Some of the best social media marketers today have little to no marketing background. But some celebrities with large followings (Katy Perry alone has 99.3 million Twitter followers) can amass hundreds of the thousands of dollars through social media. Just check out some celebrities who can teach you a thing or two about what to do versus what not to do.

 

What To Do:

 

Interact with Followers – Taylor Swift

It’s impossible to have a conversation about celebrities and their relationships with fans without mentioning Taylor Swift. She is the undisputed queen of interacting consistently with her fans to their delight. From bridal showers, weddings, financial donations, to album sneak peaks, she successfully includes her fans by showing that she is always listening. By simply listening, she shows them that above all, she cares.

A company would do well to follow Taylor’s lead by listening to followers. Not only will followers feel heard, they will also develop trust. If a follower knows a company is hearing them and adapting accordingly, a company gains a follower for life.

Product Plug – Selena Gomez

Okay, so yes, Selena Gomez IS the most followed person on Instagram, but one of the top 10 most liked Instagram photos of all time is a sponsored post by none other than Coke.

It can feel a little shameless to constantly plug the product but as a brand, it’s important for you consumers to know be well acquainted with the product. Take a page from Coke’s book and reach out to influencers, like Selena, who can help your product gain some visibility.

Behind the Scenes – Beyoncé

One of the reasons the Beyhive goes crazy each time Queen Bey posts is because each post offers a rare glimpse into her personal life. By following her posts, you can learn tidbits about her life. Her Instagram announcing her pregnancy is the most liked Instagram photo of all-time.

Brands should follow this lead by using their social media to share the “behind-the-scenes” as well.  Followers should want to follow their favorite brands on social media to gain exclusive access to additional content.

 

What Not To Do:

 

Admit Insincerity – Scott Disick

Scott has a healthy Instagram following but he has been known to make a few mistakes in terms of his posting. While it is common for celebrities to promote products, it’s not always as overt as Scott’s blunder where he copied word-for-word the posting instructions along with the post’s caption.

Brands should do all in their power to avoid situations like the above. While plenty of people know that celebrities plug products, there still is the expectation that celebrities are creating their own posts. So it’s important for brands to seem sincere and transparent in their posts to maintain credibility.

Go Dark – Kim Kardashian West

After her robbery, Kim went “dark” from her social media accounts. This was totally understandable considering her ordeal, but she stood to lose an estimated $1 million each month she wasn’t on social media. Now, Kim clearly chose to make this decision as it was a time of extreme duress for her and her family but if a brand went dark on purpose, it could result in major trouble. What began as a tragedy, resulted in an important lesson in consistency for brands. Whatever posting schedule your brand decides on (thrice weekly, daily, etc.), maintain it!

 

Overall, celebrities are a great source of social media inspiration. Whether they are examples of enormous success or examples of what not to do (here’s looking at you, Scott), celebrities are teaching lifelong marketers a thing or two. Marketers would do well to keep an eye on their decision making and adopt some best practices to their own businesses.