MUSIC EDUCATION
10 Ways To Build A FANBASE As A Musician
10 Ways To Build Your FANBASE, Fast Rising Entertainment Blogger, D.klass GH who's known for supportting and pushing committed rising act with massive promotional strategy, has decided to put out this article to help passionate independent artists who're willing to invest their TIME, MONEY, TALENTand RESOURCES on how to build their fanbase.
Whether you're a Musician or anyother talented personality. Building, Engaging and Retaining your fanbase is essential to your BRAND.
Fanbase is the biggest asset you will ever have and you should recognise that and treat them accordingly. Many question asked by fast rising/upcoming personalities is “How to build a fanbase?”
HOW DO I TURN MY FANBASE INTO A COMMUNITY?
Turning your fanbase into your community really is the best way to build a highly engaged, inspired and die hard fans. So we'll start by looking at how to build a fanbase before moving on to the best way to turn that fanbase into a community and making money out of it.
The ten steps we'll be covering on How To Build A Fanbase:
1. Find your first fans on Social Media.
2. Build Relationships Influencers.
3. Get a PR or Hype Man.
4. Promote Your Songs.
5. Do Trending Song Covers.
6. Be Consistent.
7. Know Your Brand/Engaged With Your Fans.
8. Hit The Headlines (Be Controversial).
9. Do Giveaways.
10. Be Professional.
These ten steps may not be 100% clear to you yet. But, we promise that by the end of this article, you'll not only know how to build strong fanbase but also know to attracts die hard fans that will go extra miles to see you perform.
HOW TO POST ON INSTAGRAM?
• Instagram users look at visuals rather than read your descriptions so focus on creating beautiful imagery and adding a short description and hashtags.
• Upload photos and videos from your live performance, freestyles and clip of your songs.
• Use popular hashtags to join conversations and get your photos discovered.
• Build your followers using engaging imagery and relevant/trending hashtags.
HOW TO POST ON FACEBOOK?
• Facebook users engage most with video content so upload video content to Facebook whenever you can.
• Create a business page for you/your business/your band.
• Post updates on your coming projects, Shows, Freestyles and your Brand.
• Post photos and upload videos to your page.
• Build up your following by starting conversations with your followers on your page.
HOW TO POST ON TWITTER?
• Twitter users engage most with short, relevant statements and questions accompanied by a visually engaging photo or short video.
• Post short updates about your song, coming projects, shows and freestyles too.
• Join conversations by using popular/trending hashtags and talking about relevant stories.
• Joining more conversations will get your name out there more and make you more discoverable.
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH OFFLINE/ONLINE INFLUENCERS:
Who's is an Influencer? An Influencer is someone who has the power to affect, control or manipulate some set of people; An Influencer also has the ability to change the development of your brand interms of getting noticed.
E.g (Jonilar,David Mawuli ,Elorm Beenie, D.klass etc) Even top personalities or celebrities with huge followers (fanbase) can be an Influencer, you just need to find the suitable Online/Offline influencer(s) that will skyrocket your brand to your potential goal.
This is easier said than done, of course, but as you already know, relationships are everything in the music industry. One tweet/repost from a social media influencer with huge followers could be a game changer for your music career.
If you're brand new to the music business and you have zero contacts, try going out to shows (Paid/Free), events and conferences. Engaged and build a strong relationship with renowned influencer(s) who're capable of pushing your sound/brand to large number of audience and music lovers.
There are also plenty of online influencers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook groups you can join to build up your network, that give you access to people who can help promote your music to a bigger audience.
GET A PR OR HYPE MAN:
“Public Relations is about reputation – the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.”
Public Relations (PR) is super important if you want to build a fanbase. No matter who you are or what you do. You need to build a positive public image and establish contacts in the press and media world who can help you get your name and your positive public image in the right places for maximum exposure.
A PR/Hype Man is surely an important asset when it comes to building your fanbase Off/Online. It makes your recognition easy by attracting different individuals to your brand.
WHAT DOES A PR/Hype Man DO?: A creative and strategic PR/Hype Man is what you need for your brand. The job of a PR/Hype Man is NOT just to share your content or song links to his/her followers on social media platforms.
A PR/Hype Man also go extra miles in creating a unique content/post making music lovers fall in love with you, your sound and brand. They push you massively to thousands of unknown individuals whom can turn your fans through their (PR/Hype Man) hyping. GET A PR/HYPE MAN HERE
HYPING: An Hype Man job is simply hyping, and for me “HYPING” is what i see as Advertising yourself and brand to Thousands/Millions of individuals who dont know you, but with adverts (Hyping) is a way to put yourself out to people who's willing to get close.
I call the Online PR (Automatic) while the Offline PR (Manual) because the “Automatic” recognition will be base on how creative you or your movement/team are online which contains the act of creating some controversial/strategic article or content that will surely attracts music fans to notice you and keep a tab on you. While you do the Offline “Manual” yoursef by creating time and space for shows and getting engaged with influencers on ground.
So get out there. Speak to as many people as you can about what you do. Go to local events, Shows, Accept any opportunity for an interview. All of these are great ways to get your name out there and into the social search bars of all your future fans.
PROMOTE YOUR SONG:
Promotion is the most important and essential part of enhancing your fanbase. I define PROMOTION: “As a simply way of selling yourself to thousands of unknown viewers whom can be converted to your REAL fans, Promotions ONLY tends to enhanced your fanbase pushing your brands to many audience Nationwide and World at Large”.
