Never Underestimate the Power of a Public Figure

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Last week, Google announced that it is currently trying to lure celebrities onto their new social network Google+. In less than a month, the new social network is thriving, and has already amassed more than ten million members.

So with users on the rise and success imminent, why is Google so focused on celebrities? The reason is obvious: celebrities establishing profiles on Google’s fledgling Facebook competitor will draw more users to the site. The company’s effort revolves around a revamped verification system that’s theoretically going to eliminate the faux profiles of the rich and famous, and therefore trump Facebook and even Twitter in those departments. When it comes to web-based salesmanship, Google knows best: an ounce of celebrity endorsement is still worth a pound of alternative marketing.

This sentiment is better demonstrated at the small business level by the recent smart thinking of a SEO consultant of mine. He had recently been hired by the best tax attorney San Diego had to had to offer. At least that’s what the unassuming lawyer’s mutual acquaintance, a successful software designer friend of ours, had to say about him. The problem was that the tax attorney had no self-marketing prowess and wasn’t getting the attention he deserved.

Who was getting attention at the time, however, was a professional athlete living in the area who’s alleged tax evasion was causing him and his team a lot of trouble. And guess who happened to be the lawyer he hired to help him?

My friend’s client is so good at his job that he didn’t even disclose his new high-profile case to him. My friend only found out after seeing the athlete leave the lawyer’s office building.

Normally lawyer-client privilege means you don’t publicize the relationship, but the tax evasion allegations were already headline news. My buddy found out the athlete had a Twitter account, and that’s when it all came together.

When the lawyer’s client walked out of the courtroom completely vindicated of all charges, he simply sent out a Tweet praising his lawyer by name for his good work. Within two days, the lawyer had over ten thousand subscribers to his Twitter feed.

Needless to say, the lawyer gained the reputation as the man who was able to take on IRS allegations of million dollar tax evasion conducted by a celebrity. Business picked up.

Not everybody has a celebrity fall into their lap or the circumstances to allow for an easy endorsement ploy, but in the age of the social network, consider the far-reaching influence of a celebrity’s fandom when it’s through the Internet. A simple Tweet took 30 seconds, was probably done by an assistant, and boosted a business instantly.