Vessi in real time: How listening and workflows turned community into a growth engine

Vessi is a Vancouver-based waterproof footwear company that built its reputation on innovation, sustainability, and sneakers designed for real weather. From rainy commutes to muddy parks, the brand’s 100% waterproof shoes were created for everyday life, and their customers had plenty to say about how they performed.

Instead of leaning on paid media, Vessi grew through community. Every comment, question, and request became part of the brand’s story. But with only a two-person social team, keeping up with fast-moving conversations across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook was a challenge. What mattered most? Which issues were urgent, which ideas were trends, and which voices needed to be heard?

With Emplifi, Vessi found a way to transform that constant stream of chatter into clarity. Listening tools, tags, and streamlined workflows turned overwhelming volume into insight, cutting management time in half, guiding smarter content, and giving customers a direct role in shaping the brand.

A growing Community with no clear map

For a two-person team, the nonstop flow of conversation was both a gift and a challenge. Native platform analytics offered little more than surface numbers. It was hard to know what mattered most, what needed a same-day response, what could wait, and which themes were building into patterns. Entire days disappeared answering DMs, leaving little time to plan content or track strategy.

The insights were there, but without sharper tools, they stayed buried in the noise.

Turning noise into strategy

With Emplifi, Vessi’s team finally gained visibility and control. Listening queries surfaced pain points like “wet socks” in real time, while tags transformed endless comments into trackable themes, from size requests to product praise. Shared notes and saved replies captured years of customer knowledge, making collaboration seamless and responses faster.

Emplifi’s unified social media analytics gave the team a compass. Instead of shallow native stats, they could now see which posts drove conversation, when to pivot content, and how they compared against competitors. A 90-day searchable archive of comments gave them instant proof for leadership and product feedback.

Efficiency, engagement, and a community that talks back

The difference showed up quickly. Community management time was cut in half, giving the team back hours each day to focus on content that fuels growth. Instead of chasing messages, they now build campaigns with confidence, knowing which formats spark genuine conversation.

A clear insight stood out: Vessi’s audience prefers to comment, not just scroll past with a like. That depth of interaction sets them apart from bigger brands with broader reach but thinner engagement. Strategy now leans into posts that invite dialogue and participation.

The tools also unlocked creativity. For April Fool’s, Vessi spoofed customer requests for “barefoot shoes” — backed by screenshots of real comments surfaced through Emplifi search. The joke landed precisely because it was rooted in authentic customer chatter.

Operational wins added up too. Link-in-bio buttons now separate US and Canadian giveaway entries, keeping campaign data clean. Tags track product requests like half-sizes, giving product teams hard numbers instead of scattered anecdotes.

“It feels like we know our customers way better now,” said Taylor Knight, Social Media Manager at Vessi. “Engaging with them feels like talking to a friend, not a faceless brand. The insights shape every piece of content we put out.”