Don’t raise your eyebrows just yet.
I know Justin Bieber is the last person that comes to mind when you think about an Internet marketing expert. I did not think so myself until I came across this blog post from Dukeo explaining why this baby faced heartthrob from Canada has a thing or two to share about becoming an Internet marketing success.
First things first, how did Justin Bieber come to where he is now? In case you are not in your pre-teens or immune to Bieber fever, the answer is YouTube. According to Wikipedia, his mom uploaded videos of the then unknown Bieber performing various hits. His popularity on YouTube slowly grew until a music executive “accidentally” saw one of his videos and the rest is, of course, modern music history.
Today, Justin Bieber has more than 12 million followers on Twitter and according to Dukeo, was ranked second on the Forbes list of top paid celebrities under the age of 30. His social media accounts also play a huge role in marketing and promotion. In fact, his video “One Time” was said to sell faster after it was uploaded on YouTube. How’s that for an Internet marketing expert? He may not know it (and some of you may not like it) but Justin Bieber does have a few lessons to offer to aspiring Internet marketing experts.
1. Focus on certain Internet marketing tools. Social media is a vital aspect of any online marketing campaign. Right now, there are so many platforms out there that the temptation to use them all is almost irresistible. Why not choose two to three platforms to focus on? Pick the ones which have the most returns on your efforts and investments. For example, Facebook may be the most popular social networking site in the world today but if your Facebook page is not getting you as much attention despite your best efforts, then channel your resources to the next social media platform on your list.
2. Focus on your core audience. According to Dukeo, Bieber’s Twitter account shows active engagement with his countless fans but no replies to his haters. His image and his product are created to cater to his core audience and as is clearly evident, they love him even more because of that. On a business perspective, you cannot actually just ignore complaints and criticisms about you and your products or services. The takeaway here is that you should know who you are talking to and tailor fit your Internet marketing services to them. As the adage goes, you cannot please everybody so focus on those you can and diplomatically address those who are attacking you.
3. Embrace your labels and don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself. Internet marketing experts always say that social media engagement is all about having a relatable personality. Well, here’s Bieber’s tip on being relatable: laugh at yourself. If there are negative things thrown at you or your business, try using it to show your audience who you really are and what you are really made of. Of course, this should be used with caution. If you treat everything as a joke, your audience won’t take you and your business seriously and that’s something you don’t want. It might also seem insulting for your audience if you treat their valid complaints as a joke. The best time to poke fun at yourself is when the feedback start to get a bit too personal. You can diffuse the situation with some well-intentioned humor and your audience will appreciate you for it.
So, do you think the Bieber qualifies as an Internet marketing expert? We want to know what you think!
Meanwhile, we leave you with a video of the Super Bowl commercial featuring Justin Bieber and the Osbournes. Enjoy!