Originally published on June 28, 2024. Updated on January 8, 2025.
In the ever-evolving landscape of music promotion, social media strategies play a crucial role in artist success. This guide explores the viral Billie Eilish marketing strategy employed in 2024 and discusses how emerging artists can adapt similar strategies to their own scale and audience.
This strategy highlights broader shifts in the music industry, such as the demand for personalised fan experiences and the growing focus on leveraging social media tools to foster repeatable, scalable campaigns.
1) What Happened
On April 4th 2024, Billie Eilish added all 110M of her Instagram followers to her 'close friends' list.
This resulted in an internet frenzy, leading to 10M additional followers.
The move served as a launching pad for Billie's upcoming album 'HIT ME HARD AND SOFT'.
2) Why It Worked
Leveraged existing platform features in an unexpected way
Created a sense of exclusivity and intimacy with fans
Generated significant public conversation with questions in Reddit threads like "I'm on her close friends list???"
Served as free promotion for her third studio album
While replicating Eilish's exact strategy may not be feasible for smaller artists, the core concepts can be adapted. Here's how to use Instagram Close Friends for music promotion:
Use the 'close friends' feature to target specific fan groups. For example, add fans interested in an upcoming event.
Share behind-the-scenes footage, early teasers, or live Q&As with your 'close friends' group.
Maintain a mix of public and exclusive content to keep all fans engaged.
Consider periodically changing your 'close friends' list to avoid alienating fans.
Use exclusive content to generate excitement and anticipation.
While Billie Eilish's 'close friends' stunt was a large-scale move, the core concept of creating exclusivity and fostering intimate fan connections applies to artist fanbase growth strategies at any level. By creatively using social media tools and focusing on meaningful engagement, emerging artists can differentiate themselves in a crowded digital landscape and build a dedicated fan base.
Remember, the goal is to rise above the digital noise and create genuine connections with your audience. Whether through Instagram's 'close friends' feature or other creative approaches, the key is to make your fans feel like insiders and stakeholders in your musical journey to drive exclusive fan engagement.
At Super Specific, we help artists build dedicated fanbases using tools like Instagram's 'Close Friends' feature. Contact us to book a free consultation to identify your unique challenges and uncover growth opportunities.