Many musicians have extreme talent but don't understand how to communicate with their fans via social media correctly. All of us have liked an artist before because we enjoyed the music, only to later, unlike after a ridiculous influx of annoying, overly promotional, one-directional content. Here are five ways to promote your music on social media without annoying your followers.
1. Make it interactive
A newly popular method of engagement is asking your followers to interpret your music and inviting them into the creative process. This empowers your fans creatively, and it makes them feel involved with the music, rather than being solely a consumer. Examples could be fans submitting artwork for your next single, or if the music is instrumental, submitting poetry to go along with the release.
2. Speak with genuine excitement
You'd be surprised how many bands don't speak with genuine enthusiasm. They speak with an apathetic tone (and grammar), such as, "here's our new single. hope u like it." On the other hand, some speak with too much excitement, like, "OUR NEW SINGLE IS OUT NOW!!!!! SHARE IT WITH ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!!!!!!" There's a sweet spot in the middle, but again, it should be genuine. You wrote a song, recorded it, and should be thrilled to share it. So communicate that in a post. "We're so excited to share with you our new single, "XYZ." This track is personal because [insert reasons here]. You can download it below! Let us know what you think." You don't need to write a novel, but your fans will be receptive if you speak from the heart with authentic passion.
3. Offer an incentive
Incentives are a great way to engage your fans via social media. Several artists will use the "free download if you like our Facebook page" incentive, which has its benefits. Another incentive could be making a campaign about a new album and offering a free download to the first 25 people to like a picture you took of the test-pressing process. It's important to be sure your incentive is realistic. You should budget what it'll cost you, and plan for the risks you might take in giving things away.
4. Post in moderation
One of the most annoying things a band can do is drown their followers in content. It seems like every day; we're getting an event invite from the same person or seeing the same video posted over and over and over by some budding musician. Don't drown your followers in the content they don't need in their news feeds. On the other hand, don't fall silent! Try to be active in your branding by sharing positive, engaging content.
5. Make it personal
Fans want to see what's going on behind the scenes and feel like you're speaking with them. Being relatable will resonate with your followers. If your content is personal and genuine, your followers will feel more connected to you and the meaning behind your music.