Through this case study, we explore how 10Fold’s innovative social media strategy significantly boosted Cequence Security’s online presence, driving an impressive 74% follower growth. Leveraging engaging initiatives such as the “#APIBites” campaign, 10Fold transformed Cequence’s social media platform, enabling them to outperform key competitors and consolidate their position as an authority in the API security industry.
A commanding social media presence is not merely a luxury; it’s an integral element of a company’s brand image and outreach strategy. Cequence Security, an industry leader in Unified API Protection, recognized the significance of an impactful social media presence. However, amidst a saturated market landscape filled with established cybersecurity brands, they faced the daunting challenge of amplifying their social media follower base to meet their goals of boosting brand visibility and foster heightened audience engagement, while effectively differentiating themselves in a competitive and often cacophonous digital arena.” Their technology, which discovers all APIs – managed and unmanaged, known and unknown, external and internal – flags API risks for remediation and detects sophisticated threats in real-time for native mitigation. Despite having a potent solution that ensures complete protection from API threats that cause data loss, theft, fraud, and business disruption, translating this into a compelling social media narrative was a challenge. This is where 10Fold, an award-winning integrated marketing and communications agency, came in. They assumed responsibility for Cequence Security’s social planning and content calendar, culminating in a 74% increase in follower growth. This is 37% more than their large-name competitors experienced in the same timeframe.
The Situation Before 10Fold’s Involvement
Before 10Fold’s involvement, Cequence Security’s social media presence was somewhat inconsistent, leading to lower than expected engagement and follower growth. Despite having valuable insights and thought leadership in the cybersecurity space, their posts were infrequent and lacked a unified brand voice. This resulted in a limited follower base that, although loyal, was not growing at the desired rate.
Comparatively, key competitors were experiencing steady, albeit slow, follower growth. The competitors’ strategies varied, but what they had in common was consistent posting schedules and a more consistent copy approach and tone. These competitors were already well-known in the cybersecurity industry, creating an even larger challenge for Cequence Security’s follower growth efforts as they needed to fight through the share of voice larger competitors maintained.
10Fold’s Strategy
10Fold recognized the need for a structured, regular, and comprehensive content calendar, one that showcased Cequence’s thought leadership, market insights, and diverse set of products and services. This multifaceted approach included sharing relevant industry news, media coverage, photos of the Cequence team at all events we attended, and sharing new Cequence owned resources paired with custom graphic content.
Our content strategy was driven by the dual motives of educating Cequence’s audience and promoting their cutting-edge solutions. We launched a successful campaign, ‘TechTuesday,’ that aimed to shed light on the teams varied product line and solutions, which include API Spyder for discovering API attack surfaces, API Sentinel for surfacing compliance violations and security risks, API Spartan for preventing automated API attacks, and a host of specialized services like API Discovery & Risk Monitoring, Threat Protection, and API Edge Protection.
Additionally, 10Fold introduced a blend of visual content and blog posts to engage the audience. We created an interactive atmosphere, routinely responding to followers’ comments, initiating polls, and offering giveaways to make followers feel valued and involved. This strategic content mix was pivotal in engaging the audience, educating them, and fostering an authentic connection with the brand.
Implementation
Implementing the strategy required a strong collaboration between 10Fold and Cequence Security. 10Fold took the lead in content creation and scheduling, with regular check-ins that ensured alignment with company announcements, goals and messaging.
One standout campaign was the “#APIBites initiative, which leveraged API security subject matter experts educating users on cybersecurity best practices while promoting Cequence’s solutions. The campaign featured a series of infographics, webinars, and Q&A sessions with Cequence’s cybersecurity experts. This campaign, alongside persistent posting and active interaction with followers, yielded a remarkable outcome, driving follower growth by an impressive 74%.
Result
After a 6-month period, Cequence Security experienced a 74% boost in their follower count with 6,250 new followers. In contrast, key competitors experienced lower growth rates: Salt Security with 3,437 (37.6% growth), and runner-ups achieving at most 2,835.
This significant leap is more than just numbers; it marks a transformation in Cequence Security’s social media footprint. They have not only amplified their digital presence but also carved out a compelling position as an authoritative player in the API security arena. The surge in followers signifies a resounding endorsement of Cequence Security’s narrative, showcasing their ability to captivate and engage a larger audience, eclipse competitor growth rates, and align more effectively with their overarching business objectives. This growth underscores Cequence Security’s rising influence, setting the stage for even bigger strides in the future.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
One key takeaway from this project is the value of a tailored, consistent social media strategy. Thoughtful planning, a mix of content types, and regular interaction with followers proved vital for increasing engagement and follower growth.
In addition, the success of the #APIBites campaign demonstrates the effectiveness of combining educational content with promotional elements. It’s recommended that Cequence Security continues to use this strategy, potentially creating similar campaigns around different aspects of unified API Protection and relevant industry topics/news (IE: MOVEit vulnerability).
As we look to the future, 10Fold is steadfast in its commitment to uphold and further augment the momentum gained by Cequence Security’s social media. Our continuing collaboration is poised to leverage the invaluable lessons learned from our successful campaigns, continually refining our strategies to ensure that Cequence Security’s social media presence remains not just robust, but also highly dynamic and engaging.
The program vision goes beyond mere follower growth; it’s about establishing and nurturing an authentic connection with an engaged, growing audience, cementing Cequence Security’s position as a thought leader in the API security industry. We are thrilled to take on this challenge, confident in our pursuit to deliver unrivaled return on their investment, and eager to explore the new opportunities the future promises. In this journey, we are not just partners; we are co-pilots, steering towards greater heights of digital success.