Breaking into the music industry via social media is nothing new. Justin Beiber found his beginnings on YouTube. Shawn Mendes posted a cover of a Justin Bieber song on the now-defunct app, Vine. More recently, Lil Nas X jumped on the TikTok bandwagon in 2018 and created a viral challenge to the song, "Old Town Road".
With platforms like TikTok, it's more likely to spread your digital content to a larger audience. As a musician, you want to share your craft with the world, and the far-reaching effects of social media and online platforms can be a great catalyst to do so. Learn how to utilize digital content effectively to boost your music career and promote your passion.
Getting Started
When contemplating starting or boosting your digital presence, you may wonder whether it's absolutely necessary to build a following as a musician. Some creative types may find it overwhelming to feel as though they must produce digital content and share their art with unfamiliar people. Others may thrive when sharing their music online. Some may be able to quell their social anxiety about sharing music with the understanding that they’re doing what’s best for their career.
Determine Your Goals
The way to determine if creating digital content to share online is right for you is to delineate your personal music goals. Consider whether or not you want to:
- Put a significant amount of effort into self-promotion;
- Amass a large following;
- Be signed by a record label;
- Produce music independently;
- Tour nationally or internationally;
- Collaborate with brands and other creators/artists;
- Deal with constant feedback, positive and negative.
If you release your music for others to consume, it will naturally receive both praise and criticism. If your goals are just to create music for yourself or a small community of people, a large online presence might not be the right path for you. However, becoming a digital content creator can propel your career to reach new heights if that is what you are looking to accomplish.
Pinpoint Your Identity and Target Audience
If you're an aspiring artist looking to kickstart your journey or an established musician seeking new avenues for growth, you can certainly benefit from an online presence. If you've decided this is the right path for you, it's time to determine your unique brand identity. Before creating accounts or posting, make sure you are crystal clear on your niche.
This includes your genre, aesthetics, personality, and target audience. Defining your brand identity as a musician is like crafting your musical fingerprint. It's about distilling your music, persona, and message into a cohesive narrative that resonates with a subset of people online and distinguishes you from the crowd. Your brand identity encompasses not only your musical style but also your image, values, and the emotions your music evokes.
This decision will influence the story you tell, the visuals you project, and the way you interact with your audience. By clarifying your online identity as an artist, you can build a stronger connection, attract like-minded supporters, and create a lasting impression that sets you apart in the ever-evolving music industry. This isn't to say that you can't evolve as an artist - but defining how you want to be perceived is important to kickstart your digital creation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BPRJIDQcpA
Insight into artist identity, vision, and intention from Berklee Online
Choosing the Right Platforms
Deciding the right platforms through which to promote your music is a pivotal decision that can greatly impact your reach and success. To make an informed choice, start by researching where your ideal listener spends their time online. Figure out what platforms resonate with their music preferences, even looking at similar artists' online personas for inspiration.
Additionally, consider your own strengths and resources. If you excel at creating visually engaging content, platforms like Instagram and TikTok may be ideal. Musicians leaning towards long-form storytelling and deeper connections may find success on YouTube or Facebook. It's possible to make money from your passion on digital platforms, so make sure you are set up to do so. Patreon, Google Adsense, and other paid services can be integrated into your digital strategy later down the line when you accumulate some followers.
Remember, it's not about being on every platform, but rather, selecting the ones that align with your music and brand. Pick one or two places where you can consistently engage and connect with your audience. This will maximize your promotional efforts and help you build a dedicated fanbase that will click through to your personal website, follow you on other platforms, or stream your music on Spotify and iTunes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrGvo__BCXo
Jameson Nathan Jones shares insightful strategies to grow social channels
Using the Right Tools
When posting, make sure to focus on using tools that let your music shine. You can use audio recording and editing tools such as quality microphones and software to fine-tune how you present your music online. Whether you produce songs for other artists, work with producers for your songs, or produce independently, it's important to pick applications that will put your best foot forward.
Crafting Engaging Content that Aligns with Your Music
The end goal of creating a digital presence as a musician is to garner followers who appreciate your craft. Consumers are more likely to engage with personalized content that is easy to digest, so the more engaging and personal you can make your content, the better.
At the end of the day, you are passionate about your career and want to share that with the world. Remember to keep your morals and values at the forefront of your online presence, keeping a cool head when faced with negativity or even unbridled fame that could happen seemingly overnight. Your followers will take note and be more loyal to you as a musician if you are transparent and consistent. The world of online promotion is tricky, but it can be a powerful tool to extend the reach of your music and propel you forward.
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