Social strategy example: the IKEA post that immediately went viral

in this image the IKEA post that went viral on Facebook because only 6 letters "hhsdjh" had been posted

Typing error or example social strategy(s)?

Let’s talk about hhsdjh, the IKEA post that punctured Facebook.

Reading time: 4 minutes

Last Friday, February 8, at 6:34 p.m., a strange post appeared on the Swedish giant IKEA’s Facebook Page: hhsdjh.

Six letters, apparently typed at random (or maybe not), that literally made the rounds of the web in a few hours.

Within about 4 hours of its publication, the “offending” post had garnered more than 5,000 likes and reactions, nearly 1,300 comments and 1,500 shares.

At the time of writing this article, five days later, the bizarre post has reached even greater numbers:

23,934 likes and reactions
4,065 comments
11,432 shares

In short, the six letters that any social media manager would want to write.

Hard to say, although IKEA has ridden the crest of the wave very well by emphasizing the achievements of the post hhsdjh.

IKEA really seems to have written these letters on purpose: to try to “break” Facebook and its algorithm.

It also showed that, after all, organic reach is not as dead as everyone thinks.

In short, from this post, the Swedish giant hints that maybe it wasn ‘t really a mistake or maybe it was.

Or the marketing and communications department was very good at disguising it as a genius stunt.

Six letters that cracked the algorithm, with a reach that would give any sponsored ad a white hair.

But how did hhsdjh IKEA achieve this success?

Because the post immediately sparked the imagination and curiosity of people who started commenting in droves.
More comments and more reaction means more visibility in the feed, thus excellent chances of virality (as it happened).

Some people thought that hhsdjh was the name of an upcoming piece of furniture (and those who politely said it was more pronounceable than those already in stores).
Those who thought of a bad shot by the former social media manager still in possession of the password (and it wouldn’t be the first time something like that has happened).
Those who joked, asking, “but do we have to edit the word?”

The comments, in fact, were the most fun part.
So much so that someone thought of an influencing campaign in collaboration with the well-known Facebook Page “Memorable Comments.”.

Others who blamed it on Friday night spritz or their young son taking his smartphone to play games.
Below are some of the best comments:

Comments on the post published on IKEA's Facebook page.

Bravado or not, this was a truly historic post that reached thousands and thousands of users without basically saying anything.

What can we learn from the IKEA post?

Hhsdjh teaches us that users also, and most importantly, need levity when they are on social networks.

When you create the editorial calendar for your business channels, don’t be too congealed or set up.
Speak the language of your users, make them curious, give them something to talk about…
Kind of like IKEA did, regardless of whether it was a social experiment(e) strategy or trivial happenstance.

PS: it is not valid to come out tomorrow with a post that reads jijoqwohuoiru 🙂

Want to learn more about corporate social management? Don’t miss these articles:

Social strategy example: ‘hhsdjh’ the 6 letters IKEA went viral

But was it a (lucky) mistake by the social media team or an example of genius social strategy?

But how did hhsdjh IKEA achieve this success?

What can we learn from the IKEA post?