It’s an argument almost as old as time itself: Does Drake know everything about social media marketing or nah? While it’s impossible to doubt his expertise on subjects like child stardom, heartbreak, and going from 0 to 100 very quickly, scholars continue to debate Drizzy’s status as a digital marketing genius.
After nearly a year of intensive research, I’ve come to the conclusion that Drake’s 2013 magnum opus Nothing Was The Same is actually a thoughtful meditation on effective digital marketing strategies. Beyond emotional introspection and Jay-Z’s favourite desserts, the album’s lyrics offer up groundbreaking insights that can only be uncovered through careful analysis.
To help you wade through the heartfelt laments and countless Toronto references, I’ve put together this helpful track-by-track breakdown which gets at the true meaning behind Nothing Was The Same. Without further delay, let’s “start at the bottom” (which is a reference to a popular song by rap singer/ESPN Awards host The Drake).
Tuscan Leather
“Self-explanatory, you just here to spread the story, wassup.”
Drake starts the album off with this profound statement on the role of the audience in online marketing. Your fans have already shown that they’re willing to interact with your content by following you, so give them something that they’ll actually enjoy! If people like what you have to say, they’ll share it, “spreading the story” of your brand and strengthening your position as an opinion leader. It truly is self-explanatory. Wassup.
“All of the talkin’, got one reply for all of your comments.”
It may come as a surprise, but most social media users do not actually visit a brand’s page for marketing reasons. According to a recent study by J.D. Power and Associates, 67% of consumers have visited a company’s social media profile for customer service while only 33% have done so for marketing. Maximize your page’s customer service potential by responding quickly and politely to any inquiries while keeping your tone consistent and empathetic. Make them feel appreciated, just like Drake would.
Furthest Thing
“What more can I say now? What more can I say now?”
Hitting Twitter’s 140 character limit on your tweets is not always a good idea. Tweets with the highest rate of engagement generally fall between 71-110 characters, proving that sometimes you shouldn’t share everything that you’re feeling at once (which might be news to Drizzy). Facebook lets you vent more with a massive 63, 206 character limit, but the best performing posts are usually much smaller. Posts on Facebook with under 80 characters have the highest levels of engagement, so keep your writing on the low. “No filler,” said Drake, elaborating on his view (from the 6).
Image Source: REUTERS
Started From The Bottom
“Where your real friends at?”
Almost everybody starts from the bottom when it comes to social media and there are few things more embarrassing than having no fans or followers on your profile, but don’t let it tempt you to buy your audience. Facebook’s reach is now at only 1-2% and you have no control over which of your fans end up seeing your content. If you’ve got fake followers in the mix, content that you’ve worked hard on will go to waste which means that bought Likes will actually reduce your organic leads instead of increasing them.
Remember that if someone has gone through the trouble of liking or following your page then they’re a legit fan who actually cares about you and your brand. Easy-Drake Oven knows the importance of keeping true friends around and dropping the fake ones – some say his experience managing his Facebook account was the motivation behind “No New Friends” (but they’re wrong).
Wu-Tang Forever
“It ain’t about who did it first, it’s about who did it right.”
Trends aren’t just for your followers to keep up with – you need to be constantly aware of how social media is changing to ensure that you’re optimizing the performance of your brand online. Count Drakeula outlines this by reminding us that even if we aren’t the first to try out a new technique or hop on an emerging platform, what matters the most is that we execute it well/put our city on the map.
This year, the digital marketing landscape changed quicker than Drake’s favourite basketball player with platforms like Google+ and Pinterest becoming crucial components of your brand’s success. Image and video-based apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and Vine have also seen huge growth, indicating that visual content is more important than ever (something with which Drizzy is quite familiar). Even Facebook posts with photos get much higher engagement, including 53% more likes, 104% more comments, and 84% more click-throughs than text-based posts.
Image Source: Startraksphoto
Own It
“Next time we talk, I don’t wanna just talk – I wanna trust.”
I know you’ve been hurt before, but don’t be afraid to let your followers in. Social media is about building relationships (which is both Drake’s most and least favourite thing ever) and that remains true when it comes to your brand.
Engage your customers as much as possible, especially those who contact you. Don’t forget to reach out to influencers as well, much like a young Cloudy-with-a-Chance-of-Drizzle reached out to Lil Wayne and “got rich off a mixtape, got rich off a mixtape”. Using Twitter cards, emoticons, and even posting late in the evening has been shown to increase engagement by giving your users a more intimate experience. Although Drake might not always be a fan of intimacy, your followers will understand you – even if it sometimes seems like no one else does :’(
Thank me later (which is a Drake album) because this is just Part One of a three part series. Until then, take care (which is also a Drake album).
