Netflix uses social media less like an advertiser and more like a friend who has watched everything. Its accounts post memes, clips and jokes about its own shows, reply to fans and amplify what people are already saying. One of its internal guidelines, reported by Fast Company, sums it up: “don’t promote, entertain”.

That makes Netflix a useful social media case study for small businesses, even though the budgets are wildly different. The tone, the way it splits accounts by audience and the way it joins conversations rather than starting them from scratch can all be applied by a local business. Here is how it works and what you can borrow.

The brand voice sounds like a fan, not a company

In a 2019 feature on Netflix’s social strategy, Fast Company described the brand as presenting itself as a meme happy TV and film fan rather than a corporate account. It reported that Netflix runs social with broad company guidelines rather than layers of sign off, with directives including “stand out by taking risks” and “don’t just clip out the show, build out the world”.

Fast Company also traced the voice partly back to Netflix’s House of Cards account in Brazil in 2017, where an editorial manager’s conversational, cheeky tone caught on. Netflix’s regional teams, including Netflix UK & Ireland, were described as working like writers’ rooms.

What to copy: write down how your brand sounds. Three or four words (“warm, direct, a bit cheeky”) plus a few examples of what you would and would not say gives everyone who posts a shared reference. Then trust them, rather than running every post past five people.

Separate accounts for separate audiences

Netflix does not try to serve everyone from one feed. Fast Company listed US accounts launched between 2017 and 2018 for comedy (Netflix Is A Joke), family viewing, Black culture (Strong Black Lead), upcoming releases and science fiction and fantasy. Each one can talk to its audience in the language and references they use.

Many countries also have their own Netflix accounts, so the UK and Ireland account can post about British shows and British humour without worrying whether it lands in the US.

For a small business, one account is usually the right answer. But the principle still applies. If you serve two very different audiences, such as trade customers and homeowners, consider whether one feed is trying to do too much. Sometimes a separate LinkedIn presence for B2B and Instagram for consumers is the cleaner split.

Netflix joins conversations that already exist

A lot of Netflix’s best social moments were started by fans. When Wednesday launched in late 2022, a TikTok trend took off of people recreating the character’s dance to a sped up version of Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary”. The show’s official account responded, Gaga replied, and Netflix then shared Gaga’s own version of the dance, PinkNews reported. Gaga went on to appear in the second season in 2025.

Fast Company described a similar pattern with Bird Box in 2019, when Netflix’s account retweeted fan memes and reactions as they spread, while also warning people not to copy dangerous challenges. Analyst Rich Greenfield told the magazine that Netflix can “put stuff out there, see what bubbles up, and then they can amplify it based on the response.”

What to copy: social listening (keeping an eye on what people say about you and your industry) is free. Check your tags, mentions and reviews daily. When a customer posts something great about you, share it, reply and thank them publicly. That is the small business version of amplifying a trend.

Related reading: Tesco Social Media: Witty Replies, TikTok and the Risks

Cast and creators carry the message

Netflix also leans on the people in its shows. Fast Company reported that cast members such as Millie Bobby Brown and Noah Centineo became social media stars in their own right, and that seven of the eight main cast of Spanish series Elite grew from 10,000 to 30,000 Instagram followers to over a million each.

Netflix also brings fans together in person and on screen. In May 2025, it held Tudum, its global fan event, at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles and streamed it live on Netflix for the first time, with trailers, release dates and performances.

What to copy: your team is your cast. Short videos featuring the same friendly faces each week help people feel they know you before they walk in. An open evening, launch event or customer workshop is your version of Tudum.

Bold humour has limits

Netflix’s cheeky tone has also caused problems. In December 2017 the US account tweeted: “To the 53 people who’ve watched A Christmas Prince every day for the past 18 days: Who hurt you?” It was widely shared, but as the Bangor Daily News and others reported, plenty of people found it uncomfortable that the company was using viewing data to joke about its customers.

It is a useful reminder that a joke which lands with most of your audience can still put off a minority, and that the more data you hold, the more careful you need to be. The lesson for any business is clear. Never use customer data, bookings or private details for a joke, even anonymously. Humour should be aimed at yourself, your industry or shared experiences, never at a customer who did not ask to be part of it.

Video is the core of Netflix’s content

Netflix’s social feeds are built on video: trailers, short clips, cast interviews, bloopers and behind the scenes footage. Fast Company reported a US team of about 15 people averaging around three posts a day on Twitter and Instagram in 2019, with team members dedicated to each platform. Netflix also publishes weekly Top 10 lists of its most watched titles on its Tudum site, which gives fans and press something to share and argue about.

The point is not volume for its own sake. Each clip gives fans something to react to, quote or send to a friend, and every share puts the show in front of someone who might not have heard of it. The same logic works for a much smaller business: content that people want to pass on does your marketing for you.

Small businesses can follow a lighter version:

• Short clips that show the experience of using your product or service
• Behind the scenes footage of preparation, setup or packing orders
• Quick “top three” or “most popular this week” lists from your own sales
• Answers to customer questions filmed on a phone

Our video production service can help you plan and film a bank of short clips that last for months.

Related reading: How Does Amazon Use Social Media? Lessons for Small Businesses

Lessons from this Netflix social media case study

1. Entertain first. Make posts people would enjoy even if they never bought from you.
2. Define your voice and trust your team. Clear guidelines beat endless approvals.
3. Listen and amplify. Share what customers already say about you.
4. Put people in front of the camera. Familiar faces build loyalty.
5. Know where the line is. Never make a joke at a customer’s expense.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Netflix so good at social media?

It treats social as entertainment rather than advertising, gives its teams freedom within broad guidelines and joins fan conversations quickly.

Does Netflix have separate UK social media accounts?

Yes. Netflix runs regional accounts, including Netflix UK & Ireland, so content can reflect local shows, humour and culture.

Can a small business use memes on social media?

Yes, carefully. Memes work when they fit your audience and brand voice. Avoid copyrighted images you do not have the right to use in advertising.

What went wrong with Netflix’s A Christmas Prince tweet?

It joked about the viewing habits of a small group of customers, which made some people uneasy about how their data was being used.

Give your brand a voice people want to follow

A strong tone of voice and a steady stream of good video can make a small business feel as familiar as a favourite show. Our social media management team helps businesses across the UK find their voice and post with confidence. Get in touch to talk about your channels.