Last week Beyoncé announced on Instagram that she and Jay-Z are expecting parents once again. This revelation and the image of pregnant Beyoncé’ sent the social media world into a tizzy.
The post, a revealing picture of Beyoncé’ holding her stomach got a record breaking 6.4 million likes (this Instagram record was previously held by Selena Gomez, 6.3 million likes). Most PR and marketing experts cannot claim those type of social media statistics that Beyoncé earned; there are several public relations takeaways to consider the next your integrated marketing and PR agency are launching a brand or making a big announcement:
1) Choose your social media channel carefully
Social and celebrity influencers typically choose a text based platform to announce a life changing event; Beyoncé instead posted her announcement on Instagram. Instagram is the social media channel where she has the largest following, although her audience on the other social media platforms is impressive; Twitter 14.7 million followers and her Facebook page has 64.5 million likes. There is no question that Beyoncé’s team of PR experts strategically announced her pregnancy on Instagram not only because f the size of her social media following but also because that is where her followers are most engaged, which triggered the post to go viral. That was no accident. The lesson from Beyoncé here for the PR experts and integrated marketers is always to make major announcements on the social media channels where your largest and most engaged audience spends their time.
2) Visual based social media platforms love authenticity
Beyoncé’s pregnancy shots created an authentic emotional connection with her fan base. The series of pregnancy shots reveal a maternal side of Sasha Fierce than were used to. The classy pregnancy photo, the simple lingerie, and tastefully showing stomach possess an intimate feel and enables her fans to feel like they are celebrating with her. Intimate, human moments are ideal for visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat and typically have increased engagement rates. For integrated marketers and PR experts alike should consider adding a human element to a big announcement to give the audience an emotional connection to the brand.
3) Build the buzz and the bees
The Instagram post was part of an integrated brand communications campaign with one of several pregnancy photos, leading the follower to an entire pregnancy photo album titled “I Have Three Hearts” on Beyoncé’s official website. After creating an emotional connection through her pregnancy photo, Beyoncé’s PR and marketing team waited until Beyoncé pregnancy was trending on Google and then released more photos on her website. Her announcement was a choreographed public relations and marketing campaign; this type of coordination took planning. Her approach was similar to her Lemonade albumn release and the “Beyhive Buzz” that followed. PR and marketing experts could utilize a similar approach-giving audience just a little taste of the visual or written content, creating buzz and allowing it to build before the big announcement.
Beyoncé’s entertainment PR and marketing agency did an excellent job orchestrating and executing her big announcement. Beyoncé’s example of flawlessly integrated brand communications at its best, integrated PR, social media, and visual content marketing.
Time for a glass of Lemonade.
