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Social Media for Musicians: How to Build Your Following and Go Viral

If you’re a musician struggling with social media, here is your guide on getting started and perfecting your social media game.

Posted 3 months ago
social media for musicians

Written by

Mackenzie Taylor
Posted 3 months ago
Being a professional musician trying to break into the industry is tough. Add in the pressure of social media marketing, and it can feel impossible. With millions of musicians vying for attention online, how do you stand out from the crowd and make a name for yourself?
This blog post will guide you through everything you need to know about social media for musicians. From promoting your new songs and connecting with your fans to going viral on TikTok, we’ve got you covered!

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  1. Why does social media matter so much for musicians?
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    • SoundCloud

Why does social media matter so much for musicians?

Let’s face it: these days, it’s hard to make it in the music industry without a strong online presence. While it’s disheartening that music itself isn’t always the primary focus, building a fanbase online is crucial for getting noticed. With over 3.6 billion social media users worldwide, platforms like TikTok and Instagram can help you connect with potential fans globally.

 

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And here’s a staggering statistic: 63% of music listeners discover new artists through social media. That’s a massive opportunity to introduce your music to a whole new audience!
Ready to start reaching new listeners? Let’s dive into how to use social media to your advantage.

What social media platforms should musicians use to promote their music?

Want to connect with your audience on a more one-on-one level? Parasocial relationships are all the rage these days! Kidding—kind of. If you want to boost your streams and get on the road in front of thousands of adoring fans, you’re going to need to use social media to promote yourself. =
You’re probably already familiar with the big players – Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube – but other platforms are tailor-made for musicians. Let’s explore the best options:

TikTok

Every musician knows that if your song goes viral on TikTok, you’ve got it made. Well, for a while at least. TikTok provides a pretty creative space for musicians to share their music in interesting and engaging ways.
The undeniable king of viral content, TikTok has become a launchpad for countless music careers. It offers a dynamic platform for musicians to share their music creatively and connect with their audience:
  • Create catchy music clips: Encourage others to use your music in their TikTok videos.
  • Launch a song challenge: Make it fun and engaging!
  • Share the songwriting process: Behind-the-scenes glimpses into your creative process are captivating.
  • Collaborate with other TikTokers: Leverage their audience reach.

YouTube

YouTube still continues to be the ultimate platform for musicians. The platform lets musicians share their music videos, live performances, Shorts, vlogs, and more to entice their audience. And the more you use YouTube and start getting viewers coming in, the more you can monetize your videos and make some cash-cash-money.
Still the go-to platform for music videos and live performances, YouTube is a vital tool for musicians.
  • Upload professional music videos: This is a cornerstone of your online presence.
  • Share live performances: Showcase your energy and connection with an audience.
  • Create Shorts: Short-form videos are perfect for attracting attention.
  • Use YouTube Shorts for trending challenges: Engage with the current TikTok trends in a YouTube format.
  • Vlog your musical journey: Give fans a glimpse into your life as a musician.
  • Monetize your content: Earn revenue through ads and sponsorships.

Instagram

 

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In this day and age, having an Instagram presence and followers is important to get your foot in the music industry. Being able to utilize all key areas of Instagram will be important to get new followers through your door.
More than just a photo-sharing platform, Instagram is a powerful tool for musicians to build a loyal fanbase:
  • Share studio sessions and behind-the-scenes moments: Connect with fans by showing the work that goes into your music.
  • Showcase your everyday life: Let fans get to know you as a person, fostering a sense of connection.
  • Create Reels: Capture attention with short, engaging videos featuring your music.
  • Utilize Instagram Stories: Share updates, insights, and interactive content.

SoundCloud

 
While not typically a social media platform thought of in the traditional sense, SoundCloud is a great place for musicians to upload and share their music, create playlists, and engage with their listeners through comments and likes.
SoundCloud is a haven for audio enthusiasts and a great platform for musicians to share their music. It’s ideal for:
  • Uploading original tracks and demos: Let fans hear your music in its rawest form.
  • Creating playlists: Curate a selection of your favorite music for fans to enjoy.
  • Engaging with other artists: Connect with other musicians and build a supportive community.

