Recently the chairman of the Indian conglomerate Mahindra Group – Anand Mahindra, tweeted this –
Since both my son in law and grandson are Spanish speakers, I have been working hard on acquiring that skill—mainly through Duolingo, online. This explains beautifully why it’s not easy… pic.twitter.com/bc3XLHcMWT
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) July 11, 2023
It is true; if you are a million or a Gen Z who wishes to learn a new language, Duolingo will be the first application that you will try.
But the outburst of success of Duolingo is not just because of a couple of successful marketing campaigns. Every minute and intricate detail you see on the app and their social media handles are carefully crafted to be educational or pleasing to the human eyes, sometimes both.
They aim to make their brand name a ‘verb’ (Just like ‘google it’), one of the most prosperous homages the English language can pay to a successful brand.
A multi-lingual person is known to have a higher IQ or is considered more intelligent than a monolingual individual. Hence, around 1.2 billion people are studying a new language – a huge market. And Duolingo has been the one authentic brand with a freemium model that comes to mind when you even think about learning a new language.
Let’s unravel the secrets of the marketing side of Duolingo’s success- how a product can be the first choice of any student and what we can learn from that.
Duolingo - A brief introduction
As you might have guessed by now, Duolingo is a free language app that has done wonders for its investors in recent years. The company had over 67 million monthly active users and generated over $369.7 million in revenue in 2022. Around 4.2 M (2022) are paying for the premium version from this staggering user base.
The key to Duolingo’s success has been its innovative marketing strategies. This is not just a creation of the marketing genius of one campaign team or their manager; it is a cumulative effort of the whole company.
Hence every minute detail of the app, every digital footprint they leave on the World Wide Web, is either marketable or just pleasing to the human eye.
The company has been able to achieve a high ROI on its marketing budget by using various strategies.
E.g.
Social media:
Duolingo has a massive following on social media(Over a million on Instagram alone!) ; thus a considerable community with millions of participants.
The company uses social media not just to share educational content; their handles are filled with memes and much more. These make the Duolingo experience a cumulative one for virtually anyone and everyone.
Digital advertising:
Duolingo invests heavily in digital advertising to target users interested in language learning. The company uses various types of advertising, including display ads, live ads, and video ads. But all these modes of advertisements are conventional. What’s interesting is their brand tie-ups and the team’s brand preference. But I would like to know more about that later.
Word of mouth:
Word of mouth has one of the best conversion rates. A product is considered good quality if and when more and more people recommend it to their peers. Duolingo is highly recommendable by most of its users.
Many such factors contributed to the increased revenue of the company. Duolingo has a very targeted marketing strategy, and the ads are shown to a select group of people, ensuring high engagement. Such a strategy also provides that every $ put in is churned out to higher conversion rates.
Duolingo’s social media posts are shared almost a thousand times, and its ads have a high click-through rate. These links help drive traffic to Duolingo’s website and app, eventually leading more users to sign up for the service.
Finally, Duolingo’s marketing campaigns are very creative. The company’s ads are often funny or heartfelt, helping to be memorable and effective. Duolingo’s social media posts are also often amusing or insightful, helping to connect with users. Overall, Duolingo’s marketing strategies have been very successful this year.
Gamification of learning
Online learning was minimal before Web 2.0, which enabled us to a new approach, making learning fun. Applications like Duolingo were the first to spot and monetize this opportunity.
What is the biggest problem with applications like Duolingo that deliver education for free? Users do not continue their lessons. This may not be a monetization problem. Still, it raises a question of what value a product contributes if most users do not wish to continue after a week or so.
To solve this problem, Duolingo’s gamification makes language learning fun and engaging. Users earn points, badges, and streaks for completing lessons, which helps to keep them motivated.
The company’s gamification features are based on the following principles:
Progress tracking:
As a user, you can track your progress in the app. It is an excellent way to keep yourself motivated and share it with your peers as a badge of honor.
