Celebrities have all the fun on social media. Some get paid an obscene amount of money to promote a brand on Facebook or Twittter; most have the freedom to tweet their thoughts whenever they want. With them, even a “bad” tweet can be good.
The most successful celebrities on social media, whether they hawk products or not, have one skill that brands themselves should emulate: engagement. Authentic engagement. “You can get as many friends, followers or have the best looking Facebook page, but true engagement is hard to achieve,” says Mark Zablow, founder of Cogent Entertainment, a company that finds social media celebrities for its stable of about 30 client brands. The difference between a brand’s social presence and a celebrity’s? Zablow says brands have a set social playbook: “the traditional reply—you jump in and thank them for their comment—and we’ll get right back to you,” he says. “That’s the minimum. Brands stop there out of fear.” Celebrities, on the other hand, don’t necessarily engage with fans in a predictable manner, and that can be a good thing.
Take Twitter, the social platform of choice for today’s celebrities. “Twitter is such a powerful channel, and so interesting because of the dynamic of a conversation,” says Adrianna Giuliani, SVP, creative & strategic planner at DeVries Public Relations. “For a celeb it can show slice of life, unique lifestyle or give a window into who they really are.” And that’s the difference between the way brands and celebrities engage on social: brands don’t take chances to show their true personalities like celebrities do.
JT DOES DIGITAL
The fact is, many celebrities use a full arsenal of digital tools to build their brands and drive their business’ bottom lines. Pop superstar Justin Timberlake is a prime example of how entertainers use social media to build and grow their audiences. His new album, “The 20/20 Experience,” sold 980,000 copies in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan. To reach that number, Timberlake used social media channels for maximum effect.
Timberlake joined Instagram the day of the 2013 Grammy Awards, which was also his first live performance of a song from his new album. Within no time, Timberlake attracted hundreds of thousands of followers.
On Twitter, Timberlake highlighted his upcoming album, provided previews and engaged fans after the album was released, asking what their favorite song was. He also mixed in the occasional tweet that showed he’s, well, just a regular guy.
LEARN FROM MISTAKES
Timberlake notwithstanding, we all know that celebrities aren’t without their social media flaws. Lila Brown, entertainment and sports publicist, at Ella Bee Media Group in Los Angeles, says celebrities who handle their own social media don’t tweet as often as they should and fail to respond to followers.
While Twitter gives fans a unique window into celebrities, at its worst, the channel can give fans a front-row seat to a crisis, meltdown or ill humor. “Sometimes celebrities aren’t taking a breath and thinking,” Giuliani says. “But they are human, and it’s easy to share knee-jerk reactions.”
Unfortunately, brands have done that too, because there are people behind the posts, Giuliani says. “You want to think it through, and run any questionable tweets by others before you post,” she says.
CELEBRITY TAKEAWAYS
Here are four celebrity strategies from Giuliani that PR pros can emulate:
1. Recognize your super fans. Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) does this on a regular basis, giving individual shout outs to fans and following some fans back. “Is there anything cooler than when a celebrity tweets you?” asks Giuliani. Some brands are approaching that level of engagement, but most are not.
2. Offer unique access or insider information. Giuliani follows Rachel Zoe (@RachelZoe), the celebrity stylist and Bravo star, because her Twitter and Instagram feeds feature news and pics about her and her family that can’t be found anywhere else. What inside information can brands give? If a brand sponsors a concert, it’s a natural to go backstage and give a behind-the-scenes glimpse to social followers.
3. Don’t be tone deaf. Occasionally, celebrities will fail to see the ramifications of their social messages. For example, during Super Storm Sandy in October 2012, Donald Trump was sending tweets demanding President Obama show his birth documents. Brands aren’t immune from this: Recently the Indian unit of Ford Motor Company apologized for an ad showing former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi with a group of bound women in the trunk of a car.
4. Consider sharing sensitive news. Giuliani notes a trend on Twitter: Celebrity couples are announcing their break-ups in 140 characters or less. Twitter could be a ripe platform for brands to share more sensitive information. “But you’d have to be ready to engage and answer questions,” Giuliani says.
Unlike the majority of brands, top celebrities enjoy rabid followers who hang on every post or tweet. If only it were as easy for brand communicators.
That’s why its crucial to study those celebrities who do social media best. Make your brand into a star. PRN
CONTACT:
Contact: Mark Zablow, [email protected]; Adrianna Giuliani, [email protected]; Lila Brown, [email protected].
5 Top Twitter Feeds to Follow
Looking to better communicate via Twitter? Here are five of the best individual tweeters, adapted from Time’s recently released “140 Best Twitter Feeds of 2013.”
Mia Farrow, @MiaFarrow (activist and actress) Followers: 101,395 What’s Good: This UNICEF Goodwill ambassador raises awareness for women’s and LGBT rights and children’s issues in Africa, especially Darfur. She’s also not afraid to express her political views or have fun, such as when she zings her ex-husband.
Pete Souza. @petesouza (White House chief photographer); Followers: 63,315 What’s Good: Souza has unparalleled access to the commander in chief, First Lady, Vice President and Bo the dog. Souza’s Twitter feed exemplifies “inside” content that’s often posted before it’s seen anywhere else.
Lena Dunham, @lenadunham (actress, creator of “Girls”); Followers: 903,390 What’s Good: Dunham pees quite a bit on her TV show, and her Twitter feed reflects this openness. And just like in the show, she’s funny, witty and often controversial.
Samuel L. Jackson, @SamuelLJackson (actor)Followers: 2,243,773 What’s Good: Jackson has a penchant for rallying his fans around a cause, such as when he led a movement against New York Times film critic A.O. Scott after he panned Jackson’s movie, “The Avengers.”
Lolo Jones, @lolojones (athlete) Followers: 348,543 What’s Good: After her Olympic gold medal fail, you wouldn’t expect this hurdler turned bobsledder to be too chatty on Twitter, but Jones leaves no topic untouched in chronicling her personal life—in a very humorous way.