Why Lady Gaga is the Queen of Social Media

The following article was referenced on the Wall Street Journal's SmartMoney

Forget your poker face.

If Twitter was a poker tournament, Lady Gaga just came up with a royal flush, becoming the first person to accumulate 20 million followers.

That’s right. Out of all the celebrities and political figures that clutter the Twitter universe, Lady Gaga has got them all beat in the all-important popularity contest.

Not Justin Bieber (18 million), or Katy Perry (15.7 million) and not Shakira (14.5 million). Lady Gaga rules supreme in the social media landscape.

In addition to her record-setting Twitter following, Lady Gaga also boasts over 49 million “likes” on her Facebook page. 

She also just launched her very own social network called Little Monsters.

It's true, we've signed up ourselves. Just kidding of course. (Or are we?)

How Does She Do It?

As Gaga herself would say, “she was born this way!”

But more to the point, unlike many other celebrities, Lady Gaga has said that she actually personally updates her accounts and statuses. Gaga’s Twitter and Facebook updates range from anecdotal personal stories, bands she’s been listening to a lot, and backstage information, such as stories from rehearsals or the recording studio. And followers know they're directly from Gaga herself.

The bottom line is she keeps her followers engaged and informed. And most importantly, she does this herself.

You may be wondering, why does a person like Lady Gaga care or put any significance on Facebook likes or Twitter followers?

Simply put, she’s a pop artist! You know, “pop”, as in popular.

In the world of pop music, artists can often be “here today, gone tonight,” so not only must they capitalize on their popularity, but now with the advent of social media, they’re able to better connect with their fans and followers and keep them engaged, maybe even prolonging their 15 minutes of fame.

Granted, a star as big as Lady Gaga probably doesn’t have to worry about flaming out anytime soon, however, there is a message to be found in staying engaged with followers and providing interesting content to keep them there and attract new fans.

The Blue Print

Along with the large following the pop star has accrued, Gaga has also managed to stay engaged in more creative ways than simply posting frequent status updates.

Lady Gaga even teamed with the popular social gaming company Zynga to create GagaVille, her own twist on the popular gaming app, Farmville.

In a recent story from the BBC News, Stewart Townsend, from Twitter marketing and analysis firm Datasift, said he believed Lady Gaga has set an example of how social media could be utilized successfully.

“She’s active, she participates, she listens, she engages, “ Townsend said. “A lot of brands or agencies are just in listening mode – and don’t react.”

Indeed she has developed a blueprint. Lady Gaga’s latest album, Born this Way, has sold upwards of 8 million copies, thanks in large part to a strong social media presence.

This is significant in that it is applicable to any business or entrepreneur trying to establish and develop a loyal following through social media. Keep them interested and engaged!

Edge of Glory

So while most of us may not be able to pull off wearing unique headdresses while performing in front of sell-out crowds at Madison Square Garden, we can certainly mimic Lady Gaga’s effort to engage and keep followers interested through the various social media platforms.

The most important aspect of Lady Gaga’s social media presence is the amount of sharable content she produces. She keeps people entertained and interested in what she has to say and the media and content that she shares.

So while all the other female pop stars are “going Gaga,” meaning they’re copying and mimicking her style, the rest of us in the business industry should be looking to go “Gaga” as well.

After all, couldn’t we all benefit from record-setting social media followings?

Key Takeaways:

• Lady Gaga is the first person to accumulate 20 million Twitter followers.
• She personally updates her account and statuses.
• Using social media, Lady Gaga has kept fans and followers engaged and interested in unique stories and shareable content.

Photo Courtesy of MIXEvent under License Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)