Challenges and rewards:
Challenges are a part of the Duolingo learning experience. It is completing them earns badges, points up the scoreboard, and streaks.
Many like to flaunt their streaks on social media. Think of these streaks as Snapchat’s, but you learn something instead of sending your friends pictures of your daily whereabouts.
Social competition:
What can accelerate a building process? You have gym bros in the gym to make the workout a little more competitive and intense.
You can challenge your friends in Duolingo lessons. This helps create a sense of community and competition, motivating some users.
The exceptionally intuitive UI of the Duolingo app and the gamification add-ons help users stay engaged and motivated to complete the lesson.
This is very important because they did not just make and market a product well; they are trying their best so that the users will make the most significant difference in an individual’s journey.
Duolingo’s use of a game-based learning process is critical to the app’s success.
It is a good lesson for any upcoming ed-tech; it is not just about marketing a product right but also about making a product that can make a difference in someone’s life. Because the right product will consistently market itself.
Some advantages of gamifying your edtech experience include the following:
- Increased student engagement
- Enhanced motivation
- Active learning and problem-solving skills
- Collaboration and social interaction
- Long-term retention and application of knowledge
- Positive learning environment.
Overall, gamification can be a powerful tool for improving language learning effectiveness.
By incorporating gamification elements into their learning programs, language learners can increase motivation, engagement, and overall learning outcomes.
A mascot that will kidnap you if you do not complete your lessons
If you are looking for a good laugh or two, go to Duolingo’s Instagram handle; the page is filled with Duolingo’s mascot ‘Duo’ threatening people to kidnap them if they do not complete their routine lessons.
It also rewards you if you complete the lessons hoping on to new trends with a little twist of their own. The most commendable thing about Duolingo is that the violent green owl can manipulate you into taking your lessons.
Here are some examples of the memes and jokes that Duolingo’s TikTok and Instagram accounts post:
- Duo kidnapping people’s pets since they didn’t complete their lessons
- Duo dissing a mushroom plushie brand which made fun of Duo
- Duo reminding Dua Lipa to complete her lessons
Duolingo’s use of memes and jokes on TikTok and Twitter is a great way to connect with users personally and make language learning more fun and engaging.
Our violent owl, who is also a hit with the women, by the way, is also a grammar nazi and picks on fights with other mascots. Duo also has a celebrity crush, Dua Lipa, so much so that the bird proposed to her last year.
It gives the mascot a wholesome and inviting persona, hence the brand.
The company’s content is funny, relatable, and informative, which has helped to reach a broad audience.
Guilt marketing
Guilt marketing is a type of marketing that uses guilt to motivate people to take action. This can be done by making people feel like they are letting someone down or wasting their time or money.
every time i get bad news i subconsciously wonder if it's guerilla marketing to try and guilt me into doing duolingo. maybe you wouldn't have gotten laid off if you had maintained your streak in spanish 🔫
— sleve mcdichael (@charlie_revival) January 1, 2021
1. Streaks and reminders:
- Duolingo uses a “streak” feature, which tracks the number of consecutive days a user has completed a lesson.
- Users are encouraged to maintain their streaks by practicing every day.
- Duolingo sends reminder notifications or emails if a user misses a day to motivate them to return and continue their streak.
- These reminders can create a sense of guilt or obligation if a user is tempted to break their streak.
2. Loss aversion:
- Duolingo employs loss aversion by framing the potential loss of progress or streak as a negative outcome.
- Users may feel a sense of guilt or disappointment if they lose their streak or fail to maintain consistent progress.
- This emotional response can drive them to continue using the platform to avoid perceived loss.
3. Social pressure:
- Duolingo incorporates a social component by allowing users to connect with friends, compare progress, and compete on leaderboards.
- This creates a sense of social accountability and peer pressure, as users may feel guilty or left behind if their friends are progressing while they are not.
- This can motivate users to continue using the platform to stay on par with their peers.
4. Achievements and rewards:
- Duolingo offers virtual achievements and rewards for reaching milestones or completing specific learning tasks.
