When you want to take your band to the next level, there are few better ways to do it than by handing out fliers and emailing your friends. Social media is such an amazing tool that you can’t afford not to use it. You want your music to be heard by as many people as possible, and you want to be able to connect with your fans in the palm of their hands. That’s what social media is all about.
To give you plenty of food for thought, we’ve put together 9 of the best ways to promote your band so that you can take things to the next level. Just what you need if you want to double your album sales and get signed by one of the big names.
Pick the right platforms to connect with your fans
Finding the right platform is essential, so much so that we’ve made it the first entry on our list. As a band there’s not that much to be gained from being on LinkedIn or Pinterest, so invest your effort elsewhere.
Twitter is great for tweeting updates and ticket sales, Instagram and Facebook are musts, and having a YouTube channel will add the perfect finishing touch. Take a little bit of time to get your profiles setup just how you want them, and then post regularly, which leads us on nicely to #2…
Create a social media calendar to give your campaign some structure
Sporadic posting might feel better than not posting at all, but to be honest there’s not a whole lot in it. If you want to keep your fans engaged, you need to constantly give them new things to look at. That way you won’t fall so far down their feed that they forget about you. That said, posting regularly can be a tricky business when you’re on the road and playing gigs every night of the week.
Setting up a simple posting schedule in a calendar is the best way to do it. It’ll allow everyone to see what’s expected of their social media efforts over the next few days, and it’s a great way of ensuring you never have a barren week on there. If you post certain types of content on specific days, your calendar will also help you keep everything fresh and original.
Always reply to comments, and turn them into a dialogue
Comments are awesome because it means that people are more engaged than just favoriting your post, or clicking the thumbs up button. Think of each comment on social media exactly how you would about a fan stopping you in the street. You wouldn’t just nod and walk on by would you? You’d take the time to ask them how they’re doing, and thank them for being a fan.
Treat online comments exactly the same, and you’ll soon have dozens of fans commenting so they can join in the conversation. It’s these little things that can really make someone’s week.
Over promotion isn’t cool, so don’t do it
Promotional tweets and posts are fine, but not if that’s all you’re posting. If you’re constantly plugging tickets and trying to sell discounted albums, your fans will get bored. They’ll still listen to your music, but they won’t follow you on social media anymore. And when they’re no longer following you every day, they’re less likely to listen to your latest releases straight away.
Share plenty of behind the scenes footage to add value
Following someone on social media is all about getting something no one else can get. Your fans want an insight into your world, whether that be a quick Q&A, footage of you setting up, or what kinds of crazy stuff you get up to when you’re touring.
These are the kinds of posts where you let your personality and individuality come out so that you can get yourselves out there in a big way. Be authentic, original, and fun, and you’ll notice your followers grow overnight.
If a fan complains, give them your undivided attention
There’s so many things you can learn from the best businesses out there that it’s worth really focusing on this tip. As a band you want to keep your fans happy, so if that means stepping in to sort out issues with tickets every now and again, just do it. The goodwill that it will generate will far outweigh the small amount of time and effort that you had to expend to sort things out.
Create a community by asking people to add content
Creating your own hashtags and asking people to send photos of them joining in a craze you’re trying to start is a great idea. It could be something as simple as them playing air guitar to your latest song, or photos of them with your album in usual places. The choice is yours, but the more people you can get onboard, the more you’re going to benefit from the unique power of social media.
Give your fans an insight into your world
Telling your fans what it’s like to be you is a great way to connect with them. Just take a look at the onstage photos other bands post, and put up a few of your own. Something as simple as showing them last night’s gig from your perspective will have them remembering your encore act all over again.
Offer exclusive early bird tickets to your followers
If you want to reward your followers for being with you from the early days, nothing works better than linking them to a few offers. Whether it be money off merchandise or early bird tickets is up to you, just make it something cool that they’ll want. That way you’ll come across as the up and coming band that you want to be, and not just someone looking to sell a few more albums. Trust us, the way you present yourself on social media makes all the difference.
