I’ve spoken about it a lot already, but I just wanted to write a blog post to explain the importance of social media. I get some people writing to me saying they ‘just want to mix and produce’ and they ‘don’t have time for social media’.
If this sounds familiar and you’re not on (or active) on social media, I have some news…you’ve got NO CHANCE.
The Fear
To many, I think sharing their music online is scary – which is something I can understand. You spend hours and hours working on something, tweaking each and every detail until you’re happy with it. You’ve invested hours of time into something and now comes the time for the world to hear it…. But nothing happens.
I used to know a lot of guys that were super talented at making music, but their fear of rejection was the biggest thing holding them back. They never bothered with social media because (a) they didn’t know how and (b) they were too scared to find the out the truth.
I’ll be writing a blog post soon of some ways I’ve helped people overcome these worries. But in the meantime, my advice is to have confidence in what you’re doing. If you’ve spent hours & hours on a song / mix and it’s STILL sounding good – then it’s time to trust your own judgement and get it up online!
Here’s a list of reasons why social media is #1…
1) Social media is the biggest marketing platform on the planet
“Engaging with the arts through digital media is now a mainstream activity” (Arts Council England, 2010). This quote was written way back in 2010! Since then social media has gotten way bigger – now, ALL successful musicians and DJs are active on social media.
Here’s some monthly usage stats to show how much social media is used around the world:
If Facebook was a country – it would be the biggest in the world!
2) You can market yourself for FREE
A lot of my students say they don’t have the money to be active on social media. The truth is, you don’t need to spend money. If you’re active and are regularly engaging with fans there’s no need. Compare the reach you get on social media to other traditional advertising options (TV, radio, etc) and you’ll quickly see why you need to be on it!
3) Build ‘true’ connections with fans
Social media allows you to tell your story to the world. I recently wrote a blog post for Deep House Amsterdam on “how to turn followers into fans (for life)”, the answer is: a connection.
As humans we become invested emotionally with things we connect with. A connection is the difference between a poor and successful musician. If people can continue connect with you and your music, you’ll have their support for life.
Social media is the best way of building true connections with fans. The best DJs & musicians use social media to make fans feel part of something bigger – their tribe! This gives fans a greater sense of belonging. I write about this a lot more in my ebook, which has already helped a bunch of people – see my ebook reviews here.
4) Socials allow you to share your “WHY” with fans
I wrote a blog post recently on the importance of knowing “WHY” you’re making music. Taken from the advice given by marketing expert, Simon Sinek, it explains that your chances of success will be x10 greater if you can show people “why” you’re doing something.
The concept is simple: people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you’re doing something.
Social media allows you to share the bigger picture with your fans. This is another great way of building true, meaningful relationships.
5) Socials give your fans a POINT OF CONTACT
Social media not only allows you to speak out to people but it’s also a great LISTENING tool. If someone has something to say about your music then they’ll use socials to reach out and tell you.
Not having social media accounts is the equivalent of a company with NO telephone numbers or email addresses.
Give your fans a chance to talk to you.
6) Follower numbers ARE important
I’m sorry to say, but the number of fans and followers you have ARE important if you want to succeed. If you’re not active in growing these numbers then you’re limiting your chances.
I can 100% guarantee that Record Labels, A&Rs, Managers, Booking Agents, Publishers and Promoters will take a look at your social following before they work with you.
Take promoters for example, they’re game is a ticket selling business. If they book an act that has a shit load of followers in their city – chances are they’re going to sell enough tickets to make money. If you don’t have a lot of fans in that city, they’ll be taking a gamble on you. Unfortunately, a lot of promoters aren’t willing to take a gamble nowadays.
A lot of people don’t like this, but the music industry is a BUSINESS. The faster you can get on-board with this, the more likely you’ll succeed.
Anyone interested in working with you will ONLY be willing to put their time & money on the line if they can see a return for themselves.
If you’re just getting started on social media or you’ve already started being active, I’ve written a 60 page ebook that includes everything to kickstart your career with ease! By reading my book, you will get the upper hand in the industry. You’ll start to build your brand and gain new fans. I’ll show you how to nail social media so you have record labels and club promoters knocking on your door!
If you’re not on social media, I hope this blog post has helped to change your mind – it could be the thing holding you back.
Danny
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What about the fact that most labels state that they will only accept private Soundcloud links?
Great advices!