Songwriter and singer Taylor Swift teased fans on Instagram with clues hinting toward a big announcement. Swift shared cryptic photos with 10.2 million Instagram followers, which were then shared with 42.5 Twitter followers. Rumors swirled, resulting in positive engagement, until she tweeted the formal announcement with the official hashtag #TaylorSwiftYahoo.
Swift showcases her intimate relationship with fans through this social media promotion. There was nothing flashy about the announcement- only Swift, her iPhone and followers.
Fans reasoned that on August 18 (clue 1: elevator floor) that she would play songs from her fifth album (clue 1: rapid button pressing) at 5 p.m. (clue 2: screenshot) in New York City (clue 2: drawing) with a partnership with Yahoo (clue 3: web search). With fans awaiting new music, the Yahoo concert and live stream will usurp social media trends. Between the three clues, Swift garnered more than 991,000 Instagram likes and 55,900 comments.
In terms of Instagram engagement, the photos don’t nearly compare to fans’ reactions to Swift’s selfies or portraits. Nevertheless, the casual conversation was admirable and well received. Swift was inconsistent by sharing clues via Instagram but the final message on Twitter. Instead, it is recommended staying consistent with platforms when using social media for promotional campaigns.
Instagram is a popular method for musicians to make ambiguous announcements. Beyonce revealed her involvement in 50 Shades of Grey- not by explicitly mentioning the Crazy in Love remake- but by sharing a teaser trailer with her sultry voice-over. The post garnered 460,000 likes and 86,500 comments. Then, there was Selena Gomez‘s suggestive photos and videos about Justin Bieber and new music.
By sparking curiosity, stars are ensuring discussion through comments and excitement through likes. The ability to create and edit visual composition on Instagram is the app’s distinguishing factor. Considering that conversation is more difficult with Twitter’s character limit and that Instagrams can easily be shared on Facebook- this trend is not only fun, but also strategic.
Can you think of another time a celebrity used Instagram to generate buzz about new work?