Last week, Forbes announced that Taylor Swift would officially be added to their list of billionaires. This is an impressive feat for any artist, but what’s most impressive about Swift is that she is the very first musician to achieve this solely from her music, with no other business ventures or investments (big slay from us).
With a new album out today, we thought what better time to let the Favola swifties teach us all about her marketing prowess. So, grab your glitter gel pen and let’s take notes on how to market like Taylor Swift.
Building a Community
Taylor Swift has always been ahead of the game when it comes to using social media to engage with her fans. She was one of the very first artists in the country music genre to start posting her music to YouTube and MySpace back in 2005, where she gained over 850k friends (we just want to know who was in her Top 8 Friends list?).
Since then, she has moved over to other social platforms to keep interacting with fans. Prior to COVID-19, she even met fans in person; hosting secret album listening sessions in her houses with fans she’d hand-selected, sending Christmas presents to fans and even surprising them at events like bridal showers and weddings.
All of this is to say that by fostering a sense of belonging and connection, Swift has built a devoted fan base that transcends mere listeners. Marketers, take note: it’s not just about selling a product, it’s about building a community.
Brand Consistency
Taylor Swift has reinvented herself and her sound at almost every album release, transitioning from country to pop to indie folk. But one thing remains consistent: her authenticity and relatability.
The brand of Taylor Swift has always been about being relatable to her fans. This is most obvious within her songwriting; she is somehow able to make a song about losing her life’s work feel relatable to anyone who has lost someone, but also bleeds into other parts of her brand. For example, she purposely doesn’t break fashion rules, keeping her street style very casual and easy to recreate, with no obvious names.
From this, Marketers can learn the importance of staying true to your brand identity, even while adapting to ever-changing trends.
Creating Hype
If Taylor Swift is nothing else, she is the queen of creating hype and keeping her fans on the edge of their seats. From surprise album drops to cryptic social media clues and even elaborate Easter Egg hunts within her music videos, Swift knows exactly how to keep her fans watching her every move.
Within her current Eras Tour, Swift has managed to keep a sense of mystery about each night by playing two acoustic surprise songs from her back catalogue. And yes, we have spent hours watching Secret Song live streams on TikTok at 2am.
The lesson here? Get creative with your tactics to hype up a campaign. Use suspense, exclusivity, and perfect timing to grab your audience’s attention and keep them hooked.
To sum it up, Taylor Swift’s success extends far beyond her musical talent, it’s also a testament to her savvy marketing strategies. By building a community, maintaining brand consistency, and creating hype, Swift has set a gold standard for marketers across industries.
