By Jack McCarthy, contributing writer for Soundudes
Growing your following on social media is an important part of your social media strategy, whether you are a seasoned veteran or just starting out. If you’re finding that your number of followers is just not going up, take a look at this checklist and decide if there are any holes in your strategy.
1. Your profile looks bad
On virtually every social network, be it Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Soundcloud, you have tons of options to customize your profile to make it unique to you and your brand. It’s pretty simple: make sure it looks good. Use a profile picture that you like and that represents your brand. Be sure to include a bio and any links to your website or music so people looking at your profile for the first time can find out more about you. If the platform has a cover photo, consider it free advertising space and use it appropriately to convey more about you and your brand. No one wants to see a bland page with no color or creativity, or see tweets from a user that’s depicted as an “egg,” so make yours stand out.
2. You’re promoting all the time
While it may be tempting to think about your social networks as promotional platforms, it is better to hold the mindset that they are platforms for entertaining your followers and informing them, and well as getting to know your fans and letting them get to know you. If you’re constantly spamming Facebook and Twitter with the same posts linking your new album or track on SoundCloud, you are likely to see people stop caring or even begin to unfollow you.
3. Your content isn’t engaging
Hand in hand with the idea about promoting yourself on social media is the concept of content strategy. One way to think about the content you post is the social media rule of thirds. Make sure the content you post is interesting or informative. But not always serious. Anything from pictures from your travels, to pictures of your rehearsals, to pictures of your cat could be a starting point (don’t take that last bit too seriously, Taylor Swift doesn’t need any Catstagram competition). You can get really creative with content strategy. Find out some niches that your audience is interested in and tailor your posts accordingly.
4. You’re not posting regularly
This one is pretty simple: if someone decides to check out your profile and sees that your last Tweet or status is from two weeks ago, or your last track or video is from two months ago, they won’t think you’re very active or worth following. Make it a point to post regularly. If you’re not the most spontaneous person, set up a weekly content calendar that you can follow to help you.
5. You don’t follow back
While the concept of following back (especially on platforms like Twitter and SoundCloud) is up for some debate, following back the people that follow you in the earlier stages of building up your social media audience is crucial. Following back your followers gives them the impression that you want to get to know them as much as they want to get to know you. Once your numbers grow and people are engaging with you, you don’t have to follow back EVERY single follower.
Quick side note, when you follow back other artists on SoundCloud you may find some new music that you love and a new collaboration partner.
6. You aren’t paying attention to your followers
As you are beginning to build up a small following, it’s important to pay attention to those initial fans. Respond to their comments (especially when they’re referring to your music), tweet and message them back when they talk to you, and thank them for sharing your music and content. You will appear much more approachable to others online if they can see that you are actively talking with your followers.
7. You’re not keeping up with trends
Trends are an important part of many social networks, especially Twitter and Instagram where people use hashtags most fervently. Trends often vary depending on current events and viral content on the Internet. While the trends may not be specifically about you and your music, there is no reason that you cannot repurpose them to entertain your followers and join in on the conversation.
8. You’re not taking full advantage of the platform
Every social media platform has unique features that make it different from the rest. In order to get the most out of social media, knowing these features and getting creative with how to use them to grow your fanbase is pretty important. For example, using SoundCloud’s playlist feature to highlight your newest or best tracks might increase your following as people attach themselves to your best work. By using tags or hashtags on SoundCloud or Instagram, you can extend the reach of your music or photos through related categories or niches.
9. You’re not collaborating with others
Speaking of collaborating, collaborating with other artists and creatives online is equally as important as it is in the real world. Working with other artists on special cover songs, remixing your friends’ bands on SoundCloud, doing joint videos on YouTube, or sharing and tagging pictures on Instagram are just a few ways to get started. By collaborating online, you open yourself up to new audiences that will be more inclined to follow you, since they are familiar with the artists or people you are working with.
10. You’re targeting the wrong audience
At the end of it all, you need to be targeting the right fans for your brand. It goes without saying that targeting death metal fans with your R&B infused pop might not achieve the best return. Know your audience and know that the content you are putting out is the very best that it can be. Releasing demos can be a cool tactic to appeal to diehard fans, but if done incorrectly or too early, you just end up looking like an amateur artist.
Social media is a puzzle of knowing what to post, when to post and how often, and who you want to reach. By following these concepts and adapting them to your creativity, brand, and music, you can get more followers and engagement on social media.
By Jack McCarthy, contributing writer for Soundudes – the intelligent solution for musicians to grow their audiences online. Soundudes’ unique targeting algorithm identifies and connects you with hundreds of real, new and relevant fans on SoundCloud every month. Fans who will love and share your music – your potential superfans.