Duolingo has revolutionized the connection between brands and users. In this blog post, we explore how its lessons can inspire bus companies to enhance their marketing, personalize the passenger experience, and foster genuine relationships with their customers.

Modern marketing is no longer just about “selling more”; it’s about building genuine relationships with people. A prime example is Duolingo, one of the world’s most beloved language learning apps, which has reshaped the way brands connect with their audiences.

But what does this have to do with ground transportation? Much more than it may seem.

At first glance, a language-learning app and a bus company may appear to belong to entirely different industries. Yet both share a key challenge: connecting with people and accompanying them on their journeys.

In a recent interview with Reserhub, Kim de Anda, Regional Marketing Director for Latam at Duolingo, shared valuable lessons that can be adapted by bus operators aiming to transform and enhance their passengers’ experience digitally. Here’s how:

1. A brief starts by listening to users

At Duolingo, the team often says, “The brief is in the comments.” The best source of inspiration comes from listening to what people are already saying. That’s how they identified the need for a Korean course for Spanish speakers, driven by the rise of K-pop and Korean dramas. They listened, reacted, and launched.

What does this mean for the bus industry?

People are already talking: about what they’d like to improve, what frustrates them about the booking or boarding process, or what they value in their travel experience. If a bus company can identify these signals promptly, it can adapt its service, routes, schedules, communications, and even its app to meet real needs.

2. Don’t speak to everyone at once

One of the most common mistakes is trying to deliver the same message to all audiences. Duolingo learned this the hard way: when they used generic messaging, it failed to connect. But when they tailored tone, formats, and channels to each audience (e.g., TikTok for Gen Z, Facebook for older generations), the impact increased significantly.

How does this apply to ground transportation?

The motivations of a frequent business traveler differ from those of a college student returning home for the weekend. Tailoring messages by audience and by channel (website, app, WhatsApp, social media) is key to making meaningful connections.

What’s truly worked for us is personalizing both the message and the campaign based on the specific audience we’re speaking to. We understand that motivations, generations, and behaviors vary, so we dedicate time to understanding who we’re talking to before we speak. – Kim de Anda, Regional Marketing Director for Latam at Duolingo.

Personalized marketing is not a luxury; it’s essential. 80% of consumers prefer brands that offer personalized experiences. Personalization can also increase sales by 19–20% and reduce acquisition costs by up to 50%, according to Worldmetrics.

This proves that listening, segmenting, and tailoring messages to each audience directly improves performance.

3. Marketing doesn’t end at conversion

Duolingo doesn’t use social media just to drive downloads. They understand that convincing someone to learn a new language takes more than an ad. Instead, their strategy focuses on being part of what matters to people: conversations, fandoms, and memes.

The same logic applies to ground transportation.

Not everyone is ready to travel all the time. But if a brand remains relevant, entertaining, and helpful, it will be top-of-mind when the time to book a ticket arrives.

4. Measure and adapt quickly: start small, scale smart

Instead of investing heavily in uncertain campaigns, Duolingo tests small ideas, tracks responses, and scales the ones that work, whether it’s a social media post or a larger activation like their annual mascot parade.

For a bus company, this could mean:

• Testing a new app feature with a small user group
• Launching a local campaign on a specific route
• Running a limited-time WhatsApp promotion before rolling it out on all channels
  

The key is agile experimentation: measure, take calculated risks, pivot if needed, and try again.

5. Build an app that truly solves problems, not just “exists”

People are increasingly selective about the apps they keep. Just having an app is no longer enough; it must be intuitive, functional, and useful. Duolingo knows this: they invest in usability, personalization, and daily user engagement.

What should a bus ticketing app offer?

• A clear solution: fast purchasing, route visibility, travel reminders
• An intuitive interface for all ages
• A seamless experience with the fewest clicks possible
  

What matters most is solving a real problem. People who travel several times a week or month value an app that makes their life easier, quickly, clearly, and consistently. If it doesn’t deliver real and frequent value, it won’t stay on their phone.– Kim de Anda, Regional Marketing Director for Latam at Duolingo.

6. Authenticity can’t be imitated; it must be built

Many brands ask how to become “the Duolingo of their industry.” Kim’s answer is clear: Duolingo already exists. What matters is being yourself, with authenticity and purpose.

A bus company can be traditional, approachable, and trustworthy, and still be emotional, human, and memorable. It’s not about mimicking Duolingo’s humor or mascots; it’s about understanding what moves passengers and connecting with that.

There are brands with a more traditional, familiar, or even serious tone that still have the power to listen and connect emotionally. Communication isn’t always about selling, it’s about building long-term relationships. The goal isn’t to replicate another brand’s output, but to understand the strategy behind it.– Kim de Anda, Regional Marketing Director for Latam at Duolingo.

Where to begin?

Marketing is no longer just about selling. It’s about creating emotional bonds, being useful, entertaining, listening, and above all, connecting.

For ground transportation companies, this means moving away from generic communication and toward user-centered experiences, where every message, channel, and technology decision is designed with the passenger in mind.

It’s not about copying Duolingo, it’s about adopting the mindset that led them to success: deep user understanding, agile experimentation, and a commitment to authentic value.

At Reserhub, we support bus companies in this journey. We help them digitize their sales channels, activate data-driven marketing strategies, and create meaningful passenger experiences.

The first step doesn’t require an overnight transformation. It starts by listening, testing something new, and committing to continuous improvement. Because when users are at the center, results follow naturally.