Social media marketing is one of the most powerful tools for artists looking to build their brand. But which platforms come out on top?
Maintaining a good social media presence is critical for promoting your music and growing your brand, as most artists are aware, but with so many options, which social media platforms should bands and musicians focus on?
A strong social media presence might be a musician’s best asset in a world where musicians compete for a slot on listeners’ playlists. Social media may help you connect with other musicians and secure marketing deals with brands seeking for influencers, in addition to helping you promote your music by establishing a loyal fan base and connecting with your audience.
Lil Nas X is maybe the most successful example of using social media to advance a music career. He is famous for using TikTok and Twitter to propel his song “Old Town Road” to the top of the Billboard Top 100, where it still holds the record for the longest time spent at the top.
So, in order to successfully create your online profile as a musician, which social media networks are the most important to use? It all relies on your professional goals and personal brand. Different platforms are better suited to different musicians, so knowing your short- and long-term goals can help you decide where to spend your time and energy.
TikTok
TikTok is one of the best sites for going viral because of its friendly algorithm and brief, engaging video content. While you may make a movie with any sound from its large sound collection, you can also utilise your own sounds, which is a great option for teasing samples of new songs or simply sharing covers. Fans can easily share your songs because other users can use the audio you post. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities that your music will be the soundtrack to a viral trend or even a single video, as was the case when Fleetwood Mac’s song was single-handedly reintroduced to the Billboard Top 100 after 40 years.
TikTok’s live feature allows you to communicate with your audience whenever you want, and with TikTok challenges and trends frequently going viral, your music might easily become caught up in one. Camila Cabello, the Jonas Brothers, and Post Malone are among the celebrities who frequently use the app.
YouTube
YouTube is the second most popular search engine in the world, in addition to being the most popular video-sharing platform on the internet. You can’t overlook how crucial it is to put your music videos on the platform if you’re a musician wanting to expand your internet profile. If you want to be successful on YouTube, you can’t afford to ignore SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Though it takes some effort, SEO makes it easy for people to find your material online. Create compelling headlines, utilise eye-catching thumbnails, use hashtags, and appropriately describe your material. The advantages of YouTube SEO are that it might boost your long-term visibility on the platform.
Instagram has evolved from a simple photo-sharing app to a multi-faceted platform with a variety of methods to distribute content. You may still engage your audience with eye-catching photographs, but video content is becoming more crucial than ever in terms of Instagram’s algorithm. Video uploads are normally limited to 60 seconds, but you can always upload lengthier videos to IGTV or Instagram Reels, the latter of which is the platform’s newest video tool that competes with TikTok in terms of functionality. Instagram Stories is a great way to share your daily thoughts, photographs, and videos with your followers, especially if you don’t mind your videos or photos disappearing after 24 hours.
Instagram is a terrific place to start if you have any visual content to share. Instagram is a great platform to work with because you can cross-post to sites like Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. Make sure to direct them to your website and other revenue-generating options via the app.