Need Some Social Media Inspiration? Think Like Beyoncé

Published on December 21, 2016

No one can smash cars with a baseball bat quite like Beyoncé. No one can walk down a runway, drop a surprise album, or wear a pantsuit like Beyoncé. And, for that matter, no one can post on social media quite like Beyoncé.

But you can try! And the results for your brand could be incredible.

Beyoncé is one of the biggest stars in the world, and her approach to Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook are as singular, elusive, and distinct as Queen B herself. Now “Hold Up” and don’t get ahead of yourself! To be clear, you can’t be Beyoncé online – but you can certainly look to her for inspiration!

Want to “Run the World?” Thinking like Beyoncé can “Upgrade U” from a 7 to an 11. Here’s the “Countdown” you need for an approach to social marketing that’s as “Flawless” as Sasha Fierce herself:

Let Your Fans Do the Work

Beyoncé’s circle of fans and followers, informally known as “The BeyHive,” is one of the most incredible and influential groups online, circulating news, gossip, pictures, and stories about the singer far and wide. They’re a self-sustaining PR machine, one that has used the internet pulpit not just for fun and information, but for real political and social action, as well.

Your own personal roster of customers and associates may not be as fiercely loyal as the BeyHive, but they do have the same stunning power to make a major difference for your brand’s image online. The “user-generated content” produced by your friends and customers is an amazing thing to put to work for your brand: Share glowing reviews to promote positive PR, run social contests to encourage loyalty and engagement, and generally think about the way that your community of shoppers can spread the word about your brand to as many eyes and ears as possible.

Take a Step Back

Beyoncé’s Instagram account is stunning, but it’s also mysterious. For one thing, the superstar tends to eschew captions entirely. Similarly, she rarely uses Facebook or Twitter for personal comments or statements. She hasn’t really dabbled in live video or location tagging or any other current social trends.

In other words, Beyoncé cultivates an air of mystery on social media – one that makes you want to follow her and engage with her, if only to find out more. This manufactured feeling of exclusivity and intrigue is a remarkable marketing tactic, one that plays on a user’s feelings of awe and wonder, allowing them to “project their own ideas, fantasies, and narratives” onto the star, as Jenna Wortham writes in the New York Times.

Perhaps even more importantly, Beyoncé’s distant approach to social media may be a great model for how to stay healthy in an increasingly toxic digital environment. As Wortham argues:

“Why fret about oversharing, or undersharing, or to what extent our online selves are true to our actual self? We could instead [like Beyoncé] use social media as a prism through which we can project only what we want others to see. We can save the rest for ourselves – our actual selves.”

In other words? There’s no harm in disengaging from social media every now and then! To be sure, there are, in fact, times when leaning onto Facebook or Twitter can be counterproductive – for your business and for your state of mind.

Use Multimedia

To go back to Beyoncé’s Insta for a moment, have you ever noticed how the chanteuse uses GIFs and videos more than the average user? It just goes to show that in her live performances and her online content alike, Beyoncé is on the cutting edge of media. No one else is making longform videos like her opus, Lemonade. No one is using Instagram or YouTube in quite the ways that she is.

Beyoncé is a true artist working in multiple fields at once, and that’s where you should take your cues from her: Diversify your content marketing and don’t be afraid to play around with new media or “the next big thing.” Whatever you’re doing now, be like Beyoncé and try to go a step further. Try making infographics, hosting a podcast, generating live video, producing slideshows, or giving away free eBooks.

All of the free content you produce and share on social media creates huge value for consumers, who in turn produce huge value for your brand. But you’ll never see the amazing results of great content – increased loyalty, increased engagement, and increased conversion rates – until you get information and start producing great content.

Use a Strong Call to Action

As of the time of this writing, Beyoncé’s official Twitter account has nine tweets. Four out of those nine send visitors directly to Beyoncé’s work on Tidal or to her (jaw dropping) website. Her Twitter bio is one word, and it’s a direct link to her website. Her Instagram, similarly, is light on text, save for one link – again to her site.

Beyoncé’s enterprises include clothing, video production, and, yes, music. But at the end of the day, her product is herself, and this is reflected in her social marketing. Everything she posts sends visitors directly into the first steps of a conversion funnel, and it’s all thanks to her clear, direct calls to action.

Your social media marketing – and for that matter, your shareable content and your landing pages – must work the same way, offering your users a clear path with a simple, effective, streamlined call to action. After all, if you’re not completing concrete goals with your content and your social media activity, what are you using these social platforms for?

Don’t let your digital marketing efforts go to waste! Be like Beyoncé and truly put the web to work for you!

Looking for even more “irreplaceable” guidance in the world of social media marketing and content production? Geek is here to help! Why not follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest insights and must-know chatter from around the web? And, when you’re ready to become a social media superstar yourself, drop us a line to get started!