• Adam Kluger, who directs rappers Lil Yachty and Bad Bhabie, helped kickstart product placement in music videos.
• Kluger has also worked with Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Jason Derulo on branded deals and on social media.
• The seasoned manager gave advice on how creators can develop large and loyal social media followers.

Kluger Agency CEO and Music Director Adam Kluger would not consider himself a social media influencer, despite having more than 25,000 Instagram followers. But working with artists like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Lil Yachty, and Bhad Bhabie has given her invaluable insight into how creators can better interact with fans online.

Kluger made a name for himself when he launched his management and advertising company in 2008, pioneering product placement in video clips when he paired Lady Gaga with clothing manufacturer Vixen’s Visions for the video of the “Beautiful, Dirty, Rich” artist. He paired Jason Derulo with dating site Plenty of Fish for her music video “Ridin ‘Solo”, Christina Aguilera with psychic hotline Oranum for her music video “Your Body” and Hilary Duff with the dating app Tinder.

He has also worked with clients to build large and loyal social media followers, which are crucial to the artist’s reputation (and the value they bring to brand partnerships). When Kluger first signed Bhad Bhabie as a client in 2017, he even managed his Instagram account as the once troubled rapper went through a hectic adolescence, which included a “Dr. Phil” appearance where she threatened to fight with his mother.

“I did this for the first two years just because she was young, and we were afraid she would continue there and do things that might jeopardize some of the things she was working on,” said Kluger on Bad Bhabie’s Instagram. “But as she got older and matured, she took care of it, and that’s even better.” (She has nearly 17 million followers.)

Kluger offered advice on how creators can manage their subscriber relationships to attract and keep a legion of “die-hard” fans.

Manage your own voice on social media

Managing your social media can be time consuming, and while it can be tempting to outsource this aspect of your brand to a social media manager, Kluger advised against it, despite his early work with Bad Bhabie. Authenticity is the key to connecting with followers, and no one knows you better than you.

“It’s very difficult for a person to get in and manage a talent’s social media and keep it genuine,” Kluger said. “The engagement will never be there, and the fans are smart. You can’t fool the general public, and if someone else does, you’ll end up being discovered. will be a lot of backlash. “

Engage directly with subscribers to convert them into fans.

Simply sharing your content across multiple platforms, even if you already have a significant number of subscribers, is not enough to keep fans loyal. Respond to your followers’ comments and message them directly.

“It doesn’t matter if you are Lady Gaga,” Kluger said. “Connect with Sally from Iowa, send her a DM and say, ‘Hi, I appreciate that. “It goes a long way.”

Chances are, eagle-eyed followers will capture the exchange and share it on their own social channels, potentially creating a viral moment.

Reach five subscribers every day.

Remember, every fan counts, Kluger said. Make it a rule to reach at least five subscribers per day, with the goal of creating a group of 1,500 “diehard” followers who, in turn, are more likely to grab your merchandise, to buy access to a meet-and-greet or pay for your live or virtual content.

“Subscribers are not equal in dollars,” Kluger said. “Fifteen hundred die-hard fans is a lot better than having 15 million subscribers – you’ll make a lot more money and you’ll have a lot more longevity. Reach out. It takes 15 seconds of your life, and it’s been their year. “