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Social Media Essentials Musicians Should Know

Social Media Essentials Musicians Should Know

Deborah Tayloe

Guest Post by Deborah Tayloe

It’s common knowledge that social media is the best way to reach a large audience quickly. When done correctly, it can be an amazing boost for any aspiring musician; but when it goes wrong, it can cause setbacks to reaching your social media goals. Here are 6 social media pitfalls to avoid when marketing your music as a business.

PITFALL 1 - NOT INTERACTING WITH FOLLOWERS

If a follower likes a post, please take a minute to respond. You miss a huge opportunity when you don’t take a moment to interact. Even a simple “like” is better than no response. However, it’s even better if you take it a step beyond the “like”...invite them to like your page, opt-in to your email list, or follow you on another social media platform.

Yes, you are very busy with making your own music. But they probably have busy lives as well. Give them the courtesy of a response. No response may be perceived as being unappreciative of their kindness.

PITFALL 2- DON’T GET DRAWN INTO NEGATIVITY

An online heckler is a tricky situation. In some cases, you might need to disregard my previous advice to avoid negativity. A lot of folks are online bullies, plain and simple. They sit in anonymity behind a computer screen and lob off insults, forcing their opinions on every person the encounter.

Be open to the heckler’s freedom to speak. Instead of telling them to shut up and get their head out of you know where, try responding with a gentle comment. A mild response such as “thank you for your input,” is better than blowing them out of the water.

When you respond to negativity with negativity, you may come off as defensive or bitter. In fact, some people will unfollow pages that have too much "online drama."

PITFALL 3 - NOT SETTING SOCIAL MEDIA GOALS

While some social media pitfalls are linked to how you interact and respond, there is one pitfall that is actually within your own control. Not setting social media goals can cause you to spin your wheels with opt-ins on one media and opt-outs on another!

If you don’t have a social media manager, you need to handle this yourself. Set intentional and achievable goals. Think in small increments so that you don’t get discouraged.

Think of your social media strategy as a roadmap that you need to follow. You may need to take a detour from time to time due to unforeseeable circumstances, but you want to arrive at the same destination.

PITFALL 4 - OVERSELLING YOURSELF

When you are overselling yourself, you will know it quickly! How? Your followers will drop like flies. Yes, it’s ok to post videos of your music and event dates. However, if you only create these types of posts, you can start to oversell.

Instead, add in some fun and creative posts. Ask fans and followers for their opinions. Add in a fun survey. Play an interactive game.

This shows your followers that you really are an authentic person and you do care to interact with them, not just to sell yourself or your music.

PITFALL 5 - DON’T STAGNATE

Don’t let your social media strategy stagnate. Social media rankings, like SEO, change all the time. Your followers will go up and down (hopefully up, overall). But keep introducing fresh content that will keep people engaged. New social media apps are popping up all the time. Don’t be afraid to take the plunge!

Social media followers have a plethora of platforms that they can engage on. Most want quicker gratification and you only have a few seconds to catch...and keep...their attention. Find a new way to use your music other than you with your band in the video. Maybe use it as the music for an animated short or the background for a funny cat video? I'm sure you get the idea.

Use new methods that become available for your social media marketing.

PITFALL 6 - DON’T PUT YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET

Several years ago, there was a social media giant called MySpace. It fell out of favor with the emergence of Facebook, whose younger users switched up to Twitter. Then came Instagram…

While all of these platforms still have users, do you see the pitfall? You do need to post content with purpose and goals, but don’t put your eggs all in one basket. YouTube is great, but are there other places that you can post videos? You bet there are! Use them all to your advantage.

It’s like diversifying your stock portfolio...you want to plan well, minimize risk, and see a return on your investment. In this case, the investment is your time and the reward is having more people exposed to your music.

In short, use social media to promote yourself. It’s the way that most people today are exposed to new artists. And, you can reach people around the globe, not just those in your area. But, please, avoid these pitfalls so that you present your music to people who won’t be able to resist following you.

Deborah Tayloe is a professional writer and blogger for Musical Instruments Expert. She specializes in writing online content. When she’s not writing, you can find her relaxing by listening to all kinds of music.

Disclaimer: Please note that the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Tunedly.