Taylor Swift’s music may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s one thing you can’t deny: she’s a marketing genius.
Does that sound like a bit of a stretch? Keep reading and you’ll see what we mean.
In 2014, Swift’s team accidentally uploaded eight seconds of static noise to iTunes Canada. The clip ended up at the top of the streaming service’s charts.
The fact that millions of people will buy static noise just because it has Taylor’s name attached to it speaks volumes about the star’s branding power.
As a video marketing and production agency, the pop icon’s business acumen fascinates us.
We think that video marketers can learn a lot from how Swift navigates the fast-paced digital landscape and manages to stay relevant.
In this post, we’ll look at how Taylor approaches marketing and how her tactics can be used to create an impact with video.
So, have a seat. Professor Swift’s class is in session.
Video marketing lessons to learn from Taylor Swift
1. Use social media to build relationships
Taylor Swift seems to instinctively know how to harness the power of social media and is great at keeping her fan base in a state of hysteria.
So, how is her approach different from other artists and even major brands? Her strategy stands out because she understands that social media is a two-way street.
The artist often has conversations with her followers and is known to “Tay-lurk” her fans on socials—leaving a like here and a comment there.
Taylor also gives back to the community that loves her.
Her kind gestures often make headlines and generate a kind of buzz no advertising campaign could rival.
As a video marketer, you need to keep the human element in mind. Engage with your followers when you deploy your video content on social media.
2. Share behind-the-scenes (BTS) action
Whether you’re a big star or a corporation, sharing candid BTS moments with your followers helps audiences connect with you.
Taylor often shares BTS footage of her music video shoots with her fans. In this one, you get to see how much she loves cats.
3. Be candid
Polished videos are no longer the norm and candid content is in vogue.
Taylor often shares unedited, lo-fi videos with her fans on social media. It builds an everlasting sense of closeness within her community.
In her 2014 Swiftmas video, she also featured authentic fan reactions.
Naturally, Swiftmas made waves online and garnered a ton of publicity. It’s clear that some of Taylor’s most powerful moves are also the most heartfelt.
As a video marketer, don’t be afraid to be authentic with your messaging.
For your audience, it could be a refreshing break from the stream of expertly crafted content that saturates online spaces.
4. Make personalized videos
Personalization is the holy grail of marketing, and any brand that can do it right can turn customers into raving fans.
For Taylor, personalization comes naturally. We’ve discussed her social media interactions with followers, but she often goes one step ahead and sends her super fans thank-you videos, too.
📲 TW | Taylor is sending personalized thank you video messages to fans via @taylornation13’s DMs to thank them for gifting ME! 💖 pic.twitter.com/Z1p1ZcocFJ
— Taylor Swift News (@TSwiftNZ) May 2, 2019
Personalized videos are something brands can experiment with, too. And it’s not as time-consuming as you might think.
All you need is a customer database and a video template with customizable frames/elements.
With the tools and technology available today, you can easily unlock the power of personalized videos.
5. Practice radical transparency
For a while, Taylor Swift’s personal life and work were heavily criticized.
To deal with this, the star dialed back on public appearances; took control of the narrative surrounding her, and addressed everything through her music videos.
This is a great lesson for brands that may face criticism for whatever reason.
Instead of getting defensive, practice radical transparency: acknowledge the claims; tell your side of the story, and if the criticism is justified, use it to improve.
Companies like Patagonia, Chobani, and Everlane are leading the way with this form of transparency. And they’re spreading the word with video content.
6. Go live
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, live streams have gone mainstream and platforms have seen viewership numbers soar.
According to StreamElements and Arsenal.gg, the live-streaming sector grew a full 45% between March and April 2020.
At this point, there’s no denying that live video has massive potential. This is something Taylor has experimented with as well.
Instead of waiting for the press to promote her album, she invited fans to a cozy talk-show event and live-streamed it to the world.
From the perspective of a business that’s trying to increase engagement, live video is definitely something to consider.
7. Drop teasers and build hype
Building hype for something new and exciting your company is about to launch will help you maximize your reach.
Before dropping her album Reputation, Swift pulled back on public appearances and online activity.
Then, she deleted everything on her social accounts. This created a buzz in the media and amongst fans.
After that, she uploaded a string of coordinated posts and videos on her Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to announce the release of her album.
