Music Promotion Strategies: As a musician, you must know how to promote your music on social media. It's unrealistic to assume that simply producing amazing songs will ensure your success. You need consistent and effective marketing to build your fanbase and avoid losing your current followers. Today, one of the most cost-effective promotional channels is social media.
When you choose to promote your music on social media, you'll discover that the process isn't as complicated as you might think. Everyone is already using social media. So, it’s easier to gain the attention of your target audience than ever before. However, getting the desired result from your music promotion strategies requires unique and creative strategies for each platform.
Artists could stand out from competitors and reach new audiences by leveraging the power of social media networks. Keep reading to learn more about how to promote your music on social media.
Why You Should Promote Your Music on Social Media
Social media music promotion has plenty to offer for both new and established artists. From building relationships with your fans to reaching different audiences across the globe, the possibilities are endless.
As an example, brand awareness is a significant marketing objective. Why? Because people trust and gravitate toward what they know or are familiar with. Fortunately, social media music promotion strategies makes it simple and effective for artists to make people aware of their brand and music.
Through these online platforms, musicians can reach a wider audience than was ever possible with traditional media. When your audience isn't thinking about your brand or music, your latest post will pop up in their news feed as a reminder.
Marketing via social media also happens to be easy and inexpensive. This provides you with a cost-effective way to reach your target market. The benefits are almost endless when you understand how to promote your music on social media.
That said, it’s crucial to note that each social media platform is different. And each offers you access to a distinct kind of audience. And as such, you must tailor your content according to the platform to better reach your audience.
Let's take a closer look at the various platforms that offer the best opportunities for you to promote your music on social media.
The Different Social Media Platforms
Use the following links to jump to a section:
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Facebook Messenger
- Snapchat
- Bandcamp
- Twitch
- Clubhouse
- Vimeo
- Triller
- Tumblr
- Quora
- Text Messages
- Telegram
1. TikTok
TikTok is a must-have platform for musicians and artists. For those who aren't familiar with this video-sharing app, TikTok is one of the most loved platforms for creators.
One of the best features of TikTok for artists is the ability for any creative, no matter how small, to have their work go viral. TikTok's algorithm encourages videos to go viral and potentially reach a vast audience.
As a bonus, the app does an excellent job of resharing old videos. This ensures your existing content works for you and allows more people to find your music. Granted, there is a slight learning curve for first-time users, but the app is incredibly intuitive and user-friendly.
If you'd like to learn more, we recommend you read our in-depth guide on how to promote your music on TikTok.
2. YouTube
If you want to promote your music on social media and reach a broad audience, YouTube is a terrific option. These days, most artists and bands have an online presence on YouTube, and it's easy to see why.
An effective YouTube channel for music promotion involves much more than simply recording and posting videos. For example, behind-the-scenes, personal, and performance videos are all approaches to building a community of fans. You can also live stream a planned or impromptu performance or event on YouTube.
Additionally, when you’ve built a following on YouTube, you’ll have the opportunity to earn revenue from YouTube advertising. And YouTube offers channels the opportunity to charge a subscription fee for exclusive content. On the whole, there are multiple ways to promote your music and generate revenue from it on YouTube.
Discover more in our detailed guide on how to promote your music on YouTube.
3. Instagram
Like TikTok and YouTube, Instagram is a must for musicians and bands. However, Instagram presents artists with a unique set of social and promotional tools. Since the launch of Instagram in 2010, this social media network has continued to evolve. It now offers many alternatives for musicians who want to promote their music through photographs, videos, and advertisements.
Unlike Facebook, which offers a bewildering array of options, Instagram is more visual. And this platform allows you to showcase your originality and creativity through visual media.
The Instagram algorithm makes it harder for smaller accounts to reach new followers. But there are still many ways to build your presence and engagement on this platform. And as your following grows, you’ll be able to leverage the many benefits of this platform to your advantage.
We've compiled a comprehensive guide on how to promote your music on Instagram to help you with your marketing efforts.
4. Facebook
Your music and brand have plenty of room to grow on Facebook. That’s thanks to its massive monthly active user base of over 2 billion people. For most, Facebook may simply be a great way to stay in touch with your loved ones. But it also presents a fantastic means to promote your music on social media.
Facebook has created numerous tools and services for artists and creatives. And the app offers you a wide range of choices for promoting your music. These include artist pages, live streaming, video and photo sharing, private groups, event promotion, and more. All of this to the most extensive and widespread audience online.
For in-depth steps on how to reach your fans on Facebook, check out our article, "How to Promote Your Music in Facebook".
