CB2 Crafts a Shopping Experience Led by Editorial, UGC and Creators

CB2’s Opportunity

CB2, part of the Crate & Barrel family of brands, has a goal of growing its social media footprint and energizing its community. In an industry brimming with competitors vying for attention on social platforms, CB2 recognizes the necessity of distinguishing itself. To achieve this, the brand turned its attention to short-form video and user-generated content (UGC), which it identified as high engagement drivers using the Dash Hudson platform.

CB2 injects authenticity and fresh perspectives into its brand imagery by harnessing the power of content creators. This authentic approach to home industry content, especially on fast-paced platforms like TikTok, allows CB2 to not only take part in the competitive home decor industry but also to stand out. The brand’s commitment to evolving its strategy — aligning with campaign objectives and the ever-changing preferences of its audience — underscores its dedication to making a mark with audiences and building a community of home inspiration.

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How CB2 Uses Social Media To Drive Sales

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"My favorite feature is requesting rights for UGC. It’s really seamless and easy. When it gets approved, I get an email, and the content goes into a folder. Then I can just look at the folder with everything that’s been approved, and select posts from there, which is amazing."

Sara Tesser,
Marketing Specialist at CB2

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CB2 has shifted toward a more dynamic and engaging content strategy, primarily through TikTok and Instagram Reels. Though these formats do not come naturally to the product-centric home industry, CB2 leads by example with beautiful showcases, Q&As and lifestyle content from creators. With a goal to publish at least three Reels per week, CB2 stays at the forefront of digital engagement.

By implementing Dash Hudson’s link-in-bio feature, LikeShop, CB2 effectively connects social media content to its website, bridging the gap between inspiration and purchase. CB2’s strategic use of content across various formats has not only heightened brand awareness but also directly influenced conversions. In 2023, CB2 witnessed a remarkable +54.8% increase in Instagram LikeShop clicks, a testament to the efficacy of its adapted content strategy and its impact on sales.

When it comes to inspiration, Pinterest is the defining platform for shoppers, and CB2 has seen substantial growth on the channel. Saves on the platform jumped by +40.5%, revealing a higher level of user interaction and interest in revisiting CB2’s home aesthetics. Most impressively, outbound clicks from Pinterest increased by +51%, demonstrating a substantial boost in driving traffic to CB2’s website.

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The Role of Insights in Effective Content Strategy

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We have a Dashboard that we use for our monthly reporting meeting. It’s nice to go in there and see the data it’s collected each month, and not have to search around for anything. Dash Hudson’s reporting is probably the biggest time saver.

Sara Tesser,
Marketing Specialist at CB2

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CB2 harmoniously blends creativity with data. Monthly analyses of performance metrics within the Dash Hudson platform enable CB2 to refine its video production strategy effectively. This methodical examination helps the brand to prioritize content pillars that have historically engaged its audience best. By leveraging insights to guide its content creation, CB2 ensures that its efforts are not just creative but also strategically aligned with audience preferences, enhancing the impact and reach of its social media presence.

Informed by a nuanced understanding of its platforms’ unique characteristics, the brand has developed a tailored content strategy. CB2 adapts its approach to fit each platform’s distinct audience expectations, focusing on authenticity and inspiration on Instagram while embracing more social-first and experimental content on TikTok. This thoughtful differentiation extends into its e-commerce strategy, where the use of tools, such as LikeShop, facilitates a seamless transition from social engagement to website visits. CB2’s commitment to insights extends to content reporting, where the brand sorts through content based on effectiveness.

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CB2 Connects With Audiences Using Creators and Vision AI

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"We are very intentional about the creators that we work with. These creators seamlessly represent our brand ethos, we look at them as a personality that represents our brand positioning. We like to work with partners whose brand really resonate with our community, and we use creator content on multiple channels, like email and web pages. One time we worked with a creator on a Reel that became our top-performing Reel, and we later reposted it, and it became our top 2 performing Reels. It confirmed that its success wasn’t just a fluke, and people really liked it."

Sara Tesser,
Marketing Specialist at CB2

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A deep investment in UGC, a key driver of audience engagement in the home decor sector, lies at the heart of CB2’s strategy. Previously a challenge to source, UGC has become a core component of the brand’s strategy. This approach not only aligns with home decor shoppers’ preferences to see products in genuine living spaces but also leverages the authenticity and expert-level content provided by designers, who mix and match products from other brands.

CB2, in addition to partnering with creators on long-tail series of content, places priority on those who fit the brand’s community and nurtures those relationships, making them more intentional and long-term than typical influencer marketing and sponsorships. Using Dash Hudson’s proprietary performance prediction feature, Vision AI, CB2 efficiently curates a diverse and resonant content mix featuring UGC and creator partnerships that truly embody the brand.

By managing UGC rights and providing detailed performance reports, Dash Hudson’s features not only make CB2’s work more efficient but also provide valuable insights that influence important strategic changes. Emphasizing lo-fi videos and increasing the output of Instagram Reels, based on these insights, has notably boosted the effectiveness of CB2’s content. The platform’s intuitive design and the support provided by Dash Hudson’s customer success team have played a pivotal role in enabling CB2 to refine its social strategies and enhance the effectiveness of its content.