I remember joining my very first fan club. It was for Benji, the movie star dog! They made six movies with the delightful pup; he was a huge hit. Why did I join? Well, I really loved Benji’s movies, I loved animals and I got access to cool behind-the-scenes stuff like a paw-printed picture, news about his upcoming movies, “secret” facts and happenings, plus more.
The point is, whether we’re talking about Benji’s fan club back when I was a kid, Beyonce’s “Beyhive” or your very own cult following on premium social media, the heart of the fan club experience is the same: making fans feel like they’ve gotten to know you just a little bit better. With that in mind, here are some simple suggestions to help maximize your preferred fan platform by giving fans that special VIP behind-the-curtain — or behind-the-paywall — experience.
First, if you’re a perfectionist who has to have the lighting just right and every video edited with 50 cut scenes, relax. A fan site is about your personality
First, if you’re a perfectionist who has to have the lighting just right and every video edited with 50 cut scenes, relax. A fan site is about your personality — or at least the personality that you want to portray.
Since we’re talking about an adult platform, sure, there will be adult content on the timeline, in the direct messages and so on… but there will also be posts about how the barista made a little heart in the foam atop your coffee this morning, and it was just so cool that you had to share that frothy goodness in real time.
Or maybe you take a selfie in the car and flash a little naughtiness, sticking out your tongue. Be it barista or boobs, showing a little bit of spunk and realness is absolutely key. That’s because the purpose of a fan site is to let folks get to know you. Or, if you’re a fetishist, to let them know that the fetish is a real part of your world.
Before fan platforms, interactions between models and fans were limited to the model saying, “Oh God, oh God!” and the fan making fwapping and grunting noises… no conversation. Today, it’s a lot different. Sure, there’s still moaning and fwapping, but now fans can ask models questions and vice versa. They can even have intimate conversations and forge a personal connection.
The value of interactivity and frequent responses is higher than ever. If you’d told me 20 years ago that a selfie could become sellable content I would have laughed. Today, it’s one of the prime sellers on fan platforms. Typing responses back and forth? Who knew you could make money chatting? But you can!
By escaping the confines of the 10-minute clip, focusing instead on a quickie you shot in the bathroom that morning and letting your personality do the selling, you’re offering a whole different experience — one that fans crave, and will pay for. Hopefully the tips above demonstrate that providing an authentic experience is actually easier than you might think. The strategy “Relax and have fun” has never been so profitable.
Andrew Loyal is the support manager for Loyalfans, an all-inclusive fan club platform. Find him on Twitter @andrewloyalfans and contact social@loyalfans.com for promotional opportunities. Loyalfans can be followed @realloyalfans on both Twitter and Instagram.