5. Facebook Messenger
Many are realizing that chat applications offer an incredible opportunity to engage with fans. There are, of course, low-cost, targeted advertising opportunities that musicians could explore. But, in terms of organic promotion, Messenger provides the facilities to have users subscribe to your messages. And this is made possible through its integration with Facebook.
In addition, instant messaging apps such as Messenger have recorded a 70% open rate. That’s significantly higher than the open rates for social messaging and emails combined. However, keeping up with your messages and notifications can be time-consuming. So, you may want to incorporate Messenger subscriptions into your strategy when you have a social media manager on your team.
Our detailed guide on how to promote your music on Facebook Messenger will provide you with all the tips you need to leverage this messaging platform.
6. LinkedIn
Most people know that LinkedIn is a great way to connect with industry leaders and build strong business relationships. The fact that it’s a great platform to promote your music on social media is not as apparent. But the way people are using this platform has changed over the past few years.
In fact, LinkedIn has become a far more social network than it used to be. And its algorithm is throwing new and exciting brands into the spotlight every day. LinkedIn aids in promoting visual media and provides a means to host live events. Profiles also offer the tools to publish blog-style content, which your followers can subscribe to and have sent to their email.
With the help of LinkedIn, you can identify and connect with music industry role-players and fellow musicians. It can positively impact your career through its networking capabilities in the long run. And you'll find that many of your LinkedIn connections will become dedicated fans.
Take a look at our post on how to promote your music on LinkedIn for a more in-depth guide.
7. Twitter
Now that we've talked about Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites, it's time to talk about Twitter. As tweets come and go at a rate of knots, this platform requires a slightly different approach to stay ahead of the game.
Granted, you’re limited in the number of characters you can type in a tweet. But you can also post images and videos to get your message across. And the platform has gained notable popularity in the tech, crypto, and gaming communities. That means an affluent, intelligent, and highly active community are at your fingertips.
Any musician or band could reach multiple potential fans on this platform. You can promote your music on Twitter by leveraging trending hashtags or paid ad campaigns. It’s also possible to post content directly to Twitter from your Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Learn more about developing sound marketing strategies for Twitter in our "How to Promote Your Music on Twitter" blog post.
8. Snapchat
When it comes to Snapchat, it's all about quick and responsive posting and messaging. Snaps can be created and sent in a matter of seconds. And they don't need to come across as promotional. In fact, here is where you'll connect with your audience on a more intimate level.
That said, this app is most beneficial to artists targeting a young audience. To give you an idea, more than 50% of Snapchat users are under the age of 25. And Snapchat is used by 77% of all college students.
This app offers a great way to whet the appetite of young listeners by sharing short clips of your music and other content. Communication is critical here, and you'll need to be up for replying to the snaps and comments you receive to maintain engagement.
9. Bandcamp
You'll have a musician’s profile, which looks like a basic musician webpage or EPK. And you can set up a storefront to sell music and merchandise on the platform.
Music Promotion Strategies: Bandcamp is a promotional platform for musicians and labels with an e-commerce element. This website also offers several possibilities if you’re looking to promote your music on social media. You can publish new music often, stay in control of how it is streamed, set your price, and enjoy other customizations.
What's great is that the community on the platform is there to discover new music. So, all you need to do is get as many members to hear your music. You'll have a musician’s profile, which looks like a basic musician webpage or EPK. And you can set up a storefront to sell music and merchandise on the platform.
Those who follow you will receive updates when you add new music and merchandise. And you can leverage the power of the music community to gain recognition through recommendations. Word of mouth is a powerful thing and is certainly the ticket to success through the Bandcamp community.
We've put together a detailed guide on how to promote your music on Bandcamp, which may help your music marketing efforts.
10. Twitch
Many of you may think of gaming when you see the name “Twitch”. Twitch indeed began as a platform for gamers to live-stream their gameplay. But it's since become a popular platform for people to show off their talents to their respective Twitch audiences. This makes it a great choice when thinking about how to promote your music on social media.
Twitch now comprises thousands of channels hosted by artists, chefs, musicians, and more. Having a Twitch channel is like having your own televised reality show. Not only can you live stream performances and events. You could also broadcast band rehearsals, songwriting or editing sessions, and everything between.
There's even a Twitch Partners Program, which allows you to earn money from subscribers. Of course, to qualify for this, you must build a sizeable audience.
11. Pinterest
Although it's the 14th largest social network globally, Pinterest is rarely mentioned when discussing online marketing. And many wouldn’t give it a second thought when exploring how to promote your music on social media.
However, this platform can be a powerful marketing tool for musicians, as it has over 450 million active monthly users. And some of the critical drawcards of Pinterest are its visual appeal and ease of usage. In addition to album art and music videos, musicians can use Pinterest to promote their craft in other ways.
