How Celebrities Use Social Media to Build Their Brand
Ever wonder how social media gurus such as Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Beyonce, and Kylie Jenner use their social media profiles to boost their hierarchical status in the realm of fame? Well I am about to inform you just how these celebrities have mastered the art of self-branding via social media.
According to an article titled “How Celebrities Use Social Media to Build Their Brand”, author Philip Cohen delves into the strategic art these famous celebrities have grasped in order to harness their success. Cohen writes, “One of the biggest ways celebrities use social media to build their brands is by getting closer to their fans.” In regards to celebrities “getting closer to their fans”, Cohen means that celebrities actively engage with their fans via Twitter and Instagram. These two platforms allow stars the opportunity to communicate with their followers in a rather safe environment. In doing so, a sense of “closeness” is generated between the fan and the celebrity. Engaging on social media makes the celebrity seem more relatable and generates the mindset that celebrities are “just like us”. However, not all engagement is positive, some engagement can be a small feud between fan and celebrity — but that doesn’t really matter when a celebrity is trying to boost their fame. After all, “all publicity is good publicity”, right?
Another tactic used by these celebrities on social media is dealing in self-promotions. Cohen writes, “Social media is ideal for self-promotion…Daily tweets, status updates, or photos keep celebrities in the public eye.” He mentions that Lady Gaga is particularly good at this because she is constantly posting content to her social media feeds that keeps her fans guessing and intrigued. Promoting themselves via social media is also a bridge to making them overall more relevant. Due to the universally widespread consumption of social media, it is nearly impossible for celebrities to become “washed up”…so long as they continue to update their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.
Not only do celebrities use social media to promote themselves, but they can also make a buck or two on sponsored promotions. For instance, celebrities such as Khloe Kardashian and Jared Leto can earn over $30K per tweet! Companies literally pay these celebs to post a picture of or with their product.
The last strategy Cohen mentions in this article is that celebrities hire smart and savvy social media managers. Although you may think the celebrities are physically posting on their accounts, that is not always the case. Some celebrities hire social media managers to post for them. According to Cohen, this has several benefits. He states that with a manager on the job, a celebrity is much less likely to get involved in any feuds or say something that will backfire and hone in negative press. Also, considering these celebrities’ busy lifestyles, having a social media manager to constantly post will benefit the celeb in the end and prevent them from becoming irrelevant. It also simply keeps the fans happy and wanting more.
So now that you have the inside scoop on how these celebrities gain fame and remain in the spotlight, do you think you have the social media skills to do the same?
