Uncap the Data: What Dove’s Facebook & Instagram Tell Us About Real Beauty in 2025

Introduction

This social media audit evaluates Dove’s recent performance on Facebook and Instagram, focusing on the most recent 25 posts per platform. I captured post level engagement (likes/reactions, comments, shares), reviewed content types (reels, carousels, photos, links, videos), and identified patterns that drive conversation and community trust. So why Dove? As a legacy beauty brand under Unilever, Dove has built its identity on self esteem and inclusivity, making it a great case study for value driven social content.

Scope & Method

• Platforms: Facebook (DoveUS page) and Instagram (@dove)

• Dataset: Most recent 25 posts per platform

• KPIs:

  • Facebook: reactions (likes, etc.), comments, shares

  • Instagram: likes, comments

• Extras captured: content type, topic/theme, call-to-action (CTA), and notes

• Data source: public, post-level metrics and profile counts observed on-platform

Facebook Audit (DoveUS)

Account URL: https://www.facebook.com/DoveUS/ 

Handle: @DoveUS 

Page Likes/Followers: 27 Million

KPI Roll-up: Last 25 Posts

• Total Reactions: 20,303

• Total Comments: 5,225

• Total Shares: 1,185

• Total Interactions: 26,713

• Average Interactions per Post: 1068.52

Top-Performing Content (by total interactions)

1. Beauty for Nature Ad : 2826 Interactions

2. Nike Promotion : 2586 Interactions

3. Everything Shower Video : 2197 Interactions

Engagement Trends & Content Effectiveness:

• Format mix: Most of Dove’s Facebook content leans on video, and that’s where the strongest engagement shows up. Clips connected to campaigns like Confidence in Sports or the CROWN Act clearly get more attention than static product photos or one-off graphics, which tend to pull in lighter reactions and fewer shares.

• Message themes: Posts that tie into bigger issues — self-esteem, anti-discrimination, or athlete partnerships — spark more meaningful comments. The Venus Williams collaboration, for example, drew more conversation than straightforward product spots, showing how purpose-driven content holds people’s interest.

• Community cues: Asking people to do something makes a difference. Whether it’s signing a petition, joining a conversation, or sharing a personal take, those posts see noticeably more comments than general brand inspiration lines. The audience seems to respond when they’re invited into the story.

• Distribution: Posts that combine an emotional message with a clear action step spread the furthest. Campaign-linked content like the CROWN Act petition stood out because it gave people both a cause to support and something concrete to share with others.

Instagram Audit (DoveUS)

Account URL: https://www.instagram.com/dove/?hl=en

Handle: @Dove

Page Likes/Followers: 1.2 Million

KPI Roll-up: Last 25 Posts

• Total Likes: 97,283

• Total Comments: 2,416

• Total Interactions: 99,699

• Average Interactions per Post: 3987.96

• Estimated Engagement per Post: 1.025

Top-Performing Content (by total interactions)

1. Partnership with Ciara : 26,957 Interactions

2. Partnership with Venus Williams: 15,185 Interactions

3. Partnership with Ciara II : 12,144 Interactions

Engagement Trends & Content Effectiveness

• Format mix: Reels dominate Dove’s Instagram strategy, and they’re also the clear engagement winners. Quick videos showing product demos, seasonal scents, or celebrity partnerships consistently outperformed carousels and static posts.

• Message themes: Posts tied to recognizable figures or cultural moments, like the Ciara partnership reel or Venus Williams promo, generated the highest likes and comments by a wide margin. Everyday product features (scrubs, deodorants, “everything shower” routines) still pulled in steady interactions, but nothing on the same level as celebrity-driven content.

• Community cues: Simple, interactive caption prompts (“Which scent is your favorite?” or “What’s in your shower caddy?”) sparked a noticeable bump in comments. On the other hand, posts without a clear question or call to action usually saw flatter engagement.

• Distribution: Posts that tapped into lifestyle themes, back to school routines, summer nostalgia, or seasonal showers, traveled further than purely product forward shots. The mix of relatability and relevance gave people more reason to comment, save, or share.

Conclusion

Looking at Dove’s overall presence on Facebook and Instagram, it’s clear the brand knows how to connect purpose with product. Both platforms push out consistent messaging around real beauty, confidence, and inclusivity, and when they pair that mission with the right format (like video on Facebook or Reels on Instagram), the results show.

Strengths

• Purpose driven campaigns: Posts tied to bigger causes such as the CROWN Act or Confidence in Sports really stand out. They get people talking, sharing, and engaging on a deeper level than a typical product push. Even if there is controversy in the comment section, it brings forward more engagement and directs traffic towards Dove's page.

• Video and Reels: Anytime Dove leans into quick motion-based content, specifically a Reel styled 5-15 second video or a video with recognizable faces, the engagement consistently jumps.

• Consistent Voice: Dove doesn’t drift far from its core values of inclusivity and self-confidence, which keeps their social media storytelling cohesive.

Weaknesses

• Static content: Posts that are just product shots without a hook don’t hold attention. Giving every piece of content a clear angle or purpose would keep the feed from feeling flat.

• Conversations aren’t always nurtured: Dove sparks a lot of comments, but you don’t always see the brand jumping in to keep the dialogue going. They could capitalize off of those difficult conversations to drive further engagement.

• Over-reliance on Campaigns: A lot of Dove’s Facebook engagement seems to spike around major campaigns or partnerships (like Confidence in Sports or the CROWN Act), but in between those pushes, interaction drops off significantly. This creates an uneven rhythm where the page feels really active for a stretch and then appears quiet. Without more steady, everyday content to fill the gaps, Dove risks losing momentum and having followers tune out until the next big campaign.

Recommendations

1. Create more shareable content: On Instagram, carousels that share quick tips or bust common myths would give people a reason to save the post, while on Facebook, adding links or extra resources would make the content more shareable.

2. Ask more questions: Posts where Dove actually invites people into the conversation (like ‘Which scent is your favorite?’) always see stronger engagement. Adding clear, simple calls to action in every caption could be an easy way to keep that momentum going, since some posts miss having a touchpoint for engagement.

3. Reply back: Taking time to answer or acknowledge comments would go a long way toward building community trust.

4. Keep the balance between celebrity and everyday people: The big names pull high numbers, but more authentic stories keep the brand approachable.

5. Lean into behind-the-scenes and everyday content: Right now, Facebook feels very campaign heavy. Mixing in more casual, behind the scenes posts like product development stories, team spotlights, or even quick tips, would help keep the page active between big launches and give followers more consistent touch points.