- Users may feel a sense of guilt or regret if they miss out on these achievements or rewards.
- This can incentivize them to continue using the platform and maintain their learning habit to unlock these benefits.
While guilt marketing can effectively drive user engagement and maintain consistent usage, it’s crucial to balance it with positive reinforcement and a supportive learning environment. Some users may find the guilt-inducing tactics discouraging or manipulative. Therefore, it’s crucial for Duolingo and other platforms to ensure that guilt marketing techniques are implemented ethically and with the users’ best interests in mind.
Monetizing the ‘nerd is the new cool’ movement.
Geeks are the cool kids; stuff that was once frowned upon, like anime and comics, is considered a good source of entertainment and knowledge. Sitcoms like The Big Bang Theory have made these things mainstream, and Star Trek is one of the many shows now famous again.
What does Duolingo do to monetize this? It unveils a new program where users can learn Klingon for free! Duolingo has more than 300K learners of Klingon. This was a genius move by Duolingo. Or in Klingon, you would say, “This was a wigh vih by Duolingo‘.
Interestingly, they also teach Navajo and High Valyrian.
The rise of popularity in K-pop and K-dramas shed light on Korean culture, and many want to learn the language of the land. The same goes for anime.
It’s quite an interesting but successful move, especially when such a massive number of people are subscribing to their classes.
Different Ethnic Characters for Different Languages
In its efforts to create an inclusive and diverse learning environment, Duolingo has introduced a range of characters with diverse ethnic backgrounds. These characters bring representation and cultural diversity to the platform, enhancing the learning experience for users. Let’s take a closer look at some of these characters:
1. Bea:
Bea is one of Duolingo’s most recognizable characters. She underwent a makeover in 2021 to reflect an authentic style that suits the community she represents. Bea is a queer character and adds to the platform’s representation of the LGBTQ+ community.
Lin:
Lin is another queer character on Duolingo. She is described as laid-back and easygoing. Lin is also the granddaughter of Lucy, another character on the platform. Her presence contributes to the representation of different sexual orientations and family dynamics.
- Oscar: Oscar is an art teacher on Duolingo and is also a queer character. He adds to the platform’s representation of LGBTQ+ individuals and showcases diverse professional roles.
- Vikram: Vikram is portrayed as a friendly and cheerful character. His representation contributes to the diversity of ethnic backgrounds in Duolingo.
- Zari: Zari is an outgoing character who excels in various aspects of life. Her presence on Duolingo showcases a different cultural perspective and adds to the representation of diverse personalities and achievements.
These characters play active roles in learning lessons, stories, and challenges. They offer users the opportunity to engage with characters from different ethnic backgrounds and identities, fostering a sense of inclusivity and cultural understanding.
Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is another effective move from the book of digital marketing. Almost every brand, big or small, with an online presence, does influencer marketing.
But the influencers Duolingo chooses to market their brand with are quite interesting. You got celebrities and entrepreneurs praising Duolingo, but the paid promotions include wholesome members that add to the whole vibe of Duolingo’s social presence. Our mascot Duo also goes to exciting social events and has fun.
Influencer marketing has been a pivotal part of increasing Duolingo’s reach. More reach means more people knowing and understanding Duolingo’s mission and critical features.
This will eventually attract new users. Influencer marketing is one of the biggest reasons Duolingo is the go-to app for learning a new language.
Influencer marketing has several advantages; if they fit your brand’s image. Some of them would be:
- Increased Reach and Exposure
- Trust and Credibility (especially for a new brand)
- Targeted Marketing ( to a specific niche of the audience)
- Authenticity and Relatability
- Social Proof and Recommendations
Overall, influencer marketing has been a valuable tool for Duolingo. Duolingo has reached a wider audience by partnering with popular influencers, building trust, driving engagement, and measuring results. This has helped Duolingo to become one of the most popular language-learning apps in the world.
