How to network on Social Media as a songwriter
Social media is a great asset when it comes to expanding your professional network, especially in these virtual times.
A guest post by Sammy Hakim of Bandzoogle.
Let’s face it. In the modern era, everyone and anyone is on social media. Especially in the music industry. For songwriters, that can feel like a daunting task. Especially since we spend most of our days working in studios with other people enjoying life behind the scenes. But, as an independent songwriter, it’s important to give yourself a leg up and work on getting yourself out there to attract new collaborators and build connections with industry people.
So if you’re interested, but have no idea where to start, you’ve come to the right place. Here are 6 tips for tackling social media networking as a songwriter.
1. Create a brand
In the day of social media, it’s just as important for a songwriter to have a brand as it is for a performer. So when you get to work on your social media marketing, have some sort of image in mind. Whether that’s choosing a tinted color scheme, or wearing certain outfits, dying your hair a certain way, or even posting specifically themed or target images, having that branded look can give you the extra ‘oomph’ you need to draw people in and get them intrigued and excited to work with you.
News flash: This also includes posting about any releases that you have! The content you are creating for others is still under your brand. After all, it took your creative talent to make it happen.
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2. Focus on quality & quantity
Quality and quantity look different for everybody. As a songwriter, it is essential to make sure that the quality of your work is high. After all, a lot of the business, both creative and industry alike, use social media to find new people to work with.
That being said, you need to find a balance for quantity as well. That’s going to help you build your numbers, show consistency, and showcase that you’re still working. So quality and quantity have to work together in a way.
If for you, the number of high quality posts you can make in a week is one or two, then that’s what you should start with.
Keep in mind, having high quality videos and photos does not mean they need to cost you anything. In fact – as long as they’re on brand, you could even get away with posting a blurry photo, or a photo set of your week (as long as it looks intentional – quality check, remember?!) So really, the world is your oyster once you get into the rhythm.
3. Decide on Stories vs. Posts
A lot of times we’re torn between which information we should be posting for just a few seconds, vs. leaving up on our page for longer. So how do you decide which posting platform is most effective for you?
Most musicians I know navigate this by putting their everyday information, such as session videos and such, in their stories, and making posts to showcase when they have new releases coming out.
If you’re an artist, you may post more frequently. Or, hey, maybe you love posting on your feed as a writer as well. This is really more a general rule set, so whatever you think is best, flies. Try a few things out, and see how it goes. Then repeat whatever seems to work for you, that you’re comfortable with, and resonates with fellow songwriters.
4. Try out Reels & Tik Tok
Posting Instagram reels and Tik Toks with your songs is an incredible idea! While it’s good to follow trends to try and get the most views as possible, as long as you’re posting you’re getting exposure to the fact you write songs. You’re also showcasing your skill set, which is the important part.
These short videos can be an easy, accessible way to get started with social media as a songwriter. They’re a handy tool to promote your writing skills as well as your releases, so try them out and see if they’re a good fit for you. You may choose one platform or the other, and focus your attention on growing that specific audience to make those new connections.
5. Find your balance
Finding your balance with social media is crucial. Many of us chose to become songwritersto stay more behind the scenes than a performing artist. However, with the economy of the music industry these days, we’re having to do far more than just be great at our skill to get into the rooms we want to be in.
That being said, your mental health is important. And if social media starts taking that over, you won’t be able to focus on writing as well either. So take care, and make sure that whatever you decide works best for you. You’ll want to have some sort of balance with how much time, weight, and effort you’re putting into social media.
Your music is the important thing, and using social media as a tool to network can be a handy way to focus just some of your efforts. It should complement your writing and help you find those fellow musicians to collaborate with, not take over your process.
6. Track, but don’t obsess over numbers
Last but not least, let’s talk about numbers. Whilst numbers can help you get into bigger rooms, gain more traction, and stand out to industry professionals, they’re not necessarily the be all and end all for social media.
Tracking them can be important to show what’s working and what’s not. But if you’re sticking to your brand and focusing on quality and quantity, you’ve already created a sort of ‘business card’ with your account. Focusing on that can be the most helpful in determining what works for you as a songwriter on social media.
All in all, these tips are really just the starting point for taking on marketing yourself on social media as a songwriter. So if you have other ideas or plans that you think might work better as you go, don’t hesitate to give them a shot. Any kind of marketing or promotion isn’t a sure thing.
And who knows – you might create the next new fad and go viral. Either way, we hope these tips help get you started. Got any other great tips we missed? Drop them in the comments below. We’re always looking for new things to add to our social media repertoire.
And as always, happy writing.
