How Artists Can Engage Their Fan Base With Social Media
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It’s no secret that 2020 wasn’t the greatest year for many of us. Last year we saw racial injustice reach new levels, presidential controversies, ridiculous celebrity drama and of course the biggest change that none of us saw coming – the COVID-19 pandemic.
With no parties, restaurants, bars, travel or shows/concerts, many of us have been feeling the effects of social isolation. The bad news is that we may have to deal with this pandemic a bit longer than we originally thought as health experts continue to develop solutions. The good news is that we as a global community are more connected now than ever.
Thanks to social media and not many outdoor options for entertainment, we’ve all pushed our noses a bit deeper into our phones. With curfews and other restrictions put in place for our safety (depending on where you live) we are spending more time inside making websites and apps our main form of entertainment. If you’re an artist of any kind, this is a truly amazing time for you to shine. Here are some ways to capitalize on this new shift in culture.
Virtual Shows
Performing artists and creatives of all kind really felt the effects of the pandemic as social distancing rules effected concerts, plays, film productions, theatre shows, and live performances of any kind. This led to us all turning to social media to feel connected and a sense of community.
We’ve all seen the craze that celebrity versus battles have caused and are getting to know some of our favorite artists on more of an intimate and personal level, so why not do the same for yourself? Even if you can’t get to a recording studio to work on new material, can’t take new photos, can’t film, or can’t do a traditional in-person show, you have many options to reach, connect to and increase your fan base.
If you’re a performing artist like a vocalist, rapper, producer, comedian, poet or an author, you can host a virtual show. You can use platforms like Twitch where you can eventually get paid to stream to your followers, and Pro Twitch Streamers can make between $3000-$5000 per month playing 40 hours a week.
If you’re not someone who sees themselves dedicating that much time to live streaming, then apps like Instagram or TikTok could be more up your alley. Do note that you must have 1000+ followers to be able to use the live feature on TikTok. You can also use Instagram’s live feature to perform new material or to have themed events.
Podcasts
Some artists have taken up podcasting and may do a live episode or interviews on their Instagram. Keep in mind that if you choose this option it cannot exceed more than one hour. One of the most epic Instagram live podcasts was Tory Lane’s Quarantine Radio which brought in a record breaking 360,000 viewers during one of the episodes. His show was popular due to the elements of unpredictability and wild competitions. We can’t all have twerking contests like Tory, but we can cross promote with other emerging artists in our cities to create content.
If you’re not into video, you can upload your audio podcast to Spotify or Apple Music. Many podcasts have picked up steam from those platforms and yours could be next. To get onto all the platforms you’ll have to use a distributor like Buzzsprout or you can upload directly to Spotify.
Do keep in mind that your podcast will take a few days to appear. You’ll have to do some planning in advance to have your episode out for the correct release date or you can upload instantly to a platform like Soundcloud.
Shorts
If you want to mix up your content you can create short videos to not only show off your talent, but also to let your audience know more about you. TikTok allows creators to create short videos up to one minute. Videos range from humour, behind the scenes, motivation and any sort of other posts really.
Dance trends are all the rage but don’t be intimidated if that’s not your thing. Glow up videos, reactions, duets and more can all go viral on TikTok. Instagram has a similar feature called reels. Much like TikTok, you can add popular songs or your own songs to your videos to give them an extra layer of creativity.
If you’re able to increase your usage of at least two of these options, you will definitely see increased engagement with your content. Of course, with any real change you’ll have to keep consistent. Start by committing to an amount you know you can maintain.
For something a little longer form like a podcast or live performance once a week is ideal. For short content like TikTok or Instagram reels, start with two a week. There are influencers out there who believe posting a few times a day is the key to growth, but please keep in mind that the this should be a fun change, not another exhausting thing to commit to.
Your audience will always be able to identify genuine, well thought out content over something that is rushed. You will still have to regularly post to social media with photo updates of yourself or in your element working on your art. Try to find a happy medium where you are creating more but still able to balance all of your other responsibilities.