This move sent fans in a state of frenzy and her first single “Look What You Made Me Do” became the most-streamed song during its debut week.
As a video marketer, you can maximize your campaign’s impact with a well-timed teaser/promo video.
If you’d like a teaser/promo video made for your business, contact our video strategists. We’d love to brainstorm ideas and bring your vision to life.
Talk with a video strategist
8. Experiment with interactive video
Taylor and her team took interactive video to a whole new level with a 360° interactive Blank Space experience.
After downloading the app, users could explore the mansion, discover hidden interactive elements, and investigate multiple storylines in detail.
This type of video content is something companies can experiment with as well.
Need some inspiration? Check out our previous article where we look at some excellent interactive brand videos.
9. Stay on top of trends
Earlier in 2020, the UK Official Charts reported a 103% increase in cassette sales since January. So, for Folklore, Taylor Swift and her team made the clever decision to release the album on cassette.
This is an example of how staying on top of trends is crucial if you’re going to come up with novel ways to market your business.
Similarly, trend spotting as a video marketer will help you create relevant and engaging content at just the right time.
But how can you spot a trend before it’s too late?
You can practice social listening and use the tools mentioned below to know what’s hot.
- Google Trends
- Reddit trending
- Twitter trending
- Google Keyword Planner
- Exploding Topics
- Keyword IO
- Ahrefs
- Buzzsumo
- Trendspottr
- Trendsmap
Read more: How to Find Trending Topics for Creating Videos
10. Partner up
Taylor Swift understands the importance of partnerships and has collaborated with Target, Diet Coke, UPS, and Apple, to name a few.
She uses every opportunity to craft her image and show how relatable she is.
Her strategic alliances, consistent branding, and engagement tactics earned her a spot on Forbes’ 2018 America’s Richest Self-Made Women list.
Now, from a video marketing perspective, you could look into collaborating with major creators, industry leaders, and influencers.
Collab videos and sponsoring other’s content can help increase your company’s visibility. This can allow you to reach audiences that may not have found out about you otherwise.
11. Evolve
Taylor Swift’s image and sound have steadily evolved with time. The country-turned-pop artist manages to do this without confusing her fans or compromising her brand identity.
Amidst the Kim and Kanye controversies that created drama for Taylor, the singer adopted an edgier persona and launched her sixth studio album: Reputation.
Then, in 2020, she diverged from her last pop album (Lover) and ventured into folk music territory with Folklore.
Her discography shows that the star knows how to transform her brand to stay relevant.
As a video marketer, you have to update your strategy and content constantly. Change with the times or you’ll fall off everyone’s radar.
12. Leverage scarcity and exclusivity
Taylor Swift and her marketing team understand that exclusivity and scarcity can drive up sales.
Using this principle, the team released a limited-edition single (CD and vinyl) with an original voice note from Swift.
When word of this got out, fans scrambled to grab a copy.
Similarly, when it comes to marketing a business using video content, you should experiment with exclusive, limited-time offers.
Tactics like these encourage warm leads to spring into action!
13. Know how to distribute
Normally, Taylor Swift’s album releases are backed with an intricate promo plan and a scheduled rollout. But for Folklore (2020), the singer threw out the playbook and went with a surprise album release.
Although risky, the distribution strategy worked and the album sold over two million copies worldwide in one week.
This approach was perfect because restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic wouldn’t have made performances and other album promo activities possible.
In isolation my imagination has run wild and this album is the result. I’ve told these stories to the best of my ability with all the love, wonder, and whimsy they deserve. Now it’s up to you to pass them down. folklore is out now: https://t.co/xdcEDfithq
📷: Beth Garrabrant pic.twitter.com/vSDo9Se0fp
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) July 24, 2020
There’s an important lesson about distribution here for video marketers. Always consider how compatible your video content is with various distribution platforms and analyze if your plan aligns with current trends.
If your distribution is on point, you’ve won half the battle.
It’s safe to say that the Grammy-award-winning artist’s marketing strategy is a masterpiece. And it’s something adland can learn a lot from.
Hear that? sounds like the bell. And so our session on lessons video marketers can learn from Taylor Swift comes to an end.
We hope you gained some insights and inspiration for your next campaign.
If you’d like to learn more about the world of video, connect with us on LinkedIn. And if you’re a startup that wants to upgrade its marketing efforts, then download our free ebook on how to build a video marketing campaign from scratch.