Social media has evolved into one of the most powerful marketing tools available today, especially as a platform for up-and-coming musicians.
At FanLabel, we have our finger on the pulse of the hottest music trends. Our goal is always to help you hone your gameplay strategy, so to help you understand how social media is being leveraged to propel awareness of songs and increase song streaming, we interviewed artists across a wide array of genres to find out what platforms they use and why.
Nurturing a personal connection with fans
For this social media pearl of wisdom, we spoke to budding country star, Teddy Robb. He’s all about building familiarity and camaraderie with his fans through social media. And it’s working. If you’re a country music fan, you may have heard his songs, “Really Shouldn’t Drink Around You” and “Lead Me On,” which are already drawing in hundreds of thousands of streams per day, according to BuzzAngle, and earning FanLabel fantasy label owners lots of virtual royalties.
“My hope is that if someone was to only know me through social media, the first interaction they have with me in person would ideally align with who I am on my Instagram, Facebook and Twitter,” Robb said. “So I primarily use social media to build and strengthen that.”
Teddy Robb is a name to watch. To keep an eye on his endeavors, follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Opening up a conversation with fans and reaching a new audience
Brandon Kellum, lead singer of hardcore metal band American Standards (seen in this story’s featured image), says discovery is vital — and that means you need to be where your fans are.
“Each platform has its purpose, so it’s important to understand that and make sure that you’re creating content that people will find valuable and engage with,” he said.
Brandon Kellum
Kellum and his fellow bandmates understand the power of social media, but also that it has limitations, struggles and competition.
“Social media has leveled the playing field and broken down the barriers of location. You no longer have to tour for months on end to reach people across the country or world. That same thing makes it harder to cut through all the noise, though,” Kellum said. “Every day, people are bombarded with hundreds of others vying for their attention, so it’s strangely both about knowing what’s going on around you and also making an effort to set yourself apart from it.”
American Standards has built up an impressive following with more than 57,000 “likes” on the band’s Facebook Page. Visit American Standards’ FanLink page to find out where you can follow them.
Building a strong, intimate fan following
Matt Sauter, better known by his stage name, Adventures with Vultures, is a FanLabel favorite. We’ve featured the folk artist in the FanLabel app and in our music scene blog.
Matt Sauter, also known as Adventures With Vultures
With a simplified approach to social media, Sauter chooses to focus mainly on Facebook and Instagram.
“I find attaching links with visuals (photos or videos) tends to gain more interaction with my fanbase,” Sauter said. “I also really like to use Instagram Stories to promote new music and upcoming shows.”
For Sauter, being able to connect and engage with fans is the reason that he puts so much effort into his social strategy. There’s still a human element to it that shouldn’t be forgotten. He also understands the reach and opportunity social media offers.
“Social media has changed the music industry forever,” Sauter said. “It has allowed artists to become their own personal promotions team right from their phones.”
Follow Adventures with Vultures on Facebook and Instagram.
Finding what sets you apart as an artist–and sharing it
Up-and-coming Detroit hip-hop artist Renaldo Powell, known by his stage name R.I.P., knows he has tools at his fingertips that many rappers before him didn’t have the luxury of using.
“Social media has changed the game so much,” Powell said. “As a kid, I would burn CDs and sell them in person and hope word of mouth was enough. Now, any artist can have the same reach as a major record label if they master social media.”
Renaldo Powell, AKA R.I.P.
He also understands the challenges social media automatically presents–every other artist is using social media to promote their music too, which makes competition high.
“The challenge is that because of the ease of social media, the market is oversaturated. Everybody and their mommas are putting out music on social media nowadays. Finding good independent music now is like finding a diamond in the rough.”
Instagram is Powell’s platform of choice, which he uses to promote his music, often posting one-minute video clips of his original work.
You can check out R.I.P.’s music by streaming the “Pocket Watch EP” on Spotify, visiting his website or following him on Instagram.
Creating brand awareness
Brandyn Jenkins, also known as his stage name, WOLFZiE, is an experimental beat maker based out of Phoenix, Arizona.
While WOLFZiE uses his social media platforms to share his music, it’s largely a tool he uses to build his brand.
“I 100 percent believe you should establish your own personal brand (through social media). People don’t just buy the music, they buy the brand,” Jenkins said.
Brandyn Jenkins, AKA WOLFZiE
And building a brand is something Jenkins knows a thing or two about. As an offshoot of his music, he has turned his personality into a brand called Homebody Friends, launching his own apparel and merchandise website.
You can follow Brandyn on Facebook or check out his music on SoundCloud.
Now that you’re a little more aware of the methods behind the social media madness, you can watch for savvy artists to get a sense of their promotional prowess and how that might impact their song streaming stats. And that could be the difference maker for your FanLabel gameplay.
Download the FanLabel app and look out for some of these artists to be featured in FanLabel’s daily FanLabel Five™ songs offered in each genre!
