By Dexter "Tefman" Patterson
When I first jumped onto social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, the only thing I was worried about were the numbers. I would add people to my social networks regularly, but I had no idea if they even had a genuine interest in my brand. I just wanted to build my online resume, and I thought that authority came merely from having lots of friends and followers. Boy, was I wrong!
Over time, I started to realize that I rarely engaged with any of these new people I was adding to my friend's list. I also noticed that my own user experience took a sudden turn for the worse. Their tweets were annoying and don't get me started with the daily soap opera that began to take place on Facebook. I was so worried about building up the numbers that I forgot to be what I would call, a “choosy social media marketer.” As a result, I was diluting the quality of my audience, and as a result, I wasn't getting much accomplished online. It was time to revisit my strategy.
8 Ways to be a Better Social Media Marketer
- I don't recommend musicians pay for fake fans or followers. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to escape the work it takes to be successful in the music industry. It may stroke your ego and look cool to uninformed people on the outside, but ultimately, they aren't buying your records, attending your shows or purchasing your merchandise. Those fake fans will never be of any real value to your brand.
- Make sure that the people you let into your network make you or your brand better. You could effortlessly add 1,000 random people on your various social media accounts, but you will have much more success if you strategically target just a 100. You don't have to sacrifice the quality of your fanbase for quantity.
- Let your unique perspective on life shine brightly on your social networks. Remember authenticity will always attract more quality fans to your music. It's the quality fans that matter because they are the ones you can turn into Super Fans and brand advocates.
- Never be too good to learn from others. Pay attention to how other successful musicians are using social media to market their music. Pay attention to how they interact with their fans. What's working for them? What would you change? How could you do things better? Apply your own creativity to existing methods of success.
- Pay attention to the people that are already showing your music some love and empower them. These are the people you want to be adding to your email list or street team. Follow up with them once and awhile with an exclusive offer. Take advantage of their support but also show them that you appreciate it. Never be too big to say thank you.
- Keep your fans in the loop. If you're working on a new project take your fans behind the scenes of your creative process. Document your progress and invite your fans to take the journey with you. In the end, we are all human beings behind these computer screens and smartphones so never be afraid to make a human connection. Making personal connections with your fans is a great way to increase the quality and quantity of people that support your music.
- Spend time observing and lurking in the spaces your fans occupy online. Pay attention to the discussions that are taking place and seek logical opportunities to enter the conversation.
- Remember social media is alive so you must always remain active, and that doesn't mean telling people what you ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. All successful brands post to their social networks with a purpose. Start telling your story online. It's your story that matters. It's your story that sells.