The music world has a way of constantly outdoing itself. From insane tours, to dropping albums seemingly overnight, musicians are always performing the craziest stunts to excite fans. Recently, artists have been using social media to drop cryptic messages and subtle hints to their fans about upcoming music releases. The Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber are three notable artists who have used these mysterious hints on social media to spark interest in their new music drops – finally!
Using Instagram to sprinkle hints is a genius way to engage fans and pique their interest, especially if it’s been a while since a new release. Both the Jonas Brothers and Justin Bieber used their Instagram pages to post mysterious pictures, leading fans to the conclusion they’re both releasing new music – again, finally! Whether it’s a complete album cover with no explanation, or a series of numbers and photos with tantalizing captions, everyone loves a good scavenger hunt.
Taylor Swift, on the other hand, went big to get her fans thinking. She started small by simply changing her Instagram aesthetic. A seemingly innocent transition, but fans took note. This started speculation of potential new music from the artist, who hadn’t released anything in a while. Then a butterfly mural – matching Taylor’s new Instagram theme – appeared on the streets of Nashville, and fans couldn’t contain their excitement. This ultimately led to a Taylor Swift sighting and confirmation of new music at a massive event attended by lots of fans and media. The mystery was solved, and fans were hooked.
These are just a few examples of the ways social media is being used in the music industry, and it’s something spectacular. This new interactive and involved strategy is a genius use of these platforms. Not only does it keep existing fans interested, it creates a unique way to attract new fans, which is extremely important in such a cutthroat industry. Fans feel more connected, want to engage and ultimately support the artist. I will admit, I don’t listen to Taylor Swift, but I was sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for another hint or clue, because I wanted to solve this mystery first.
Finding new ways to engage individuals, especially after a hiatus, is crucial to a solid PR plan. Social media is a strategic way to do this, but with social media platforms continuing to evolve, it’s important that we evolve with them. Trying new tactics and ways to increase engagement seems risky, but by keeping up with the trends and understanding the way consumers want to use these platforms, PR professionals will be able to take the world by storm, one cryptic post at a time.