Often musicians complain that social media doesn’t work, that they aren’t making any money and that marketing shouldn’t be their concern. They think its the job of the industry to market their music and they want to delegate updating their blog/Twitter/social media to others. This attitude won’t inspire much confidence from anybody (especially not managers and record labels).
Picture by Paul Linus Claassen
The reasons that bands fail to gain an audience are numerous, but here are 6 of the main ones:
- The music isn’t good enough. The number one reason why most bands haven’t got any fans is that they aren’t interesting/remarkable/great. Bland rehashes of what has gone before won’t get people talking online. If you sound like everyone else, why will people tell their friends about it? Weird/bizarre/ scandalous/controversial/talented will work more quickly. Better to go away and practice and get better, then try playing your music to a few people you respect (not your friends). If they like it then start promoting it online. Repeat this until you’re ready to really impress an audience. The better you are the less money it will cost to build an audience because word of mouth will take you further. Its fine to be a musician without an audience if thats what you want, its your decision.
- They lack consistency or don’t put the time in. If you go on to social networks once a week/month you won’t get many results. If you put in a lot of effort for a few weeks then give up, nothing much will happen. Building a following online happens over months and years, not days and weeks (unless you have a weird viral hit or are prepared to spend serious money in the right places). Sites like Twitter and Live Unsigned are great ways to build an audience but it won’t happen overnight.
- Not talking to fans/spamming fans. Spamming people on social networks and never replying to other peoples Tweets is one sure way of failing. Tweeting “@yo check out my music” isn’t a way of building an audience, you will just annoy people and possibly get banned from Twitter. Listening to your fans and replying to them will build a more authentic relationship over time.
- They delegate their social media. You have to do it yourself. Fans want an authentic connection with the artist not a PR person, they want to feel part of it. You can’t outsource it, its you they want to talk to. If you just talk about product and sales you will just annoy people. Open up and talk to your audience, tell them how you really feel and make them laugh. Once you have a relationship with the fans then you have permission to sell them downloads and talk to them about gigs.
- They don’t know who their audience is. If you think you’re a metal band but the people who like your music are indie kids, go with that. When you find an audience that loves your music continue to build on that. Find out who likes your music and hang out where they hang out, from forums to gigs by artists in the same genre.
- Charging for music when they haven’t got an audience. If you have less than 2000 people on your mailing list ensure your music is available free in exchange for an email address. You can’t sell to an audience you haven’t got, without a decent sized mailing list you haven’t got a business. Make it free until you have an audience, then you can sell more than a just downloads, such as merchandise like T-shirts, Box Sets etc. If you want a career you need to think of the long term opportunities not a £1 download. Also bands who only offer 30 second downloads are just making life harder for themselves, its like stopping a radio station from playing your music. Let the fans hear what you do, piracy isn’t the problem, obscurity is.
Every band will use the web in different ways to grow an audience, but saying that social media doesn’t work is just another excuse along the lines of “we didn’t get the breaks”. Of course luck does come into any bands success, but to allow those breaks to happen you have to put the work in. One thing that you can guarantee, success in the music industry won’t come looking for you.
Related Posts
Tags: DIY Musicians, Gigs, How to, Live Unsigned, marketing, Top Tips, twitter
