In 2009, Zappos used Facebook and Twitter less as places to push products than as windows into the company and ways to talk with customers. Its approach grew from employees’ own Twitter use and put everyday culture, personal interaction and responsiveness at the center. The figures and practices below describe the period covered by Computerworld’s October 19, 2009 report—not Zappos today.
How did Zappos use social media?
Zappos, then an online retailer of shoes and other apparel, used Facebook and Twitter to engage existing and potential customers. Aaron Magness, the company’s director of new business development at the time, summed up the goal: “It really is about who we are as a company rather than what we sell.”
That distinction shaped the channels’ roles: instead of relying on product pitches, the company shared glimpses of its people and workplace and made room for conversation. Social media was presented as a way for customers to encounter the company’s personality, not just its merchandise.
How employee participation shaped the approach
According to Computerworld’s 2009 account, Zappos’s Twitter activity began organically: employees tweeted with one another about everyday activities, and the company later encouraged wider participation. At the time, nearly 500 of roughly 1,400 employees tweeted regularly. Those are figures reported for 2009, not current employee or account totals.
#1 Best Overall
The company also had a dedicated webpage aggregating public Twitter mentions of Zappos. That made public conversation easier to follow, while employee participation gave the company’s presence a more personal voice than a stream of official promotions alone.
What appeared on Zappos’s Facebook page?
The company’s Facebook page featured employee and company photos and videos, including scenes from picnics and office life, along with humor and motivational messages. Magness said there was no formal posting policy specifying who could post or what employees could say; the company relied on common sense.
Magness described the intended effect as letting customers see the company’s culture and decide whether it felt relatable. In his words, the approach could “break[] down the barriers of consumer vs. company” and make a purchase feel more like buying from a friend. This was the company’s explanation of its approach, not evidence that every customer experienced the relationship that way.
What the 2009 audience figures do—and do not—show
Computerworld reported nearly 1.3 million Twitter followers for CEO Tony Hsieh and almost 21,000 fans of Zappos’s official Facebook page. These are historical audience figures from 2009. They should not be read as present-day counts or as evidence, by themselves, of sales, loyalty or business impact.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsDid social media improve loyalty or customer service?
Magness said the informal, transparent approach helped build customer loyalty and that social media let Zappos spot and respond to customer issues faster. Those statements reflect the company representative’s assessment. The article gives no controlled study, quantified return on investment or independent causal evidence establishing that social media produced those outcomes.
Paul Gillin, a social media consultant quoted in the article, emphasized that these platforms were not meant to be one-way communication vehicles: “The unifying fact of social media is that there is a response mechanism involved.” That observation helps explain the strategy’s emphasis on dialogue, but it is not a measurement of Zappos’s results.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the case illustrates
The 2009 example is useful as a case study in how a company can use social channels for more than promotion: show people and workplace culture, let employees contribute, and make conversation possible. It does not establish that this approach will produce the same results for another business, or that Zappos still follows the same practices. The Computerworld report covers Facebook and Twitter as they were used at that time; it does not verify the company’s current platforms, audience sizes or posting policies.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
