\/a> showcases a mix of content types including humor posts using trending filters and sounds, brand partnerships with creators, and behind the scenes videos with team members.<\/p>\n
Vessi also leans heavily into its main differentiator, waterproof shoes, and regularly posts content around the tagline \u201cno more wet socks.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Vessi-TikTok-700x408.png\")
<\/p>\nLong story short, the shoe brand isn\u2019t afraid to experiment and have a little fun, which is a marketing strategy that proves to work well for many brands and creators on TikTok<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Since TikTok is still relatively new to the social media landscape, there\u2019s still plenty of opportunity for brands to carve out a space and play around with content that users want to see \u2014 especially if the competition isn\u2019t active on the platform yet.<\/p>\n
Top DTC Shoe Brands on Twitter<\/h2>\n
Atoms<\/h3>\n
Atoms<\/a> once again takes the lead as one of the top-performing DTC shoe brands on Twitter. One of the brand\u2019s top tweets is a conversation starter meant to prompt engagement from its followers, and it clearly resonated.<\/p>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Atoms-Shoes-Twitter-700x205.png\")
<\/p>\nThis tweet is a perfect example of how to create content that encourages your audience to participate and feel involved with the brand.<\/p>\n
Atoms\u2019 tweet asks a simple question, but it works \u2014 especially on a conversational platform like Twitter. The shoe brand spoke directly to its customers, and judging by the number of replies, the customers spoke back.<\/p>\n
Starting conversations with followers will always be one of the best ways to engage with your audience on Twitter<\/a>, and marketers should take note of how Atoms crafts its engaging strategy.<\/p>\n
Allbirds<\/h3>\n
Longtime DTC shoe brand Allbirds<\/a> is another brand that performs well on Twitter.<\/p>\n
- Median posting frequency:<\/b> 0.40x per week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Median posting frequency:<\/b> 2.76x per week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Median posting frequency:<\/b> 5.76x per week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Median posting frequency:<\/b> 4.32x per week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Allbirds<\/a><\/li>\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Allbirds-Twitter-700x500.png\")
<\/p>\n