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Practice Management > Marketing and Communications > Social Media

5 social media marketing lessons from Taylor Swift

By Carley Meiners

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If you haven’t already noticed, Taylor Swift has become the most powerful person in the music industry. Want proof? A few months ago, she got Apple Inc. to pay their artists for the new Apple Music streaming service. 

Back in October, Swift unveiled her fifth album, “1989,” through a strong social media campaign. She has built her brand from the ground up, and we should all be taking notes. Here are five marketing lessons from Taylor Swift.

taylor tweet

1. Promote launches in a fun, interactive way. 

Last fall, Swift amped up the excitement for her latest album, “1989.” She used Twitter and Instagram to tease lyrics, Yahoo live events and music video promotions. She also created enough hype for her “Bad Blood” music video to beat Vevo’s 24-hour viewing record, with 20.1 million views on the first day. 

What this means to you: 

Any new product, service or event can be tricky to promote. But, no matter the audience, energetic posts around any of these three things will create excitement within your community. This can be done for free on social media or through email lists. The key is to keep the consumer wanting more. Once the excitement is created, they’ll check in regularly to see what’s coming next. 

See also: What do consumers want?

2. Engage with your industry. 

Swift is the queen of interacting with her fans. Just check her Twitter or Tumblr for proof. She calls it #taylurking. We call it maintaining your brand.

She is in constant communication with young girls, magazines and celebrities about whatever is going on that interests her. Sometimes that has to do with stories that make her upset and sometimes she’s just proud of her fans. 

taylor tweet

What this means to you: 

Swift gives her fans reasons to interact with her, which is something you should also embrace. If you are actively engaging within your community and responding to questions or concerns, then people will pay attention. Followers will feel like there is a real person behind the screen, instead of just a robot throwing them promotions or information.

See also: 3 ways social media can help the industry’s talent gap

3. Have personality.

Not only does Swift tweet pictures from her world tour and interact with her fans, she also shares things that make her more relatable.

Followers can expect lots of pictures of Swift’s cats, updates on what she’s doing with friends, and some quirky tweets on whatever random thoughts she has.

taylor

What this means to you:

Take it from Swift, you can have personality and still not offend your followers. The more personality you have, the more your followers will pay attention.

Remember, you are fighting for attention against more than 232 million users on Twitter and millions more on other social media platforms. Your followers need a reason to follow you. Mix in some tweets about whatever is going on in your community. Try interacting with followers if they post something you find funny or informative.

See also: Stats on 4 social media platforms advisors are adopting

shake

4. Partner with other powerful companies. 

If you’ve been following Taylor Swift since day one, you know the only place to buy her CDs is at Target. Every album she sells at Target has bonus tracks that can only be heard on Target-editions of the CD. Her partnership with Target gives her fans something else to be excited about. It can also make them feel special. 

She was also recently named New York City’s global welcome ambassador. The city put up billboards and signs with the lyrics of her song “Welcome to New York.” She also partners with Keds and Diet Coke, among others. 

What this means to you: 

Although you may not be able to partner with the big names Swift does, who you partner with (and when) is important. One easy and effective way of partnering is by supporting a cause. According to a Cone study, 93 percent of consumers have a more positive image of a company when they support a cause. Take it from Swift, when you partner with another company, it can result in free advertising, a new audience and more.

brand

5. Stick to your brand’s image. 

Last fall, Swift removed all of her music from Spotify. She claimed the company did not pay its artists enough for their work. In interviews, she sticks by what she believes and her social media accounts also reflect her brand.

When Apple recently announced its new music streaming service and decided not to pay its artists for the three-month free trial, Swift announced she would not allow her music on the system and explained why she felt that was necessary and important to her. She sticks by her brand, but she also explains her decisions. 

What this means to you: 

Swift knows who she is as a person and reflects that in her business. She stands up for what she believes in and provides her fans with exactly what they expect from her. There are really no big scandalous surprises. Your company should reflect the same ideals. This can be especially important for younger clients and followers. A SDL study found that 60 percent of millennials expect a consistent brand across all platforms. Know what your company stands for, and your community will follow. 

Taylor Swift has steadfastly maintained her brand over the course of her career, and it’s paying off. She is the youngest female to make Forbes; “The World’s Most Powerful Women” list. Take note of her strategies, and your company could increase its successes, too.

See also:

AXA: Angling for the cutting edge in life insurance sales

Why your social media campaign is ‘anti-social’

8 tech trends that will change how carriers do business 

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