Why Pretty Little Liars is Killin’ it on Social Media

Happy PLL Summer Finale Day, my fellow Liars! Tonight is the night we’ve all been waiting so anxiously for. According to the show’s official Facebook page, tonight’s summer finale has been dubbed the “fAtale finale.” This has left everyone wondering, who will face his or her final hours in Rosewood? Is Alison ‘A’? We have so many questions, and so little time! Although we probably won’t get all of the answers we’re looking for, Pretty Little Liars has yet to produce a disappointing season finale.

While ABC Family always seems to deliver the wow factor, there’s nothing more shocking than the show’s presence on social media. Year after year, PLL fans have taken to social media to share their sentiments and get in on the constant chatter that surrounds the show. With no signs of slowing down, PLL continues to dominate the social media atmosphere across multiple platforms.

FAcebook

With 14.2 million likes, the show’s official Facebook page serves as a meeting spot for the PLL community and keeps fans engaged, even while the Liars are on hiatus. When conversation died down after last year’s season finale, ABC Family organized a live Facebook interview with the actors portraying Spencer, Hannah, Emily, and Aria. Despite the exciting fact that this was the first time for all four girls to conduct an interview together, it was also the first time a TV network has participated in a Facebook Live event. Since then, the show’s Facebook page has continued to find innovative and enticing ways to keep fans involved with the show.

InstAgram

Thanks to the constant stream of behind-the-scenes photos, videos, and teasers flooding the account, there’s more than enough to keep all 1.1 million Instagram followers satisfied until next season. In the days leading up to tonight’s finale, PLL played into each theory about who will die by posting photos of the characters, asking followers to “like” if they agreed. As assumed, this has generated thousands of interactions from fans around the world. With clear call-to-actions and intriguing visual elements, PLL has all the makings of a solid Instagram account.

A+ Twitter

Although the show’s overall social media presence is undeniable, no platform compares with the phenomenon that surrounds the official Twitter account. Compare PLL’s 2.36 million Twitter followers to various shows with die-hard fans: 1.89 million for Game of Thrones, 1.01 million for Breaking Bad, 570,000 for Orange Is the New Black, and 215,000 for The Bachelor. The numbers speak for themselves. Week after week, PLL continues to rank in the Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings Weekly Top Ten Series and Specials list. This past week, the show came in second, right under the MTV Video Music Awards, with 213 Tweets seen by a unique audience of 2,116 people. Many of these Tweets are centered around unique hashtags created by ABC Family and cast members of the show. Each episode, PLL uses different hashtags to spark conversation and further engage the audience.

As if these hashtags aren’t exciting enough, you can live tweet with specific cast members throughout each episode (Sadly, I have yet to receive a response, but that’s beside the point). The use of these hashtags alone has changed the way that fans can interact with the show. Although Twitter is part of a daily regimen for most television shows, the folks at ABC Family have really gone the extra mile to cater to PLL’s fan base and keep viewers on their toes.

Social media has spoken and it seems there will be one less Liar after tonight’s episode…but who will it be? Watch the official preview here and share your theory online using the hashtag #fAtalefinale. As you can see, everyone’s doing it.

Why Pretty Little Liars is Killin’ it on Social Media