How to Use Social Media for Artists and Brands

Article by: JD McGibney | Music Creator, Entrepreneur
VQS Advice Blog | Mindset Tools for Creators

---

Learn how to maximize your social media efforts.

---

---

Social media is a powerful tool in today’s music industry. It allows bands and artists to connect DIRECTLY to their fans across the ENTIRE planet. Having multiple platforms to choose from expands that number even further. The crazy thing about social media is that it is FREE! Learning the proper way to make use of social media to connect with your audience by building awareness and creating interest makes it an amazing tool.

Content is consumed differently on each platform.

Bands must learn to coordinate between all their social media to create consistency between all of their accounts. They must also learn HOW to post, WHEN to post, and WHY to post. Understanding the PUPROSE of these outlets will also help direct the content a band chooses to post, helping get the most out of their social media.

Success in the music industry has a process. Breaking down that process for you gives us a chance to show you what our team has learned from other bands. Taking the complexity out and simplifying it. As BBR continues to help people in the music industry, we want to share the knowledge we’ve gained so you know “How to Use Social Media for Bands!”

---

---

The purpose of social media is to showcase your band’s adventure.

People want to SEE you succeed, but they don’t want to HEAR about it. During this adventure they are watching your rises and falls as you move towards success. They latch on to you by cheering you on, or in odd cases, wanting to see you fail. Throughout the adventure they develop an emotional connection with your band’s brand the same way a fan connects to a sports team.

You can create one post to replicate on all social media platforms. A post should contain both an image AND copy. Instagram represents the image of your brand, where audiences focus mainly on the visual of a post. Twitter is the voice of your brand on a platform that is mostly text-based. Facebook places both your image and voice into a narrative layout, therefore telling your journey in long form. Consistency on all platforms helps build the strength of your brand.

---

---

Social media posts should showcase the before, during, and after of your emotional adventure.

The emotional experience that you and your bandmates are having are what your audience is connecting with. The before, during, and after technique gives your audience insight to the process to your outcomes, good or bad.

You don’t have to post these images the EXACT moment these things happen. Take pictures as things happen and save them. For instance, if you have a show, take pictures before during rehearsal, while you are on stage, and at the end of the night. Spread out the use of these pictures, one at a time, to highlight your emotional adventure with your audience. Remember, the want to SEE you succeed, they don’t just want to hear about it.

Watching you prepare for a show is more powerful than you telling them to GO to a show.

As they witness your journey of preparation to a performance, they are growing an emotional interest to potentially support your efforts. When you tell people to do something it creates a “Yes” or “No” response, mostly influenced in a “Who do you think you are to tell me to do that?!” mentality. No one likes to be told what to do; they love to experience a journey.

Make sure that your posts follow the “4 to 1” Ratio.

This means that content, or subject matter, of any given post can not be repeated in less than 4 posts. This is done to create diversity within your brand narrative. Too much of ONE thing can come off as “SPAMMY” to your audience. This also shows the complexity of your brand and showcases the MANY different aspects you have as a collective AND as individuals.

An example would be making a post sharing your excitement for writing a new song. You shouldn’t write about music again for another 4 posts. The next three posts should be about the other things your brand represents. Your community missions and your personal camaraderie as band mates are some other examples of things to post about. After you have gone through this “4 to 1” ratio cycle, you can then repeat it!

Diversify your posts in order to show the different facets of your brand.

Your band IS more than just your music. Look at your presentation like building friendships. Your metal head friend is more than their musical taste. That friendship grows exponentially based on you learning more about WHO they are. This is the same concept when it comes to connecting your audience to your brand’s message.

Look at your brand’s voice list and identify what you want to talk about. This list helps you articulate the point you want to establish. When deciding on what to post, refer to your list for guidance. If your list is long enough, diversifying is as simple as starting at the top and rotating to the bottom. You’re welcome. Diversifying your posts allow for your audience to see the many facets that you represent, and could potentially connect to some of those emotionally.

Back in the day, Myspace was a fertile ground for producing musical acts. One such act that came from building up their presence through this social media platform is the heavy metal band Bring me the Horizon. The were able to get so much attention that they ended up signing deals with RCA Records and Capital Records. You can read about how they made use of social media in Ben Welch’s biography “Bring me the Horizon: Heavy Sounds from Steel City.”

Summary:

• Maintain consistency over ALL platforms
• Social media is your ADVENTURE and NOT your AGENDA
• And finally (last but not LEAST) utilize social media to LITERALLY be social and build and cultivate relationships with your actual growing audience

Let us know how these strategies helped you on your social media journey! We’d love to hear from you.

Article by: JD McGibney
^{VQS ADVICE BLOG | MINDSET TOOLS FOR CREATORS}