Why Social Media Matters to Artists: Part Two

Posted by Tate Music Group to tate music group

by Jonathan Robles, Exclusive to TMG

(Note: The preceding article is a follow-up piece to last month's TMG feature Why Social Media Matters to Artists.)

The music business today isn't what it was 20 years ago. It's not even what it was ten years ago. To some that's a bad thing and to other's it's pretty good. When the 2011 Grammy nominations were announced this month, 50% of the nods went to independent artists. While some might say it's only half, in comparison to a decade ago it's a dramatic jump forward.

There are two things that stand out about the growing presence of independent music in mainstream (besides the blurring definition of "indie"): First, more musicians are choosing non-traditional alternatives to the powerhouse labels. And artists who have previously gone the traditional routes are turning their backs on those methods. Another fact is that the means by which we share music and connect with musicians have changed.

As mentioned in the first part of this feature, your music career is your business. A recent study revealed that 94% of companies do not use social media channels to gather customer feedback. Instead they rely on email and phone surveys. (When is the last time you participated in an email or phone survey?) Meanwhile, as Billboard has proven to be true, there is a noticeable correlation between the top artists in sales and the top artists on social media.

Pat Monahan, the frontman of Train, says that "if you don't have a Twitter account, you're not going to do as well as you think." And for the most part, he's right.. Minus a few accomplished bands, the biggest touring acts and chart-toppers have constantly been churning out tweets and online "exclusives."

So, what does that mean to everyone else?

1. You have to start somewhere. Pick three social media channels. (Or start with one!) Don't just create the account. Complete the profile (and put yourself in the position of a fan--or potential fan!--when they view your page). If it's a Facebook or Myspace page, make sure you have music samples. Do you read ten paragraphs of bio information? They won't either. You can even sync your pages so that you only have to update one of them. Start a blog, like Posterous.
2. Connect with people. Do you have an email list or 50 contacts in your personal Gmail? Search Twitter or Facebook to find out how many of them are on those sites and follow them. Once you follow people, talk to them. Both Twitter and Facebook suggest other friends based on your current connections. Use these tools. If you're a jazz artist in upstate New York or a country singer from Tampa, connect with people in your area first. Then build on those connections.
3. Listen. The Facebook generation is very familiar with updating their status every hour. While this might also come naturally to entertainers, don't forget to observe. If you're a musician just starting out or trying to build your fan base, it is especially important for you to have two-way conversations online. If a new fan follows you on Twitter, follow them back.
4. Don't start, and then stop. It's very easy to give in to hype, create a Facebook page, update excitedly for a few weeks, then phase out because you get bored. Adam Smith, whose following is the envy of many in Twitter Nation, recently acknowledged that tweeting often helped him obtain and retain followers.
5. Be authentic. "Transparency" isn’t just a buzz word; it’s a strategic imperative, which should apply to your social media participation as well as all other aspects of your career or business. You might be your grandmother's favorite rapper, but there are many folks trying to be Jay-Z. Be you. Follow back. "Re-tweet" others. And follow the Pareto principle (the 80-20 rule): Spend 80% of your time in social media activities that are not self-promotional and 20% or less on activities that are self-promotional.
6. Contribute something. A quick online search will tell you that there are millions of music artists in the pool today. If you're trying to make even a splash in the industry, you have to set yourself apart. When it comes to new media, think about your fans. If your content doesn’t add value to your audience’s lives, they won’t talk about it and share it with their own audiences.
7. Establish goals. Determine to update your Facebook and/or Twitter three times a week and blog twice a month. Don't commit to more than you can handle, but challenge yourself. Reach out to a set number of people online each day or week. Define your "niche" and focus your efforts accordingly.
8. Be realistic. A common thought on Twitter is, "if I only had more followers..." If more people thought of Twitter followers kind of like money, they'd realize they wouldn't know what to do with 1 million. Even the Bible says that whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with very much. Remember, the people that follow you on Twitter are still people. Don't think of them as numbers. And keep in mind that most Twitter users with large followings probably have accomplishments outside of Twitterland. Many folks see 1,000 or 100,000 followers and they want to duplicate that, just like many folks see a millionaire or billionaire and they wish they could just snag a quick million or billion. Building a social media base is not easy. Don't ever let someone convince you that it is. It's not just a matter following a bunch of people and hoping they follow you back. Honestly, when you see someone with a "successful" social media presence, that person has probably done a whole lot more offline than online.
9. Network, build relationships, network, build relationships. Connect with like-minded people. Join communities. Go to other shows. Talk to others with similar interests who are in a similar phase of life. Life still requires that you reap what you sow. Sow good seeds offline. When others in the industry ask for favors, oblige them. (Favors usually have a nice way of being returned.) Perform live every chance you get...live events are still the cash cow. Remember, if no one knows who you are, they can't search for you online, they can't follow you on Twitter, and they can't find your music.

Ultimately, social media efforts reflect what we probably already know.. Lady Gaga may be the "queen of Twitter", but she's also topping charts, selling millions of albums, and winning Grammys. If a business has a problem online, chances are the problem didn't start there. If an artist a dozen "likes" on Facebook, there's probably more than can be done offline. But for the time being, treat those 12 people like they are the world...Don't discount a small online network. I'll be the first one to tell you, you'd be surprised how powerful that small, well-preserved network can be. Thanks to new media like Variance Magazine and an evolving industry, it's really anybody's game. And it's not too late to start...

Also check out Music Man's blog.