Sarah Beckham
The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards happen on Sunday, Sept. 20. Nominees will be honored in categories from acting to writing to sound mixing, but we also wanted to give some love to the shows and stars who use social media to keep us watching— and talking about — them. Here are five ideas to borrow from some of TV’s top stars in social media marketing.
1. Go behind the scenes.
Somehow, between executive producing, writing for, and starring in “The Mindy Project,” creator Mindy Kaling still has time to make her social media followers feel like she’s giving them their own personal tour of the set. Everyone loves feeling like an insider. Think about ways to give your business’s fans a glimpse behind the scenes, too. (If the Emmys recognized Instagram caption-writing, Kaling would be a shoo-in: “Get ready for season 4 of #themindyproject with the season 3 DVD, out today! I don’t even want to hear how you don’t understand what a DVD player is because you’re too young.”)
2. Find a hashtag fans love.
‘Orange Is the New Black’ on Instagram
Any follower of “Orange Is the New Black” on social media knows that “on Wednesdays, we wear orange.” The hashtag gives fans an easy and fun way to show their allegiance to the series and feel connected to the show and each other. Does your business lend itself to a hashtag that fans will embrace and use to share content they create around your brand? You could even do your own twist on a popular existing hashtag, like #tbt.
3. Get the whole team involved.
The addictive drama “Empire” has an amazing ensemble cast on screen — and on social media. Take the “Empire” Instagram feed. It shares posts from the series actors, including Ta’Rhonda Jones, Trai Byers, and Grace Gealey, and from behind-the-scenes crew like costume designer Paolo Nieddu and co-creator Danny Strong. While you definitely shouldn’t take any management lessons from “Empire” patriarch Lucious Lyon, following the show’s lead on social media is a different story. Encourage your team’s social media use. You could even order lunch, watch a webinar together, and talk about social media ideas.
4. Pull on heartstrings.
“Mad Men,” which ended its seven-season run in May, wasn’t a very sentimental series. But the “Mad Men” Instagram account has checked in a couple of times recently to remind fans just how much they miss their favorite characters. Months after the show’s finale, I still get a little twinge in my heart at the image of Don and Betty’s last conversation or Peggy glowing with love for Stan. You can tell that the Instagrammers behind this account did some social media listening to know what made fans swoon and sigh. Getting to know your own followers this well will help you post content that speaks to their hearts, too.
5. Don’t forget video.
Visit the Instagram feed for the comedy “Playing House” and you’ll see lots of “play” buttons for videos. These videos aren’t just clips and outtakes from the show. You’ll also find excerpts from video interviews (with teases to the full video features on the show’s Facebook page) and off-the-cuff promos from the series’ stars. It’s all a great reminder of all the possibilities for video on Instagram.
If you are you looking for more social media tips and inspiration from the experts, check out our post on 5 brands making the customers the star.
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