Uncovering the Secrets of Influencers Driving Consumption Across Multiple Genres

Sato Noah is a multi-talented influencer active across Instagram, Twitter, and other social media platforms. She also serves as a band vocalist, beauty YouTuber, model, and MC. Why does she wield influence across so many diverse genres? As a representative cross-genre innovator (※1) who captivates fans with her intense personality, we asked her about social media strategy and the rules for PR posts.

※1: Refers to highly influential influencers possessing otaku-level knowledge in a specific field and holding the key to moving the market within that domain. The genres they influence are not necessarily limited to one.

 

SNS Strategy 1

Make them fans of the person "Sato Noah"

To gain fans amidst so many cute and stylish girls, I need them to think, "It has to be me." That's why I carefully craft my SNS posts to convey my humanity.

On Instagram, I don't just post photos; I also share longer posts like live event impressions or monthly reflections, clearly expressing my thoughts and values. On YouTube, while I post beauty-related videos, if it were just about makeup techniques, I wouldn't be necessary. So, I incorporate casual chatter and make sure to talk a lot.

When fans become fans of "Sato Noah" the person, they start copying my outfits and hairstyles. Honestly, my fans look so much like me that I can spot them instantly. These super-enthusiastic fans who copy everything react to my posts simply because I'm the one sharing them, regardless of the content. That's probably why I've been able to build influence across genres.

If I'd stuck to just one genre, I'd run out of material. But topics about "Sato Noah" as a person are endless, which I think also helps broaden my influence.

SNS Strategy 2

Maintaining the Right Distance to Keep Your Charisma

For DM messages, I press the heart button to indicate "I saw it," but I don't send messages back. Exchanging words via DM makes it feel like a personal conversation, no different from LINE, and the distance becomes too close, turning me into a friend. To maintain influence, I think it's crucial to keep that perfect distance – "close, yet somehow charismatic."

On the other hand, I do like and comment on fans' SNS posts. I do this to make them feel closer to me, but it also helps increase followers.

I have about 400,000 Instagram followers (as of April 2019). If someone thinks, "Maybe I'll get a reply just from them?", even someone who only likes me a little will follow me. I hope they'll see my posts from there and become a fan.

What's handy for this is screen recording on your phone. Recording yourself pressing "Like" and sharing it on your Instagram Story can cause your follower count to surge. In practice, you get a lot more likes and comments, and your impressions (※2) also increase significantly.

※2: The number of times an SNS post is displayed

SNS Strategy 3

Don't fixate on one platform

I believe it's crucial to build a fanbase on each social media platform and encourage them to visit your other channels. Currently, I'm focusing on Instagram, so my follower count there is naturally growing, but my YouTube subscriber count is also gradually increasing. This is because I'm creating pathways, like posting links, to guide my Instagram fans to watch my YouTube videos too.

Trends constantly shift across blogs, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, so it's essential not to fixate on one platform and to incorporate new approaches. That said, it's not just about chasing what's popular; it's crucial to use each platform appropriately.

In my case, I use both Instagram Live and TwitCasting. This is to satisfy both new and long-time fans. Instagram Live is geared towards newcomers, so I make it visually engaging. TwitCasting, on the other hand, is like radio. Since it's audio-only, only fans who genuinely want to know me tune in. Plus, I don't send notifications outside of TwitCasting, so it's like a perk only my longtime fans who know I'm streaming can access.

People sometimes call me a YouTuber or an Instagrammer, but I don't mind what they say—my title is decided by the viewers.

SNS Strategy 4

Turn it into an event to engage fans

On Instagram, I often used the hashtag "#SatoNoaEvangelismCampaign." Last year, I set a goal of "350,000 followers by year-end." If I achieved it, fans would be happy, thinking, "I evangelized her, yay!"

When releasing videos, I announce days in advance: "A collab video with [name] is coming on [date]!" This gets fans counting down the days, eagerly anticipating it. That builds buzz around the video and boosts views. I consciously focus on involving fans and creating an event-like excitement.

SNS Strategy 5

Be consistent, keep posting

New influencers are constantly emerging in this world. To avoid being forgotten, I believe the only way is to keep updating diligently. The more often people see you on social media, the more time they spend thinking about you, and the deeper their connection to you becomes.

For my monthly Instagram recap posts, I always end with "How was your month?" This prompts replies in messages or comments, meaning they spend more time with me. I constantly think about how to get people to spend time with me.

Sato Noah garners support and wields influence not just on one social media platform, but across multiple ones. What we can learn from her social media strategy is the mindset of a genre-spanning innovator towards her "followers." Noah views her followers as "fans" who peek into her social media. This mindset seems to form the core of her multi-genre social media success.

Furthermore, to grow her fanbase, Noah consciously focuses on "time," "story," and "trust." From this, three key points for increasing fans emerge:

① Increase contact time to keep fans engaged

With smartphone ownership now commonplace, the volume of information young people receive daily is said to be vastly greater than just five years ago. This increased information intake means viewing time per piece of content is steadily decreasing. In other words, people are becoming more "forgetful."

