Ariel Hyatt and her Cyber PR team have been working for years to teach musicians the basics of social media and online fan interaction; and we’ve always done our best to help spread the word. But too many musicians and music marketers don’t seem to have gotten the memo.
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By Ariel Hyatt of Cyber PR
While social media is a critical component to any musician’s overall marketing strategy, it needs to be done effectively and efficiently. Without a clear set content strategy, it is likely to become just another source of frustration, rather than THE source responsible for moving you towards your goals.
There are quite a few simple pitfalls that musicians often make while using social media that need to be avoided. By doing so, you will set yourself on a path towards an effective social media presence and a more loyal fan base.
Mistake Number 1: You Have No Idea Who YOU Are Actually Talking TO
The numbers are scary! 2 billion people on Facebook, 800 million using Instagram every day, 500 million on Twitter – and these huge #s often make us think that we have to talk to everyone out there!
You Don’t, and you shouldn’t.
I have devised my Crowd ID Exercise (Click here or on the image below to download this entire exercise.) so that you can find this information out. It is an excerpt from my book Social Media Tune Up and is the foundation that you should operate from when you go to your socials. You can download it here or at the end of this post!
Note: Do Not Be Overly Self-Promotional!
According to the latest research, mixing up social media content is KEY. Unfortunately, most artists are too busy with self-promotion to put the correct amount of time and effort into varying their content. While the message in the text of your socials is important, don’t forget to integrate eye-catching photos, graphics and videos.
A good general rule to use is that only 1 in every 10 posts should be self-promotional, with the rest focusing on mixed media content that focuses on sharing your interests and passions.
My social media pyramid will help you stay the course and you will never push out boring content ever again!
I also was the featured guest on the Twitter Smarter Podcast a while back and I break down how to identify and utilize “Thematics” on your socials.
Mistake Number 2: Lack of Consistent Branding
A huge issue I see all the time is artists not thinking about how they look across all their most important social media channels. Consistency is key – don’t have your Twitter theme be red, while your website is blue and your Facebook has no thematic elements whatsoever. Your logo is a great starting point to setting a specific look, feel and color scheme.
Below are a few examples of artists with strong branding; note the common feel across all pages. You will notice that all three artists have:
– A clear common color scheme
– Branding that reflects their sound
– A common profile picture on 2/3 networks
Mistake Number 3: No Newsletter!
Every single study you will read still points out one fact: Your newsletter is where you will make most of your money.
I know you either don’t have a newsletter, or you have a newsletter that goes out once in a while because you are:
- Too scared to over-communicate with your fans and you don’t want to overwhelm them, making them want to unsubscribe.
- You don’t feel you have anything interesting to say, for example you have no shows, no studio time booked and absolutely no “music news”.
- You feel you have enough to do with Facebook, Instagram Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, SoundCloud, Spotify, Bandcamp, BandsInTown, SongKick, etc. etc. etc. and so you don’t even bother with the newsletter.
The only thing you are affecting with this attitude is your bottom line.
Here is a full lesson on how to build and structure your newsletter!
What does the newsletter have to do with social media?
Your social media should feed your newsletter in every way possible. You should never give away music without getting an e-mail address in exchange and should always have a widget for people to sign up to your newsletter across all your platforms (i.e. your website, your blog, your Facebook Page, etc.).
Want to fix #1 right away? Click on the image below to download a process that will help you identify and hone your content today.
Here’s a teeny sample:
Who Are Your Fans?
- Are they male or female? What percentage of the group is male, and what percentage is female?
- Are they singles or couples, and what percentage of each?
- How old are they? Give a general 10-year age range. Don’t you dare say “18-65”!
- What kinds of careers do they have? Are they professionals? Still in college/university? Freelancers? Stay-at-home parents?
- On average, how much money do they make per year?