There is a big difference between “insta-famous” and being famous. Even if your Instagram account says you’re a public figure, it doesn’t necessarily make you a true celebrity these days. But, the artists we’ve listed are truly famous and are also strategic in their social media efforts. Additionally, they employ valuable strategies we can learn from:
Beyoncé
Selena Gomez may have the most followers on Instagram, but she’s not the most influential celebrity on the platform. Across Beyoncé’s social media platforms, one post is estimated to be worth over $1 million. Beyoncé is famously private, so her Instagram is a glimpse into parts of her life that she wants her fans to see. Her posts range from promo videos, performance pictures and family shots, all of which feature the star looking, well, flawless. While she doesn’t offer too much, almost every picture is an event. The star makes it count.
Ariana Grande
Earlier this year, Ariana Grande inspired the #SelfiesForAriana movement on social media which began when she found out her fans were cropping themselves out of pictures they took with her or putting emojis over their faces. She shared an inspirational message on her Instagram story, writing: “But it makes me so sad when y’all don’t put your faces in the photos or put emojis over your faces or ask to not be in them! You show me so much unconditional love all the time no matter what TF I look like.” Within hours fans began posting pictures of themselves on Instagram using the hashtag. They shared how the singer impacted the way they saw themselves and empowered them to practice self-love. The movement spread like wildfire with users all over the world participating and supporting others using the hashtag.
Rihanna
Rihanna, albeit controversial at times, makes fantastic use of social media. With the recent launch of her beauty line, Fenty Beauty, she demonstrated astounding abilities to pay attention to social media conversations, learn from them and create content or products people want. She saw within the online beauty community that brands were attempting to expand their foundation color ranges, so her company offered 40 foundation shades. This led to unbelievable reviews of her makeup line, full of excitement and relief from her fans. Rihanna also has a lot of fun on social media and creates engaging content. She often posts lighthearted, unique content. She mixes both personal and professional photos, creating relatable material for her fans.
Maroon 5
In 2017, Maroon 5 decided to allow fans to insert themselves into a music video to promote their hit single, Cold. Fans shot 15 seconds of video of themselves and then integrated the footage into the band’s video. Freddie Morris, Maroon 5’s Director of Social Media and & Marketing, told Forbes, “This was really exciting for our fans. Our conversion rate for this program was 12-13%, a lot higher than anything we’d ever run. Completion rates were also much higher.” When Maroon 5 allowed consumers to create content it motivated them to share, building on the band’s community. For one of their more recent videos released earlier this year, Wait, they used Snapchat filters, again making themselves relevant in the social media community.
Until next time!
Critical Mention
Jolie Shapiro
Passionate about all things communications, Jolie found her dream job as a copywriter with Critical Mention, where she’s continuing her passion for writing and editing. With a background working for high-profile clients in the financial, hospitality and technology industries, she’s excited to bring her experience to Critical Mention. When she’s not writing you can find her at music festivals, hiking or snowboarding.