Microlearning and freemium model
Duolingo’s freemium model and microlearning are two key factors contributing to the platform’s success in language learning.
The freemium model allows users to access the basic features of Duolingo for free while offering a premium subscription with additional benefits such as learning more languages, ad removal, and unlimited hearts. This model makes language learning accessible to a broader audience by providing a free entry point.
Conversely, microlearning is a learning approach that breaks lessons into small, manageable chunks. Duolingo’s lessons are designed to be short and easy to digest, typically lasting 5-10 minutes. This format enables learners to fit language learning into their busy schedules and stay engaged in the learning process.
The combination of the freemium model and microlearning provides several benefits for Duolingo users:
1. Accessibility:
- The freemium model allows individuals who may not have the means to invest in traditional language learning programs to access quality language education for free.
2. Engagement:
- Microlearning’s bite-sized lessons promote better engagement as learners can easily incorporate short learning sessions into their daily routines.
- The more concise lesson format helps learners stay focused and motivated to progress consistently.
3. Effectiveness:
- Duolingo’s lessons are thoughtfully designed to help learners achieve their language learning goals.
- The regular practice and feedback provided by the platform’s microlearning approach contribute to effective skill development and progress tracking.
4. Flexibility:
- Microlearning is an effective tool that can help users decide their own schedules.
- As I mentioned above, Duolingo asks its users how much time they are willing to dedicate per day.
- Plus, there is no fixed schedule; users can complete the course whenever they have a few minutes, customizing it to suit their individual needs and preferences.
5. Motivation:
- Duolingo’s freemium model introduces in-game features such as achievements, levels, and streaks, which increase motivation and create a sense of accomplishment that rewards users by tracking their progress.
- It enhances a positive learning experience.
6. Continuous learning:
- Microlearning supports consistent and ongoing learning habits.
- By dividing the lessons into smaller sections, Duolingo encourages users to participate regularly in the app, strengthens language skills, and encourages long-term retention.
7. Community and social interaction:
- Duolingo’s platform allows users to connect with friends, compete on leaderboards, and participate in language challenges.
- This social aspect creates a sense of community, encourages collaboration, and enriches the overall learning experience.
Duolingo’s freemium model and microlearning approach provide accessibility, engagement, effectiveness, flexibility, motivation, continuous learning, and community interaction. These features have contributed to Duolingo’s popularity and effectiveness as a language-learning platform.
Partnerships with several brands
Duolingo has partnered with several brands to promote language learning. These partnerships have helped Duolingo to reach a wider audience and to build brand awareness.
On social media, Duolingo is known to partner with other brands to make content. It has partnered with several brands, including Netflix, Starbucks, and Spotify.
Duolingo has also been known for partnering with brands like Uber. Users in select cities had the option to learn a language using their Uber trips.
This collaboration provides an opportunity for users to make productive use of their travel time while improving their language skills.
Duolingo’s brand tie-ups have successfully reached an audience and built awareness. The partnerships have also helped to promote language learning and to make it more accessible to people from all over the world.
Here are some of the benefits of brand tie-ups for language learning marketing:
Brand tie-ups offer several advantages for businesses:
- Expanded reach
- Enhanced credibility and trust
- Access to new markets or segments
- Increased brand awareness
- Positive association and perception of a brand
It’s important to note that the success of a brand tie-up depends on the compatibility and alignment of the partnering brands and the effective execution of the collaboration. Clear communication, shared goals, and mutually beneficial outcomes are key to realizing the advantages of brand tie-ups.
Here are some additional tips for creating successful brand tie-ups:
- Choose the right partner. When choosing a partner, ensure they fit your brand and target audience well.
- Create clear and concise messaging. Ensure you have a clear and concise message you want to communicate to your audience through the partnership.
- Measure your results. Track your results to see how the partnership is performing and to make necessary adjustments.
