Social media is a cultural phenomenon that has far surpassed its original purpose. No longer does it merely provide a way for site members to exchange family pictures or stay in touch by means of direct messages and status updates. These days, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and several others have become powerful business and networking tools as well. If you are intent on launching or boosting your music career, it is essential that you take advantage of these opportunities.
MAKE YOUR PRESENCE KNOWN
Exposure is the name of the game in the music business. The more you put yourself out there, the higher your name recognition will be. Therefore, set up a profile on as many social media sites as possible. Start with Facebook since it is the world’s largest networking site, but don’t stop there. Establish yourself on SoundCloud and YouTube where you can interact with fans and share new songs and tour schedules. Then keep the trend going by expanding to places like Tumblr, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and Snapchat. Just keep in mind that each site that you join requires your time to provide updates and keep your content fresh, so don’t over-extend yourself.
KEEP YOUR CONTENT DYNAMIC
The last thing your followers want is to be bombarded with repetitive or boring content or constant requests for likes or shares. Keeping people interested and engaged should be your priority. Do so with contests, polls, free music, sneak peeks, giveaways, photos and videos. Most important of all, personally interact with fans. Many artists regularly answer questions from their followers, publicly posting them to keep the buzz going.
DON’T POST TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE
A good general rule is that you should post once or twice a day if you have 10,000 followers or more, with a lower frequency if your base is smaller.
DON’T FORGET THAT SHARING IS A TWO-WAY STREET
You already are aware of the importance of giving out music, prizes, videos and photos to your fans to keep them engaged, but don’t forget that the process can be reversed as well. Your followers have much of their own to contribute, including their own music, pictures and even affiliate pages. You never know what opportunities might come your way if you take time to see what the people who follow you are interested in sharing.
KEEP IT PERSONAL
Your followers want to be in a relationship with you. Virtual though it may be, it will be enhanced greatly if you communicate with them in a genuine way. You’re not a corporate spokesperson or a Fortune 500 executive; you’re someone with music and life experience and stories to share. Just look at Los Angeles entrepreneur and musician Nick Gross’ Facebook page if you need to be inspired on this topic.
In your spare time when you’re not working to further your career as a professional musician, you can use social media to share cute cat videos or to comment on what you had for dinner last night. However, you can’t afford to bypass the opportunities that can be found in leveraging this powerful interactive tool to make your professional dreams a reality. Once you do, you can take your relationship with your fans and industry insiders to the next level.