We must stan the fangirls

Social media has been pouring tour content over us all this year – those bejewelled Renaissance outfits, handmade friendship bracelets, and that feather boa.

People are crazy for their chosen star, but it’s nothing new.

These types of communities – from Swifties to the Bey-hive – have been simultaneously judged for their diehard love, whilst being absolutely instrumental in creating historical cultural moments.

And let’s not forget the $4 billion economic injection from Swifties alone… Fangirls turned a mortal into Elvis; superfans helped get Britney Spears out of her conservatorship.

They’re not restricted to pop music: diehard Apple customers queue for the latest product, no matter the weather or the reviews.

And if we’re honest with ourselves, it’s the dream of all communicators to build a superfan base like this.

We write, workshop, and create with the hope that what we send out creates loyalty, support and positive energy.

Here’s how to build your own superfan base of brand advocates and make your company their chosen star:

In Edelman’s Trust in Work 2023 study, 80% of people say it’s a dealbreaker if an employer doesn’t support personal empowerment when considering a job. This includes receiving regular, truthful communication and seeing their CEO embody values. 71% said it was a dealbreaker if the employer doesn’t prioritise societal impact. How can you make your brand story remarkable? Who do you need to influence to make real change to the things that matter? Write the story your fans want, and then make it a reality.

Think ‘fan first’, not ‘format first’. In other words: what platforms and push channels can you integrate some personalisation into? Hyper- personalisation is set to be one of the biggest trends in 2024 with advancing AI algorithms and commerce platforms – and it’s something our audiences are going to expect to see more of in IC as well. Talk to, not at, them.

If you want your community to back you, they need to know that you do the same for them, because this dynamic only works if it’s a two-way street. How can you show your audience that you’re their superfan? Introduce policies and benefits that support where they find themselves in their lives, not just at work; share their stories as much as you share your own. And in turn, they’ll proudly start to view your relationship as a partnership – something they choose to stand with and to advocate for. An emotional connection.

Fans become superfans when they believe that the person or brand they’re plugged into cares about them specifically, and will exceed their expectations.

And they spread the word: superfans come back for more, bringing new fans with them, which is great news for retention, attraction and advocacy.

If you want to learn more about how to create superfans using your own employees, come and chat to us about our internal influencer programmes. BYO feather boa…