Duolingo vs. the competition
Here is a brief comparison of Duolingo and its competitors:
| Language Learning App | Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|---|
Duolingo | - Free, gamified experience | - Repetitive content | |
- User-friendly interface | - Heavy emphasis on translation | ||
- Wide language selection | - May hinder thinking in the target language | ||
Babbel | - Comprehensive approach | - Not free | |
- Focus on grammar and conversation | - Higher cost compared to Duolingo | ||
- Includes speaking exercises | |||
Memrise | - Utilizes spaced repetition for vocabulary | - May lack the same level of engagement as Duolingo | |
-Learning | - Focus on vocabulary may neglect grammar | ||
Rosetta Stone | - Immersive learning method | - Not free | |
- Relatively higher cost | |||
- Can be challenging for beginners | |||
Italki | - Personalized online tutoring | - Can be costly | |
-With native speakers | - Lacks gamified elements present in other language learning apps |
Duolingo has several advantages over its competitors:
- Duolingo is free to use.This makes it a more accessible option for language learners on a budget.
- Duolingo’s lessons are gamified, which makes them more fun and engaging than traditional language learning methods.
- Duolingo has a large and active community of users, which provides support and motivation for language learners.
However, Duolingo also faces some challenges.
One of the biggest challenges, I believe, that Duolingo faces is the language learning market space is becoming increasingly crowded. More and more competitors are coming to the market, and Duolingo will have to find more and more innovative ways to differentiate its product from others.
Here are some additional thoughts on Duolingo’s competitive landscape:
- The language learning market is proliferating. This is due to several factors, including the increasing globalization of the world economy and the growing popularity of travel and international experiences.
- The language learning market is becoming increasingly segmented. This means that many different apps and websites now cater to specific types of language learners, such as business travelers, students, and people who want to learn a language for personal reasons.
- The language learning market is becoming increasingly competitive. This is due to the increasing number of apps and websites that are entering the market.
Duolingo is well-positioned to succeed in the competitive language-learning market. The company has a strong brand, a large and active user base, and a proven track record of innovation. However, Duolingo will need to continue to innovate and differentiate itself from its competitors to maintain its position in the market.
Conclusion
Duolingo is a language learning app that has successfully marketed its app. The company uses a variety of marketing strategies, including the freemium model, gamification, and a strong community. These strategies have helped Duolingo to attract new users and to keep them engaged with the app.
Duolingo’s marketing strategies are effective because they are tailored to the company’s target audience. The freemium model allows users to try the app for free, which can help to attract new users. Gamification makes the learning process more fun and engaging, which helps keep users motivated and coming back for more. And the strong community provides support and motivation for language learners, which can help them to stay on track with their studies.
Duolingo’s marketing strategies are a critical factor in the company’s success. The company has a strong understanding of its target audience and uses various marketing channels to reach them. Duolingo’s marketing strategies are effective and have helped the company to achieve a high level of success.
Here are some additional thoughts on the conclusion about Duolingo’s marketing strategies:
- Future of duolingo: Duolingo is a rapidly growing company that will likely continue to grow. The company is constantly innovating and adding new features to its app. This will help to keep users engaged and to attract new users.
- Challenges for duolingo: Duolingo faces some challenges in the future. The language-learning market is becoming increasingly crowded, and several other language-learning apps are vying for users’ attention. Duolingo must continue to innovate and differentiate itself from its competitors to maintain its success.
Key Takeaway
Here are some of the reasons why Duolingo is the best in the market at what it does:
- Creating amusing, engaging social media content helped build an emotional connection with users.
- Memes and jokes made the brand relatable while also encouraging learning consistency.
- Videos and posts showcasing the mascot Duo gave the brand a friendly, inviting personality.
- Partnering with relevant influencers expanded reach to new demographics interested in language learning.
- Pop culture tie-ins, like offering Klingon, tapped into trending interests to attract users.
- Representation in visuals and characters fostered an inclusive content environment.
- Bite-sized lessons and reminders effectively used content to boost retention and loyalty.
- High-quality content kept users engaged in the app experience and progressing.
- Leveraging user-generated content created a sense of community.
