The Secret of HiSmile’s Rapid Business Growth
In less than three years, HiSmile converted its $20,000 investment into a multi-million-dollar business. But the question is HOW? The short answer is by carrying out one of the most outstanding influencer strategies to this date.
Today, launching a product that attracts and engages people around the world is anything but easy. This is specifically true when the target users are those with the most abbreviated attention span – millennials.
HiSmile grew into a global trend for Gen Z as well. . Apart from filling a gap in the oral care businesses, the fundamental reason for this is a phenomenal social media marketing strategy. HiSmile has shown just how dynamic a tool social media is, and how you can build an exceptional business if you know how it works.
Let’s take a look at HiSmile’s brief history and the secret ingredient behind its success.
The Story
HiSmile was launched in 2014 by investing $20,000 out of the savings accounts of Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic. With no background in business, they found a niche that nobody had yet figured out.
The audience was bored of ordinary teeth-whitening products and was ready to take an innovative shift that would excite them. HiSmile happened to fill this gap. The introduction of LED teeth whitening kits shook the market and has now garnered an enormous amount of users around the globe.
HiSmile started adding new products to its lists, such as gels, mouthwash, toothpaste, and other oral hygiene products. With masterful social media marketing, HiSmile found it the most competent way of getting people to use their products. By far, their most compelling strategy became influencer marketing. The brand was able to build a swell community, working with a wholesome of 20,000 influencers all at once. This phenomenal achievement is a testament to their innovative approach and a success story worth studying.
Let’s check out their key strategies behind their exponential growth:
Unwrapping HiSmile's Social Media Strategy
HiSmile did more than use social media; they mastered it. They used social media sites like Instagram and TikTok as a playground to recognise, interact and develop their clientele. Instead of just sharing pictures of their products, they created a community where they welcomed criticism and compliments alike and used every contact as a chance to get better. This two-way communication encouraged trust and loyalty.
Their visually stunning content, compelling storytelling, and aesthetically curated feeds have the potential to pause users mid-scroll. Collaborations with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Conor McGregor elevated their products to the status of aspirational lifestyle. These collaborations went beyond endorsements and presented actual people accomplishing genuine results.
HiSmile took their customer engagement a step further by partnering with customer relationship management expert Kustomer and boosting productivity and cutting average response time by 55% with Messenger API for Instagram by implementing the Messenger API for Instagram. This allowed them to streamline all customer care channels across Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram into a single, centralised system. Leveraging their existing automated experience for Messenger, HiSmile efficiently handled frequently asked questions while seamlessly transferring more complex queries to live agents. This integration not only enhanced their customer service but also reinforced their commitment to genuine, responsive engagement.
HiSmile's strategy demonstrates that social media isn't just a marketing tool; in fact, it's a megaphone for brand storytelling. By blending striking visuals, genuine engagement, and influencer power, they turned a small business into a global sensation. The best part? This approach isn't limited to big brands; small businesses can achieve similar success with the right strategy.
The Power of Influencer Strategy
One of the smartest moves in HiSmile's strategy was choosing the right influencers. While many businesses focused on celebrity endorsements, HiSmile initially worked with micro-influencers—individuals with strong regional influence but smaller followings. This cost-effective approach significantly boosted sales and brand awareness.
As revenue grew, HiSmile expanded its influencer network, eventually collaborating with high-profile celebrities. A key part of their strategy was repurposing influencer-generated content, leveraging social proof to reinforce their brand. Seeing real customers endorse the product created credibility and trust among potential buyers.
HiSmile's yearly revenue of $40 million three years after its start is indisputable evidence of the effectiveness of a skilfully implemented influencer marketing plan.
A key factor in HiSmile’s influencer strategy was the kind of influencers that they chose. The founders revealed in an interview that they were keen to select micro-influencers who had a huge regional influence. In the initial days of influencer marketing, businesses primarily focused on celebrity influencers with millions of followers.