Content promotion is classified into two; ONLINE PROMOTIONS (Blogs, Online Interviews & Social Media Platforms) & MEDIA PROMOTIONS (Radio/Tv Stations, Radio/TV Interviews).
BLOG PROMOTIONS:
A fast and better way to gain and attracts fanbase in large numbers. Putting your songs out for ‘free downloads' on standard blog(s) who're capable of promoting your sound massively to large audience will definitely boost your brand fanbase. CHECK HERE ON HOW ON BEST PROMOTION STRATEGY
After getting a capable blogger/promoter, then you support your content with SPONSORED ADS on Social Media platforms (Facebook, Twitter & Instagram) This act will surely give your sound a professional side attractions because Social Media Ads skyrocket your sound/brand to Thousands of unknown individuals which can easily be converted to your fans.
ONLINE INTERVIEWS: This is another way of selling/promoting yourself to the public, Interviews are platforms where you can easily talk about yourself and projects to large audience by giving them an insight about your brand.
MEDIA PROMOTIONS: We all know the impact of Radio/TV station play in terms of promotions. Millions of people listen/watch to thousands of Radio/TV Stations daily, So why not get in touch with a popular Media (Radio/TV Stations) for promotion on your sound.
BONUS: Now there's a Huge difference between PROMOTE my song and UPLOAD my song:
PROMOTING your song(s) is the process whereby a BLOGGER/PROMOTER upload and promotes your content, Promotes in the sense of sharing your links via his (The Blogger/promoter) social media platforms, it may includes hyping it depends on the strategy of the blogger/promoter.
While UPLOAD your song(s) is another stuff entirely cos the blogger will ONLY upload your content and send you your link, then you do the sharing yourself.
Most top blogs ONLY UPLOAD while Upcoming/Fast Growing Blogs PROMOTES.
POST/DO POPULAR COVERS (OPTIONAL):
Doing Trending/Popular music cover creatively can also attracts many music lovers to your brand and sound, Like when music fans are trying to find a specific song via Search engines or YouTube they easily come accross yours.
Along with uploading your original music to your official channel, posting cover videos will improve your chances of appearing higher in search results, and will make you more accessible to new fans.
BE CONSISTENT:
In order to break through the noise and hold the attention of the music fans you're targeting, you have to be consistent across all of your communication channels.
Whether it's your email newsletter, social media pages, or new music releases, you have to give your fans something to expect and look forward to on a regular basis. Try creating a platform for your fans to get attached to your sound, Always make anticipation for your coming projects.
KNOW YOUR BRAND:
Before you start anything else, you absolutely must know your brand/sound. Your brand encomprises Creativity, uniqueness, strategic which gives an insight of everything you do, from how you present yourself (both in person and online), to how you communicate with your fans.
Take the time to discover what's truly unique about you, your artistry, craft and your lyrics, and build out your brand identity from there. Pay attention to your fans and supporters and use it to create a sound, let music lovers know you for your brand.
ENGAGE WITH YOUR FANS:
There's no way around it, all you have to do is creating a sound that your fans and music lovers will fall for. Most times music lovers get engaged with songs linked to their emotional state of mind and song lyrics.
Popular songs in the world are mostly LOVE songs, second by INSPIRATION/MOTIVATIONAL songs why? its because everyone is attached to them and creating a unique sound out of it will definitely enhance your fanbase. So know what your fans/music lovers want.
It'll require consistent effort on your part to keep them aware of you, get your sound glue to their lips, strengthen the relationships, and definitely create superfans who will help promote you and support your career in the long run.
HIT THE HEADLINES (BE CONTROVERSIAL):
Ghana's famous celebrity , Shatta wale once said “Good publicity is good publicity, Bad publicity is good publicity, No publicity is bad publicity”. Being in the news is key! Do whatever it takes to hit the headlines!.
This section is left to your personal Hype Man/Blogger who's strategic and creative in creating an interactive content that will drive in side attractions.
Many individuals see most “Controversial artist “as noise/trouble makers but no its called “Publicity” and “Publicity is the act of gaining public interest to your content by Advertising it” which you can also be achieved through controversies.
WHY CONTROVERSY? Many people dont know you yet but due to the fact that your name is been tagged to a controversial issue after hitting the “headlines” they'll surely wanna know you and who you are. And probably read or get more about you to blend with.
DO A GIVEAWAY:
Everyone loves getting free stuff! and 2019 seems to be a year of “Song Challenge”. So, do Social Media Competitions/Challenges of an exclusive track in exchange for attractive amounts/support.
If you can incentivize your existing fans to engaged in the competition with their friends and friends of friends, you're likely to earn new fans of your music in the process, Because your song will be able to reach many people ang attracts listeners to your sound.
BE PROFESSIONAL:
Professionalism starts with how you present yourself to the world (Your fans and Music lovers), I know been professional is very challenging for most rising stars, but to face the fact you're selling yourself out to people who're willing to invest or support you and your brand.
A well determined artist will definitely work with the best so as to get the very best in return, Music Production, Music Artwork, Social Media Platforms, Look good/Presentable and the best of promotions.
In Conclusion: You can ONLY gain all this with smart work, finance, commitment and mostly been passionate about your brand and sound