How can musicians build a strong online presence through social media?

Now that you know which platforms you should be on, it’s time to make those platforms work for you. But, what should you be posting? How can you make people interested or care about you? Let’s dive into it:

Optimize your accounts

First, you need to take a look at your accounts overall and figure out if they are optimized in the best way. What the heck does that mean?
  • Are all of your profile images and cover images sized correctly for that specific platform? Every platform has a different sizing guide, so be sure they are correct. Click here to learn the social media sizing guidelines.
  • Make sure your account name is yours or makes sense with who you are. How are people going to find you if your account name doesn’t make sense?
  • Be sure your profile and bio link back to either your website, tour, a new song, or whatever you want people to view.
  • Go through your profile and ensure that everything on there is accurate and up-to-date.
Going through your profile to make sure that it is optimized correctly is an important first step when it comes to social media. It will help guarantee your audience is being pointed to the information you want them to see, plus make you look more professional overall.

Share behind-the-scenes content

A big reason why people love following musicians is to feel connected to them and to see their process. Think back to why you follow your favorite musician—is it to see their take on touring? Their process of writing a new song? Sneak peeks into the studio? By showing off these little teaser moments, you get your audience excited about your music even more. This can lead to more ticket sales, sharing your music on social media, pre-saving your album or songs, and so much more.

Share user-generated content

It’s incredibly flattering when fans share your music or tag you in posts. Show your appreciation by:
  • Reposting UGC: Share your favorite fan content on your feed.
  • Respond to comments and messages: Engage with your fanbase by liking, commenting, and replying to their interactions.
  • Use hashtags: Make it easy for fans to find your music and content.
  • Run contests and giveaways: Incentivize fans to engage with you.

Collaborate with other musicians or influencers

We know it’s easier said than done, but find a musician that you love and see if they are open to collaborating with you. Perhaps you can stitch one of their TikTok videos with your own lyrics. Maybe you cover one of their songs online. Reach out to the musician and ask if you can do a video together. By collaborating with other musicians, you both benefit from each other’s separate audiences. Collaborations are a great way for you to reach new audiences but also provide an opportunity for cross-promo and (hopefully!) mutual support.

Interact with your fans

You need to engage and talk to your fans online to really build a sense of community. Yes, it seems like an obvious thing, but interacting with your fans is so important for your social media strategy. By responding to their DMs, heart-ing their comments or messages, or reposting their content, you’re showing them that you see, recognize, and are listening to them. And that definitely leads to a more loyal fanbase.

Be consistent

We shout about consistency a lot over here at Flick but it’s because it’s so important. Regularly posting content and engaging with your audience helps you build a more loyal following and keeps your music at the top of their minds. We recommend creating a content calendar and scheduling all of your posts in advance so you can remain consistent.
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Instagram scheduler

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Check your analytics

When you go through your analytics, you’ll get a quick overview of what your audience likes and wants from you. Start paying attention to the videos and posts that get a lot of engagement. What are people sharing with their friends more? What are people commenting on more? From there, you can start to build out a social media strategy that is tailored to your exact audience and what they want from you.
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Instagram Analytics

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Tool to use to help musicians with social media creation

Flick

To help you spend less time on social media and more time on creating music, Flick is the ultimate tool you need. Flick’s AI Social Media Assistant can help you with social media creation from start to finish. Utilize the tool to brainstorm content and caption ideas, generate the best hashtags, repurpose past content, see what posts have done well for you previously, and so much more.
With Flick, you can streamline your social media workflow in seconds. By using our analytics, AI Assistant, and scheduling tools, you’ll remain consistent on social media and get the growth you want (and need!).

Why use Flick?