What's more, like YouTube videos, Pinterest posts regularly feature in Google search results. This means that people can find your images and videos on Pinterest through a Google search if you use your keywords wisely.
12. Clubhouse
Clubhouse is a famous live audio app that may only be accessed via invitation. Consider it your own personal live podcast, where you can express your ideas, and listeners can ask you questions. Clubhouse can be highly beneficial to musicians for a variety of reasons.
The ability to network and develop connections is the most valuable aspect of Clubhouse. It's also possible to conduct listening parties and live audio jam sessions via the app. This is practically the same as hosting an audio concert, with people from all around the globe tuning in to listen.
While Clubhouse is technically the “new kid on the block”, the app's marketing and promotional potential are limitless. Those able to get onto the platform at this early stage will have a massive advantage when the app goes public.
13. Vimeo
As the premier supplier of all-in-one video solutions, Vimeo gives independent musicians a platform that turns their data into dollars. The app assists users in creating the highest-quality videos possible across a variety of platforms.
You may use Vimeo to advertise your music in various ways. This could include email campaigns, where you embed your material into the mail. The service also uses advanced data analytics available in a dedicated dashboard to optimize content performance.
You'll need the support of an established online video hosting service like Vimeo to keep your music in front of your target audience. However, this premium service can be a little expensive.
14. Triller
Music video come social media platform Triller was designed with creators in mind and is rapidly expanding. In fact, it's pretty similar to TikTok but is all about making videos to music. And judging by its massive popularity and rapid year-over-year development, musicians who ignore this app could be doing themselves a disservice.
Musicians using Triller can either upload their music directly or use Spotify to connect with the app. If you're unsure how to distribute your music to streaming platforms like Spotify, Sugo Music Group can help. Our seasoned industry experts can help to effectively distribute your music to more than 200 platforms.
This will allow users the opportunity to access your music for their videos. But it also gives you the option to actively post videos featuring your songs. That said, it's a good idea to look around at what other people are uploading before you start adding your own clips.
New or unreleased music can be promoted through a video of you dancing or lip-syncing to your latest track. You can even preview an unreleased video to increase anticipation for its release. All this makes Triller an ideal platform when looking to promote your music on social media.
15. Tumblr
Microblogging and social networking site Tumblr allows users to submit various types of content through the platform. Musicians can share anything from written content, images, videos, audio, and more from other social media accounts.
Promoting your musician on Tumblr gives you the chance to show off your work. And it’s proven to be a great place to build a following of music fans and connect with a bigger audience. The app uses hashtags in the same way that Twitter and Instagram do. But visually, it has a Pinterest feel about it.
Using hashtags strategically is critical to spreading the word about your music. It's pretty easy to navigate Tumblr but can be confusing at first.
16. Reddit
One of the many platforms often underutilized and overlooked in terms of its promotional worth is Reddit. A critical aspect of promotional success on Reddit is to know which subreddits to post in. Networking and engaging with others in these subreddits will give you a better chance of being noticed on the platform.
To begin pushing your music on Reddit, you first need to build up a following in relevant subreddits. Self-promotion on Reddit can go either way, so be careful not to market yourself incorrectly. The benefit is that you can target individuals interested in music similar to yours. You, therefore, have a better chance of garnering interest when you introduce them to your music.
17. Quora
Quora is a question-and-answer website that acts as an internet community for people who want to learn new things. All the information on the platform is created by the users. It’s, therefore, completely organic.
It’s possible to attract listeners from Quora as an artist by submitting your music and receiving criticism from other users. The platform receives 300 million visitors a month. Someone is bound to hear and appreciate your music and follow you on other networks.
On Quora, musicians can also run a paid ads campaign. Another way to build relationships on the platform is to answer music-related questions. Especially questions relating to music or musicians aligned with your musical style or genre.
You can add links to your website, social media platforms, and YouTube videos in these answer posts. What's more, YouTube video links become embedded videos when posted. So, it's a great way to draw attention to your music.
One should also remember that Google loves Quora and often includes relevant Quora results on the search results page.
18. Text Messages
Using text messages to spread the word about your music can be effective if you know who to target. It was a big deal when musicians and big-name performers started handing out their phone numbers. Even vocal entrepreneur and marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk got in on the action.
You can sign up for a free text messaging platform and begin gathering phone numbers of potential fans right away. Develop your contact list for free up to the point where you're ready to start sending messages.
Once you've done that, it becomes a paid service. Some may find it upsetting to receive messages from you at random. But there's a chance you'll acquire fans who appreciate your music due to this strategy.
19. WhatsApp
A typical day for a WhatsApp user involves over 23 checks of the app. Even better, messages on WhatsApp have an open rate of 98%, so you know they'll be read. You can develop long-lasting connections with your fans and supporters via WhatsApp promotion.
