Mind Your Music Business; Social Media

Social media has completely changed the way we digitally communicate with each other. We are all connected in ways that weren’t possible before on a personal level and for business and bands alike. There is an audience, a community, and an untouched fanbase for you out there. You just have to know how to find it. 

Although we lose that sense of mystery, having direct access to our fans is invaluable. If you’re trying to cultivate an audience, spending a little well placed time on these platforms could be extremely beneficial. Your brand is what “sells” you and social media has created a way for us all to personally curate our own brand. 

Be genuine/be yourself

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” — Oscar Wilde

As tempting as it is to create some fictional fantasy character, nothing is going to get you more genuine results from life as being who you are. If you’re some anime junkie who loves Naratu and Spirited Away then be that. When you create content that reflects who you are you’ll never run out of ideas and you’ll attract an audience who relates to who you authentically are.  

Be Purposeful

Creating a well written and beautiful post should be done with the purpose of either one or a combination of the following: engaging your audience, growing your fanbase, and getting them to buy something or inviting them to a show. If you have new merch, post a pic with a link to where they can order. If you have a live stream coming up, be sure to post some info on where and instructions on how to view it.

When you create your music page be sure to run it like a business. Some artists create a separate account for their band or music for this reason. Keep your pages fresh with your band logo, professional looking photos, something in your bio, and a way for you to be reached for business. This makes it easy for anyone visiting your page to know who you are and what you do.

Be Consistent

Social media is crowded. Millions of people are shouting into the void, and depending on what the ‘Algorithm Gods’ like, they may never even be seen or heard. Posting on a consistent basis keeps you in your followers engaged. Coming up with an exact schedule can take a little finessing and a little time but if you pay attention then you’ll get a feel for when, what, and how often to post across each platform.

Use Hash Tags/Tag Other Accounts

Hashtags connect content to conversations, topics, themes, and widens your network. By using these nifty little dudes you hone in on building a brand, enticing engagement from your followers and most importantly helping your target audience find you. You can find venues, other local bands, and artists through hashtags while widening your network. If you’re not sure which hashtags to use, find out which ones  the bands in your area or of your genre are using.

Quick Tip:

Tagging other accounts grabs their attention and makes you more accessible and easier to find from accounts who might not find you otherwise.

Engage

Social media is as much about engagement with other people as it is about sharing content.

After you create your post and it’s up and it’s getting likes and getting shared - the cherry on top is engaging. Creating these conversations increases loyalty, creates word of mouth, ups your reach and referral traffic. Posts with more likes and comments are pushed further up the algorithm and more likely to be seen by potential fans so reply as often as you can.

Use the Analytics

There are entire companies dedicated to marketing research but on a starter level, sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok have basic analytic insight pages that reveal all kinds of useful information. It can give you insight on information like the age group of your followers, the city, and if followers are actually clicking the link in your bio. The more you pay attention to what kinds of posts your followers like, and when they tend to be online, then create posts at those times - the more engaged fans you will be addressing with each post - which will increase engagement and build consistency. Knowledge is power and you have the tools so use them.