HiSmile didn’t have the budget for such tactics; instead, they utilised the power of micro-influencers. This turned out to be a considerably good strategy for them, and before they knew it, their partnership with countless micro-influencers boosted sales for them and increased their brand awareness.
As income started to expand, so did influencer marketing, and more business meant that they could hire a larger group of micro-influencers. It is crucial to note that they did not just deliver the product to influencers and consider it done. A major element of their influencer marketing strategy was reusing the content made by their influencers and reposting it to their HiSmile social media platforms.
A great part of using influencers to advertise your products is by utilising the content that your influencers made to create a sense of “social proof”. When potential customers look into your products, they could see evidence of others promoting your product and discussing its benefits.
With brand awareness starting to build beyond Australia, HiSmile takes its influencer marketing to another level by adding celebrity influencers to its list. Three years after their small start, the brand was bringing in $40 million a year.
Social Media Marketing Potential for Small and Medium Businesses in Australia.
Social media marketing in Australia presents vast opportunities for small and medium businesses. With over 22 million active users—nearly 85% of the population—platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube offer businesses a powerful stage for visibility. Australians spend over six hours online daily, making social media an essential channel for engagement and growth.
From targeted ads to influencer collaborations, businesses can leverage these platforms to reach specific demographics, build trust, and drive sales. Even with limited budgets, small businesses can tap into Australia's vibrant digital ecosystem to scale their brands.
Unlock your brand's full potential with Planet Media's expert social media marketing team, designed to help businesses of all sizes navigate Australia's dynamic digital landscape and achieve remarkable growth.
In-House Execution
Nik and Alex didn’t see the business as just another manufacturer of oral hygiene products. Instead, they considered it as a media activity as well. Unlike many businesses, they didn’t outsource marketing to other agencies. Rather, they did almost everything in-house.
With around 50 staff members, each team member strived to improve their brand awareness around the globe. Initially, the company wasn’t quite sure about its target market. So they took the aggressive approach of bringing the product to everyone they could. Another thing that Nik and Alex did very effectively was co-creating posts with influencers.
Now they provide many lifestyle videos, tutorials, and reviews from influencers on their YouTube channel. Such a collaborative idea assured a strong network with the audience. Once they figured out their target market, they began to hone in on creating a strong relationship with them.
Product Matters
Let’s not get it complicated, your product will play a great role in the success of your marketing strategy. HiSmile cited that they guaranteed their product was first-class to go ahead with so that they were providing something that most influencers would have bought anyway.
Contrary to public belief, influencer marketing is not just some marketing magic, it needs to be planned and executed through an effective campaign, which is ultimately based on the quality of your product. Think about who your ideal consumer is and identify influencers that will support you to promote to those potential markets. The key to influencer marketing is targeting the proper audience, and frequently displaying your product to that audience over time. This will favour you to expand your return on investment.
The rapid success of HiSmile reveals the true power of a well-planned influencer marketing strategy, even with such a small initial budget. Business owners can use HiSmile as proof of the fact that celebrity influencers are not the only way to promote influencer marketing to establish brand awareness and engage potential clients online. Connecting with the right influencer, which garners the right audience, no matter how big or small they may be, is the true power behind influencer marketing.
Do you want to grow like Hismile? We provide the best digital marketing services, which include brand awareness and product-based branding. For more information about the latest digital marketing strategies, connect us here.
How We Can Help Your Brand
At Planet Media, we take the guesswork out of social media marketing by managing your profiles with a strategic approach. From regular updates to engaging event-based content, we ensure your brand stays active and relevant. Our expert team provides in-depth performance reports, continuous optimisation, and targeted social media advertising to maximise reach and engagement. Whether you're looking to boost brand awareness, drive conversions, or refine your digital presence, we tailor strategies that align with your business goals on social media.
Do you want to grow like HiSmile? We provide the best digital marketing services, including brand awareness and product-based branding. For more information about the latest digital marketing strategies, connect with us here.
