5 Social Media Marketing Lessons from Lil Nas X's Debut Album Release
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In the world of social media marketing, it can be difficult to keep up with trends and craft creative content on a regular basis. Especially in the nonprofit realm, it’s easy to fall into a habit of churning out the same old similar graphics and posts, without considering how to change it up and be playful. That’s why today, we’re learning from one of the best social media marketers out there: Lil Nas X. Here are five lessons we can learn from Montero himself:
1) Don’t be afraid to take a weird idea and run with it.
I would’ve loved to be in the room when Lil Nas X told his team he wanted to pretend to be pregnant for the leadup to his album release, carrying baby Montero (the album). I’m sure some people looked at him like it was the most ludicrous idea they’d ever heard--and you know what? That’s not a bad thing! Absurd ideas stand out!
Being weird is memorable. So many nonprofits take the safe route, afraid of alienating donors. If you’re looking for permission, here it is: go ahead and experiment with something quirky and off the wall! If it flops, that’s fine. If it doesn’t? There’s tons of potential to get in front of new eyeballs and be remembered for your unusual and engaging campaign!
If you’re not familiar with the pregnancy angle of his hilarious album promotion efforts, you can watch the birth video, see baby shower photos, and even a pregnancy announcement.
2) Incorporate humor in your social content.
Lil Nas X is the king of memes. Anything can be fodder for a meme, and it helps that he’s incredibly self aware. Whether he’s reposting memes from fans or creating his own, his Twitter and Instagram feeds always get a chuckle out of me.
So often nonprofits don’t feel like they can be funny--they fear it’s inappropriate or they won’t be taken seriously. And yes, for some organizations, humor isn’t the best choice. For example, a domestic violence shelter or child abuse hotline would not want to share funny memes. But if you’re promoting an event or trying to educate your audience, try formatting that content into a meme. If you can get people’s attention, make them laugh, and help them learn, it’s a win all around! A good example of a nonprofit using a meme is GLSEN sharing this Oprah meme to encourage folks to take a survey. Funny and low stakes--a great combination.
3) Try making occasional pop culture references.
As a member of Gen Z, Lil Nas X draws from a wealth of pop culture references, including the Avengers, Teletubbies, Spongebob, and more. Like with humor, pop culture references may not always be appropriate for your organization to use on social media, but sometimes it can be a fun way to illustrate a point or cash in on a current cultural moment.
It’s a fine line--you don’t want to be perceived as trying too hard, but you don’t want to be stale either. Experiment a little! Try making pop culture references on a platform where you know your audience well. See how they respond and adjust accordingly before trying again.
4) Play around with familiar formats.
In his social content, Lil Nas X has played around with everything from a talk show format where he interviews himself, an absurdist cooking show on TikTok, and religious/right wing-seeming billboards sneakily promoting the album. By putting an unexpected twist on these familiar formats, he makes his viewers laugh and creates memorable content that reminds them that the new album is out.
Again, social media is forgiving, so get out there and experiment with familiar formats! You can produce your own talk show for your nonprofit or make an impromptu, silly cooking show to get the word out about your soup kitchen. It doesn’t have to be high budget--you can just have fun with it. The possibilities are limitless!
5) Mobilize your audience in creative ways.
Lastly, anyone can click a link in bio, but where is that link taking you? Get creative! Lil Nas X followed through on the pregnancy theme by creating a baby registry for Montero, which highlights a different nonprofit paired with each song. It explains what the organization does and provides a link so you can easily donate to them. Amazing!
Your nonprofit or small business should have a link in your Instagram bio that brings your followers exactly where they expect it will go. To take it to another level, bring them somewhere a bit more creative. A Bookshop page, an Amazon wish list, a landing page that’s custom designed to tie into your campaign’s theme--anything unique and relevant is better than just dumping them on your homepage!
Now that we’ve talked about Lil Nas X at length, you may want to check out his debut album here. Happy listening!
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