Music is an essential part of daily life. It sets the mood for events. Sometimes it’s the main event. Most importantly it can bring people from all different walks of life together to enjoy the sound and each other’s company time after time. When it comes to marketing your own voice, or any type of music content creation, we have the perfect social media steps to take in order to make your journey through a little easier.  

Videos will be your best friend

Followers love seeing the face that matches the voice, and sometimes a music video can create a whole new perspective on the music. This can be done in a multitude of ways too. You can put your vocals to the test by filming a live cover with no edits to your followers via livestream. If you play instruments, this could also be a great way to demonstrate your craft. 

Post everywhere to create the maximum reach. Any visual content such as a music video will do well on any platform. YouTube, Facebook and Instagram will do particularly better because their platforms are designed for video postings such as these. 

Also don’t just record from the comfort of your home. Have a friend or relative turn on the camera while you’re out in public and post. Creating content out in public may lead to a double audience, whether that be in person or digitally. Keep in mind, that you have the music ready to be shared. Now it’s about how you share it to your audience.  

Sing covers

Switch up your original content with covers of other content that you may admire or that inspired you. By singing covers, you can show your followers the range you have in different songs. This is content that may be easily searched when given the right tags, and will help people find you as you begin to grow your own voice and image. Make sure to tag and give credit to the original artist. This may also work when reproducing similar instrumentals. 

Sign up for music based social media 

Increase your social media platforms to music specific ones such as Musical.ly, Soundcloud, Bandcamp and ReverbNation. These platforms already contain audiences of people looking to discover new music, so you as the user will only need to supply the content. This may also help new music artists to meet and collaborate with other like-minded creators. 

Interact with followers from the beginning 

Be humble when interacting with followers on your platform and be true to yourself. From the beginning, your music and genuine production are why listeners chose to follow and ultimately download your music. Show that there is more beyond the music by engaging and talking with followers. This will have them revisiting your profile to continue engaging. Make sure to also go on your account at designated times because followers will then have a known schedule for when you decide to post.  

Pitch venues

Start to take your followers off of social media to join you at a venue. This can be a small intimate gathering like at your local hometown bar. Send an email with links to your work, website and social media to show your credibility. Grab friends and family to get involved and show their support. 

Sometimes, it isn’t enough to only digitally communicate with the bar owner. Show up in person and demonstrate why you’ll be a good fit at this venue and show that you can drive money to the establishment. 

Meet and network with other artists 

On social media, offer to meet and talk with other artists. This can open more opportunities for you in the near future. You may be able to ask questions to see how they are able to successfully communicate to their followers. Based on the compatibility, you may be able to promote and produce a show together. This will increase the following on both artist accounts because you opened the doors to both audiences. 

Establish the look of your music 

A lot of the time, potential followers are able to grasp the whole mood or idea the artist has for their music based upon the color palette they use in their social media feeds. Instagram, for instance, gives a good indicator to the potential follower. If there are dark greys and blues in the bulk of the feed, then it could be considered that the vibe is more moody or grungy. In contrast, there could be brighter tones such as neon green or electric blue which may suggest either a pop-like aesthetic or more rock and roll depending on the imagery as a whole.   

Pitch media and news outlets 

Essentially become your own public relations manager and market yourself to others and use your social media as a portfolio. Show media and news outlets why you are a good fit in their next news or feature post. Is it the new sound you’ve been able to create in the latest singles or the ability to sell out a venue in a short period of time? Nowadays, it isn’t enough to have media outlets come to you, but rather it’s better to save them the time and pitch exactly what you want covered as an artist.   

Create distinctive imagery 

Distinctive imagery such as a logo will help followers and listeners recall who the artist is when the music pops up on their streaming service and device. This should be an image that is posted on all social media accounts, and even made to be the profile picture or cover in order to get followers familiar with the imagery. 

When creating the imagery, keep in mind the overall aesthetic you want to portray. Is your social media already known for bright colors and blocked text? Is it not as bold with intimate illustrations? Have this important conversation as you continue to establish yourself and your brand.  

Offer an Incentive 

Think of singing or making music like a service. As you continue to promote yourself through social media, music is no longer a hobby or a sweet escape. This is a business. Offer an incentive that aligns with your current state in the music industry. 

For example, for a loyal following, offer a giveaway relating to some of your favorite. This could be a reward for users following all of your social media accounts. If you happen to be selling merchandise, offer a small discount in order to increase the quantity of sales. This will help to engage with more users on social media while also thanking them for their support. 

Have genuinity in what you’re producing   

Don’t compromise your creative freedom by worrying about who’s going to receive the most followers or what’s going to sell. Holding back from yourself and your creative ability will ultimately show in the way you perform or showcase your work on social media platforms. Music is, in fact, a major part of who people are. Melodies help them to relate to current situations and even lift their spirits. When promoting it on these platforms, or any business on a social media platform, people are actually promoting themselves.