Musicians are an entirely new animal in the digital world. In just twenty years or so, they have evolved from the engine of the machine into the machine itself. Labels, managers, and publishers are no longer necessary for a musician’s success. A key factor in this: Social Media. With an unimaginable amount of resources (mostly free) online, musicians can directly control all areas of their content. In my last blog post, “Streaming Platforms: An Independent Musician’s Best Friend”, I dealt with optimizing streaming platforms with the goal of digital diversity. In my next three posts, I will discuss the optimization of social media platforms for musicians building their brand.
With that same goal of digital diversity in mind, I will highlight the most valuable features of three social media platforms: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. This post kicks off the series with arguably the most beneficial platform for musicians today: Instagram.
Instagram is the visual vehicle of all social medias. It is used to post pictures and short videos to followers who are active 24/7, a feat that is unique to the platform. Instagram is ideal for audience engagement because musicians can advertise their content while giving fans a glimpse into their personal lives. Its key features are hashtags, Instagram Live, Instagram Story, Influencers, and paid posts.
Organic Advertising
A musician can generate organic exposure through hashtags and engaging content. Using hashtags will automatically upload a post to an Instagram page specific for that hashtag. Also, it helps posts reach the discovery page for all Instagram users to view and interact with. The discoverability on Instagram is higher than most other platforms. Instagram live and Instagram stories are great tools for artists directly interacting with fans. They can do anything from live stream studio sessions to link songs in their story that will take users directly to Spotify or other streaming platforms.
Paid Instagram Advertising
On the paid side of things, musicians can pay Instagram to generate impressions for certain posts. Although its rates are higher than other platforms, it has been reported that these ads have ten times more interaction than Facebook ads. On a cost per mille (cost per 1,000 impressions) basis, a user will typically pay around $5 for 1,000 impressions. That being said, your money can go a long way here. Additionally, Instagram is notorious for its presence of influencers. These people are another great resource that can contribute to musicians’ exposure by including songs or merch in their posts.
Takeaways
An effective strategy for Instagram marketing is to constantly maintain audience engagement and use paid advertising for exposure on new releases (music, merch, etc.). Advertising permeates through this platform. Musicians can be marketing their brand without even knowing it. Every video of a show, picture of a microphone, or Instagram Live studio session is a form of advertising that will associate the personal life of an artist with their music. Incorporating hashtags in these casual posts can land an artist on the discovery page to gain organic impressions. When the time is right, they can utilize paid posts and connect with influencers to generate a massive reach. Both artists and fans enjoy the subtleness of Instagram advertising and the casual environment the platform fosters.
For more tips on Instagram marketing for musicians, read this article from Sonic Bids Blog. Likewise, for a great example of an engaging musician’s Instagram account, check out @snarkypuppy. You may like some of their music too!