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As requested by @BarnabyEnsemble, here's a short thread on a way to gain a wider audience on social media as a musician.
Thanks to @BlackettPromo @vernneufeld @TheEnnrons @NoisenseMusicPr @LarisaSkists for also being interested.
Be prepared, this might be quite long
Thanks to @BlackettPromo @vernneufeld @TheEnnrons @NoisenseMusicPr @LarisaSkists for also being interested.
Be prepared, this might be quite long
1/ In a year, I grew from zero to nearly 4k on Instagram, with 2.2k Spotify followers, 3-5k monthly listeners and 1k on YouTube. I've been following advice from @AdamIvy, @BurstimoMusic and @musformation.
In fact, Adam Ivy interviewed me about my journey:
In fact, Adam Ivy interviewed me about my journey:
2/ The clearest way to explain is by working backwards from the main goal: To get fans.
To get fans, you first need followers. To get followers, you need to a) get potential fans to visit your profile, and b) make them want to follow you.
To get fans, you first need followers. To get followers, you need to a) get potential fans to visit your profile, and b) make them want to follow you.
3/ So the very first thing that you need to do is to make sure that when a potential fan checks out your profile, that it's interesting or attractive enough that they might follow you.
I'll talk about how to get them to check out your profile a bit later in the thread.
I'll talk about how to get them to check out your profile a bit later in the thread.
4/ When someone looks at your Insta profile, most people will make a split-second decision based on what they see. - At a glance, your profile grid needs to look varied, interesting and high quality.
- It should ideally include elements of both music *and* your personal life.
- It should ideally include elements of both music *and* your personal life.
5/ (Remember: They can already get your music elsewhere. You want to give them something they won't get from Spotify - an insight into your process and your daily life.)
- It also needs to be regularly updated, or why would they bother following?
- It also needs to be regularly updated, or why would they bother following?
6/ It should be immediately clear that you're a musician, and there should be some music to listen to.
If you do all the above, then a quick glance will turn into a longer peruse, and hopefully a follow.
If you do all the above, then a quick glance will turn into a longer peruse, and hopefully a follow.
7/ Next: How do you get potential fans to see your profile in the first place?
There are two ways: either advertising (quick but expensive) or by tempting people towards your profile using free methods.
Remember: Neither method will work unless your profile is alluring.
There are two ways: either advertising (quick but expensive) or by tempting people towards your profile using free methods.
Remember: Neither method will work unless your profile is alluring.
8/ I won't cover advertising, though I'll do that in another thread if anyone's interested! The best resource for music advertising advice is @southwortha's YouTube channel.
9/ There are a few ways to get people to check your profile.
The most effective way is to get other similar artists to mention you to their followers, by shout-outs, collabs and so on. But you can't do this all the time.
The most effective way is to get other similar artists to mention you to their followers, by shout-outs, collabs and so on. But you can't do this all the time.
10/ What you *can* do all the time is to make yourself visible to potential followers.
There are various ways of doing this, but here's the one that I mainly used...
There are various ways of doing this, but here's the one that I mainly used...
11/ - Find a similar band.
- Find a recent post by that band.
- Find someone who commented on that post.
- Reply to their comment OR (even better) comment on one of *their* posts.
- Do NOT mention that you're a musician.
- Do NOT directly ask them to follow you etc.
- Find a recent post by that band.
- Find someone who commented on that post.
- Reply to their comment OR (even better) comment on one of *their* posts.
- Do NOT mention that you're a musician.
- Do NOT directly ask them to follow you etc.
12/ As long as you are *clearly* a musician (either because your handle says "music" or "band" or similar, or because your thumbnail picture shows you singing/playing), many of those people will check your profile.
Some of those will follow you. It's laborious, but it works.
Some of those will follow you. It's laborious, but it works.
13/ To start with, growth will be frustratingly slow, but the more followers you get, the easier it becomes.
It took me 2 months to reach 100 followers, another 4 months to reach 1k, 2/3 of whom were musicians. Six months later I'm nearly at 4k, very few of whom are musicians.
It took me 2 months to reach 100 followers, another 4 months to reach 1k, 2/3 of whom were musicians. Six months later I'm nearly at 4k, very few of whom are musicians.
14/ (Please take those figures with a pinch of salt - I'm thinking back and trying to remember numbers and time-scales, but they're somewhere in the ballpark.)
Spotify numbers increased as well, and I'm now at 2.2k followers (growing steadily) and 3-5k monthly listeners.
Spotify numbers increased as well, and I'm now at 2.2k followers (growing steadily) and 3-5k monthly listeners.
15/ The final thing is to keep those followers, and to turn them into fans.
The main way you do that is by keeping them engaged with your content, and by engaging with them. Say hello to every new follower, thank them for following you, ask where they're from, make it personal.
The main way you do that is by keeping them engaged with your content, and by engaging with them. Say hello to every new follower, thank them for following you, ask where they're from, make it personal.
16/ Ask questions in your posts (though not every time, it gets tedious for your followers), and answer every single comment. It makes a huge difference.
People will start to feel personally invested in you, and followers slowly become fans.
People will start to feel personally invested in you, and followers slowly become fans.
17/ Finally, a) I've left a huge amount out of this thread and b) I am not trying to be a Mandalorian and proclaim that this is the way! These are just methods that have worked for me.
Lately, I've relied more on advertising, and that works really well for me.
Lately, I've relied more on advertising, and that works really well for me.
18/ @AdamIvy, @BurstimoMusic and @musformation go into way more detail about all these methods on their YouTube channels. All highly recommended.
If you got this far, well done :-)
If you got this far, well done :-)