  • Analyzes all of your content in seconds and lets you know exactly how you stack up against your competition
  • Access to Viral Trends Suggestions for you to recreate viral content helping you reach new audiences
  • Schedule out all of your content in a single click
  • Create captions inside the Scheduler with the AI Caption Generator tool
  • Writes in your brand voice based on your Brand Info
  • Get access to endless post ideas in a single click
  • Repurposes all long-form content into bite-size social media posts
  • Integrates into Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok
  • Get auto-generated hashtags based completely on your captions that are best fit for your content
  • Caption templates that sound more human and completely like a post you’d actually write
  • Available in multiple languages
  • AI-generated images and access to our Stock Image Media Library
Pricing: Free trial for 7 days. Plans start at $~14/month

Frequently Asked Questions

How to use Instagram Stories and Reels as a musician to engage with their audience?

Stories and Reels offer a unique opportunity to connect with your audience in a more personal and authentic way:
  • Behind-the-scenes glimpses: Share sneak peeks of your creative process, rehearsals, or studio sessions.
  • Teasers and announcements: Promote new music, upcoming shows, or merch releases.
  • Personal moments: Give fans a glimpse into your life outside of music.
  • Interactive content: Use polls, Q&A stickers, or quizzes to encourage participation.
  • Music-focused Reels: Showcase your music in creative and engaging short-form videos.

What scheduling tools should I use for social media?

Streamline your social media management with scheduling tools like Flick, which allows you to plan and schedule your posts in advance across multiple platforms.
The tool offers features such as content calendar views, post scheduling, AI Social Media Assistant, and analytics tracking to help you stay organized and maintain a consistent posting schedule. By planning your content ahead of time, you can focus on creating engaging content while ensuring a steady flow of updates for your audience.

How can musicians collaborate with other artists or influencers on social media?

Collaborations are a fantastic way to reach new audiences and build connections within the music community:
  • Identify potential collaborators: Look for artists or influencers whose audience aligns with yours.
  • Propose collaboration ideas: Think about creating joint content, song covers, cross-promotional campaigns, or live streams.
  • Reach out and connect: Start a conversation and see if they’re interested in working together.

How can a musician promote their new song on social media?

Promote your new song strategically:
  • Create engaging content around your release: Share music videos, behind-the-scenes snippets, lyrics, and stories about the song’s creation.
  • Run targeted ads: Reach a broader audience through paid campaigns.
  • Collaborate with influencers or music blogs: Partner with those who resonate with your music to spread the word.
  • Use social media to drive traffic to your music streaming platforms: Include links in your bio, stories, and posts.
Protecting your music rights is crucial:
  • Ensure you have the necessary rights and permissions for any copyrighted material: This includes samples, cover songs, or licensed music.
  • Familiarize yourself with each platform’s content policies: Understand what is allowed and what may violate copyright rules.
  • Register your original music with a performing rights organization (PRO): This protects your intellectual property and ensures you are compensated for your work.

How do I track the effectiveness of my social media content?

Monitor your social media performance:
  • Use built-in analytics tools: Most platforms offer insights into your follower growth, engagement rate, reach, and impressions.
  • Utilize third-party analytics platforms: Consider tools that provide more comprehensive data and reporting.
  • Track your website traffic: See how your social media posts are driving traffic to your website, music streaming platforms, or merch store.

What are social media platforms a musician should be on?

In addition to mainstream platforms like Instagram and Facebook, musicians can explore niche communities and specialized platforms tailored specifically for music promotion and networking.
Platforms like SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and ReverbNation offer opportunities to showcase your music, connect with fans, and collaborate with other artists within the music industry. Explore genre-specific forums, online communities, or Discord servers to engage with like-minded musicians and fans who share your interests and passion for music.

Should a musician use paid ads to promote on social media?

Paid advertising and sponsored content can be valuable tools for musicians to amplify their reach and promote their music to a broader audience.
  • Consider running targeted ad campaigns on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube to promote your latest releases, upcoming shows, or merchandise offerings such as custom stickers, pillows, hoodies, or t-shirts.
  • Collaborate with influencers or music blogs in your niche to reach their followers and gain exposure through sponsored posts or shoutouts.
  • Experiment with different ad formats, targeting options, and budget allocations to maximize your ROI and drive meaningful results for your music career.

Content

Why does social media matter so much for musicians?

What social media platforms should musicians use to promote their music?

How can musicians build a strong online presence through social media?

Tool to use to help musicians with social media creation

Frequently Asked Questions


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