Social media is the best place for musicians, professional or not, to build and sustain direct-to-fan engagement. Here are three ways to utilize social media to help increase your direct-to-fan engagement and increase your fan base:
1.Create a Website: Every musician or band should have a website because it is usually the first thing fans see. The website should follow your brand and show the band’s true personality. Having a website will allow fans access to all of your band’s information including press kits, tour dates, ticket sales, merchandise etc. Create a “one-stop-shop” for fans by linking all social media pages on the website, so that engagement becomes easier over all platforms.
Here are some places to create a website: Wix Music, Square Space and ReverbNation.
2. Start an Email List: Create a weekly or bi-weekly newsletter with upcoming shows, artist information or special offers to make fans feel included. Utilize email to reach out to your fans and link them to the band’s important information. End each email with a call-to-action, such as linking your shop or suggesting to purchase tickets. The easiest way to create an email list is to have fans sign-up at every show.
Chain mail services: Mail Chimp and Drip
3. Sign-up for Twitter: Social media is a staple way to connect with fans and Twitter can help your band do that directly. Twitter analytics also allows musicians to see how fans are engaging with posts through tweet impressions, profile visits, mentions and follower counts. For this tool to be effective, your band must remain as active with the fans as possible by retweeting fan created content or replying to fans when they are having a bad day.
The best way to retain fans is to constantly interact with them by keeping your website up to date, sending them emails on a regular basis and interacting with them on a personal level, not just business. Music means more than selling tickets to shows.
Now that you know ways to engage with your fans, read: 4 Steps to Growing Your Follower Base on Social Media