Savvy tips for a thriving music social media presence
Image credit: Karsten Winegeart
Utilise one of the greatest marketing tools available to you to get your music heard and reach new fans: Social media.
Trying to stand out on social media can feel like trying to talk in a bustling crowd. Fighting for attention may feel difficult, but don’t be dissuaded. There are techniques that will build an authentic audience and help propel your career with some of the most powerful yet simple marketing tools available.
Social media websites are fantastic for promotion because they’re completely free to use and reach a global audience. It just takes the right approach to stand out amongst the others and find the fans you should be connecting with.
Here’s your guide to crafting a unique social media presence that boosts your SEO, fuels fan engagement, and propels your musical career to new heights.
Find your sonic spotlight
First things first you need to build your profiles and define who you are as an artist. Be genuine and be creative, you want your profile to immediately shout “this is who I am and what sets me apart from others”.
- Define your niche: Don’t be a chameleon, blending in with all the other music online. Hone in on your personal sound and create branding that reflects that.
- Find your platform: Who does your music appeal to? Finding that out is a huge step in choosing the social media sites that best suit you. If you appeal to young audiences try TikTok, for electronic music get on Bandcamp, for aesthetic go to Instagram, etc.
- Craft a captivating bio: Define yourself and your music in words. Try using keywords (location, genre, influences) that will attract searches related to you. Stand out by injecting your own personality into it!
Create cool content
A social media page means nothing if it’s empty. It’s time to get good at posting content, doing it regularly, and finding out what sort of content best creates traction whilst also building your artist profile.
- Variety is the spice of life: Experiment with different formats! Share snippets, live performances, music videos, behind-the-scenes snapshots, and collaborations.
- Optimise your posts: Research relevant hashtags for your genre, tag collaborators to reach other people’s audiences, and geotag locations to maximise your reach.
- Be consistent: In the digital age, things move fast. It’s best to post often to keep fans engaged and remain in their heads. Be careful not to spam though! Post consistently but don’t resort to meaningless content just to share something.
- Go live regularly: Host Q&As, jam sessions, or exclusive previews. Live interaction helps build genuine connections with fans that will last. It also helps boost your SEO!
- Hop on trends: Seeing what’s trending and take part is a great way to build engagement. Find what sort of videos people like or see what the latest viral trend is to see how you could contribute to the fun.
Engagement is key
When it comes to making an impact online, engagement is everything. You want as many people liking, commenting, sharing, following, and subscribing as possible. This goes both ways – interact with your own content and responses to build connections and propulsion.
- Respond to comments and messages: Show fans you care and spark conversations. Adding a personal touch to your pages by interacting with others fosters loyalty and helps to fuel word-of-mouth promotion.
- Collaborate with other artists: Cross-promote each other’s work and tap into new audiences. Covering songs that influence can help reach audiences who love other musicians and will enjoy what you create.
- Run interactive polls and contests: Encourage participation and gather valuable audience insights. Offer exclusive prizes to incentivize engagement. One way you can do this is with Competitions on PUSH.fm.
Start an SEO symphony
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. The more your content is optimised, the better it will show up in search results – boosting views and interactions. You want your artist pages to be as SEO-friendly as possible so that fans can easily find you when they search you.
- Be unique: The number of artists who have shot themselves in the foot by choosing a generic name that brings up a million different results when searched astounds me. Be sure your name isn’t going to get confused, and choose image branding that can be immediately recognisable as you.
- Optimise your profile URLs: Include relevant keywords to make your profiles easily discoverable in search results. As mentioned before regarding your bio, adding things like location, genres, and influences to your pages helps audiences find you naturally.
- Link to your music: Include links to your streaming platforms, merch stores, and website on your pages. These will increase traffic. It will also help show search engines that your sites are important.
- Run targeted ads: Invest in strategic social media advertising to reach specific demographics and interests beyond your current followers.
Authenticity is your sound
All of these technical tips will ensure that your profiles and sites are in the best position to reach people. It’s not all in the techniques though, it’s also in being yourself and building a brand.
- Be genuine and relatable: Share your passions, struggles, and inspirations. Fans connect with real people, not marketing machines.
- Tell your story: Showcase your creative process, influences, and the meaning behind your music. This fosters deeper connections and emotional investment.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment: Try new things, have fun, and let your unique personality shine through.
Remember, building a thriving social media presence takes time and consistent effort. embrace these tips, stay true to your music, and watch your career flourish as you leave your mark online.