Jennifer Lopez looked like a tourist in Times Square to plug her new album -- 'cause there's no better way to let folks know you're the one and only ... than by posing with yourself!!!

That's exactly what J Lo did Friday as she had a photog follow her around the famous NYC stop standing in front of a bunch of billboards that were promoting her latest project -- not to mention the visual treatment/movie ... plus, a doc coming out too that's all about her.

Like we said ... Jen very much so comes across like an out-of-towner here, standing in the heart of the Big Apple cheesin' as she points and goofs around in front of the giant ads.

This is the sort of thing a normie would do in Times Square -- and yet, here's a bona fide A-lister doing it ... with no shame to her game. Jenny's got an album to promote, dammit!

BTW, Jennifer didn't confine her self-referential poses to the big billboards hanging up against all the skyscrapers -- she brought her feel-good vibes down to the street level as well ... leaning up against a van at one point that also had her face plastered across the side.

There, too, Jen was smiling ear to ear ... happy to pimp her image for as much pub as possible. On its face, it seems to have worked ... 'cause here we are talking about it!

We'll say this ... Jen's new album, 'This Is Me... Now,' is actually getting a ton of love among fans -- who say it's a throwback to 2000s R&B ... and one of J Lo's best projects yet.

She's catching a new wave -- and riding that puppy all the way to shore. Congrats!