While celebrity endorsements of websites is nothing new (William Shatner and Priceline are synonymous at this point), it’s all about the pairing, and Liukin and Beacon Street Girls would seem like a perfect match to help the social network reach the tween girls it targets. Similar to other social networks where celebs setup profiles, users on Beacon Street Girls can befriend Liukin (profile available here), leave comments on her “whiteboard,” and read interviews with her.
In a statement, Liukin says, “Club BSG is important to how I connect with my fans … I appreciate all the encouragement and love reading the notes girls leave on my Club BSG whiteboard … On the site, we will be talking about self-esteem and staying fit through positive life choices.” According to the company, Liukin already has more than 3,000 friends and has received more than 1,300 messages on her whiteboard since joining the site.
Of course, it doesn’t really matter how active Liukin (or her manager) actually is on the site – for tween users, it’s all about being able to say they are “friends” with the star and spreading the word to their friends. For example, Olympic God Michael Phelps attracted more than a million fans on Facebook and his since become the social network’s most popular user.