Supported options on WhatsApp include personal greetings, broadcast messages, or short replies for frequently requested inquiries. You may begin conversing with fans looking to buy your music using WhatsApp for business.
Promotional messages will only be available to people on your contact list, which is the only drawback.
20. WeChat
WeChat, the famous Chinese messaging app, now allows users to include songs in the videos they share with their contacts. The supporting features allow for a comparable experience to TikTok and Facebook when promoting music.
The app has over 1.2 billion users, making it one of the world's largest social media networks. This also means that your song could potentially reach a massive audience from the get-go.
21. Telegram
Marketers have recently taken more notice of Telegram as a promotional tool. Telegram is a famous messaging app that has grown in popularity over the past several years. If you’re looking to reach a broad audience, Telegram channels are great for promoting and distributing music.
You can create channels specifically to promote your music and even leverage existing channels to gain more interest. Like text messages, WhatsApp and WeChat, Telegram provides a means to keep your fans informed. This app will help to increase audience engagement and drive more traffic to your music.
Overall Social Media Strategy
Music Promotion Strategies: To be a musician, you must have a certain level of skill. But the journey does not end there. Using social media platforms to recruit and connect with fans is a fantastic opportunity to make a name for yourself. And there are several methods for marketing your music and building a following on these platforms.
Content of various forms could be useful for your overall music strategy. A blog post or short video about your creative process and behind-the-scenes images are fantastic. Even a short teaser clip of an upcoming song or album release makes for excellent promotional content.
Don’t worry if you don’t know how to create all these forms of content yourself. You can always hire a freelancer or experienced professional to create the content for you. And once you've decided on the kinds of content to create, the following should be your next steps.
For a broader approach, you may find our article on How To Create A Digital Marketing Strategy For Your Music.
1. Music Promotion Strategies: Determining How and When to Post
Perhaps you’ve experienced your social media feed clogged up by posts from one particular artist who updates 10 times a day. Unless the content is highly entertaining, it can be frustrating to keep seeing the same or similar posts.
Posting too frequently is a surefire way of losing followers as quickly as you gained them. However, you need to post regularly and consistently to build your following and keep them interested.
Check to see what each platform has to offer in terms of functionality. On Instagram, for example, you can post to your Instagram Stories or Reels if you've already added a few posts for the day. An excellent way to prevent getting ahead of yourself is to plan out how often you'll publish new content in advance.
2. Music Promotion Strategies: Maintain Engagement
If people interact with your content, it is vital to keep that interaction constant. Take note of the type of content people respond to best, and post more of that.
Offer your audience engaging content, ask questions, host giveaways, initiate competitions, and more. The more engagement you’ve got, the better your overall music promotion strategies.
3. Music Promotion Strategies: Maintain a Consistent Image
Your online persona's consistency in appearance is essential. Maintain your focus once you've settled on a theme. And ensure that your image, message, and style embody this persona.
The same applies to your name on these social media accounts. Ensure you have the same name on all platforms. It makes it easier for your audience to locate you if your handle is the same on all networks.
4. Music Promotion Strategies: Working to Reach More People
Social media is the easiest way to get your message out to a larger audience. Allowing your audience to be a part of the creative process is an excellent way to accomplish this.
Let your fans contribute their own artwork for the next album's cover through an Instagram campaign. Alternately, you might make an audio clip available and let the community name the music they hear.
Things like this make your audience feel like they are part of the music. It's also possible to take advantage of the most recent updates to your platform of preference. For instance, thanks to Instagram Reels, people who don't follow your account can still see your material.
5. Music Promotion Strategies: Setting up a Posting Schedule
Being able to distribute so much material raises a challenge. As a musician, how are you supposed to fit in all the blog writing, video capturing, and managing other commitments?
The good news for you is that several services are available to schedule your posts over multiple platforms for you. Automating these tasks helps you focus on the music while still staying on track with your promotional efforts.
6. Music Promotion Strategies: Speaking to Influencers and Collaborations
We're in the era of the Influencer, a term used to describe people on social media who have amassed immense followings. These influencers can exert considerable influence over their admirers, making them valuable promotional partners.
Musicians who work with Influencers have a better chance of expanding their audience. There are many ways that influencers can promote your music on social media when you collaborate with them. Your music may serve as the foundation for a massively successful campaign that goes viral.
Conclusion
Music Promotion Strategies: Musicians and bands must devote more time to promoting their music on social media. We live in a world heavily influenced by social media and the internet. And it doesn't appear to be changing soon.
So, bear in mind that it's akin to building a business or brand to promote your music online. Whether you're a band or solo artist, take advantage of as many social media platforms as possible. And reap the rewards of this highly connected and engaged era.
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