Social Strategy According to Glorilla
Song of the week: Glorilla - Yeah Glo!
Aye dawg… She got one with this one. Certified banger. She got one. That’s all.
Glorilla has the internet in a chokehold once again.
Her new song, “Yeah Glo!” has taken over social media, and is quickly climbing the Hip-hop charts.
She’s only been on the scene for a few years now, but this record further proves that Glo is here to stay, and the campaign behind the song is also a great lesson in Social Strategy.
While radio and tv always do their thing performance-wise when it comes to promoting anything, having a solid approach on social is key to getting something to spread to the masses.
In Glorilla’s case, her strategy includes UGC, influencers, organic social content, and so much more.
Let’s talk about how Glorilla’s strategy has given her what’s sure to be the biggest song of Q1.
I. Ignite a Social Trend Using Call & Response
Creating a social media trend is no easy feat.
You can plan for it as much as you want by seeding content to influencers and putting a bunch of paid media behind the creative, but at the end of the day, the consumer has to decide that it’s worthy of their participation.
People want to share. After all, humans are communal, and the ability to share brings us closer together.
But again, it has to feel right. It’s tricky to pull off.
That said, a large part of Glorilla’s success on social media is because she taps into that communal feeling.
From her lyrics to her interviews, Glo curates moments that bring people together.
In this particular case, a part of this songs success is in its DNA.
The hook utilizes an important & storied aspect of Black music that goes all the way back to the Black Church, and African American Spirituals, and that’s…
Call & Response.
The hook is chant, a rallying cry, and a cheer all at once.
This creates an opportunity for fans to see themselves in the song in a different way — especially during live performances (and car karaoke).
Fans felt so compelled by the call & response that they adopted the song on social, turning it into a social trend.
Peep that video above.
Glorilla has grown men in their 40s making TikToks saying, “Yeah Glo!” — that’s something a brand could maybe buy with the right influencers. But it hits different when it’s organic.
Yeah Glo! (Had to do it one time).
II. Reposting the best videos to reward fans
A core piece of any good Social Strategy is determining how your brand will interact with fans.
Are you gonna reply to their comments? Show love when warranted? Give them a coveted spot on your feed with a repost or retweet?
All of these of good options, and Glorilla & her team don’t just do one… They opt for all of them.
Once “Yeah Glo!'“ ignited a social trend across platforms Glorilla and her team capitalized on it by reposting some of the best videos on her instagram.’
It’s clever because it has a dual effect:
Small creators who were showing love were now opened up to a larger audience.
The life of the song gets extended by video content that creates connection beyond the music music.
The official video for “Yeah Glo!” serves as the tentpole content, and the reposts now act as micro content that allows the song to feel new and fresh every time people ses a new TikTok about it.
The reposts also generate excitement as fans can now use their talents to get Glorilla’s attention, and potentially see a boost in interest in their work too.
It’s a really dope feedback loop, and one that’s been working wonders for Glorilla.
III. Lean into Your Uniqueness
f*ck I look like saying “cuban on cuban” - Glorilla
It's important that your strategy shows an awareness of who you are, what your audience wants, your product intrinsics etc.
More to the point, it’s good for your base to know that you’re not afraid to poke a little fun at yourself, and that you’re truly aware of the social chatter around your brand.
With that said…
Anyone who’s listened to Glorilla knows that she proudly reps Memphis, Tennessee and that her accent can be pretty thick at times.
On the hook to her record she references Cuban link chains i.e. going “Cuban on Cuban”
However, because of her accent, it sounds like the screenshotted comment above.
Look at the video below for Glo’s response to criticism on how she was saying the lyrics:
By not shying away from how her accent, and leaning into her Memphis roots, Glo created a viral lyric.
While some users were making videos in the style of call & response, others were imitating the “cuban on cuban” lyric.
This last point is crucial, and that’s…
Make a good song.
This is really self-explanatory, but honestly, it’s the most important piece.
No matter how much of budget you have, or who’s co-signing the product, it won’t go anywhere if it’s sh*tty.
An old engineer used to tell me when it came to mixing records that it all starts with getting a clean vocal take.
Starting with a cruddy take just makes for a bad recording all around.
Why?
Because you can’t polish a turd.
No matter how good the strategy is, once people realize you’re giving them something subpar, the work to get them into the funnel goes out the window.
AS FOR WHAT’S NEXT…
As of this morning, Yeah Glo! is still trending on social media, and Glorilla is still picking up steam.
Hopefully this song is a glimpse of more to come. I love when a certified banger hits the culture like this.
It reminds me of when Brent dropped “Crew” in 2017.”
Get Em Glo.
One.