Why should indie artists deploy content marketing? Social media is the dominant consumption tool of society today. Using these channels is a great way to get your music in front of more eyeballs and build a dedicated following without breaking the bank.
Here are four tips to guide your content strategy for a small independent music artist who wants to make it big.
- Make content that gives value, not promotion:
It's a bit counterintuitive, but stop telling people to stream your releases. Content marketing for an indie music artist should focus on bringing the audience value, at least initially, especially if the goal is to build a large following. Audiences are likelier to engage with informative, entertaining, or thought-provoking content rather than purely promotional content. By providing value to the audience, such as behind-the-scenes content or educational resources, the artist can build a loyal community that is invested in their success. Over time, this fanbase will translate into increased streams and ticket sales. In other words, only after you've given given given to your audience can you ask them for something.
- Don't be precious.
Being "precious" with your content on social media means being overly attached to the quality of your content and being hesitant to post anything that is not “perfect.” To attract and retain followers, it is important to let that go.
Not every post needs to be perfect or polished. By being willing to post more frequently, you can increase your visibility and engagement on social media, ultimately leading to more followers, increased music streams, and higher ticket sales.
- Consistency is key.
From a music perspective, you may be unique; there may be “no competition.” But from a content perspective, hundreds of thousands of indie artists in your niche are also trying to make it big. In other words, you need to outproduce your competitors.
Furthermore, some platforms (specifically Instagram and Facebook) de-rank your content if you slow down your posting frequency. This means we don't want to stop once we start posting regularly.
- Anticipate and embrace negative comments.
We're not doing it right if we aren't getting any negative feedback. When someone takes the time to leave a negative comment, it means they are engaging with your content and have an opinion about it. This means that the content is reaching a wide audience, and you're in the process of growing your account.
Negative comments also allow you to engage with your audience and potentially turn a negative experience into a positive one. By responding to negative comments in a professional and respectful manner, you can demonstrate your commitment to your audience and turn detractors into fans.
Additionally, negative comments provide valuable feedback on how to improve your messaging. You can better serve your audience by listening to negative feedback and making changes as necessary.