Mark Collins worked with Beyoncé for a year, managing her social media and digital advertisements. He claims that as her director of new media and digital strategy, he began working with her in 2009. Beyonce reportedly shifted his focus to growing her online fan base during that period. It was then that she taught him his most important marketing lessons.
“She’s the most gracious and kind person I’ve ever met. At the same time, she knew what she wanted from her team. She has high standards for those around her because she has high standards for herself” he states.
These three significant insights that he gained from working with Beyoncé have influenced his career:
1. Encourage community rather than create it
He was responsible for managing Beyoncé’s Twitter account and Facebook page in addition to directing her digital strategy. “The team would put together our recommendations, and we’d present these ideas to her father, Mathew Knowles, who was overseeing Music World Entertainment, which produced her earlier work.”
They would share their ideas with Beyoncé, he said, if he liked them. She would listen to them, express her preferences, and offer advice. He says she was always courteous, even when she disagreed. According to Mark, it appeared throughout these face-to-face conversations that she wasn’t very enthusiastic about social media or inclined to post on Facebook or Twitter.
It was sometime in 2009 or 2010. It was like the Wild West out there on the internet. Rules didn’t exist. It appeared that social media wasn’t Beyoncé’s thing when she concluded her “I Am Sasha Fierce” tour in Brazil.
Indeed, she had a Twitter account for years that she never used to tweet. Nevertheless, a sizable following was eagerly awaiting her appearance. Mark’s team therefore anticipated that these platforms would become very busy as soon as they started posting for her. However, they failed to match her level of fame, which left them in a difficult situation. “What the heck is going on here? How come none of her platforms are becoming popular?”, Mark says as they couldn’t stop wondering what the reason for it was.
The crew then discovered that there was already a group that had connected online and that they were far more active than anything they could muster. And that group of people were the Beyhive.
So, they shifted their focus from creating an online community for Beyoncé to interacting with the pre-existing online community, while locating others with similar worldviews to Beyoncé, and then interacting with them according to the team’s common values and beliefs.
The Beyhive is a group of people that support Beyoncé’s political views in addition to loving her music. That, in Mark’s opinion, was one of the most important things that he learned from working with her on marketing: “you don’t create community; you just help it along”.
2. Scoop in and concentrate on the imaginative idea
“Beyoncé’s capacity to participate in every aspect of our business endeavours was her greatest asset. It’s incredible to consider that someone with such brilliance and insight into popular culture could also be quite kind. She’s very different from the diva attitude you’d think she would have. “She’s very kind, but she’s not a pushover,” Mark remarks.
As their correspondence increased in frequency, they began to arrange a return of her website, and she expressed a strong desire to be heavily involved. She wasn’t a passive participant.
3. Communicate sincerely
Though it may seem apparent now, those who took to the internet to discuss Beyoncé with one another did not want to be treated like consumers. According to Mark, the crew felt as though they were telling us, “Don’t talk to me as though I were someone with money in my pocket,” when they first interacted with the audience. Communicate with us in a humane manner and interact with us according to your perception of our identity and worldview.”
Beyoncé’s fans use her music as a cultural filter to view the world. Her genuineness was well-received and appreciated by the fans. However, at the time, bloggers had a lot of leeway in disparaging and mocking her. This was the turning point in the development of her community. The Beyhive has become a formidable force for all those bloggers.
“Once we were able to shift from focusing on fans to focusing on the community, we connected with the audience in a more meaningful way” according to him.
The targeted audience felt validated when the crew saw them for who they really were. And they discovered that the audience was then more likely to get involved. The secret was treating this community as a community rather than as a customer was the key. Following that, those with whom you have had genuine interactions spread the word to others. After that, the community acts as your personal marketer, Mark claims.
“I thought that the ad industry was utilising modern technologies more effectively than the music industry, so after working with Beyoncé, I decided to pursue a career in advertising. However, my experience working with Beyoncé taught me a lot. “For the Culture,” my book, is based on these encounters. Finding your tribe is the focus of the first chapter, which is what marketers do”, Mark concludes.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, digging deep into Beyoncé’s unparalleled success in digital strategy offers a master class for businesses and individuals alike. Through her innovative use of social media, strategic content release strategies, and meticulous brand management, Beyoncé has set a new standard for engaging with audiences in the digital age.
Her ability to authentically connect with fans, generate buzz, and drive results demonstrates the power of leveraging digital platforms effectively. Just as she has redefined the music industry, Beyoncé’s mastery of digital strategy provides invaluable lessons for any aspiring entrepreneur or organisation looking to thrive in the digital realm.
(Tashia Bernardus)