Let's Get Ready to "Crumbl" on LinkedIn

If you are not an old-school wrestling fan, you may not know you should sing/yell that title out loud, but I digress. LinkedIn, often touted as the premier professional networking platform, plays a pivotal role in a company's ability to connect with professionals, potential franchisees, and an entirely different demographic than the other social media outlets I've discussed previously - Twitter and Instagram. Let's dive into the batter bowl of insights and recommendations for Crumbl Cookie's LinkedIn journey.

Profile Overview

Crumbl Cookies' LinkedIn profile, akin to their mouthwatering desserts, boasts an array of features that deserve attention. You can check out the website HERE.

• Follower Count: With a following of 388,020, Crumbl has carved out a significant presence on LinkedIn, demonstrating its wide-reaching appeal.

• Industry Classification: Their categorization as "Food and Beverage Services" accurately encapsulates their offerings of cookies, water, and milk.

• Visual Branding: Staying consistent with its branding, Crumbl replicates its iconic black and white logo and showcases its irresistible cookies against a Crumbl Pink backdrop as profile visuals. This visual continuity is instrumental in reinforcing brand identity.

• Contact Information: Like in the other profiles featured in previous blog posts, Crumbl's profile includes a direct link to their website's homepage. Furthermore, they've optimized their profile by providing complete home office and flagship store addresses rather than solely listing city and state.

• Hashtags and Keywords: Crumbl utilizes two prominent hashtags - #CrumblCookies and #TasteWeekly - which effectively categorize their content. Additionally, their listed specialties include many keywords that enhance profile discoverability.

• Impressive Employee Growth: Crumbl's LinkedIn profile showcases an astounding 162% growth in employee count over a mere two-year span. This statistic serves as a testament to their rapid expansion within the dessert industry.

• Job Listings: While Crumbl actively posts in-store job listings on LinkedIn, it's intriguing to note that they don't currently list corporate roles. However, a quick search on the job platform Indeed showed me two available corporate jobs.

• Content Strategy: Crumbl's LinkedIn content strategy diverges from its more casual and consumer-oriented platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. On LinkedIn, the focus tilts towards professionalism and the attraction of potential franchisees.

Most and Least Engaging Posts

Let's indulge in Crumbl Cookie's most and least engaging LinkedIn posts before we dive into my recommendations.

Most Engaging Post: A Heartwarming Tale

A heartwarming post featuring the brand's very first customer,

displaying significant engagement. Such stories humanize the brand

and make it relatable. The engagement numbers reflect just how effective this post was.

• 1,097 likes

• 177 loves

• 66 celebrations

• 9 supports

• 51 comments

• 7 reposts

Least Engaging Post: Celebrating Summer Culture

A post celebrating the company's summer work culture garnered lower engagement. To elevate its appeal, Crumbl may consider using bullet points or emojis to help alleviate the wordiness. Furthermore, the pictures may have been better well-received if they were all captured in the same frame rather than having to forward through seven total.

• 50 likes

• 30 loves

• 3 celebrations

• 1 support

• 2 comments (Crumbl employee/Crumbl response)

• 1 repost

LinkedIn Best Practices

Let's shine a light on what Crumbl is doing right (besides those cookies, one of which I may have demolished on my own this week!). Here's a comprehensive snapshot of Crumbl's LinkedIn strengths and the areas that warrant improvement:

Strengths:

1. Impressive Follower Count: With over 388,000 followers, Crumbl has built a decent-sized LinkedIn audience.

2. Visual Consistency: Their familiar branding elements maintain a strong visual identity.

Weaknesses:

1. Inconsistent Posting: A more regular posting schedule can help keep the audience engaged.

2. Limited Engagement: Engaging with positive and negative comments can create a more dynamic LinkedIn presence.

Recommendation 1: Consistency is Key

Even though Crumbl's primary target audience may not be on LinkedIn, maintaining a consistent posting schedule is imperative for keeping their profile active and relevant. Sometimes, there were days between posts, weeks, or even a month. Find something suitable to post at least twice a week. Be bold about utilizing the visuals and videos from Instagram.

Recommendation 2: Humanize the Brand with Employee Stories

Sharing employee stories and experiences can humanize the brand and appeal to potential recruits who value a positive work culture. Focus more on the individual store work culture than the home office work culture, or have a healthy mix of the two. I think that Crumbl is using LinkedIn to get investors excited about franchising - show them that this will be profitable and rewarding for everyone involved.

Recommendation 3: Active Engagement

Dedicating resources to respond to comments and facilitate discussions can foster a sense of community among followers and potential franchisees.

Recommendation 4: Encourage User-Generated Content

Prompting followers to share their experiences or thoughts about Crumbl can create a more interactive and engaging environment. Utilize the poll feature more LinkedIn offers.

So Sweet, I Can Almost Taste It

Crumbl Cookies has built a decent foundation on LinkedIn but has the potential to harness it even further. By enhancing consistency, actively engaging with their audience, and using employee stories and franchisee experiences to narrate their journey, Crumbl can transform their LinkedIn page into a hub for professionals, potential recruits, and cookie enthusiasts alike. Every social media platform, regardless of its audience size, offers unique opportunities for brand engagement and growth.