Top 4 Social Media Marketing Fundamentals for Indie Musicians
by JORDANNAH of Think Like a Label
We’ve written about a lot of things at Think Like a Label, and we’ll continue to share diverse and interesting information from different angles and perspectives. But let’s revisit some essential ideas about Social Media Marketing for indie musicians. It’s always good to assess where we’re at in regards to what we’ve been learning over the past few years since social media has embedded itself as an important corner stone of our independent music lifestyles. We should never stop learning, because when we think we know everything, our wisdom and forward motion towards success will cease.
– Managing Editor, Jordannah Elizabeth
Being a DIY musician entails a lot of responsibilities. Aside from the music-making and the booking, you have to create marketing campaigns as well. Most indie musicians today opt to take their marketing efforts online due to the practicality and convenience that it provides. Unfortunately, not all of them succeed as they forgot some important points in online marketing. With that in mind, here is a review of the fundamentals in social media marketing for indie bands:
Look for a fit
There are a great number of social media sites available on the web. It is your job to look for one or two that would fit your requirements. Do not take the advice from articles that state that X is the best social media site for musicians. These networks may be trending at the moment, but that doesn’t mean that you would actually use them yourself. Choose sites that you can enjoy. For instance, if most of the band members are poker enthusiasts, go for social gaming sources like partypoker. These sites often have a section dedicated entirely to their community. You can leverage this feature to meet new people whom you can share your music with, while enjoying your favorite card game. Another feature you can take advantage of is the availability of these sites in multiple countries. This will give your band more opportunities to interact with people from all walks of life, and convert them to become fans of your music. In addition, partypoker has just released a mobile version of their software for Android devices. You can use this new offering to constantly connect with potential fans, even when you are on a gig.
Combine business with pleasure
Never come in social networks all professional or business-like. Most of the musicians nowadays go online with the goal of selling more of their music or filling seats in their next show. In order to be successful, band members have to be as engaging as possible in their social media profiles. Give fans a glimpse of your life behind the musical curtain. Talk about how the recording process went, how you came up with the artwork for your new single, how you write songs etc. These ‘insider passes’ will surely provide fans a sense of transparency – as if you’re letting them in throughout your whole process of music-making.
Take advantage of listening tools
You’ve set up your social media accounts, and your fan base is beginning to grow. Now what? It is time to track what people have said about your band in social media sites. You can use free listening tools online such as Icerocket, Social Mention, and Topsy in this process. These tools will help you discover if your band has been talked about in a website or a blog. When something comes up, jump into the conversation, and thank the people in it. If the post is negative, don’t be overly sensitive about it.
Keep your priorities in check
Remember that social media is just a tool in the marketing requirements of your music. Sure, interacting with fans is fun. But don’t let that overtake the time needed to do your actual job – which is to create music.
