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 9 months ago
Written by
Mackenzie TaylorPosted 9 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, weāve got you covered!
Jump to a section āØ
- How to use Instagram Stories and Reels as a musician to engage with their audience?
- What scheduling tools should I use for social media?
- How can musicians collaborate with other artists or influencers on social media?
- How can a musician promote their new song on social media?
- Are there any legal considerations or copyright issues I should be aware of?
- How do I track the effectiveness of my social media content?
- What are social media platforms a musician should be on?
- Should a musician use paid ads to promote on social media?
How can musicians build a strong online presence through social media?
Now that you know which platforms you should be on, itās time to make those platforms work for you. But, what should you be posting? How can you make people interested or care about you? Letās 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 doesnāt 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 musicianāis 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
Itās 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 itās 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 otherās 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, youāre 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 itās because itās 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.
Check your analytics
When you go through your analytics, youāll 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.
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. Flickās 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, youāll 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
- Access to a FREE AI caption generator
- 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 youād 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 theyāre 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 songās 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.
Are there any legal considerations or copyright issues I should be aware of?
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 platformās 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, custom 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.
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