What is social networking and why is it important for bands?
Social networks are Internet based social groups that are tied together by shared interests, values, beliefs, etc. Traditional social networking had more to do with building synergistic relationships with people in the industry. Modern social networks help like-minded people share ideas, art, humor, etc. Social networks provide a way for musicians to connect with their audience.
Rules for Social Networking
Social networking gives musicians and bands the opportunity to be as aggressive as they like in marketing their music, but being too aggressive with self-promotion is off-putting. It is better to push lightly through many different social media outlets rather than pushing heavily in a few. Be sure to have clear goals in performing social networking, and constantly re-evaluate whether a particular social media outlet is providing a good value based on your inputs or effort.
When networking with people in the industry be sure to follow these rules of etiquette. There is a term which is popular in Nashville known as Gherming. It refers to somebody pushing their demo upon somebody influential at an inappropriate time such as at a party or convention. It’s best not to push demos on people in the industry in an ad-hoc manner, or through non-traditional channels.
Referrals
People in the industry are constantly bombarded with under-developed talent. It is best to only help people proportionally to what they deserve as artists. Don’t risk losing your connections by referring someone who isn’t ready for the opportunity.
What is the Value Proposition of Social Networking?
In terms of reaching your audience, social networking is extremely important. There are bands that have achieved sales comparable to major label releases on indie labels through effective use of social media. One thing to consider when looking at social media platforms is who gets promoted and why. Do big name artists always get promoted to high traffic areas? Does there appear to be a large fee associated with the promotion of certain bands or does there appear to be any back-room deals with artists and promotions? Paying fees to these sites should be avoided if it looks like they have hidden agendas or partnerships with certain record labels and such.
Bloggers
Do not underestimate the influence of bloggers. Try to figure out efficient strategies for influencing them to review your product. Bloggers are generally autonomous, meaning that they make decisions on what to review and promote of their own accord. They don’t need to represent the interests of record labels or other entities in the industry. They may seek to gain mindshare by promoting artists that already have significant reach, but they’re also likely to jump on the bandwagon early of any band they think has breakout potential.
Professional Events
Generally, going to events and meetups as a way of networking is a waste of time. But events that have the expressed purpose of meeting up with fellow musicians and industry professionals can be highly valuable as a networking resource. Although, the primary goal of these types of conferences should be to gain knowledge from the presentations. Networking with professionals gives you an opportunity to get immediate feedback on your ideas.
By Jack Johnston