What Social Media Managers can Learn from Stan Culture

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Because social buzz is now so important to the success of cultural items, it’s only logical that fandoms have turned to social media as their major battleground. Fandom culture has existed for a long time, even before social media. However, the advent of fandom culture, particularly through Twitter, has changed the laws of cultural dissemination in recent years, coinciding with the rise of meme culture.

Stans Run the World

Stan is a slang term for devoted, hardcore fans that comes from an Eminem song about an obsessive fan. Stans are the new evangelicals, zealously proclaiming their beloved celebrities’ gospel to strangers on social media. One devoted fan isn’t enough to make a difference, but a linked group of stans is an unpaid public relations force.

What We Can Learn from Stan Culture on Social Media

Having thousands of committed fan accounts working to disseminate your message around the world may seem out of reach, but there are a few key lessons to be learned from stan culture on social media as listed by Later:

Put Your Audience (and their interests!) First

What is the most important lesson we can learn from these accounts? Prioritize your audience. While it’s critical to emphasize the material that contributes to business KPIs such as boosting web traffic or growing brand recognition, you won’t get results if you’re not considering what your audience wants.

Stan accounts are all about bringing people together around a common interest, so if you’re a social media manager, think about what your audience could find useful or interesting with your product or service. By prioritizing your audience, you give them a sense of belonging inside your brand’s ecosystem; they’ll feel like they’re a part of something more than a transaction.

Community Lives in the Comments

What is the second most important thing we can learn from stan culture? It’s crucial to interact with your fans. When a Swiftie gets a like from Taylor Swift on TikTok, the entire stan community feels like they’ve won. Because it may not result in an instant KPI gain, many businesses avoid connecting with their followers unless done in a “customer service” manner. However, don’t forget to interact with your followers.

The deeper your fan relationship becomes, the more you interact with your followers. And the stronger the fan interaction, the more likely they will become brand ambassadors or evangelists — individuals who tell their friends, family, and followers about the company.

Create Relatable Memes for your Community

Knowing how to communicate with your most devoted fans is one of the most important lessons from stan culture on social media. Instead of sounding like a business robot, listen to your audience. Do they have a favorite emoji? Are there any acronyms they’d recognize immediately (e.g., IYKYK, FWIW, POV)? However, remember to keep your brand voice in mind as well. Depending on your brand, you may not want to sound precisely like your “stans” or followers, but you may be adaptable depending on the platform. On TikTok or Twitter, for example, you could be more casual than on Facebook.

Final Thoughts

Stan culture has effectively exploited the value of feeling linked to people via a common interest. Fan communities are a significant force to be reckoned with at this stage — sites like Twitch and Patreon are already capitalizing on their potential — so why are they so often overlooked Recognizing and communicating with your most ardent fans can not only enhance those bonds but also their brand loyalty and advocacy in the long run.
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