Therefore, how much continuous time you spend with fans becomes a key factor in maintaining and increasing popularity. Noah consciously uses various social media platforms to increase contact frequency, post longer comments to extend dwell time, and encourage replies, all aimed at increasing the "time" fans spend with him.

② Engaging fans by drawing them into your story

Noah consciously focuses on "getting fans to participate." This can be seen as creating a shared "story" with fans. By using hashtags like "#SatoNoaEvangelismCampaign" to aim for increased fans together, she fosters a sense of participation, drawing them into the story of the individual "Sato Noah."

By creating these opportunities to enjoy things together, she boosts fan motivation and deepens their connection.

③ Building trust with fans by showing her authentic self

Noah places great importance on sharing not just her knowledge of fashion, makeup, and music, but her "humanity" – actively posting her thoughts and values. This kind of sharing builds trust with fans. When her "humanity" is evident, the information she shares is perceived as trustworthy by her followers.

This "trust" born and sustained through such SNS strategies enhances the relationship with fans.

PR Post Rule 1

When follower reactions are positive, stick to your own standards

When I post about appearance-related topics—like clothes, cosmetics, or hair care products—my followers react really positively. Especially with clothes, I hear many people buy the items I post about, regardless of brand. While my posts are mostly organic content (※3), whenever I visit the store where I bought something, I almost always get told, "That sold like crazy!"

They buy because I wore it, they go because I go to that salon, they use it because I used it. I believe it's because I have fans who follow me personally that they react to my posts, regardless of the category.

However, if I promoted every single product I was asked to, I'd lose my fans' trust. That's why I choose what to do and what not to do based on my own standards.

※3: Posts that are not advertisements

PR Post Rule 2

Prioritize "blending in" over "looking good"

I used to see posts with over 10 hashtags all the time. Personally, I feel like PR posts these days have fewer tags. Also, photos with the influencer posing with the product or photos featuring two influencers together have decreased.

I think they've realized that since it's not a commercial, that approach just doesn't look good. Now, for multiple Instagram posts, getting good reactions means putting a stylish photo of the product in the first slot and a selfie in the second. The understanding that "how well you blend it in is key" seems to be gradually spreading.

PR Post Rule 3

Post as your authentic self

Because influencers post daily content themselves, lying can easily destroy their credibility.

Therefore, if asked to post something unnatural, I firmly decline. For example, if requested to include emojis I wouldn't normally use, I clearly communicate, "This is what my usual posts look like," attaching a screenshot.

To maintain influence, it's crucial not to damage your credibility as an influencer. If you just post whatever companies ask, you lose trust and ultimately disappear quickly.

PR Posting Rule 4

Check the influencer lineup

I believe the influence of fellow collaborators matters too. When doing PR posts with multiple influencers, I check their follower counts and impressions beforehand.

For example, if someone has 150,000 followers but only 1,000 impressions, it means they have few active users, so their influence isn't high. Conversely, if someone has 3,000 followers but similar impressions to mine, their influence is comparable, so I'll take that job. Fans might think, "That person recommended it, and Noah-chan recommended it too, so I'll try it," creating a synergistic effect.

PR Post Rule 5

Accept work from passionate companies

I want to do work I truly care about. For example, long-term projects where I'm involved from product development allow me to build a lasting connection with the product. But with one-off jobs where I just get sent the product, the copy ends up sounding overly explanatory and cold. Even if it's just one Instagram post, I'd prefer to meet and properly learn about the product before posting, despite time constraints.

That's why I'm so happy when I feel the company's passion. When they rush over after an event to express their gratitude, I think, "Yes, I want to do this again." I believe this kind of alignment in energy between the company and the influencer is crucial.

Regarding corporate PR posts, it's clear that Noah follows her own set of rules. These rules reveal key checkpoints companies should consider for PR posts.

① Confirm the product and influencer are a good fit

This is the most fundamental point—whether the product being requested matches the influencer—yet it's often overlooked. Even among women in their 20s, makeup preferences and clothing styles vary, yet offers are sometimes made simply by grouping them as "women in their 20s."

② Ensure influencers can post naturally

When requesting PR posts, companies often have many points they want to convey about the product, leading to numerous requirements. However, imposing too many conditions results in unnatural posts that followers can see right through, thinking, "This isn't a product the influencer genuinely likes."

It's crucial to give influencers some discretion, allowing them to post naturally.

③ Hire influencers with clear policies

For companies seeking suitable influencers, the key is finding those who have their own principles and approach work considering alignment with their follower relationships and personal authenticity. It's not just about their posting genres; it's about discerning their beliefs and the nature of their fan relationships.

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Why can Sato Noah drive consumption across multiple categories? The secret lies in her meticulous social media strategy: building "fans" of her personality and establishing unique rules for PR posts, thereby enhancing trust in the information she shares.

By engaging influential innovators across specific genres, companies can have their products and services introduced and promoted with genuine passion and enthusiasm. This approach makes it easier to convey a product's appeal compared to simply having influencers selected by follower count disseminate information.

Next time, we'll welcome Anna Haneishi, who pioneered the new "Pro Traveler" category, and Rika Fujii, Editor-in-Chief of GENIC, to discuss the influence of category-specific innovators, interpreted through shifts in values.