Social Media
Same Game, New Rules
This piece is in continuation to “Social Media is you best
friend”, published in Score Magazine Last Month. Though
this article can be treated as a standalone read, do check
last month’s issue for a complete overview on the topic. and the recent podcasts have initiated conversations
among the fans and has had the biggest impact thus
far.” – Abhay Sharma (Saxophonist for Shankar
Ehsaan Loy, Adnan Sami and The Revisit Project)
Social Media seems, on most part, a marketing tool
that relies on ‘viral luck’ or ‘organic acceptance’ to
most young artists. Planning and scheduling is more or
less ignored for social media and is approached more
spontaneously. When in truth it is actually a carefully
planned process to make it look organic and spontaneous. #4 Tag and Credit – Posting a photo that was shot by
someone else? Tag and Credit them. They will feel
ingratiated and will engage in the post. The post will
also show up on their feed attracting their followers.
Here are some tips to help you plan your social
media strategy and get some noticeable results.
Let’s pick up where we left off last month,
#1 Never tell them everything at once – Unless it’s a gig
post, don’t cram everything in one post or in one day’s
story. Leave the audience on a hanging note where they
get a sense of closure at the next post. No one is expecting
Emmy standard cliff hangers, even if the audience forgets
about the last post, the follow up will be a delightful
reminder and also gives the appearance of consistency.
#2 Identify your target audience and collaborate
– Identifying your target audience on the basis of
demographics and mutual interests is crucial. This
will help you realize potential collaborations with
other social media creators. For e.g. Audiences that
like electronic music are most probably also tech
enthusiasts. Lending your music to a tech reviewer for
their videos in exchange for a simple shout out or tag to
your artist entity exposes it to their entire viewership.
#3 Be diverse and put up more than music – Music is
your main product. But filling up your entire profile with
just your performances, noodling and studio sessions
will make your profile look like a strict advertisement
of your Artist Entity. People don’t want to follow a
page that only advertises its product. Diversity in your
content with the right hashtags will attract a diverse
audience. Perhaps a shot of your amazing meal while
on tour attracts a foodie who likes your kind of music.
“We have recently come to understand that our fans
and people in general are interested in knowing the
artist as much as the music. Thus, our interview series
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Score Magazine
highonscore.com
#5 Follow similar artist and brands you use –
An underrated but effective way to network online. It
also works your profile into the algorithms and presents
you on ‘explore’ pages to other audiences. Tagging and
following the brands of the gear you use will also help in
the same regard and may also land you endorsements.
#6 Follow Trends and Challenges – Got a new feature
in your social media app after the last update? Use it! A
new online challenge is making the rounds, participate.
Following trends will always help to immensely
increase your visibility to random audience.
“The most important aspect of social media that a lot
of artists ignore is using new tools. All social media
platforms or apps have regular updates that come with
new tools and features that one could use to amplify reach.
These tools should be wisely used by artists to reach out
to their fans and build more audience. An artist should
know his/her market and work on ways to strengthen
and multiply the same using social media. More fans/
followers = more views or plays on your music.” – Zaeden
#7 Hashtags Rule – Never underestimate
the power of hashtags. They drive the
algorithms and push you to the front.
#8 Rule of 3 – You don’t have to be on every platform out
there. Concentrate your efforts where you can manage and
integrate with ease. Without a team specifically handling
your social media, lax in your consistency is inevitable if
you’re trying to be present everywhere. For musicians right
now,
Instagram, Soundcloud and Facebook are sufficient.
-Mukul Jain (Proprietor/Chief Engineer
at Ferris Wheel Studios)